asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has decided on changes to the immigration rules to comply with the recent judgment of the European Court of Human Rights.

Yes. In order to comply with the judgment it will be necessary to change the immigration rules so that the provisions for the admission of husbands and wives for settlement are brought into line with each other. The Government therefore propose to allow husbands to join women who, though not British citizens, have permanent residence here, and to apply to wives seeking admission for settlement (other than wives to whom the provisions of section 1(5) of the Immigration Act 1971 apply) the requirements, including the requirement to satisfy the entry clearance officer that the marriage was not entered into primarily for immigration purposes, which at present apply only to husbands. The opportunity will be taken to clarify and strengthen the provisions of the existing rules relating to maintenance and accommodation and the entry clearance officer will need to be satisfied that adequate accommodation will be

Table 1
Husbands and fiances in the Indian subcontinent applying for entry clearance for leave to enter the United Kingdom under the 1983 immigration rules
Number of persons‡
	Husbands					Fiances
	1984					1984
	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter	Year	1st quarter	2nd quarter	3rd quarter	4th quarter	Year
Bombay
Applications decided	90	70	100	60	300	130	90	110	70	400
of which, applications granted*	60	40	70	50	220	80	50	70	50	250
applications refused†	20	30	20	10	90	60	30	40	20	150
New Delhi (including Calcutta)
Applications decided	50	40	40	40	160	140	120	100	80	440
of which, applications granted*	20	20	20	20	70	30	20	30	30	100
applications refused†	30	20	20	20	90	110	110	70	50	340
India
Applications decided	130	110	130	100	460	270	210	210	140	830
of which, applications granted*	80	60	80	70	280	100	70	100	80	350
applications refused†	50	50	40	30	180	170	140	110	70	480
Pakistan
Applications decided	70	80	70	70	290	200	210	200	200	820
of which, applications granted*	50	60	50	50	210	120	130	110	100	460
applications refused†	10	20	20	20	80	80	80	90	100	360
Bangladesh
Applications decided	10		30		40	+		+		+
of which, applications granted*	10		20		20	+		-		+
applications refused†	10		20		20	+		+		+

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications from (a) husbands and (b) fiances have been (i) decided, (ii) granted and (iii) refused in the Indian subcontinent in each quarter of 1984; how many such applications in each category and for each quarter were refused; (1) wholly and (2) partly because of the primary purpose rules; what was the refusal rate in each instance and what percentage of these refusals was (x) wholly and (y) partly on primary purpose grounds; and if he will publish this information for each post.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 June 1985, c. 344–45]: The information requested is given in the tables. Where the numbers are small, the figures far individual posts and individual quarters have been combined. Information for the whole of the Indian subcontinent on husbands and fiances granted or refused entry clearance is given in table 9 of the quarterly Home Office statistical bulletin "Control of Immigration: Statistics—First Quarter 1985" (Issue 16/85).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will appoint a day for registration under the Data Protection Act 1984 to commence; and if he will make a statement.

I have today made an order under section 42(1) of the Data Protection Act 1984 appointing 11 November 1985 as the day on which applications for registration under the Act may begin to be made. Data users will have six months from that date within which to apply for registration.This date has been appointed after consultation with the Data Protection Registrar, who, since his appointment last September, has concentrated his efforts on setting up his office and devising procedures for registration. With this in mind, he has held meetings with a wide range of representative organisations and has taken account of the views which they have expressed. He has also published advice and information about the Act. Details of his activities during the last nine months are set out in his first annual report, which was presented to Parliament yesterday and which is published today (HC 470).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made any study of the influence of politically extreme organisations upon crowd safety at major sporting events in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside (Mr. Parry) on 18 June, at column 88.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis about whether the Metropolitan police used (a) an empty office at Strutton Ground SW1, (b) the roof of the New Scotland Yard building, and (c) the roof of the British Pharmaceutical building in Lambeth road, for the purpose

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that seven cameras were used at various locations along the route of the march including the roof of New Scotland Yard and the British Pharmaceutical building. No cameras were sited in Strutton Ground. The cameras, which were used for traffic control and to assist in police deployment, were operated by 19 civilian engineers from the chief engineer's department of the Metropolitan police. No still photographs were taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Italian Government about the presence in the United Kingdom of people wanted for terrorist offences in Italy; and if he will make a statement.

None. It would be for the Italian authorities to apply for the extradition of any individuals in the United Kingdom who were suspected of terrorist offences in Italy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of his Department's guidelines on the enforcement of the Child Abduction Act 1984.

Copies of Home Office circular 75/1985, which explains the main provisions of the Child Abduction Act 1984, have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners, including people on remand, were detained at Strangeways gaol in Manchester on 8 July.

On 5 July, the latest date for which figures were collected centrally, the population of Her Majesty's prison Manchester was 1,733.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in Strangeways gaol, Manchester, are registrably either mentally or physically disabled.

On 31 March 1985 the numbers of persons in Manchester prison whom the medical officer considered to be mentally disordered within the meaning of the Mental Health Act 1983, was 13, of whom 12 were mentally ill. There are at present three inmates whom the medical officer considers to be physically handicapped.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to ensure that British football fans who were at the Liverpool v. Juventus match in Brussels and who are liable to be charged with offences, and are at present in Great Britain, are not extradited to Belgium to stand trial.

No. Extradition arrangements with Belgium are provided for by the United Kingdom/Belgium extradition treaty. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made it clear on 3 June, at columns 22–23, that, in accordance with our international obligations, we will give the Belgium authorities every assistance in preparing requests for the extradition of persons accused of having committed offences at the European Cup final.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, for each of the financial years from 1980–81 to 1987–88, the actual or projected figures for (a) total civil defence expenditure from his Department's budget and (b) expenditure on grants-in-aid to local authorities for civil defence purposes.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 July 1985, c. 282]: The figures are as follows:

	(a) Total Expenditure (Net)*	(b) Grant in Aid to Local Authorities
	(£'000)	(£'000)
1980–81 outturn	12,227	4,546
1981–82 outturn	16,443	6,160
1982–83 outturn	26,755	7,162
1983–84 outturn	36,979	9,406
1984–85 estimated outturn	41,420	11,132
1985–86 supply estimate	44,279	11,989
1986–87 projected figure	45,140	13,736
1987–88 projected figure	45,070	15,468
* Includes expenditure on major Home Office building projects undertaken by PSA.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each United Kingdom seaport, and at each separate terminal within a seaport, what was the number of passengers arriving in 1984 on a ferry, including hovercraft and hydrofoils, from a seaport in (a) another member state of the Community and (b) other countries.

I have been asked to reply.The following table shows the information requested for United Kingdom ports or port groups. The Department of Transport does not collect figures for arrivals at individual terminals. Figures for individual ports have been grouped where necessary to avoid the disclosure of commercially confidential information.

Sea passenger arrivals in the United Kingdom from Continental Europe and Irish Republic*: 1984
Port/Port Group	Arrivals in United Kingdom (Thousands)
Dover	6,881
Other Thames and Kent ports	1,540
All Thames and Kent (Tilbury to Folkstone)	8,421
All South Coast (Newhaven to Falmouth)	1,548
All West Coast (Avonmouth to Fleetwood)	1,441
Felixstowe/Ipswich	346
Harwich	963
Other East Coast ports	286
All East Coast (Harwich to Lerwick)	1,596
Total all Ports/Port Groups	13,006
Of which:
From EC Countries	12,769
From Non-EC Countries	237
* Excludes passengers arriving in the United Kingdom from outside Europe and passengers dis-embarking following a cruise holiday.

asked the Attorney-General what manpower reductions the Lord Chancellor's Department has achieved in 1984–85.

In the period between the 1 April 1984 and 1 April 1985 the number of counted staff increased from 10,026 to 10,190. This increase was due to the transfer from other departments of 61 staff of two tribunals and to the need to recruit additional staff to deal with the increasing workload of the courts.

asked the Attorney-General, what action the Director of Public Prosecutions has taken so far to seek to extradite Mr. Ed Kale from the United States of America.

I understand the question to refer to the removal by Edward William Kale in September 1980 of his two children from their home in Liverpool to the United States of America in defiance of a custody order made in favour of his former wife. The matter was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions who concluded that no criminal offence was disclosed. Extradition is not available in respect of alleged contempt of court. Although the law has been amended by the Child Abduction Act 1984, its provisions are not retrospective in effect and accordingly do not provide any basis for an application for extradition in relation to events occuring in 1980.I also understand that one child was returned to the jurisdiction, but recently was again removed to the United States of America. This is the subject of an investigation by the Merseyside police, who expect shortly to submit a report to the Director.

asked the Prime Minister in what circumstances Her Majesty's Government decide to base pension entitlement on levels of salary other than those actually in payment at or in the period before the date of retirement; for which categories of public servants this was done in 1983–84 and succeeding years; and if she will make a statement.

Since April 1983 the only group of public servants who have had their pensions based on salaries other than those actually in payment at or in the period before the date of retirement are those whose pensions were affected by the 1983–84 TSRB award. Ministers are considering the 1985 report of the Top Salaries Review Body and I expect to be able to announce the Government's decisions, including the implications for pensions, in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average pay rise for teachers and what was the annual inflation rate in each year from 1955; and if he will make a statement.

So far as it can be ascertained, the information requested is given in the table.Annual pay settlements operative from 1 April have been the norm only since 1969 (though the figures for 1974 and 1980 represent a consolidation of separate settlements applicable from two or more dates during those years). Increases prior to 1969 are attributed in the table to the years in which they become operative. These early figures are approximations giving a broad indication only of the average effect of pay settlements, which covered periods of up to three years.

The RPI increases given are for the 12 months up to April each year.
Year	Percentage Pay increase	Operative date	Percentage RPI increase
1955	—		3·5
1956	15	1 October 1956	7·2
1957	—		1·8
1958	—		4·9
1959	*10	1 October 1959	0·0
1960	—		0·7
1961	—		2·7
1962	15	1 January 1962	5·6
1963	7	1 April 1963	2·1
1964	—		2·0
1965	13	1 April 1965	5·6
1966	—		3·6
1967	7	1 July 1967	3·0
1968	—		4·5
1969	7·1	1 April 1969	5·5
1970	7·5	1 April 1970	5·5
1971	10·8	1 April 1971	9·5
1972	9·6	1 April 1972	6·3
1973	6·6	1 April 1973	9·1

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what payments he has made in the last year to the neuropathogens laboratory at Edinburgh university, Kings Buildings, for work on dementia.

The neuropathogenesis unit in Edinburgh is jointly funded by the Agricultural and Food Research Council and the Medical Research Council, which receive grants-in-aid from the Department. I understand that in the financial year 1984–85 expenditure at the unit on work directly concerned with dementia was estimated to be about £19,000. In addition, much of the unit's total budget of £510,000 was directed to work which might prove relevant to understanding of diseases such as dementia.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has in the context of the proposals contained in the White Paper, "Better Teaching" on in-service training for teachers, to strengthen the teaching of religious education in schools; and if he will make a statement.

The new funding arrangements for in-service training proposed in the White Paper "Better Schools" are intended to promote more systematic procedures for identifying teachers' needs for training, for matching training needs with suitable training activities and for making good use of teachers after training. Such improved procedures should serve to strengthen teaching in religious education as in other subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards selection of children at age of 11 years, and towards grammar schools.

The White Paper "Better Schools" explains (paragraph 212) that the Government are content with the existing legal framework

"which gives freedom to each local education authority to maintain its existing pattern of school organisation and, if it wishes, to propose changes in that pattern".

Using this freedom, some LEAs continue to maintain selective secondary schools. The freedom to submit statutory proposals to reintroduce grammar schools was restored by the Education Act 1979. If such proposals were submitted, I would consider them on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate the total level of Government financial support under all headings to the National Coal Board in (a) the last five years and (b) the last 10 years.

Total Government financial support during the last five years and 10 years in payments of deficit, operating and social grants to the National Coal Board, and payments under the RMP scheme to redundant mineworkers were as follows:

	£ million
1975–76 to 1984–85	6,157
1980–81 to 1984–85	5,450

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are his proposals for future funding of research into photovoltaic renewable energy sources.

Support for the exploitation of the market for photovoltaic technology rests with the Department of Trade and Industry, which is providing assistance for industrial innovation in photovoltaics as well as advice and assistance to British firms under its various development and export-related schemes.My Department does, however, consider that photovoltaic technology is unlikely to be economic for electricity generation in this country because of our climatic conditions, but recognises that there is a growing export market.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department is involved in the research programme instigated by the American Federal Aviation Authority to produce anti-misting kerosene; and if he will make a statement.

Research aimed at developing an anti-misting additive for aviation kerosene was started in the United Kingdom in 1967. For some years this research, at the Royal Aircraft Establishment and in a number of firms and universities, was jointly supported by my Department and the Ministry of Defence. In 1978, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) was established between the American Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the MOD(PE) covering a joint research programme based on the ICI additive "Avgard" and leading to the controlled impact demonstration (CID) in the United States of America on 1 December last year. Although the result of the CID has cast doubt on the benefits of anti-misting fuels, the MOU remains in being. The current research by ICI is funded by the company, but my officials continue to support ICI in its dealings with the FAA, who are still analysing the results of the CID and considering future developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what manpower reductions his Department has achieved in 1984–85.

The number of staff in the Department has increased from 12,582 on April 1 1984 to 12,620 on April 1 1985. This net figure reflects a number of structural changes involving transfer of work into and out of the Department; staff savings from increased efficiency, general streamlining and contracting out of services; and increases in staff to deal with increased workload at the Companies Registration Office, and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department has commissioned publicity to draw attention to the dangers of using caustic soda and other paint strippers; and if he will make it his policy that these products should carry a health warning.

I have been asked to reply.The Classification Packaging and Labelling of Dangerous Substances Regulations 1984, which come into force next year and to which the Government will give appropriate publicity, prescribe warning labelling for all products such as paint strippers which contain corrosive, toxic or harmful chemicals, so that users will know to take care. I am also proposing to prescribe child resistant closures for certain household chemicals including caustic or harmful paint strippers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action the European Community has taken in response to the United States' threats affecting pasta imports from the European Community to the United States; and if he will make a statement.

On 20 June, the United States Government announced their intention to impose greatly increased duties on imports of pasta from the Community. This has been explained as a response to the Community's failure to grant the United States satisfaction in a current dispute concerning trade in citrus products. As the latter dispute remains the subject of normal dispute settlement procedures in the GATT, the United States action represents a unilateral resort to restrictive measures not authorised by the GATT. This is unacceptable conduct on the part of a major trading nation and serves only to undermine confidence in the multilateral trading system.The Council of Ministers has adopted a regulation permitting the Community to take appropriate countermeasures. If the United States implements the increased duties, the Community will increase duties on imports from the United States of lemons and unshelled walnuts. We calculate the trade impact of this measure to be equivalent to that resulting from the United States action. I regret the need to take this step and hope that it will not be necessary to implement the regulation. Together with our partners, we remain eager to negotiate with the United States in order to resolve our underlying differences without recourse to a harmful escalation of the dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the value of imports and exports of manufactures from and to Germany each year since 1970 and in 1985 to date at an annual rate, together wih the import and export values for manufactures.

The figures in the table are on the overseas trade statistics basis, with insurance and freight costs included in the imports but not the exports. Balance of payments figures, with imports and exports both valued exclusive of freight and insurance, are not available. Annualised data are unreliable as a guide to the outcome of the year.

United Kingdom Trade in Manufactures*Overseas Trade Statistics Basis £ billion
	Trade with:
	Federal Republic of Germany		World
	Imports	Exports	Imports	Exports
1970	0·5	0·4	4·6	6·8
1971	0·6	0·4	4·9	7·7
1972	0·8	0·5	6·0	8·1
1973	1·3	0·6	8·7	10·0
1974	1·7	0·8	11·7	13·3
1975	1·7	1·0	12·5	16·0
1976	2·5	1·4	16·5	20·6
1977	3·2	1·9	20·7	25·8
1978	4·1	2·2	24·4	28·0
1979	5·3	2·8	29·7	30·9
1980	5·1	3·1	31·2	34·8
1981	5·3	3·2	32·0	34·9
1982	6·7	3·4	37·1	37·3
1983	8·9	3·9	44·9	40·1
1984	10·0	4·9	52·9	46·7
†1985	11·6	5·6	61·0	53·6
* Standard International Trade Classification, section 5 to 8.
† January to May at an annual rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the value of imports from and exports to Germany of finished manufactures each year since 1970 and in 1985 to date at an annual rate.

The figures in the table are on the overseas trade statistics basis, with insurance and freight costs included in the imports but not the exports. Balance of payments figures, with imports and exports both valued exclusive of freight and insurance, are not available. Annualised data are unreliable as a guide to the outcome for the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Her Majesty's Government intend to take steps to assist British manufacturers in major overseas contracts by offering loans to potential customers.

The Government recognise that some developing countries may prefer aid in the form of loans, rather than grants supplemented by export credits, to finance their major projects. The Government are therefore discussing with the financial community mechanisms to provide such loans under the aid and trade provision with the overseas aid programme.

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

The permanent staff in post in my Department numbered 2,185 full-time equivalents on 1 April 1984 and 2,278½ on 1 April 1985. This increase arose because of transfers of functions and staff from other Government departments, mainly the Department of Trade and Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his decision following the inquiry held on 8 and 9 January at the Guildhall, Swansea, into the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, section 36 appeal; land adjacent to Pennard burial ground, Vennaway lane, Pennard and the Swansea (land off Vennaway lane, Pennard) compulsory purchase order 1982.

The decision was announced on 1 July 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the names and locations of the woodlands for which felling licences for the conversion of the land to agriculture were issued in the

		County
North Wales Conservancy
1982–83
Pentre wood, Cwmdockin estate	Abermule	Powys
Woodlands on Dolassey estate	Knighton	Powys
Fridd cottage woodland	Abermule	Powys
Woodlands on Bryn Car farm	Abergele	Clwyd
Woodlands on Cwm farm	Llanfyllin	Powys
Woodlands on Llettygynfach farm	Welshpool	Powys
Woodlands on Corndon manor	Near Churchstoke	Powys
Woodlands on Troed y Rhiw farm	Aberysrwyth	Dyfed
Woodlands on Tyn-y-Pwll farm	Llanidloes	Powys
Woodlands on Pale estate	Llandderfel	Gwynedd
Woodlands on Ty Cam farm	Aberysrwyth	Dyfed
1983–84
Fron wood	Forden	Powys
Woodlands on Ciliau estate	Llwyndafydd, Aberystwyth	Dyfed
Woodlands at the Mill	Cemmaes, Dolgellau	Gwynedd
Coed Ddol wood, Ddol farm	Abergele	Clwyd
Woodlands on Bwlch Llwyn farm	Newtown	Powys
Dyffryn wood	Lampeter	Dyfed
Erglodd Fawr plantation	Aberystwyth	Dyfed
Woodlands on Home farm	Llandrindod Wells	Powys
Erglodd Fach plantation	Aberystwyth	Dyfed
Highgate wood	Presteigne	Powys
Woodlands on Dolagored farm	Builth Wells	Powys
Coed y Gwernydd wood, Penrhos estate	Meifod	Powys
Coed y Bedw wood, Castle Crab estate	Builth Wells	Powys
1984–85
Woodlands on Dolassey estate	Knighton	Powys
Woodlands on Caethugley	Welshpool	Powys
Woodlands on Brynhwdog farm	Welshpool	Powys
Woodlands on Cefn Llech farm	Llanrwst	Gwynedd
Fron wood, Sheep House estate	Llowes, near Glasbury	Powys
Woodlands on Cwmgwydd farm	Berriew, Welshpool	Powys
Blacksmiths wood, the Smithy	Welshpool	Powys
Woodlands on Cefn Du Uchaf estate	Welshpool	Powys
Woodlands on Coed Faenol Bropor farm	St. Asaph	Clwyd
South Wales Conservancy
1982–83
Woodlands on Wernished farm	Talgarth, Brecon	Powys
Woodlands on Maesgwandde estate	Llandovery	Dyfed
Lan Pill wood, Porthveynor farm	Usk	Gwynedd
Glandu Cwrt woods, Rhosferig estate	Builth Wells	Powys
Woodlands on Nantycastell estate	Llanfrynach	Dyfed
Woodlands on Dihewydd farm	Llantwit	Mid Glamorgan
Pentyrch plantation	Pentyrch, Cardiff	South Glamorgar
Woodlands at Kings lodge	Llandeilo	Dyfed
Hirwaun Isaf wood, Hirwaun Isaf estate	Pontyberem	Dyfed
1983–84
Woodlands on Fernhill estate	Llantrisant	Gwent
Woodlands on Ty Mawr farm	Newbridge-on-Wye	Powys
The Vale wood, Vale estate	Lower Chapel, Brecon	Powys
Dderw wood, Dderw estate	Brecon	Powys
Woodlands on Penhow farm	Caerphilly	Mid Glamorgan
Woodlands on Llanerch farm	Pontardulais	Dyfed
Woodlands at Llatty Twpa Farm	Lampeter	Dyfed
Cwmtydu wood, Lower farm	Brecon	Powys
Woodlands on Coedcaedu farm	Brecon	Powys
The Riverside wood and Part Boundary wood, Wernfawr estate	Builth Wells	Powys
Treowen wood, Treowen estate	Monmouth	Gwent
Woodlands on Gaer House farm	Grosmont	Gwent
Coed Cochion wood, Cwm Camlais Uchaf estate	Sennybridge	Powys
Llwyn Du wood, Llwyn Du estate	Abergavenny	Gwent
Woodlands on the Bams farm	Grosmont	Gwent

[pursuant to his reply, 4 July 1985, c. 225]: The information, which covers coniferous, broadleaved and mixed woods is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is preventing the implementation of the extra daily service by Malaysian Airlines System into London Heathrow.

British Airways and Malaysian Airlines System have now agreed that MAS should operate its fifth weekly frequency to London as from July 1986. I expect the other details affecting the implementation of the new service to be finalised during official consultations to be held in Kuala Lumpur at the end of July.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he is taking to extend the recognition of driving licences to further countries outside the European Community.

Representative organisations are being invited to give their views on a proposal that Austria and Japan should be added to the list of countries whose licences are exchangeable for British ordinary licences. The proposed order under the Road Traffic (Driving Licences) Act 1983 would come into effect on 1 November 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if Her Majesty's Government will seek powers, in cases where an individual has been unemployed for six months or more, to give him an advance of another year's unemployed benefit for the purpose of a deposit on a house in another part of the United Kingdom on condition that he obtains a skilled job; and if he will make a statement.

Unemployment benefit is a contingency benefit to provide for periods of loss of earnings because of unemployment. It is therefore paid periodically — usually fortnightly — on proof of continuing unemployment. It would be inappropriate, and would change the nature of the benefit, to make advance payments of the kind suggested. However, the Manpower Services Commission's employment transfer scheme gives financial assistance (subject to certain elegibility conditions) to unemployed people moving home to take up employment in another area. Under this scheme, advance payments may be made to help with the deposit or other direct costs of purchasing property.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will break down the number of claimants who will lose (a) up to 50p and (b) up to 100p a week for the housing benefit changes announced on 18 June; and if he will break down the data according to whether claimants are above or below retirement age.

I assume the hon. Member has in mind changes other than the normal uprating changes. Estimates of the numbers whose housing benefit will be up to 50p and up to £1 less than it would otherwise have been because of the proposed increase in the rate rebate taper above the needs allowance this November, offset by the real improvement in the dependent child addition to the needs allowance, are as follows:

Thousand, Great Britain
	Up to 50p	50p to £1
Above pension age	910	400
Below pension age	220	190
Total	1,130	590

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of standard housing benefit recipients with capital of over (a) £3,000 and (b) £6,000.

[pursuant to the reply, 3 July 1985, c. 175]: At present capital is ignored for housing benefit purposes although income from capital is taken into account (whereas for Supplementary benefit, Capital is taken into account but investment income is ignored) and we do not collect specific information about amounts of capital held by households which receive housing benefit. However, the 1983 family expenditure survey included questions on income from capital. On this basis, which may not be very reliable, it is estimated that in 1983–84 about 750,000 standard housing benefit recipients had capital over £3,000, somewhat under half of whom had capital over £6,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent representations and information he has received about virus-related cancer of the cervix which spreads very quickly in young women and the survival chances of such women; whether he has any new proposals on the matter; and if he will make a statement.

For some years there has been growing speculation by experts in this field that virus-induced changes in the cervix may underline the development of many cases of cervical cancer. We are advised on the most appropriate pattern of cervical cancer screening by the committee on gynaecological cytology whose members are distinguished experts in the field and are fully aware of the latest scientific views about the aetiology of the disease. The advice of the committee on screening of women under 35 remains that any woman who is or has been sexually active should have a first cervical smear when she first presents for contraceptive advice and thereafter at ages 20, 25 and 30.We will continue to follow closely scientific debate on the nature and incidence of the disease. Any policy on screening must of course reflect the fact that 94 per cent. of all deaths are of women aged over 35. However, some of our critics mistakenly suggest that our policies discourage screening of younger women which, as I have indicated, is not so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why the pay increase recently awarded for nurses has not yet been received by them; and if he will make a statement.

We published the new pay scales on 1 July. Implementation is a matter for health authorities, but I understand they hope to pay the new rates in August. The delay is caused by the need to complete the full computer programming required.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services why health visitors have been downgraded from their previous pay level of sister 1/senior nurse grade 8; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 78 of the review body's second report on nursing staff, midwives and health visitors (Cmnd. 9529).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to receive the annual report of the Health Service Commissioner for 1984–85.

The Health Service Commissioner has, as in previous years, made a single report on the performance of his functions in England, Scotland and Wales. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Social Services, Scotland and Wales have presented the report to the House today. It will be published tomorrow and copies will be available from the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what health checks have been made on creosote and other wood preservatives to ensure that their level of toxicity is kept within safe limits; and if he will make it his policy that such substances should bear a health hazard warning.

I have been asked to reply.The sale of wood preservatives in the United Kingdom is controlled by formal agreement under the pesticides safety precautions scheme. Under this scheme, new active ingredients must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive and cleared by an independent panel of experts before they are put on sale. Containers must have a label giving precautions for use together with the appropriate hazard symbol. The Government are taking steps to introduce legislation to give statutory backing to these arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list and describe the research projects commissioned to implement the recommendations number 1 to 4 of the report of the advisory group chaired by Sir Douglas Black on the possible increased incidence of cancer in west Cumbria, relating to nuclear installations at Sellafield; and if he will estimate the approximate cost and duration of each project.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 June 1985, c. 250–52]: I regret that the estimate of cost contained therein for the research commissioned to implement recommendation 1 of the Black report was inaccurate; instead of £41,600, this should have read £46,200.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what percentage of single claimants aged 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 25 years, respectively, received (a) supplementary benefit as a non-householder in April and (b) supplementary benefit in their own right but share their home with people other than parents.

[pursuant to the reply, 3 July, c. 177]: I regret that the information asked for in (b) is not available. The latest available information for (a) is for December 1983 and is as follows:

Percentage of single supplementary benefit claimants (without dependants) receiving non-householder scale rates.
Age	Percentage
18	91
19	86
20	78
21	73
22	70
23	65
24	64
25	57

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the number of staff deployed by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise to combat the black economy and evasion of value added tax; and whether he intends to allocate any additional staff to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for this purpose.

Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has in the region of 4,000 officers engaged on VAT control duties, visiting both registered and unregistered businesses. In the year 1985–86 it is planned to provide, from savings elsewhere within the Department, an additional 146 officers for this work.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the weighted average exchange rate for the pound sterling against currencies other than the United States dollar each quarter since the beginning of 1979 and each month in the current year.

The information requested is in the table.

Nominal effective rate index (excluding $) (1975 = 100)
Quarter
1979
1st Quarter	79·8
2nd Quarter	84·9
3rd Quarter	88·5
4th Quarter	85·8
1980
1st Quarter	90·4
2nd Quarter	91·9
3rd Quarter	93·5
4th Quarter	97·9
1981
1st Quarter	101·1
2nd Quarter	99·2
3rd Quarter	93·3
4th Quarter	91·2
1982
1st Quarter	94·0
2nd Quarter	93·9
3rd Quarter	96·5
4th Quarter	94·5
1983
1st Quarter	84·7
2nd Quarter	89·6
3rd Quarter	91·3
4th Quarter	89·6
1984
1st Quarter	88·2
2nd Quarter	86·2
3rd Quarter	85·7
4th Quarter	83·3
1985
January	79·9
February	80·5
March	82·9
April	86·9
May	87·8
June	88·9

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on international trade caused by sharp fluctuations in exchange rate movements.

There is little empirical evidence that short-term volatility in exchange rates has any significant effect on the volume of international trade. Larger and more persistent movements, however, may lead to changes in the patterns of international trade which are unlikely to be sustainable, and to a dangerous build-up of protectionist pressures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the level of interest rates in the United Kingdom and Germany for each quarter since 1970 and at the current time.

No. Figures for a range of UK interest rates are available from "Financial Statistics", table 13.15. Figures for a range of German interest rates are available in "International Financial Statistics". The relevant lines in the section dealing with Germany are 60, 60b, 60bs and 61.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the total payments by the United Kingdom to European Economic Community funds from 1 January 1973 to 31 December 1984, showing the body to which the payments were made and including payments to the European. Investment Bank and the European Coal and Steel Community, and also showing the total amounts the United Kingdom has received from these bodies in the same period in (a) loans and (b) grants;(2) what sums have been paid by the United Kingdom to the European Economic Community in interest charges on sums on loan to the United Kingdom from the European Economic Community in each year or financial year since 1 January 1973 to the latest convenient date;(3) what sums have been repaid of the capital sums lent to the United Kingdom by the European Economic Community in each year from 1 January 1973 to the latest convenient date.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what purposes the sums paid by the United Kingdom to the EEC in respect of capital repayments of EEC loans to the United Kingdom are used.

The European Investment Bank, the European Atomic Energy Authority and the European Coal and Steel Community lend money in the United Kingdom and other member states. The European Commission (with the help of the EIB) also lends money under the new Community instrument. Capital repayments are used to service the original loans raised to finance this lending. Additional information on the Community's borrowing and lending operations is contained in the report on the "Borrowing and Lending Activities of the Community in 1984" (Doc. No. 6992/85), a copy of which has been deposited in the House.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the total sums accumulated by the EEC from member states from 1 January 1973 to the latest convenient date which are either (a) on loan and (b) held by the EEC; and, of these sums, how much represents the capital payments from each state and how much interest charges paid on loans made in respect of loans.

At 31 December 1984, total borrowing outstanding of the European Communities was as follows: European Coal and Steel Community 7119 mecus; European Investment Bank 25007 mecus; European Atomic Energy Authority 1892 mecus; New Community Instrument 4432 mecus; EEC borrowing for balance of payments purposes 4932 mecus. Not all this borrowing was raised in member states. The bulk of the borrowing has been used for on-lending in the European Community. As at 31 December 1984, capital payments to the EIB by member states have totalled 1061 mecus. I regret the other information requested is not readily available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish a separate cost of living index reflecting the spending patterns of retirement pensioners for the purposes of assessing future adjustments in the retirment pension; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1985, c. 357]: Pensioner price indices are published in the Employment Gazette on a quarterly basis; they are specifically designed to show the impact of price changes on the expenditure of low-income pensioner households. These indices have tended to move broadly in line with the retail prices index, which is used for the annual uprating of retirement pensions.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many member states of the European Economic Community have now paid to the European Economic Community the sums which they were committed to pay 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, c. 357]: The 1985 budget contains provision for the United Kingdom's 1000 mecu abatement to be paid when the own resources decision has been ratified. The Commission has yet to request payment under the 1985 IGA.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the national share in the Jaguar and Tornado projects, respectively.

The United Kingdom shares of the Jaguar and Tornado projects are 50 and 48 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current strength of the Royal Observer Corps and the numbers currently allocated.

At the end of May 1985 the strength of the Royal Observer Corps was 10,513, against an establishment of 12,333.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the Defence Land Agent has refused a request for a temporary lease of Adair house, Shooters Hill road, London SE18, for an experimental riding centre from the London borough of Greenwich.