asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much university teachers' salaries have fallen behind retail prices and average earnings since the comparability settlement which determined university teachers' salaries in October 1979.

This "1979 comparability settlement" did not settle salaries "in October 1979". It was promulgated in August 1980 and the salary increases were paid in instalments in April and October 1980. By reference to the salary rates actually in operation on 1 October 1979, university teachers' salaries have matched the increase in the retail prices index and fallen behind the average earnings index by some 10 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would now be the gross salary of (a) a university lecturer on the scale maximum and (b) a university professor on the professional average, if the salary obtaining in October 1979 had kept pace with subsequent movements in the retail price index.

Between October 1979 and April 1984 the gross actual salaries in each case have kept up with movements in the retail prices index and would therefore be no different.

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Universities (Great Britain)
First Degrees	130	127	130	110	88	109
Higher Degrees	33	14	23	25	22	26
Total	163	141	153	135	110	135
Polytechnics	5	6	8	10	8	5

The Government's general policy for higher education was presented in the Green Paper, "The Development of Higher Education into the 1990s" (Cmnd. 9524). The Paper does not deal specifically with provision for Russian or Russian studies but the Government acknowledge their potential value and believe that to maintain capacity for a full range of modern language teaching, including subjects which are a minority preference, will require continuing gains in efficiency, entailing further concentration of provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers have taken early retirement in the last five years.

Under the Teachers Superannuation Regulations 1976 (as amended) the minimum retirement age is normally 60. Teachers may retire earlier on grounds of infirmity or, for those between age 50 and 60, if the employer certifies that the teacher's service has been terminated by reason of redundancy or in the interests of the efficient discharge of the employer's functions. The numbers of retirements below age 60 in each of the past five years are as follows:

	Infirmity	Other Premature	Total
1980–81	1,354	4,301	5,655
1981–82	1,509	6,341	7,850
1982–83	1,859	6,997	8,856
1983–84	2,068	7,409	9,477
1984–85	2,445	9,175	11,620

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many universities, polytechnics and colleges teach (a) Russian language and (b) Soviet studies; how many graduates and post-graduate students have qualified with degrees or diplomas in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement on his policy towards the future of Russian language and Soviet studies.

Thirty universities in Great Britain and one polytechnic in England offer degree courses in Russian or Russian studies. Statistical returns to the Department do not make it possible to provide separate figures for courses with these titles; information about provision for these subjects in colleges of further education is not readily available; nor is it possible to provide figures for students successfully completing courses in this field leading to the Higher National Diploma. The numbers obtaining first and post-graduate degrees in Russian and Russian studies at universities and polytechnics in each of the last five years were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to promote and support the teaching of foreign languages; and if he will make a statement.

Britain's membership of the European Community and her place as a trading nation make a strong capacity in foreign languages essential and the Government attaches importance to the teaching of such languages. We have announced our intention to issue later this year a statement of policy on foreign language teaching in schools in England and Wales.We also attach importance to the support of foreign language teaching; and I therefore intend to continue to make available funding to the centre for information on language teaching and research for its work in this area. However, in the context of public expenditure restraint, I wish to ensure that CILT's grant — which stands at £386,551 in 1985–86—is put to the best possible use and that the scope for possible savings is identified. I am therefore initiating—in association with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland, whose Departments also contribute to CILT's grant—a joint exploration with CILT and its clients of ways of improving value for money.A copy of the consultative letter which is being issued today has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many industrial improvement areas have been scheduled under the Inner Urban Areas Act in the borough of Tower Hamlets; and what is the total of urban development grants made by him towards projects in those areas.

Four. Urban development grant, involving public expenditure of up to £196,500, has been offered towards one project in one of these areas. Urban development grant is not limited to industrial improvement areas and other forms of assistance to firms are available, in particular under sections 5 and 6 of the Inner Urban Areas Act 1978, in such areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to allow local authorities to tender for contracts offered to Government Departments for items such as highway maintenance and buildings; and if he will make a statement.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the local discretionary element of the Birmingham city council housing investment programme in so far as the Housing Defects Act is concerned.

In deciding the local discretionary element of Birmingham's HIP allocation for 1985–86, many factors were taken into account including the Housing Defects Act 1984. It is not possible to attribute specific amounts to particular factors. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced to the House on 13 March at column 348 that he would consider sympathetically applications for additional allocations from authorities which would have particular difficulty in meeting their obligations under the Act. I hope to make an announcement about that shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to amend the general development order to take account of telecommunication developments; and what safeguards for the environment will apply to such developments.

The necessary orders, made by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State have been laid before Parliament today. The relevant orders consist of an amendment to the General Development Orders 1977–83, and a new special development order to deal with national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty, conservation areas and the broads. An order made by the Secretary of State for Scotland amending the Scottish General Development Order 1981 in a similar manner has also been laid before Parliament today. These orders will come into operation on 1 November. I am advised that appropriate corresponding changes to Northern Ireland legislation are under consideration.The general development order amendment provides for two new classes of permitted development. The first and more extensive concerns minor development by code operators — that is to say those persons operating a telecommunications system to whom the powers in the telecommunications code have been applied, by the telecommunications licences issued by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. These code operators will include companies who have been licensed to provide a national telecommunications system—British Telecom, Mercury, and the two national cellular radio companies — and a number of operators licensed to install local broadband cable television systems.Much of the development associated with these systems is minor—much of the apparatus is underground—and it would be burdensome to impose full planning control in these circumstances. Class XXIV of the new GDO will therefore permit licensed code operators to install a wide variety of telecommunications apparatus under, on and over land, and on buildings, subject to various limits and conditions set out in that order. This apparatus includes wires, poles, ducts, telephone kiosks and equipment cabinets, small masts and certain antennae (including terrestrial microwave and satellite dishes), but excludes buildings.Planning applications are not normally required for any development permitted by the various classes of the GDO. However, apart from the various limits set out in the GDO itself, the planning freedom represented by the GDO changes are qualified in their effect by the terms of each code operator's telecommunications licence, since every code licence contains conditions designed to help protect the physical environment and conserve the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside. For example, British Telecom's licence requires it to install its lines underground in conservation areas, with various specified exceptions; there are special arrangements for national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty and in Scotland for the national scenic areas; and more generally British Telecom must take steps to ensure that all new lines other than service lines are installed underground where it is reasonable to do so. Each of the various individual system licences therefore provides essential environmental safeguards which will help ensure that the planning freedom given by the GDO is exercised responsibly, and that in many cases local planning authorities are formally consulted by the installer of the apparatus before development takes place in certain situations. The licence system allows these planning safeguards to be tailored to the type and method of installation of the telecommunications system concerned and to the nature of the area in question, after taking into account any views expressed by local planning authorities and others during the required statutory consultation period.The other new Class of the GDO deals with certain apparatus installed by persons to whom no Code powers apply, but who nonetheless may be installing small antennae on larger buildings, either to establish a microwave transmission link to another site, or to receive signals from a telecommunications broadcasting satellite. Subject to limits on the size and number of the antennae, on the minimum height of the building and on the height which they add to the building concerned, we propose to extend permitted development status to these installations as well, under the new Order. However, the new special development order, which accompanies the GDO changes, disapplies the planning freedom to erect such antennae—in respect of both new GDO classes—in all the special areas to which it applies, namely the national parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty, conservation areas, and the Norfolk broads. In those areas, and in Scotland in the national scenic areas, the present requirement to make a specific planning application remains unaltered.The special development order also has the effect of bringing into line with existing special areas any land which has been designated as a conservation area, AONB or national park in England and Wales since 1981, together with the broads. Quite apart from telecommunications matters, such newly designated areas will be subject to the narrower version of the rights to extend private houses and industrial buildings, in the same way as other such areas have been since 1981.The various changes to the planning system in respect of telecommunications are intended to reflect the growth in telecommunications and changes in Government policy towards its regulation. We have taken considerable care following extensive public consultations to achieve both a reasonable degree of planning freedom for the benefits of telecommunications development while at the same time imposing effective and essential safeguards so that the surroundings in which we live are properly protected from visual damage.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the changes to local authorities' grant-related expenditure in the Rate Support Grant Supplementary Report (England) (No. 3) 1982–83.

I first laid this report before the House on 4 July. Since then it has come to light that the report did not incorporate a change to Dudley MBC's grant-related expenditure which my Department had agreed should be made so as to correct a form-filling error by the council. Accordingly I laid before the House yesterday the 1982–83 Report with the requisite changes in manuscript on pages 3, 8 and 28. The report is being re-printed. Copies of the substituted report will be sent to all local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) to whom the residuary body will be accountable; and whether there are any plans for a review of its expenditure by the Audit Commission;(2) if the validity of proceedings of the London Residuary Body will be dependent on an established quorum.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 July 1985]: The hon. Member will also find relevant information in paragraph 5 of schedule 13 to the Local Government Bill.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what arrangements exist for consultation between the London Docklands Development Corporation and the population in the London docklands area; and if he will make a statement;(2) what efforts are made by the London Docklands Development Corporation to let the Docklands Forum know what its plans are; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his answer, 11 July 1985]: The Docklands Forum and local voluntary bodies are represented on a number of LDDC community liaison groups which consider project funding for voluntary organisations as well as more general issues affecting the local community. One of the most important roles of the corporation's three area offices in Tower Hamlets, Newham and Southwark is to provide accessible centres where local people can meet and question the development team for the area. There are also arrangements for consultation with local people on specific planning issues.The Docklands Forum, which receives revenue funding from the corporation, meets the LDDC regularly at chairman level to review its community liaison arrangements. In addition a number of joint LDDC/Docklands Forum committees have been formed to look into specific topics.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he sought or received any assurances regarding the future of the Gravesend-Tilbury ferry service prior to the privatisation of Sealink UK Ltd.

In its information memorandum issued prior to the privatisation of Sealink UK Ltd., the British Railways Board told potential purchasers that the company's ferry service between Gravesend and Tilbury is a common law franchise ferry service and the company is therefore obliged to maintain its operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which European Economic Community countries have increased their share of world trade in manufactured goods since 1972.

In 1983, the latest year for which figures are available, Ireland and Greece had higher shares of the exports of manufactures by all countries (excluding the centrally planned economies) than in 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received regarding the accuracy of descriptions relating to "Made in Britain" in the light of campaigns to buy British.

None that can be identified as such, although I do from time to time receive suggestions for changes in the definition of origin in Section 36 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the sources from which he obtained information, other than from Kleinwort Benson or the A1 Fayeds, upon which to base his decision not to refer the takeover bid by A1 Fayed to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

No. Such information is confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has had any recent discussions with the chairman of the British Steel Corporation concerning the future of the Alpha steel works in Newport, Gwent.

It is not normal to comment on any discussions that may have taken place concerning any private sector company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to ban the importation of crossbows; and if he will make a statement.

Value £ million
	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	May 1984-April 1985
Complete passenger motor cars:
UK exports	291	299	336	320	302	324
UK imports	1,648	1,717	2,329	2,969	2,877	3,062
Lorries, trucks, vans, etc.
UK exports	246	178	139	106	97	98
UK imports	180	98	197	290	319	338
Complete buses and coaches
UK exports	3	1	2	3	2	4
UK imports	6	13	31	46	49	43

The misuse of these articles is adequately covered by existing criminal legislation, so I do not think that there is any reason to impose such a ban.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has about imports of aluminium-coated bubble gum sweets.

Aluminium-coated bubble gum sweets are not separately distinguished in the United Kingdom Overseas Trade Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list his powers to require car manufacturers to state the British value added percentage in each marque in their product range.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1985]: Section 8 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 provides powers to require that goods should be marked with or accompanied by prescribed information relating to the goods, where such information appears necessary or expedient in the interest of persons to whom any goods are supplied. Section 9 of the Act provides corresponding powers in respect of advertisements for goods. The use of these powers is subject to prior consultation with those whose interests are likely to be affected, and to the constraints of the Government's international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of motor car, lorry and bus exports to the European Economic Community, respectively, including Portugal and Spain, over the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years; and what were the comparable figures for imports of cars, lorries and buses, respectively, from the European Economic Community.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July 1985]: The available information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the yield from the general betting duty in the latest year for which figures are available.

The yield from general betting duty in 1984–85 was £293 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will initiate studies of recent estimates of the size of the black economy and the correlation between the level of unemployed claimants and registrants at jobcentres, with a view to instituting subsequently an inquiry into the size of the black economy and ways to restrict it; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Economic and Finance Council in Brussels on 8 July.

I represented the United Kingdom at this Council.In accordance with the new arrangements for budget discipline, the council reached an agreement by qualified majority to fix the reference framework for 1986 at 29·7 billion ecu (about £17 billion). The European Parliament will be invited to give its views before the reference framework is formally adopted. Detailed consideration of the financing of Community policies will then proceed in the Budget Council which will also have before it fuller information in particular on the impact of inlargement.The Council also reviewed the economic situation in the Community. It decided there was no need to change the policy guidelines agreed in December 1984. It took note of the budget guidelines issued to individual member states.Ministers also discussed tax measures to encourage co-operation between undertakings in different member states. This subject will be considered further at the October Council. It was agreed that the 20th VAT directive which concerns special national aid for German farmers should now be adopted as an A point at a forthcoming Council.While there are a number of technical issues to be resolved before the directive on emissions from engines of motor vehicles can be adopted, the United Kingdom was able to lift the

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) 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,(2) 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.

[pursuant to his replies, 10 July 1985]: Information on interest payments and capital repayments in respect of borrowing from the EEC by the United Kingdom public sector can be provided only at disproportionate cost. Information in respect of private sector transactions is in any case incomplete. I therefore regret that I am unable to supply the information requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many day care places are currently available in Wales.

5,431 at 31 March 1984, the latest date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the proportion of day care places to the number of people over the age of 75 years in Wales for each of the years 1978 to 1985 inclusive.

The information is given below:

*Year	Number of day care places		Total	Rate per thousand population aged 75+
	in day centres for the elderly	in LA residential homes for the elderly
1978	2,631	286	2,917	19·6
1979	2,585	263	2,848	18·6
1980	2,649	317	2,966	19·1
1981	2,697	307	3,004	18·9
1982	2,660	371	3,031	18·1
1983	2,328	412	2,740	15·9
1984	2,295	269	2,564	14·5
* as at 31 March

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the proportion of homes in Wales in need of repairs exceeding £7,000 in cost, currently occupied by (a) pensioners, (b) unemployed persons, (c) single parent familes and (d) people with total annual incomes of £7,000 or less.

The 1981 "Welsh House Condition Survey" identified the proportion of homes which were in need of repairs over £7,000 and which were occupied by pensioners and unemployed persons as 2·6 per cent. and 0·4 per cent. respectively. No information is available in respect of single parent families or persons whose incomes were below £7,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of Welsh people registered with a general practitioner at the latest convenient date; and what proportion of the population this represented.

At 1 April 1985, the number of patients registered on general practitioner lists held by the eight family practitioner committees in Wales totalled 2,902,800. This was 3·4 per cent. more than the estimated population of Wales, the excess being primarily due to the dual registration of patients who are tranferring between doctors, and are temporarily included on both lists.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit the West Gwent skill training centre and the Llanelli skill training centre.

None at present. I shall maintain my close interest in the Manpower Services Commission's plans to develop and expand training provision in the areas served by these skillcentres.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of school leavers in Wales since Easter 1985 inclusive.

Information on the characteristics of school leavers in the school year 1984–85, including information on the dates of departure, is not currently available. However, the number of school leavers over the whole year is provisionally estimated to be about 44,000. Of these, about 3 per cent. are estimated to have left in the autumn term, about 9 per cent. in the spring term with the remaining 88 per cent. leaving in the summer term.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the current number of unemployed school leavers who have completed a youth training scheme course.

The Manpower Services Commission does not have such information currently available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much extra money will be made available in the current financial year for the two-year youth training scheme course in Wales in the financial year 1985–86; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced on 1

	Belfast board area	Southern board area	North Eastern board area	South Eastern board area	Western board area	North Ireland
Primary schools
Meals provided	15,052	24,532	18,603	12,738	23,820	94,745
Free meals	9,742	14,246	10,438	5,980	15,056	55,462
Secondary schools
Meals provided	12,056	16,024	14,403	8,135	15,733	66,351

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many mode B training schemes there are for the current 1984–85 year; how many there were in 1983–84; and how many are proposed for 1985–86.

Provision of mode B places is based on assessments made by area manpower boards taking account of expected need. One hundred mode B schemes have been approved in Wales for 1985–86 and at 31 May there were 5,019 young people in training on these schemes. In 1984–85 6,002 young people were trained on 102 mode B schemes. Comparative figures for 1983–84 were 6,190 trainees and 104 schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, for each of the years 1973 to 1984, he will provide such information as is available as to the number of hospital beds in each Welsh health authority region which were (a) closed as a result of complete hospital closure, (b) closed in hospitals which were not completely closed, (c) provided as a result of new hospital openings and (d) provided as a result of additions to existing hospitals.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many school meals are provided daily in Northern Ireland; how many of them are provided free; how many school meals are provided in Northern Ireland per area board, per primary school and per secondary school; how many free school meals are provided per area board, per primary school and per secondary school; and if he will make a statement on the effect of the proposed changes in social security legislation on the provision of free school meals.

The available information is as follows (based on a day in October 1984).

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many women prisoners were held on remand at Armagh prison in each of the following months: March 1985, April 1985, May 1985 and June 1985.

The information is as follows:

Women on Remand or awaiting trial March to June 1985
	Numbers
March	13
April	11
May	9
June	6

The above figures, which relate to the last Sunday in each month, include those detained in the young offenders centre.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches were made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh, in June; if he will give the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; whether any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and if he will indicate the reasons for the search, namely, making an appearance at Armagh courthouse on remand, attending trial, inter-prison vist or other reasons.

During June 1985, a total of 53 searches were carried out on 21 prisoners; eight prisoners were searched once; nine were searched twice; three were searched three times; and a life sentence prisoner taking part in a pre-release programme was searched on 18 occasions. The latter prisoner was offered accommodation in a separate, self-contained unit of the prison, which would have obviated the need for the full reception search procedure, but she preferred to remain located with the other prisoners.A quantity of tranquilliser tablets were found in the clothing of an inmate during a routine committal search. No prisoner refused to be searched.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the maternity unit in Strabane;(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the maternity unit in Limavady.

The provision of services at these two hospitals is a matter for the Western health and social services board in the first instance. I understand, however, that the board is in fact reviewing the future of the small general practitioner maternity units at both hospitals in the light of the current policy for obstetric services. No decisions have yet been made about the future of the units and no changes will be made without widespread consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current level of unemployment in Strabane; and what measures he proposes to take to seek to reduce it.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current number of pensioners in Northern Ireland by sex and by five-year age groups.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many pensioners live alone, live with spouses, live with other relatives or are in residential care or sheltered accommodation, respectively.

The information is not available in the form requested. The available information as at 31 December 1983 is as follows:

	Male	Female
(i) Persons Accommodated in Old People's Homes	921	2,347
(ii) Persons Accommodated in Voluntary and Private Old People's Homes	*290	*878
Total	1,211	3,225
Grand Total	4,436
* Incomplete returns from the Eastern and Western Boards Areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers of pensioners in receipt of housing benefit, detailing how many of those are also in receipt of supplementary benefit, broken down by convenient district unit.

The information is not available in the form requested. The estimated total number of pensioners receiving housing benefit on 15 March 1985 was 84,000, including some 49,400 on supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pensioners in Northern Ireland receive reduced pensions because they are in receipt of private pensions or other incomes.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many persons are (a) Housing Executive tenants, (b) living with Housing Executive tenants, (c) private tenants and (d) owner occupiers, respectively.

Percentage analysis of Contributions Payable
Year	Nil	£1–£50	£51–£00	£101–£50	Over £250
1980–81
Court of Session	70	9	5	9	7
Sheriff courts	80	7	3	6	4
1981–82
Court of Session	70	9	5	7	9
Sheriff courts	80	7	3	6	4
1982–83
Court of Session	76	5	3	8	8
Sheriff courts	85	4	2	5	4
1983–84
Court of Session	88	2	2	4	4
Sheriff courts	92	1	1	3	3

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total cost of legal aid in Scotland for the year to 31 March and for each of the three preceding years, together with the percentage increase in each year and the total number of cases dealt with under legal aid in the same years, both in total and percentage terms.

Details for the year to 31 March 1985 are not yet available. The information for the three preceding years is as follows:

This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but I understand from the chairman that the available information is as follows:

(a) 175,602 as at 31 March 1985.

(b) Up-to-date information is not available.

(c) Approximately 37,000 in 1984.

(d) Approximately 256,700 in 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much financial assistance the Highlands and Islands Development Board has provided from public funds in support of newspapers; and if he will list the newspapers and the amounts involved in each case.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the average contribution payable by an applicant for civil legal aid in Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available and for the preceding three years.

The information is not available in the form requested. However the following table illustrates the contributions payable by assisted persons in the range of nil to over £250 in the Court of Session and the sheriff courts.

Year	Total net cost of legal aid (excluding administration)	Per cent. increase in year	Total no. of cases for which accounts were paid	Per cent. difference in year
	£000	Percentage		Percentage
1981–82	18,767	40	110,490	+ 30
1982–83	26,893	43	120,393	+9
1983–84	29,118	8	112,951	-6

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the present upper disposable income limit above which an applicant is ineligible for legal aid in civil proceedings in Scotland, together with the lower income limit below which no contribution is payable and the upper capital limit; and if he will list the variations in these figures over the last three years.

	26 November 1984	29 November 1983	1 April 1983	1 April 1982
	£	£	£	£
Upper disposable income limit	5,155	4,925	4,720	4,440
Lower disposable income limit	2,145	2,050	1,965	1,850
Upper capital limit	4,710	4,500	4,000	2,725

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the total cost of legal advice and assistance in Scotland for the year to 31 March, together with the comparable figures for the last three years and the average cost for each application in each of these years.

Details for the year to 31 March 1985 are not yet available. The information for the three preceding years is as follows:

	Total cost of legal advice and assistance (excluding administration)	Total no. of cases for which accounts were paid	Average cost per case
	£000		£
1981–82	2,478	58,421	42·42
1982–83	2,706	60,136	45·00
1983–84	3,845	86,140	44·64

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of applications for legal advice and assistance in Scotland in the years 31 March 1983 to 31 March 1984, and 31 March 1984 to 31 March 1985, respectively; in what percentage of cases the applicant had no contribution to pay; how many applications were made for authority to incur expenditure in excess of the initial limit; and how many such applications were granted, both in numbers and as a percentage of all legal advice and assistance cases.

Details for the year to 31 March 1985 are not yet available. In 1983–84, 131,173 applications were approved. In 39,890 cases an application was made for authority to incur expenditure in excess of the initial limit and 37,352 were granted, 28 per cent. of all applications approved.In 90 per cent. of the 86,140 cases in which separate accounts for legal advice and assistance were paid in 1983–84 the client had no contribution to pay.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the report, presented to Energy Technology Supply Unit last January by Dr. Peter White of Lanchester Polytechic, on the cost estimates of wave energy.

Copies of Dr. White's report have been placed in he Libraries of the Houses of Parliament, and are also available on request from the energy technology support unit at Harwell.

The limits and the dates on which they came into operation are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the average burn up, in MWd/te, of the spent fuel discharged from each of the Central Electricity Generating Board's Magnox reactors for the fiscal year 1982–83.

The expected average burnup corresponding to Magnox fuel cycles in 1982–83 was published in the supplement to the August 1983 edition of Nuclear Engineering International. I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave on 5 July 1985 at column 308.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will allocate additional public funds to meet the cost of improving safety at sports stadiums such as greyhound race tracks.

Considerations of funding safety improvements at sports stadiums are being taken forward in the Minister with responsibility for sport's working group, which I established after the Bradford fire. It is too early to say what conclusions will be reached; information is awaited from the Chief Fire Officer's inspections and Mr. Justice Popplewell's inquiry.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will refrain from taking any action regarding transfer of staff from the Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, until such time as a judgment has been forthcoming from the European Commission on Human Rights.

No. The judgment of the House of Lords on 22 November 1984 completed the domestic legal process and confirmed that the revised terms and conditions of service introduced at the Government communications headquarters last year are valid. Those conditions of service are now in force and staff who do not wish to accept them will, in accordance with the notice issued on 25 January 1984, be offered alternative employment in the Home Civil Service or, if this is not available, premature retirement on redundancy terms.

asked the Prime Minister (1) to what extent Her Majesty's Government propose to take account of the advice of the management of the British Steel Corporation in taking a decision about the future of the steel industry; and if she will make a statement;(2) if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to take any decision on the future of the steel industry until the British Steel Corporation's corporate plan has been considered by Ministers; and if she will make a statement.

The Government will take full account of BSC management's views in taking any decisions on the future of the steel industry. The Corporation's views are not exclusively embodied in corporate plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the terms of transfer offered to employees of the Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, by Mr. Albert Nicholls of the Whitehall staff transfer unit.

A general notice (GN 100/84) issued to all staff at GCHQ, explained that for staff electing to leave GCHQ, the Department would try to arrange a level transfer within the Home Civil Service and the normal rules relating to reimbursement of expenses on transfer would apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which member countries of the EEC at present have a system of national identity cards; and if he will publish in the Official Report a list of these countries and the year in which they first adopted an identity card system.

National identity cards are in use in Belgium, France, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, Italy and Luxembourg. Information as to the date from which national identity cards were first adopted in these countries is not readily available. I will however obtain it and write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of ethnic minority members of the Metropolitan police and the rank that they hold.

On 30 June 1985 there were 269 officers from the ethnic minorities in the Metropolitan police: two inspectors, 26 sergeants and 241 constables.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to make use of military establishments to house convicted prisoners after the total prison population exceeds 48,000.

No. But the Department has contingency plans for various circumstances and the possible use of service camps features in them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those prisons in the United Kingdom which have been visited by members of the staff of the Chief Inspector of Prisons; and if he will place a copy of each report that has been published in the Library.

All but 10 establishments in England and Wales have been visited, 67 for the purpose of a full inspection. The 10 exceptions, the first seven of which will be inspected during 1985, are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. Ed Kale was permitted to re-enter the United Kingdom in 1985.

A person is admitted to the United Kingdom if he qualifies for entry under the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute an index or register of known terrorist groups and individuals; and if he will make a statement.

Careful arrangements are made to ensure that information about known terrorist groups and known terrorists is available to those who need to know it, including, where appropriate, foreign Governments with whom we are co-operating in the fight against international terrorism.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to ban the sale of crossbows; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so. Crossbows and other weapons not subject to specific controls are already covered, so far as misuse of them is concerned, by existing provisions of the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the officers of the Prison Officers' Association; what subjects were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend last met officers of the Prison Officers' Association on 21 May when he addressed their annual conference. A copy of the text of his speech is in the Library. Before that, he met representatives of the Associations' National Executive Committee on 7 May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of prisoners who have been subject to rule 43 for over one year, two years, three years, four years and five years, respectively.

The number of sentenced prisoners in England and Wales who were segregated under prison rule 43 for their own protection or for reasons of good order or discipline for the periods in question (as at 31 January 1985, the latest date for which figures are available) was as follows:

	Own protection	Good order or discipline
1–2 years	22	4
2–3 years	5	—
3–4 years	3	—
4–5 years	—	—
Over 5 years	—	1

No women have been subject to rule 43 for longer than 1 year. Information is not kept centrally on the segregation of unconvicted prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what publicity he intends to fund, in the way of advertising in national or local newspapers, in respect of the compilation of the electoral register for 1986–87.

A publicity campaign will be mounted later this year to coincide with the annual canvass for the 1986 electoral register. Advertisements will appear in the national and ethnic press and on independent local radio stations throughout the country. These will emphasise the need for all those eligible to ensure that their names are included in the electoral registration return, form A, so that they do not lose the right to vote at any elections held during the life of the 1986 register.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has yet drawn up a list of events for the purposes of section 14 of the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

After consultation with the broadcasters, the cable interests and the Sports Council, I have drawn up the following list for the purposes of section 14:

• The Commonwealth Games when held in the United Kingdom
• Cricket Test Matches involving England
• The Derby horse race
• The FIFA World Cup Finals
• The Football Association Cup Final
• The Grand National horse race
• The Olympic Games
• The Oxford and Cambridge Boat Race
• The Wimbledon Tennis Championships
• Additionally in Scotland, the Scottish Football Association Cup Final

This list follows closely that previously maintained by the broadcasters in relation to those events for which exclusive rights have by agreement not been sought in the past. The only additions are the inclusion of the FIFA world cup finals and the qualification "involving England" in relation to cricket test matches.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans for changing the pattern of employment for prison inmates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison workshops it is planned to close in the next year and next two years; and what are the estimated savings in cost and staff.

Following my announcement to the House on 31 October 1984 about the control, management and policies of prison service industries and farms at column 987, I asked the Prisons Board to examine how far prison industries are making a satisfactory contribution to providing worthwhile employment for prison inmates. The Prisons Board found that in many cases resources could be deployed to better effect. A considerable number of workshops had ceased to provide sufficient employment to be worth retaining; a small number no longer had a market for the goods they produced; others had more staff than justified by the present number of inmates employed.In the light of the Prisons Board's preliminary analysis, I have asked the prison department to examine on the ground how the present network of industrial workshops could be rationalised, while retaining the existing level of work and related activity for inmates. When I am satisfied that arrangements for alternative worthwhile activity have been made the process of rationalisation will be implemented. Staff will be redeployed in a more effective way wherever possible, both within existing establishments and in some cases at the new prison establishments under construction which will provide some 1,800 new industrial work places for inmates and will require around 130 additional staff to man the workshops.The workshops under review are open on average for only about 11 hours a week, and in many cases provide only simple and repetitive tasks with few training or learning opportunities for inmates. The review offers the opportunity to deploy the considerable resources voted by Parliament to better effect, while ensuring that inmates are occupied on purposeful activity outside their cells for no less time than at present.This review does not apply to workshops in dispersal prisons, which have been under separate examination. Every opportunity is being taken to promote their more effective use.A copy of a detailed statement by the Director General of the Prison Service explaining to staff the nature and purpose of the review has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of prison workshops that are at the present time fully working at each of the prisons in the United Kingdom.

Two hundred and ninety-four workshops were in operation in prison establishments in England and Wales for all or part of the working week ended 26 May 1985, the most recent date for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is in a position to announce details of the pilot scheme to test new byelaws to reduce the nuisance of dog fouling.

The details of the scheme have now been settled. The new byelaws will make it an offence for a person in charge of a dog to fail, without reasonable excuse, to remove any faeces deposited by the dog on designated footpaths, grass verges and recreation grounds. The penalty will be a fine of up to £100. Registered blind persons will be exempt from the byelaws. Four local authorities have been selected to take part in the scheme. Rochester upon Medway city council, Gosport borough council and the London borough of Barking and Dagenham have recently adopted byelaws for this purpose and North-West Leicestershire district council is in the process of doing so. Subject to considering any objections which may be received from the public my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary proposes to confirm these byelaws and they will come into operation on Monday 2 September 1985. In conjunction with the local authorities concerned the Home Office will then carefully monitor the project for 12 months and if, as we hope, the byelaws prove effective we intend to offer them as models for adoption by other local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to remedy the shortage of trained neonatal nurses.

It is for health authorities to decide, in the light of local needs and priorities and the resources available to them, how many nurses and midwives they should employ who have received training in the special and intensive care of the newborn and how many trainees they should recruit to meet those needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress he has made in setting up a committee to keep the selected list of drugs under review.

Before the selected list of NHS drugs was introduced last April, I made clear that we would want to keep the contents of the list under regular professional review. The new advisory committee on NHS drugs, which we are today establishing, will help us to do that. The committee has been set up following consultation with the main professional bodies concerned and with the pharmaceutical industry. It contains many of the people who advised on the original selected list but it has been extended to include members from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and from some other branches of the professions suggested to us.Its terms of reference are

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will provide a breakdown of the present average wage of a student nurse according to each of the three stages of training, such information including basic pay and overtime payments.

We do not hold this information centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has studied the work being carried out at the City hospital, Nottingham, into the therapeutic properties of the herb, feverfew; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, we have seen the report of this work in The Lancet of 11 May 1985. We welcome any steps taken in the scientific study of the effects of herbal products.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will take steps to ensure that the manufacture of the herb feverfew will not be restricted as part of his Department's review under schedule 4 of statutory instrument No. 41 of 1978.

There are no feverfew medicinal products subject to review under the Medicines Act. If we received and granted an application for a new product licence, the claims made in promotional literature would have to be consistent with the terms of the product lience. Any restrictions in a licence on advertising would depend on the claims made for the product and the data submitted in support of those claims.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of alleged hardship have been brought to his Department's attention involving young people in the Huyton and Prescot area as a result of the new board and lodging rules.

I understand that the local offices concerned have received some enquiries about the exemption categories and one appeal against a determination made under the new rules.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average reported delay in the transfer of relevant papers between benefit offices dealing with the claims of young people under the board and lodging rules.

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We are not aware of any serious delays but if the hon. Member has any particular case in mind perhaps he would let me know.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average payment and average length of time for which benefit is claimed under the board and lodging rules in the Huyton and Prescot area.

This information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have been brought to his Department's attention, both nationally and in the Huyton and Prescot area, of young people awaiting payment under the new board and lodging rules for over a month.

We are not aware of any such cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases have been brought to his Department's attention, since the introduction of the new board and lodging rules, of young people being ruled ineligible for single payments for furniture both nationally and in the Huyton and Prescot office; and if he will list the various reasons given.

No information is collected locally or nationally on the reasons for refusal of any type of single payment. We are not aware of any case brought to the attention of the Department where, as a consequence of the introduction of the new board and lodging rules, a young person has been ruled ineligible for a single payment for furniture.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the policy of his Department regarding single payments for furniture to young people who obtain tenancies of unfurnished accommodation.

Our policy on single payments for furniture to young people who obtain tenancies of unfurnished accommodation has regard, among other factors, to how recently the claimant has become a tenant, the reasons for leaving the previous address, the health of the claimant and any dependants, the length of time the claimant has been in receipt of supplementary benefit and the availability of suitable alternative furnished accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances a local office of his Department may stop the payment of invalidity benefit to a claimant.

Questions about entitlement to social security benefits are for determination by the independent adjudication officers appointed under the Social Security Act 1975.Entitlement to invalidity benefit may cease or be suspended for the following reasons: medical evidence that the claimant is no longer incapable of work; the award of an overlapping social security benefit; late claim to benefit; permanent absence abroad; earnings above the therapeutic earnings limit; imprisonment or detention in legal custody; incapacity due to the claimant's own misconduct; failure to attend or submit to examination or treatment; failure to observe the prescribed rules of behaviour during the period for which benefit is claimed; death of the claimant.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on how many occasions in the past year the Huyton and Prescot office of his Department has stopped the payment of invalidity benefit to claimants; and if he will list the reasons involved.

I regret the information is not available. If the hon. Member has a particular case in mind, perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number occasions on which payments of invalidity benefit to claimants have been stopped in the past year.

In the 12 months up to 2 April 1983, the latest period for which figures are available, about 250,000 spells of invalidity benefit ended. Information on the reasons for termination is not available but the great majority will be because the claimant submitted a final doctor's statement certifying he was no longer incapable of work.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the statement of the Minister for Social Security on 18 June, Official Report, column 162, that child benefit will continue to be paid to the mother; and if he will make a statement.

We are not aware of any repesentations following my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Ross, Cromarty and Skye (Mr. Kennedy) on this subject on 18 June at column 162.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in what circumstances a general practitioner may, on the advice of a consultant, prescribe medicines on the National Health Service to a patient on the general practitioner's list who has seen the consultant privately; and if he will make a statement.

A general medical practitioner may issue a National Health Service prescription to a patient on his list for any drug which he believes to be clinically necessary and which is available under the National Health Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether, barring exceptional circumstances, a patient may have a private consultation, followed by free access to National Health Service diagnosis, followed by further private consultations or treatment, in the same medical episode;(2) in what cirumstances a patient is permitted to transfer from private to National Health Service status for financial reasons;(3) in what circumstances a patient who undergoes a private operation may receive subsequent treatment or care, in the same medical episode, as a National Health Service patient using National Health Service hospital facilities;(4) in what circumstances a patient admitted to a National Health Service hospital following deterioration in a private hospital is admitted other than as a private patient, where the National Health Service hospital has private inpatient authorisations and where any quota of pay-beds would not be exceeded thereby.

Our existing guidance to health authorities in part II of HC(82) 7 states, with respect to resident patients:

"Patients who enter hospital as private resident patients should not later be allowed to transfer to NHS status except in very exceptional circumstances where the administrator and clinician responsible agree there is evidence of a significant and unforeseen change in circumstances, for example where a patient entering for a minor operation is found to be suffering from a different, more serious complaint."

and, with respect to non-resident patients:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) whether his Department defines as a single medical episode a patient's pregnancy, including any tests or treatment arising therefrom, and also her subsequent childbirth;(2) whether his Department defines a medical episode as including all consultation, diagnosis and treatment during a patient's illness;(3) whether his Department defines a medical episode as including

There is at present no formal definition of a medical episode. For statistical purposes, inpatients are counted on discharge from a hospital. Inpatient discharges (including deaths) are normally referred to as inpatient cases and each case covers the continuous stay by a patient in one hospital. The health services information group has recommended in its first report that information about specialty activity should be in terms of consultant episodes and not hospital stays. The group defines a consultant episode as the time a patient spends continuously in the care of one consultant in the same district health authority while occupying a hospital bed. We have asked health authorities to plan on the basis that the recommendations in the first report should be implemented by April 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many self-employed people in Wales were in receipt of family income supplement at the latest date for which figures are available.

At the end of April 1985, the latest date for which figures are available, there were about 2,000 self-employed families in Wales receiving family income supplement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement regarding the use of resources released by the sale of surplus or redundant Health Service property with particular reference to mental institutions.

The Government recognise that property represents one of the National Health Service's most valuable assets and must be managed efficiently in order to maximise the resources available for improvements in services to patients.We now require Health Authorities to review regularly their property holdings and to identify for re-use or disposal those properties which are no longer required for their original purpose. Except in special circumstances, for example, where the disposal is made possible only by the provision of a new hospital from regional funds, funds released from the sale of surplus property should be retained by the local district health authority where they can be used for the benefit of local patients. We expect resources from the disposal of redundant mental hospitals to be used to develop better community based services for mentally ill patients and mentally handicapped people of the districts previously served.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement concerning his consultations with local authority associations on proposals for changes in the procedures governing the termination of local authority appointments to district health authorities.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1985, c. 458]: An amendment to Regulation 5(3) of the National Health Service (Regional and District Health Authorities Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1983, requiring local authorities to obtain the consent of the Secretary of State for Social Services to the early termination of an appointment to a district health authority will be laid before the House on 16 July. Our officials have written to the local authority associations today informing them of this decision. Copies of the letter have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make a decision on the attrition purchase of Tornados for the Royal Air Force.

I hope a decision will be taken by the end of the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence why the details of Royal Air Force airmen's records of service provided for the Director General of Defence Accounts, Worcester, by PMC Innsworth for the awards calculation are taken from personnel files and not from the computer at Innsworth.

The RAF personnel management centre provides Director General of Defence Accounts staff at Worcester with service details drawn from both computer and personnel file sources because some information that is needed to assess pensions is not yet shown on the relevant computer print. There are plans to make more use of computers in assessing RAF pensions.