asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will set up an inquiry to examine the evidence in the letter to him from the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch and enclosures of 4 October together with subsequent evidence relating to the conduct of members of the Bank of England, Mahmud Sipra, his solicitors and others in matters arising out of the Johnson Matthey banking collapse;(2) if he will set up an inquiry to examine the conduct of

The hon. Member's letter to me of 4 October, which was reported in the press, raised criminal and other allegations against the management of Johnson Matthey Bankers, their advisers Hambros Bank, and the Bank of England. The hon. Member also made the accusation that the police investigation of which I informed the House on 17 July, at column 320, was "a cover up". I referred the hon. Member's letter to the law officers and to the Governor of the Bank of England.With the Governor's agreement the chairman of JMB has today sent the hon. Member a detailed letter denying the hon. Member's allegations in categorical terms. A copy is being placed in the Library of the House. As for the grave accusation of a "cover up", the hon. Member received earlier this week an equally categorical rebuttal from my hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General, and I am arranging for the text to be published in the

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage increase in pay for public sector workers has been allowed for in each financial year since 1980–81; and what was the actual percentage increase.

The percentage increases in pay rates for central Government groups allowed for in expenditure plans and Estimates (known as the pay assumption) are set out in the table below. The groups covered by these pay assumptions have included civil servants, the armed forces, and NHS employees. For the purposes of illustration, the table shows the actual percentage pay settlements for non-industrial civil servants.These pay assumptions applied only to central Government. In the local authority sector, no specific provision was made for pay in determining the rate support grant and expenditure plans.

Table: Central Government Pay Settlements
Year	Pay Assumption (per cent.)	*Pay Settlements (per cent.)
1980–81 to 1981–82	6	7·50
1981–82 to 1982–83	4	5·90
1982–83 to 1983–84	3½	4·86
1983–84 to 1984–85	3	4·55
1984–85 to 1985–86	3	4·90
* These increases refer, for the purposes of illustration, only to non-industrial civil servants.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of tax relief on donations to charities, mortgage interest, life insurance premiums and pension contributions, respectively, as a proportion of gross domestic product (a) 10 years ago and (b) in the latest year for which figures are available.

Estimates are as follows:

Ratio (per cent.) of Direct Revenue Costs of Tax Relief to GDP
Relief for	1974–75	1984–85
Donations to charities*	0·06	0·06
Mortgage interest	0·78	†l·08
Life insurance premiums‡	0·17	0·22
Approved occupational pension schemes	0·38	0·54

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement, pursuant to the answer on 1 February, Official Report, c 335, as to Her Majesty's Government's present position relating to the reasoned opinion under article 169 of the Treaty of Rome in the matter of value added tax on non-domestic construction work.

There was an inconclusive exchange of letters in the summer, but that apart the position is as stated in my predecessor's answer to my hon. Friend on 1 February [Official Report, c. 335.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the increase in sterling M3 from May 1979 to the latest available date together with the division of this increase in the money supply between the public and private sectors.

No. The figures are published in tables 11.2 and 11.3 of "Financial Statistics". Sterling M3 is defined as notes and coin in circulation with the public, plus the United Kingdom private sector's holdings of sight and time deposits. Virtually the whole of £M3 is held by the private sector, by definition.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made as to which business sectors have benefited from the increase in the money supply, sterling M3, since May 1979; and whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, in each case, such information as is available to him as to the increase in their monetary assets since that date.

On the components side, figures for the United Kingdom monetary sector's liabilities to other financial institutions and to industrial and commercial companies are published in "Financial Statistics", table 6.2. As for the counterparts to £M3, a more detailed analysis of lending to United Kingdom residents is in table 6.6 of the same publication.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing to what extent the increase in the money supply, sterling M3, between May 1979 and the latest available date is due to spending by the public sector net of funding and assets realisation.

Figures for the counterparts to £M3 are published in table 11.5 of "Financial Statistics". The PSBR is shown net of asset realisations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions regarding the dollar/ecu exchange rate were made in the draft 1986 European Economic Community budget prepared by (a) the European Commission and (b) the Council of Ministers.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 October 1984, Vol. 84, c. 167]: In the 1986 preliminary draft budget the Commission has assumed a dollar/ecu exchange rate of $1 = 1·20ecu. The Council accepted this assumption in establishing its draft budget.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all amendments to the Commission preliminary draft 1986 European Economic Community budget made by the Council of Ministers, and if he will place copies of both documents in the Library.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 October 1985, Vol. 84, c. 167]: Copies of the 1986 preliminary draft budget and the 1986 draft budget as established by the Council have been deposited with the House authorities in the usual way.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to ensure that European Economic Community spending on agriculture during 1986 does not exceed the budgetary discipline limit of 20·6 billion ecu.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 October 1985, Vol. 84, c. 167]: The draft Community budget for 1986 agreed by the Council of Ministers includes provision for CAP market support expenditure in the 10 present member states which is consistent with the Council's budget discipline conclusions. It is the responsibility of the Commission to manage the CAP within the budgetary provision. In a declaration attached to the budget discipline agreement the Commission undertook not to introduce a supplementary budget until it has exhausted all the opportunities for savings afforded by management of the CAP and by any additional Council decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to a cross-channel link to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I am happy that an exhibition on a channel fixed link should be arranged in the Upper Waiting Hall. I have agreed with the House authorities that this is without prejudice to similar exhibitions being arranged on other channel fixed link projects should other promoters wish to arrange them and the House timetable permit it.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his review of timings on pedestrian crossings which are heavily used by elderly people.

There are two changes to the timings which could be provided to assist elderly people at pelican crossings. The first is to delay the start of the flashing amber signal to traffic by two seconds. This requires a change to the Pelican Pedestrian Crossing Regulations and General Directions 1969 (as amended) which are currently being revised. The other change is to increase the green man time by two seconds. This change will be implemented nationally at the same time that the regulations are revised, but some local authorities have already increased this timing in advance.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many miles of the M25 are currently lit, whether he has any plans to light the remaining stages, and if he will make a statement.

There is now approximately 40 miles of road lighting on the 100 miles of M25 motorway including an allowance for isolated lit junctions. I have no present plans to light the remaining stages, but will keep this under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many junctions on the M25 are lit, and whether he has any plans to light the remaining junctions.

The following junctions on the M25 are lit: junctions 2, 5, 7, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 and 31.In addition, I plan to light junctions 6 and 11. Junctions 21 and 21A will also be lit when this section of the motorway is opened.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what warning systems, lights and fog detection systems are in use on the M25, where not in use, what plans there are to bring them into use, and if he will make a statement.

Matrix speed warning signals are in use on the M25 at these locations: between junctions 9A and 10, on the northern approaches to the Dartford tunnel, and

Scheme	Projected Completion Date	Is Lighting so be provided?
A1(M) Roestock-Stanborough	Winter 1987	Partly
A6(M) Stockport North/South BP	1992	Yes
M3 Bar End—Bassett	1989	Partly
M4 Widening, M25—Airport Spur	Autumn 1985	Yes
M5 Widening, Rashwood Catshill	Summer 1987	Yes
M5 Widening, Warndon—Rashwood	Spring 1988	Yes
M5 Widening between junction 6 and 8	Not yet programmed	Not yet decided
M5/M42 Junction, southern turn	Winter 1987	Yes
M5/M42 Catshill—Lydiate Ash	1990	Not yet decided
M20 Maidstone—Ashford	1990	Not yet decided
M25 Airport Spur—M4	Autumn 1985	Yes
M25 Swanley—Sevenoaks	Summer 1986	No
M25 Micklefield Green—South Mimms	Autumn 1986	Partly
M27 Swaythling link	Winter 1987	Partly
M40 Otmoor section	1991	No
M30 Warwick section	1990	Not yet decided
M40 Gaydon section	1990	Not yet decided

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are to light the remaining stages of the M1, and if he will make a statement on the anticipated cost in providing new lighting systems.

I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend on 12 December 1984. [Official Report, Vol. 69, c. 526 and 527].

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to revise the arrangements for monitoring the construction of new motorways prior to completion by his Department and if he will make a statement.

We are considering the curtailment of some of the independent decision making powers of the engineer (our consultants) in future road construction contracts. We have recently invited comments on our proposals from the Institution of Civil Engineers, the Association of Consulting Engineers and the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all new motorways or extensions to existing motorways giving projected dates of completion and indicate in each case whether motorway lighting is to be provided.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when it is expected that all four motorway service stations on the M25 will be opened; and if he will give the anticipated dates of opening for each.

The motorway service area at South Mimms should, subject to final planning clearance, open towards the end of 1986 at about the time the M25 is completed. An MSA at Thurrock should be developed

Road	Location	Works planned
Major maintenance works
A1(M)	Herts	Overlay north of Clock junction.
A1(M)	South Yorks	Overlay and reconstruction on southbound carriageway north of Blythe roundabout.
M1	Bucks	Reconstruction near J. 14.
M1	Northants	Repairs on southbound carriageway between J. 15 and Bucks boundary.
M1	Leics	Major maintenance at J.20–21.
M1	Derby	Bridge strengthening at J.28–29.
M2	Kent	Concrete repairs at J.5–7.
M3	Surrey	Reconstruction at J.1.
M5	Hereford and Worcs	Carriageway strengthening at J.2–3.
M5	Avon	Overlay and resurfacing on northbound carriageway at J. 15–17.
M6	West Midlands	Carriageway strengthening at J.4–5.
M6	Lancs	Overlay on northbound carriageway at J.32–33.
M18	South Yorks	Overlay on northbound carriageway at J. 1–2.
M18	Humberside	Concrete overlay between J.6 and M62.
M20	Kent	Reconstruction and overlay at J.5–7.
M25	Herts	Joint replacement at J.23–24.
M62	Merseyside	Resurfacing at J.7–9.
M62	GMC	Overlay and resurfacing at J. 17–19.
M62	West Yorks	Reconstruction and bridgeworks at J.32–33.
M69	Leics	Joint repairs between M1, J.21 and M69, J.1.
M180	Humberside	Inlay at J.3–4.
Improvement works
M1	Herts	Signals at J. 12 and J.9.
M1/M18	West Yorks	Erection of removable barriers in central reserve gaps.
M4	Berks	Lighting replacement.
M4/A34	Berks	Anti skid treatment.
M4/A4	Berks	Anti skid treatment.
M4	Bucks	Lighting improvements at Denham.
M5	Devon and Somerset	Safety barriers around communications equipment between J. 19–31.
M5	Hereford and Worcs	Widening between Warndon and Lydiate Ash.
M5/M42	Hereford and Worcs	New junction.
M11	Essex	Junction improvement at J.7.
M25	Surrey	Gantries at Merstham.
M25/M23	Surrey	Anti-skid treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will detail the planned road works due to take place over the next six months on each motorway.

The following road works are planned to be in progress on the motorways for some or all of the period up to 31 March 1986:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, before a contract to build 23-metre diesel multiple units for British Rail is awarded, he will arrange an independent investigation of the tenders to see if any malpractice has occurred, and if he will make a statement.

Decisions on contracts are entirely a matter for the British Railways Board, and I know of no reason why this case should be an exception.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will seek to reduce the maximum permissible speed limit for road passenger service vehicles to 50 mph;(2) if he will introduce legislation to ban coaches from the outside third lane of three-lane motorways;(3) whether he is now proposing any new measures to seek to reduce coach accidents, and if he will make a statement.

I recognise the concerns reflected in my hon. Friend's questions. As I assured the House on 22 October, I am looking very carefully at every aspect of the speed and safety of coaches on motorways. I must consider all the evidence before making final decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now seek to establish a system for monitoring coach crashes in separate accident statistics.

The existing reporting system, Stats 19, already identifies those accidents involving buses or coaches, and these statistics are published in "Road Accidents Great Britain."It is, however, difficult for reporting officers to make a distinction between bus and coach involvements, although in most motorway accidents the statistics will refer to coaches.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce measures to make all double-decked coaches subject to the same laws as double-decked buses.

No distinction is drawn between double-decked coaches and double-decked buses in the application of construction and safety requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further action he intends to take to seek to resove the teachers' dispute.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 22 October column 152.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of school teachers has participated in industrial action involving absence from their place of work since 1 January 1985.

Of the six school teacher unions which represent a total of 442,000 teachers, only two—the National Union of Teachers and the National Association of Schoolmasters/Union of Women Teachers, with a combined membership of 332,000 — have engaged in strikes in pursuit of their pay claim this year. No figures are available in the Department of the proportion of members who have followed their unions' advice or instructions to join these strikes virtually all of which have been selective and of short duration and so designed as to cause maximum disruption to the schools at minimum cost to the teacher unions involved. However, I understand that some members of these unions have not struck and I respect their decision to put their pupils' interests first.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent teachers are paid additional remuneration whilst attending courses not in term time.

Salary scales for teachers in maintained schools in England and Wales are set out in the Burnham document in the form of annual salary rates applicable to full-time teachers. Overtime or any other payments are not available for work or training undertaken out of timetabled school hours. Allowances for expenses while attending courses may be paid at local education authority discretion, but information about this is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the criteria that he applies when deciding whether or not to grant polytechnic status to an existing institution of higher and further education.

My right hon. Friend has indicated that he would welcome advice from the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education whether and, if so, on what basis further institutions should be added to the original list designated as polytechnics following publication of the 1966 White Paper, "A Plan for Polytechnics and Other Colleges."

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the National Advisory Body for Further and Higher Education to make recommendations about future new polytechnics.

No deadline has been set but I understand that the national advisory body hopes to offer advice by early 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the calculation of unemployment benefit for miners who were engaged in industrial action in 1984 and 1985 and who accept redundancy in the coming months.

I am advised that entitlement to unemployment benefit for claims commencing in the 1986 benefit year depends upon the claimants' national insurance contributions record during the 1984–85 tax year. This will apply to miners whose redundancy date falls on or after 3 January 1986. Subject to their otherwise satisfying the conditions for receipt of unemployment benefit, those men who paid national insurance contributions on earnings of 50 times the specified lower earnings limit (£1,700) or more will be entitled to payment at the standard rate of £3·45 pw, plus £18·80 pw dependant's allowance where applicable; those who paid contributions on between 37½ and 50 times the lower earnings limit (£1,275–£1,699) will receive reduced rates of £22·84 pw and £14·10 pw; those who paid contributions on between 25 and 37½ times the lower earnings limit (£850–£1,274) will receive reduced rates of £15·23 pw and £9·40 pw respectively; and those who paid contributions on earnings of less than £850 will have no entitlement.

asked the Attorney-General what was the cost of Detective Superintendent Hardy's visit to the West Indies with a colleague on the investigation relating to the loss of HMS Conqueror's log book.

Six thousand nine hundred and forty pounds and eighty two pence.

asked the Attorney-General whether he has any conveniently available figures for the cost of the inquiry into the loss of HMS Conqueror's log book.

So far as concerns the cost of the police investigation in the West Indies, I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have just given to his question on that matter. I am not able to quantify the other costs of the police investigation. In so far as the question relates to the inquiry made by naval authorities, it is a matter for my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Defence.

asked the Attorney-General if the conclusion of the Director of Public Prosecutions that further police investigations were unlikely to produce any evidence of the commission of a criminal offence regarding the disappearance of the control room log of HMS Conqueror was based on information about the whereabouts at the time, or the current whereabouts, of the relevant portions of the log; and if he will make a statement.

The police investigations were unable to identify at what point of time or in what circumstances the control room logs in question were improperly handled with the result that they are now missing. Their present whereabouts are not known. The conclusion that further investigations are unlikely to provide evidence of the commission of a criminal offence is based on the inconclusiveness of the information so far obtained about the circumstances in which the logs disappeared and the absence of any leads to further avenues of inquiry which might throw light on those circumstances.

asked the Attorney-General pursuant to the answer of 21 October, Official Report, column 12, regarding the disappearance of the control room log of HMS Conqueror, whether the police inquiry revealed that a criminal offence had been committed: and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 21 October. The conclusion of the Director of Public Prosecutions, in the light of the report of the police investigations, was that the evidence available did not establish that a criminal offence had been committed in connection with the disappearance of the logs. I concurred in that conclusion.

asked the Attorney-General what criteria as regards the robustness of the evidence and the likelihood of securing a conviction the Director of Public Prosecutions employs in deciding whether to mount a prosecution; whether any special criteria apply in the case of alleged offences under the Official Secrets Acts; and if he will make a statement.

All cases referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions are considered in the light of the Attorney-General's "Guidelines on the Criteria for Prosecution" which were published in February 1983, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House. Prosecutions under the Official Secrets Act 1911 are treated no differently from any other case which the director has to consider.

asked the Prime Minister if the Government will now introduce legislation to provide financial incentives for private contributions for charitable purposes, including famine relief.

I have been asked to reply.Tax relief is already given for payments made to a charity under a deed of covenant. The Government have introduced a number of measures to encourage charitable giving; for example, in this year's Budget the limit on covenanted donations qualifying for higher rate tax relief was increased from £5,000 to £10,000.

asked the Prime Minister whether a date has yet been fixed for Mr. Shimon Peres to visit the United Kingdom.

I have been asked to reply.The visit has been fixed for early 1986. Precise dates will be announced nearer the time.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Wealden (Sir G. Johnson Smith) of 26 February, Official Report, column 132. about the letter from Sir Robert Armstrong about the duties and responsibilities of civil servants in relation to Ministers, over any convenient period, what was the number of occasions on which a senior civil servant has gone, in relation to a matter of conscience, to the head of the Home Civil Service; and if she will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.Sir Robert Armstrong's note said:

asked the Prime Minister, if she is satisfied with the preparations made for the next meeting of the European Council in December, and if she will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.It is for the Luxembourg Presidency to make arrangements for the European Council in December. I expect the work of the inter-governmental conference, now in progress, to be one of the main topics at that meeting.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 24 October.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 24 October.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend is in New York to address the 40th anniversary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly, and to have meetings with President Reagan and others.

asked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government will ratify the Council of Europe convention for the protection of individuals with regard to the automatic processing of personal data.

I have been asked to reply.We expect to ratify the convention in August 1987. It will then come into force in respect of the United Kingdom on 1 December 1987, at which time all the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1984 will be fully enforceable.

asked the Prime Minister what steps Her Majesty's Government will take to ensure access by individuals to personal data files held by Government Departments and state agencies.

I have been asked to reply.The Data Protection Act 1984 applies to all those, including Government Departments and state agencies, who control the contents and use of personal information which is processed automatically. Except where one of the limited exemptions provided in the Act applies, any person. who is the subject of information held on computer will, from November 1987, have a right to know what information about him is held and to have a copy of it. The Government have no present proposals to grant a similar general right of access to personal records held on paper files.

asked the Prime Minister what is the total overall identifiable allocation of public money made by the Government since 1979 to (a) Edinburgh, (b) Bristol, (c) Lambeth, (d)Newcastle,(e)Hammersmith,(f)Cardiff, (g) Haringey, (h) Southampton. (i) Leicester and (j) Leeds (i) in total, (ii) per person and (iii) per unemployed person aged under 21 years.

I have been asked to reply.The readily available information covers grants and subsidies paid to local authorities. These include rate support grant, housing subsidies, housing benefit, specific revenue grants and capital grants.Table 1 shows the totals for each of the authorities concerned from 1979–80 to 1985–86 and the amounts per person. Information on unemployed persons under 21 by local authority area is not readily available.The totals for the English authorities for 1984–85 and 1985–86 do not include capital grants, for which figures are not yet available. The capital grants figures included in the totals for these authorities from 1979–80 to 1983–84 are shown in table 2.

asked the Prime Minister if she will now list the dates on which industrial action has taken place at Government communications headquarters, Cheltenham, since May 1979.

I have been asked to reply.As my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs told the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) on 30 January 1984:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the current limit for export credit guarantees available for each country in Latin America and the Caribbean and the extent of take-up in each case.

No. It has been the policy of successive Administrations not to disclose details of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's individual country limits or exposure.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide details of the current extent of home taping of copyright pre-recorded music in millions of hours per year and the proportion of television programmes seen more than once through the use of video recording machines.

The Government do not compile statistics on either of these activities, but respondents to the recent Green Paper "The Recording and Rental of Audio and Video Copyright Material" (Cmnd. 9445) have submitted the results of commissioned market research. These give estimates of the extent of home taping of copyright music varying from 312 to 466 million hours a year. One survey estimates that 7 per cent. of viewed programmes are recorded and watched, with 1 per cent. being seen more than once.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether a decision has been taken on the future of the comprehensive bankers' guarantee scheme operated by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

This scheme has been under review because demand for it has been falling and it has been losing money. I have decided, after consultation with existing users and the banks, that the scheme should be phased out over a period of two years. It is no longer fulfilling its original purpose and the banks and other financial institutions are well able to provide alternative forms of short term export trade finance to viable companies. The Export Credits Guarantee Department will be advising all current users of the detailed arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions over the past six years he has met the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality and if he will make a statement on his working relationship with the commission.

My right hon. Friend has had no meetings with the chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality. A Welsh Office official attends meetings of the commission's Welsh Consultative Committee, and in addition there is contact from time to time between officials of the Department and the commission's Birmingham office.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate the cash available to combat acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Wales, where treatment for acquired immune deficiency syndrome in Wales will be located, how much cash each centre will receive, and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Health recently announced that the Government were making £912,000 available in 1985–86 to combat AIDS, in addition to the £978,000 that had previously been announced. These funding measures, from which Wales will benefit, provide for the development of a training programme for counsellors, and testing of blood samples at Public Health Laboratory Service laboratories, assistance for voluntary organisations, and public health education work. In addition, the Government have channelled £376,000 for research into AIDS through the Medical Research Council.In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has made available £335,000 this year to provide facilities for the screening of blood donations at the Welsh regional blood transfusion centre, Rhydlafar. Testing began earlier this month. The Welsh Office has issued advice to health professional groups which might come into contact with people carrying the virus.District health authorities are providing facilities, including counselling, for people who wish to be tested for antibodies to the AIDS-associated virus. Testing of these samples is being carried out at the public health laboratories at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, Bodelwyddan and the University hospital of Wales, Cardiff.So far, four people have been diagnosed in Wales as having AIDS, of whom three have died. Treatment has been given at district general hospitals.I shall be representing Welsh interests on the ministerial group recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health. Its task will be to ensure co-ordination and co-operation between all Departments concerned with AIDS matters, and the Welsh Office will be playing a full and active part in its deliberations. We are keeping the situation under continual review and will be issuing further advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to grant additional cash to the Royal National Eisteddfod authorities for 1986 and 1987; what cash he has granted for each of the years since 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Grants to the Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales are allocated on an annual basis following discussions between our Department and Eisteddfod officials. We are not in a position to anticipate the likely level of grant for 1986–87 or 1987–88 before such discussions have taken place.The grants awarded since 1983 are as follows:

	£
1982–83	170,000
1983–84	180,200
1984–85	150,000
1985–86	232,000

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much cash has been allocated to the Welsh Arts Council in the last financial year; how many staff are currently employed by the Welsh Arts Council; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

	£
1984–85	7,033,320
1985–86	7,258,450
Staff in post on 1 April 1985 numbered 63.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to seek to attract private funds for investment in industrial ventures in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I have met and continue to meet a wide range of representatives of financial institutions, during which I take every opportunity to impress on them the advantages of investment in Wales. In addition, the Welsh Development Agency attempts to lever a maximum of private sector funds alongside its own investments, and has entered into partnership directly with the private sector through the Welsh venture capital fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the annual long-term unemployment rate in Wales for each of the years from 1981 up to the latest quarter, April 1985; what efforts his Department is making to seek to lower the long-term unemployment rate; and if he will make a statement.

Latest quarterly figures relate to July 1985. Figures for July in each year from 1983 are as follows:

	Per cent.
1983	38·8
1984	41·4
1985	43·0

Figures prior to 6 October 1982 which are registrant based are not comparable. The rates are:

	Per cent.
1981	24·5
1982	35·5

The only effective way to reduce unemployment, including long-term unemployment, is by continuing with the Government's policies to revitalise the economy and promote the basis for sustained growth. In addition, the community programme is specifically designed to help the long-term unemployed and at the end of August over 10,000 people were engaged on community programme projects in Wales. As a result of the planned expansion of the programme this number will more than double by June 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the latest available estimate of the number of people who are self-employed in Wales.

The latest available estimate relates to June 1984, when the figure was 142,00.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much cash has been allocated to the Urdd for each of the last five financial years, and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

Grants made to Urdd Gobaith Cymru
	Capital £	Revenue £
1981–82	140,000	53,260
1982–83	145,230	55,497
1983–84	80,000	56,496
1984–85	180,000	60,296
1985–86	196,000	62,236

I very much regret the serious position in which the Urdd has been placed as a result of the present industrial action by teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to meet officials of the Workers' Educational Association in Wales, by how much the Workers' Educational Association budget in Wales is to be cut in the next two financial years, what was the Workers' Educational Association's grant for the current financial year and for 1985–87 in (a) the northern district and (b) the southern district; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to meet officials of the Workers Educational Association. The association has been notified that its grant from the Welsh Office, before adjustment for inflation, is to be reduced by 3·5 per cent. for the academic year 1985–86 and by four per cent. for 1986–87. No reduction in grant has been notified for 1987–88. Grants of £110,041 for the north Wales district and £159,780 for the south Wales district are being made available in the current year. No decision has been made about the division of grant between the two districts for 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the location of all the EEC warehouses and private stores used in the storage of United Kingdom and European Community agricultural produce in Wales at the latest available date, and what amount of each product is being stored in each place.

The information requested is as follows:

Location	Commodity	Stock at 30 September
Rhyl	Beef	207 tonnes
	Butter	1,397 tonnes
Cardiff	Beef	647 tonnes
	Butter	11,187 tonnes
Swansea	Butter	3,222 tonnes
Newport	Butter	1,040 tonnes
Milford Haven	Butter	480 tonnes
Whitland	Butter	280 tonnes
Llandysul	Skimmed Milk Powder	979 tonnes
St. Clears	Skimmed Milk Powder	960 tonnes
Bedwas	Skimmed Milk Powder	2,262 tonnes

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much liquid skimmed milk was subsidised for use as stockfeed in each of the last five years and 1985 to date in Wales, and what was the cost of the subsidies involved.

Separate figures for Wales are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will provide a complete list of United Kingdom and European Community agricultural produce in public intervention and assisted private storage in Wales, the amount held and values at the latest available date.

The information requested is as follows:

a. Agricultural produce in intervention in Wales at 30 September:
Commodity	Stock	Value (Approx) at Buying in Price
	tonnes	£ million
Beef	854	2·4
Butter	17,606	33·3
Skimmed Milk Powder	4,201	4·5
b. Assisted private storage in Wales at 30 September:
Commodity	Quantity
Butter	1,260

The value of these stocks is not given as they are privately owned.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the latest available estimate of the total number of applications that have been approved for the enterprise allowance scheme in Wales since the scheme was given national coverage in August 1983.

7,091 applications have been approved in Wales in the period up to 30 September 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will amend his civil defence planning assumptions to take into account the effects of nuclear electromagnetic pulse on all Government resources including electricity, communications, transport and computers.

Some guidance is already available. Further work is in hand and when this is complete the planning assumptions will, if necessary, be extended.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what talks he has had with chief constables and community leaders on the prevalence of racist attacks.

I discussed racial attacks with chief officers of police and community leaders at the meeting of my Advisory Council on Race Relations on 1 October. The Association of Chief Police Officers, whose president was present, presented a statement of guiding principles for police action on racial attacks which has now been sent to all chief constables. I very much welcome the police's renewed commitment to tackling this serious issue.My hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State has had a number of meetings with ethnic minority organisations in recent months at which racial attacks have been discussed, and earlier this year he visited Tower Hamlets to discuss this problem with local organisations and community leaders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to discuss the number of racial attacks against coloured people with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

Racial attacks were discussed at my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary's first meeting with the commissioner on 11 September. The commissioner has action against racial attacks as a priority in his force goals for this year. Much police effort is devoted both to preventing such incidents and to apprehending those responsible when attacks occur.The Home Secretary supports the high priority the commissioner is giving to this problem and his attempts to secure the co-operation of other agencies in tackling its roots.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last issued a circular to local authorities concerning the Government's repatriation scheme under section 29 of the Immigration Act 1971; and if he will make a statement.

Such a circular was issued on 12 June 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present size of the voluntary services unit in his Department.

The unit has 15 staff, including clerical and secretarial support.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the number of detector vans used by the Post Office to deter the evasion of the television licence fee.

We have now received a report from independent consultants appointed to examine the television licence collection and enforcement procedures employed by the Post Office. We shall be considering the number of detector vans in use, and their cost-effectiveness, in the light of the consultants' recommendations and of the comments of the Public Accounts Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on action he has taken to improve safety at football grounds.

A detailed account was given to the House by my predecessor on 24 July [Vol. 83; c. 1045–1048] of actions taken or about to be taken in response to the findings of the interim report from the committee of inquiry into crowd safety and control at sports grounds. I am arranging for details of further action taken since then to be circulated in the Official Report. We now await the inquiry's final report, which we shall consider carefully when it becomes available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fires at business or industrial premises have been reported to him in each of the last three years; and how many deaths or injuries occurred.

The number of fires attended by local authority fire brigades at business or industrial premises in England and Wales were 19,599 in 1981, 19,779 in 1982, and 19,223 in 1983. The number of deaths resulting from these fires were 29 in 1981, 38 in 1982 and 52 in 1983. The number of non-fatal casualties were 1,085 in 1981, 1,060 in 1982 and 1,124 in 1983.Information for 1984 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the last six months he has had discussions with the governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation; and what was discussed.

I met the Chairman of the BBC on 30 September, and my predecessor attended a lunch with the Board of Governors on 18 July. On both occasions a wide variety of matters were discussed including the establishment of the committee of inquiry into the financing of the BBC. On 7 August my predecessor also had discussions with the Chairman, Deputy Chairman and Director-General of the BBC about the issues arising from the BBC programme 'Real Lives'.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers retired as a result of occupational injury in 1982, 1983 and 1984.

This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to change the arrangements and manning of the transport of prisoners from prisons to courts in England and Wales.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he proposes to issue the chemical agent monitor detector to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will conduct a series of regional civil defence exercises based on a scenario of an attack with chemical weapons on ports, airfields and military installations in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any research has been carried out on the numbers of civilian casualties which may result from an attack on United Kingdom targets with chemical weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue instructions on the signals to be used over the existing warning system to indicate a chemical attack.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply I gave earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, West (Dr. Blackburn).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will require local authorities to include tuition about the properties of, and protection against, chemical and bacteriological weapons in all civil defence volunteer training.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Dudley, West (Dr. Blackburn). The Government do not regard the use of biological weapons in an attack against this country as likely.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will direct local authorities to provide for the protection of the civilian population against the effects of chemical and biological weapons in their emergency planning.

It is the duty of local authorities under the 1983 regulations to make plans to protect the population in their area against all forms of hostile attack. When the work on public protection against chemical attack is complete guidance will be issued to local authorities. The Government do not consider an attack using biological weapons is likely.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether civil defence volunteers will receive training in protective measures against chemical/biological weapons.