asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the outcome of experimental schemes designed to divert drunkenness offenders from the courts; what further plans he has for such schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Successive Governments have sought ways of relieving the criminal justice system of the burden of dealing with drunkenness offenders, and doing so in ways which might lead to rehabilitation rather than punishment. The most promising options in the last decade, detoxification centres and wet shelters, have both received Government support on an experimental basis. An evaluation published earlier this year of two detoxification centres set up in 1976 with the help of a DHSS grant suggested that, in practice, admissions involved fewer homeless habitual drunks than had been expected and few of those admitted needed or would respond to the sophisticated services provided. DHSS funding was withdrawn at the end of the experimental period, and the Home Office grant to the Leeds detoxification centre will not continue beyond the end of the current financial year.In 1981 an experimental overnight shelter was set up in Birmingham with financial support from the Home Office with the aim of providing a simple sobering-up service for drunkenness offenders outside the criminal justice system. Evaluation of this project showed that, while it had had some success in reducing prosecutions for drunkenness, it was usually under-occupied and had had little success in referring its clients to other agencies for longer term help. Any financial savings to the police and the courts have been difficult to identify separately. Costs have been higher than had been expected, in part because of under-use. The Government doubt whether overnight shelters are likely to prove a cost-effective means of dealing with drunkenness offenders outside the criminal justice system. Government funding was made available to enable the experiment to go ahead and will cease at the end of the current financial year.The Government remain committed to the policy of diverting drunkenness offenders from the criminal justice system. They are encouraged by the development of police cautioning schemes under which offenders are arrested, kept in police cells until they have sobered up and then cautioned, rather than prosecuted. It is, of course, for chief officers of police to decide whether they wish to adopt such cautioning schemes, but the Government take the view that they have considerable potential for diverting drunkenness offenders from the courts.Outside the criminal justice system, the Government will continue to provide a range of advice, treatment and rehabilitation services for those with drinking problems, either directly or in conjunction with grant-aided voluntary organisations. The emphasis in future is expected to be on community based services involving statutory and voluntary bodies, for all problem drinkers, and the health and social needs of drunkenness offenders should be seen in this context.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the vetting of British Broadcasting Corporation staff by the security services.

The Government believe (as have successive Governments over a long period) that it is in the national interest for the BBC to apply certain necessary security procedures. The Government welcome the review of these procedures recently undertaken by the director general of the BBC, which has led to a clarification of the criteria for their application and ensured that the number of posts affected by them is kept to the necessary minimum. As the BBC has made clear, it alone decides whom to appoint to any post within the corporation, and no external agency has a right of veto on the appointment or promotion of any member of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to water authorities as to the implications of the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act for the powers of arrest of bailiffs employed by water authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The Home Office has responded to individual requests for information on the implications of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 for the powers of arrest of bailiffs employed by water authorities. Section 26 of th 1984 Act repeals (subject to certain specified exceptions) all existing statutory powers of arrest without warrant of constables, but it will not affect the Power of water bailiffs to arrest under section 34 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975. Additionally, in the general enforcement of the 1975 Act, water bailiffs will be able to exercise the general arrest powers of a constable contained in section 25 of the 1984 Act, where any of the arrest criteria set out in that section are satisfied.Section 67(9) of the 1984 Act requires persons charged with the duty of investigating offences to have regard to any relevant provisions of the codes of practice which we may issue under section 66. It will be a matter for such persons to decide in their own particular circumstances the extent to which the provisions of such codes may be applicable to the execution of their duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from unions representing immigration officers about the organisation and management of their work.

I have received representations personally from the national executive committee of the Immigration Service Union. It expressed concern at the increase in operational pressures which have been experienced during recent months, particularly at Heathrow; the increase in the number of cases attracting representations from right hon. and hon. Members: and the adequacy of staffing levels. Officials of the Home Office have also had meetings with representatives both of the Immigration Service Union and of the immigration branch of the Society of Civil and Public Servants, which also represents some immigration officers. The organisation and management of the work of the immigration service was discussed at these meetings, when officials confirmed that Ministers were fully seized of the recent pressures on the control; and then explained the short-term measures being taken to provide some relief; for example, bringing forward the recruitment and posting of staff who will be required for Heathrow, terminal 4; the further planned financial provision for increased immigration service resources in future years; and a set of studies, on which the unions will be fully consulted, which are designed to assess the effectiveness, efficiency and value for money of present as against alternative ways of working. Further meetings between officials and representatives of the unions are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of prisoners being kept in police cells on 1 November attributable to the shortage of space in Her Majesty's prisons.

On the night of 30 October-1 November there were 25 prisoners held in police cells. It is not possible to say from information held centrally precisely how many were held there because vacancies were not available in the right place at the right time and how many for logistical or other reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Dr. Mark Patterson, convicted in 1984 on a charge of conspiring to steal blood, is expected to be released from prison.

It is not our general practice to make public the expected release dates of individual prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will plan for total civilian involvement in defence in the event of war.

Civilian involvement in the military defence of this country is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence. The civil defence of this country concerns any organisation or person with a relevant responsibility or expertise, and present plannig takes account of this.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he will be making for additional police at Gatwick airport when the north terminal opens in 1987.

The policing of Gatwick airport is carried out by the Sussex police under a repayment arrangement with the British Airports Authority. It is the responsibility of the Sussex police authority to fix the authorised establishment of the force, subject to my right hon. Friend's approval. We have not received an application from the police authority for an increase in the police establishment in order to meet additional policing requirements at Gatwick airport in 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those interested organisations from which he has had responses on the White Paper, "Scientific Procedures on Living Animals"; and when he expects to introduce legislation arising from it.

The major organisations which have submitted comments on the White Papers Cmnd. 8883 and Cmnd. 9521 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average population of Brixton prison in the week ended 2 November or in any other recent typical week.

On 31 October 1985 the population of Brixton prison was about 990. Average weekly population figures are not recorded centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many square feet of exercise space are available to prisoners in Brixton prison.

Normally there are 39,461 sq ft of exercise space. Building work has resulted in the loss of 7,782 sq ft since October 1985, but this is expected to be reinstated by the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how many hours in the week ended 2 November or in any other recent typical week, the workshops in Brixton prison were open; what was the average number of prisoners employed; how many classes took place and for how many hours; what was the average number of inmates in each class; how many individual prisoners attended at least one class during the week; and how much time on average each prisoner spent out of his cell during that week.

In the week ended 2 November, the one workshop at Brixton prison was open for 20 hours and employed 20 remand prisoners who requested work. In addition, 100 convicted prisoners were employed on various domestic and maintenance duties. Forty-two classes were held during the week, with a total class hours of 78½ and the average number of prisoners attending each class was six. Fifty-five prisoners attended at least one class. It is not possible to calculate the average amount of time spent out of cells, since this covers many things besides work and education; for example, visits, medical treatment and applications to see the governor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the maximum number of prisoners who can be employed in workshops in Brixton prison in any one day.

Twenty-five.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisons in Wales have the facility to hold, either on remand or on custodial sentence, women prisoners.

None. Female remand prisoners from Wales would normally go to Pucklechurch or Risley; female sentenced prisoners go to Drake Hall or Styal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there has been any recent change regarding the rights of prisoners at Her Majesty's prisons to receive local newspapers or press cuttings from their home area; and if he will make a statement.

No. The conditions under which prisoners may receive personal newspapers are set out in prison standing order 4. The only restriction on the receipt of press cuttings enclosed with general correspondence are those imposed in respect of the content of all such correspondence under standing order 5. Both standing orders have been published and copies placed in the Library. Copies are available for reference by prisoners in the prison libraries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated site value of Cardiff and Swansea prisons, respectively.

Without knowing the purpose for which sites would be used, reliable valuation is not possible. Based on residential development, the estimated site values of Cardiff and Swansea prisons are approximately £1,250,000 and £450,000, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to reply to the letter of 25 October reference Mr. Miah TN3/RLE/6261/85; how long Mr. Miah has been in custody and in what places; when he expects to come to a decision in this case; and if he will make a statement.

I have written to my hon. Friend.Mr. Mohd Ashad Miah was detained at Harmondsworth from 15 to 24 October and at Ashford remand centre from 24 October to 16 November, when he made a voluntary departure.My letter gives the reasons for the immigration officer's decision to refuse entry to Mr. Miah and my confirmation of that decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons suffering from mental illness or from a mental handicap are at present in prison; and how these numbers compare with each of the 10 pre ceding years.

The number of inmates who, in the opinion of prison medical officers, are suffering from mental disorder of a nature or degree which would satisfy th criteria in the Mental Health Act 1959 and 1983 was as follows. There was no census before 1977, and the latest available figures are for 31 March 1985.

	Number
30 June 1977	769
30 June 1978	581
30 June 1979	557
30 June 1980	457
30 June 1981	320
31 March 1982*	287
31 March 1983	319
31 March 1984	310
31 March 1985	269
* The census month was changed in this year.

Offences* of violence to prison officers punished in prison department establishments in England and Wales by type of offence and year 1980–84
Number of offences
Offence	†1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Gross personal violence to officer	18	45	126	111	111
Assault on officer	937	959	1,390	1,350	1,302
Total	955	1,004	1,516	1,461	1,413
* Including attempted offences.
† Numbers may have been lower during the POA industrial action.

Awards* of forfeiture of remission to persons in prison department establishments in England and Wales by type of establishment† and year 1980–84
‡Number of awards
Offence	║1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Prison and remand centres	18,912	20,135	21,908	21,962	21,829
Youth custody centres	—	—	—	7,229	12,591
Detention Centres	4,014	4,043	4,265	3,278	2,837
Total	22,926	24,178	26,173	32,469	37,257
* Including prospective, suspended and activated suspended awards.
† Awards of forfeiture of remission were not applicable in borstals.
‡ Within a year, a prisoner may be awarded more than one punishment of forfeiture of remission as a result of separate charge proved.
║ Numbers may have been lower during POA industrial action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase he proposes to authorise in the establishment of the West Midlands police in the next three years.

We expect to receive shortly the manpower plans of the new joint police authority for the west midlands.

asked the Attorney-General on how many nights in each of the past five years juries in criminal trials have been sent to a hotel whilst considering a verdict; and what has been the total cost in each of those years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of assaults that have taken place on prison officers during the past five years, the number of restraints on male or female prisoners and the number of prisoners who lost days of remission during the same period.

The readily available information on assaults on prison officers and forfeitures of remission is summarised in the tables. Detailed breakdowns of offences and punishments are published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (chapter 9 of the volume for 1984, Cmnd. 9622). Statistics on the use of restraints in the years 1981 to 84 are published in table 10·3 of "Prison Statistics, England and Wales 1984." Statistics for 1980 were published in table 10·6 of the volume for 1980 (Cmnd. 8372), but are less reliable and not comparable with those for subsequent years because a special exercise to check the corresponding figures for 1981 and 1982 revealed some errors, and corresponding checks cannot be made on the figures for earlier years.

The information is as follows:

Year	Number of Nights	Hotel Cost £
1981	51	22,461
1982	71	39,387
1983	90	45,209
1984	107	56,130
1985 (to date)	105	50,411

asked the Attorney-General how many persons under the age of 35 years have been appointed to chairmanships of social security appeals tribunals since 1979.

Social security appeals tribunals were established on 23 April 1984 and since then no barrister or solicitor of the requisite professional standing under the age of 35 has been appointed in England and Wales to be a chairman. Three chairmen under 35 were appointed between 1979 and 23 April 1984 to the national insurance local tribunals or the supplementary benefit appeal tribunals which were abolished and replaced by the social security appeal tribunals.

asked the Attorney-General how many serving councillors in local authorities have been appointed to chairmanships of social security appeals tribunals since 1979.

This information cannot be ascertained without disproportionate costs. There may have been a few such appointments.

asked the Attorney-General how long a claimant would normally have to wait for an oral hearing before a social security commissioner if the commissioner ordered the oral hearing now in (a) London, (b) Cardiff, (c) Edinburgh and (d) Northern Ireland.

The figures for London and Cardiff are:

(a) 10 weeks

(b) 3 weeks

I understand from my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland that the figures for Edinburgh and Northern Ireland are:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales at what date the meeting originally arranged between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Conwy, (Mr. Roberts) with the Gwynedd health authority, will he rearranged by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary with responsibility for health, the hon. member for Newport, West (Mr. Robinson).

I shall be meeting the chairman of Gwynedd district health authority, together with the chairman of the other health authorities in Wales on Friday 22 November. Following that meeting, a mutually convenient date will be arranged early in 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table including (a) the budgeted current and capital expenditure, respectively, and (b) the forecast actual, current and capital expenditure, respectively, of each of the new district health authorities in Wales, for the current year 1985–86.

The resources likely to be available to each district health authority in Wales in 1985–86 for current and capital expenditure is shown in the table. The forecasts provided by individual health authorities suggests that their expenditure in 1985–86 will be contained within these allocated resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to visit RAE Aberporth during 1985 to discuss the implications of the privatisation and contracting out of services with the superintendent of rangers and members of staff; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such plans. I am, however, in close touch with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement, following the Cavanagh review.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many individuals are currently working in the Palace of Westminster and immediately associated buildings; and how many of these are Members of the House of Commons, Peers, secretaries, research assistants, officers of either House and employees of either House.

The information requested is as follows.

	Number
House of Lords
Peers*	*937
Officers and Staff	272
Research Assistants	8
Lord Chancellor's Department	68
House of Commons
Members	650
Officers and Staff	945
Private Secretaries	586
Research Assistants	186
Temporary Secretaries and research assistants	438
[*Note: Excluding peers without writs and those on leave of absence. The daily average attendance of peers is 321. It is not possible to indicate which individual peers' secretaries work regularly in the building.]

In addition some 700 staff are employed by associated organisations (such as the Property Services Agency, the Metropolitan police and the Post Office) performing functions for or on behalf of the two Houses; and the number of journalists accredited to the Parliamentary Press Gallery is 318.These figures do not include Civil Servants who spend a proportion of their time working in the Palace.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the implications for the United Kingdom of the proposed construction of a fixed link across the Channel; and what effect she estimates the construction of such a link would have upon employment and the steel industry.

The four proposals for a Channel fixed link submitted by promoters in accordance with the Invitation to promoters are now being evaluated by a joint Anglo-French group of officials. Their evaluation will include an assessment of the impact of each scheme upon employment, not only in Kent but also throughout the economy generally. The Government will make a statement when their consideration of the alternative proposals is complete.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the quangos presently operating.

A list of the non-departmental public bodies (commonly referred to as quangos) in existence on 1 April 1985 will be published early in December as "Public Bodies 1985". A copy will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 14 November, Official Report, column 682, why she stated that it was for the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) to have contacted her office about her failure, first reported by the Daily Mail on 8 November, to reply to the letter sent to her last June by the mother of ex-Corporal David Timms, who was injured with the Royal Green Jackets in the bomb outrage of July 1982; and if she will make a further statement.

I have written to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) explaining that my office has no trace of having received Mrs. Timms' letter.

			1983
	Institution	Course	All first degree graduates	of which good honours graduates
a	GB universities
	University College, London	Speech sciences	46	16
	Manchester	Speech pathology and therapy	18	10
	Newcastle	Speech	8	4
	Reading	Linguistics and Language pathology	13	4
	Sheffield	Speech Science	14	5
b	England polytechnics
City of Birmingham	Speech pathology and therapy	*20	*7
Leicester	Speech pathology and therapy†	—	—
Leeds	Speech therapy†	—	—
Manchester	Remedial speech therapy†	—	—
c	England other institutions
The Central school of speech and drama	Speech therapy†	—	—	—

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her oral reply, 14 November, Official Report, column 682, to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, what action she has now taken in relation to the needs of the soldiers injured in the bomb outrage in Regent's park in July 1982 further to the pledge given when she visited them in hospital; when she replied to the letter reported to have been sent to her last June by the mother of ex-Corporal David Timms; and if she will make a further statement.

I have written to the right hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the Government's response to the International Youth Year 1985.

The Government have responded to International Youth Year both directly—through funding for the four IYY co-ordinating committees—and through relevant programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what information he has on the numbers of staff engaged in full or part-time teaching on courses leading to degrees in speech science, speech pathology or speech therapy and their places of employment;(2) what information he has as to the number of students, and their place of study, sitting for examinations for degrees in speech science, speech pathology or speech therapy in 1983, 1984 and 1985 and the classification of honours awarded where appropriate;(3) what information he has as to the numbers and location of courses at universities, polytechnics or other institution leading to degrees in speech science, speech pathology or speech therapy.

Details of courses in speech science, speech pathology or speech therapy and numbers of graduates are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the answer, Official Report, 12 November, column 113, on what grounds, and according to what assumptions, the possibility of replacing maintenance grants wholly or partly with loans was ruled out by the Government for the present time.

The possibility of replacing maintenance grants wholly or partly with loans has been ruled out at the present time on economic grounds.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made towards implementing the recommendations of the Swann report, with special reference to the employment of teachers from the ethnic minorities; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 18 November at column 1.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy that student grants should not be paid to those who take action to prevent the freedom of speech being exercised.

The Government are totally committed to the cause of preserving freedom of speech at institutions of higher education. Action against students who seek to prevent it is a matter for the authorities of institutions. If students are sent down or suspended their local education authority has the power to terminate their grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will institute a survey into the extent to which individual local authorities provide cash benefits to teachers who attend courses during school holiday time over and above the direct costs of attendance.

No. I do not consider that such a survey would serve any useful purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to his Department about which employers have made pay deductions from teachers in dispute and which have not.

I understand that all local education authorities deduct pay from teachers who take strike action. However, the teacher unions have engaged in other forms of disruption, short of strikes, in order to prosecute their pay claim. I believe that only eight authorities continue to make deductions from teachers who, although present at work, refuse to cover for absent colleagues. I understand that no LEA is making deductions in respect of any other forms of disruptive action.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will give the figures for the number of redundancies notified in Great Grimsby for each year from 1979 to 1984.

The available information relating to confirmed redundancies is given in the table.

Redundancies* confirmed as due to occur in the Grimsby Jobcentre Area† from 1979 to 1984
	Number
1979	Nil
1980	1,005
1981	1,886
1982	880
1983	1,436
1984	1,081

asked the Paymaster-General whether he proposes to seek to amend the Explosives Act 1875, the Explosives Act 1923 and the Explosives (Northern Ireland) Act 1924, taking into account changes in the type and use of explosives so as to provide for a certificate of competence for people handling explosives.

The Health and Safety Commission is progressively updating the Explosives Acts to take account of technological change. The Classification and Labelling of Explosives Regulations 1983 came into operation on 1 November 1983. A consultative document on the draft Conveyance of Explosives by Road Regulations has been published. The need for training and certificates of competence will be considered in due course.

asked the Paymaster-General what information he has as to the cumulative increases in wage costs in the United Kingdom over the last five and 10 years respectively; and what information he has as to how these figures compare with the equivalent figures for the United States of America, West Germany and Japan.

Broadly comparable figures for the countries requested are only available for wages in manufacturing industries.These are given in the following table.

Wages per head: Manufacturing
	*Great Britain	†USA	‡West Germany	║Japan
Percentage increase
1979–84	76	37	24	29
1974–84	278	107	70	100

asked the Paymaster-General how many community programme places have remained vacant for three months or more during 1985.

Statistics are not kept of the length of time that such vacancies remain unfilled, and the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will provide a breakdown of the registered unemployed in (a) the London borough of Brent and (b) Greater London to show (i) the age and (ii) the type of worker involved.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants in the London borough of Brent and Greater London as at 10 October 1985 analysed by age.Some information by types of unemployed worker is available from the labour force survey at national and regional level, but the sample size is too small to produce such analysis for local authority districts.

Table 1—Unfilled vacancies at jobcentres August 1985
Standard Industrial Classification 1980	London borough of Brent	Greater London
Agriculture, forestry and fishing	1	34
Coal extraction	0	3
Mineral oil and natural gas extraction	0	4
Mineral oil processing	0	5
Nuclear fuel production	0	0
Gas, electricity and water	2	51
Extraction of other minerals and ores	0	4
Metal manufacture	3	34
Manfacture of non-metallic products	1	65
Chemical industry	10	143
Production of man-made fibres	0	2
Manufacture of metal goods	36	525
Mechanical engineering	3	69
Manufacture of office machinery and data processing equipment	48	442
Electrical and electronic engineering	3	62
Manufacture of motor vehicles	0	3
Shipbuilding and repairing	24	255
Manufacture of aerospace and other transport equipment	1	77
Instrument engineering	14	115

asked the Paymaster General if he will provide a breakdown of the job vacancies available and vacancies for all available kinds of training and retraining in (a) the London borough of Brent and (b) Greater London.

Analysis of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres is made quarterly both by industry, most recently in August, and by occupation, most recently in September. This information is available in the Library. Table 1 shows the numbers of unfilled vacancies in the area covered by the Kilburn, Wembley and Willesden jobcentres which closely corresponds to the London borough of Brent, and at jobcentres in Greater London, as at 2 August 1985 analysed according to the 1980 standard industrial classification. Table 2 gives the numbers of unfilled vacancies in the corresponding areas as at 6 September 1985 analysed by occupational group.I will write to the right hon. Member shortly in reply to his enquiry regarding vacancies for training and retraining.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to seek to ensure that no sensitive equipment is exported from Britain to South Africa.

The export of sensitive equipment to all destinations, including South Africa, is already controlled under the Export Goods (Control) Order 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current cost to Her Majesty's Government for 1985–86 of maintaining the operational centres of the information technology centre programme.

My Department, together with the Manpower Services Commission, provide the majority of governmental financial support to information technology centres. During 1985–86 it is currently estimated that, including trainees allowances, we shall jointly provide some £28·3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice and guidance he has given to Alvey-funded research centres regarding their responses to requests for collaboration and information purchase from representatives of the United States information technology industry and the United States defence industry: and if he will make a statement.

I have received no requests for such advice and guidance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice his Department offers British companies proposing to buy stakes in Australian companies about restrictions placed by the Australian Government upon foreign companies wishing to buy a controlling interest in an Australian company.

Such companies would be advised to consult the Australian Government and, in particular, to take note of the Foreign Takeovers Act 1975. This gives the Australian Government powers to prevent or reverse transactions in which a foreign company gains a controlling interest in an Australian company, if the transaction is deemed to be contrary to the national interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make representations to the Australian Government seeking reciprocity of treatment as between British companies wishing to buy into Australian companies in Australia, on the one hand, and Australian companies wishing to buy into British companies in the United Kingdom, on the other.

If a case arises of a British firm experiencing difficulties in attempting to take over an Australian company, the Government would be prepared to consider taking the case up with the Australian Government where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the Engineering Employers' Federation on new obstacles to visits by foreign technicians to the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

The director general of the Engineering Employers' Federation wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend about this matter earlier this month. I shall be replying to the director general shortly. The Government have joined in representations to the United States authorities who are themselves seeking to resolve the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to amend the Estate Agents Act to require estate agents to declare their interest in commissions on life insurance obtained in introducing purchasers to mortgages through the endowment method.

No. The Financial Services Bill, which will be introduced shortly, will provide for the regulation of life insurance intermediaries of all sorts, including the disclosure of commission payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give figures for manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in inflation adjusted terms for each year from 1974 to the latest year available.

Available information on manufacturing investment only is given in the following table.

Capital investment in United Kingdom Manufacturing Industry *
	£ million at 1980 prices †
1974	7,431
1975	7,135
1976	6,838
1977	7,253
1978	7,904

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were employed in the special steels division of the British Steel Corporation in May 1979; and how many are so employed at the present time.

The special steels division did not exist under that name until 1980. In the BSC works which now constitute the special steels division, 15,721 people were employed in May 1979. The number in September 1985 was 8,520.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been provided to companies in the Portsmouth travel-to-work area under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972, since 1972.

Section 7 assistance is available only to companies in the assisted areas of Great Britain and, as Portsmouth travel-to-work area has never been an assisted area, no regional selective assistance has been provided to companies in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report(a) the numbers employed in the 725 companies currently using the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive bank guarantee schemes and (b) percentages of business activity involved in exports of their companies.

This information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the recent review of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive external trade review will take into account both the financial outcome of the facility in the Export Credits Guarantee Department's terms and the wider economic impact of the facility for United Kingdom exporters.

Reviews of this facility take into account its impact on United Kingdom trade generally and the views of current users of these guarantees on all aspects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish an estimate of the impact of phasing out the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive bank guarantees on small exporters; and if he will make a statement.

The impact of phasing out these guarantees will be small. Banks and other financial institutions are able to provide finance for exports by viable companies without a guarantee direct from ECGD. The two-year period for phasing out the guarantees will allow ample time for exporters to transfer to alternative arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the amount paid out by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to private sector brokers in 1984–85; and if he will provide an estimate of their effectiveness.

The amounts paid by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to private sector brokers in 1984–85 totalled £2,486,000. It is up to individual ECGD policyholders whether to appoint a broker. It is not possible to quantify exactly the financial benefit to ECGD from the activities of brokers but I am satisfied that brokers play a useful role in selling and servicing ECGD cover and in relieving the Department of certain administrative functions. To be eligible for commissions, brokers have to conform to standards of conduct and competence laid down in an agreement between ECGD and the United Kingdom Credit Insurance Brokers' Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the future of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive external trade guarantee; and if United Kingdom merchants and others can be assured of its continued availability.

The outturn of this guarantee facility has been under review periodically since changes were made to it in 1981 in an endeavour to reduce the high level of losses it was sustaining. I cannot anticipate the outcome of the review of the facility's outturn in 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the total value of export finance advanced to United Kingdom exporters via the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive basic guarantee schemes over the last five financial years.

Finance for exports insured under ECGD's comprehensive guarantee schemes is made available by banks against the Department's comprehensive bank guarantees, where the exporter requests such an ancillary guarantee. The amounts of finance advanced and remaining outstanding under these arrangements at the end of the last four financial years totalled: 1981–82—£551 million; 1982–83—£327 million; 1983–84—£301 million; 1984–85—£184 million. Further amounts would have been advanced by the banks early in each year and repaid within that same year. The amounts for earlier years are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the total cumulative losses under the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive basic guarantee schemes; and if he will list under each facility the percentage of total claims payments for that facility attributable to the 10 biggest loss-making individual guarantees.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the losses incurred by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in 1984–85, showing the amount and percentage due to political causes and the administration costs of the Export Credits Guarantee Department in the same year.

The total amount of claims paid by the Export Credits Guarantee Department in the financial year 1984–85 was £834·9 million, of which £683·5 million (82 per cent.) resulted from political causes of loss, mainly delays in the transfer of currency. The administration costs of the Department in the same year were £33·9 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the number of jobs lost as a result of the implementation of the recent review of management and organisation of the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and if he will estimate the resulting financial savings.

No jobs have been lost to date as a result of the implementation of this review's recommendations, which is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make an estimate of the impact of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive bank guarantees on total export orders and on employment arising from those orders.

Following a review of these guarantees, which included views solicited from those exporters making use of them currently, I reached the conclusion that phasing them out over a two-year period would have no significant effect on exports or employment levels in exporting companies. Alternative sources of finance are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the future alternative sources of comparably priced export finance available for small companies.

A wide range of alternative sources of export finance is available from banks and other financial institutions, many of which publicise their facilities widely. The cost of such facilities is a matter between the provider and the user in each case.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of tax units where the main source of income is self-employment income in 1984–85; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the previous five years.

The latest available information is for 1983–84. The number of tax units with main source self-employment income (usually but not invariably the largest source) in that year and comparable information for the previous five years is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to public funds of a reduction in income tax to 25 and 20 per cent. respectively; and if he will make a statement.

The direct revenue cost of reducing the basic rate of income tax to 25 per cent. and 20 per cent. would be about £6 billion and £12 billion, respectively, in a full year at 1986–87 levels of income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received regarding tax cuts.

Many.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise employees involved on value added tax work have been subject to disciplinary procedures in each of the last 10 years (a) nationally, (b) in the Halifax office and (c) in the Peterborough office.

[pursuant to the reply, 18 November 1985, c. 92]: Over the past 10 years, 222 Customs and Excise staff employed on value added tax work have been subject to disciplinary procedures for matters sufficiently serious to warrant report to headquarters. The numbers in each year are:

	Numbers
1975	13
1976	35
1977	20
1978	18
1979	18
1980	21
1981	21
1982	21
1983	21
1984	20
*1985	14
* To date.

Four of these were employed in the Halifax VAT office, one case in each of the years 1976, 1979, 1980 and 1981, and two at Peterborough, both cases in 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give detailed estimates of the projected loss of revenue to the Exchequer from the possible abolition of value added tax on credit transactions between registered traders.

Of the order of £2·3 billion a year. This is an estimate of the tax charged on taxable supplies to businesses which is at present irrecoverable by them. It includes estimates of VAT both on businesses expenditure on cars and entertainment and on taxable supplies to registered businesses with some exempt outputs. Although this loss could be prevented, it could only be at the cost of extra complexity both in the operation of the tax and for the trader.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements operate for the logging of those who have access to (a) computer and (b) manual files kept by his Department on individuals; and if he will describe the procedures in operation for both categories.

Specific guidelines on security of automatically processed data in Government Departments are observed. They are contained in "Protection of Information in Computer Systems" and "Central Government Code of Practice No. 21", issued by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency, which give recommended procedures to safeguard data in computer installations. Copies of these guidelines have been placed in the Library of the House.Manual records are maintained in a number of areas in the Treasury. Access to records of individuals employed in the Department is restricted to the head of the Department and to the staff within the establishments and organisation group and personnel sections in locations.The superannuation division of the Treasury makes pension awards to civil servants employed in a number of Departments. The manual records maintained by the division may only be accessed by the head of the pension awarding section and his staff.Manual files containing pay and related information for employees of some 65 Government Departments are held at Chessington computer centre. Access to the files is limited to staff in the pay office directly concerned with the accounts. Where exceptionally other authorised people need access, eg Audit, movement of the file is recorded. Manual files despatched from the Centre are directed only to known authorised individuals in customer departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is his policy to appoint, to conduct planning inquiries into proposed road schemes, inspectors who have already reported on neighbouring and related developments and who, in so doing, have commented publicly upon aspects of the proposed schemes.

No. Inspectors for inquiries are nominated by the Lord Chancellor, but if the Secretary of State thought that an inspector might be prejudiced in conducting an inquiry by his experience on any previous inquiry or by any comments he had made, he would not appoint him.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the current number of vehicles using the stretch of the M25 from Hunton bridge to the M40 interchange per week; and how this figure compares with the figure predicted before that section was constructed.

The Department's forecasts for traffic flows on this length of M25 were in terms of an annual

Section of M25	16 hour weekday flow
	Annual Average Forecast for 1987 (made in 1980)	Measured Flow October 1985
M40 Interchange-A412	55,000–60,000 vehicles per day	66,000
A404-Hunton Bridge (A405)	65,000–75,000*	74,000
* This forecast was made at a time when this length of road existed as A405, but had no yet been appropriated as part of M25.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute a review of safety standards on the Al27; and if he will make a statement.

We are continuously reviewing the scope for safety schemes to eliminate particular local hazards. Next year, consultants will be undertaking a study of the future needs of the A127.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce the results of the current inquiry into the feasibility of a third Thames crossing at Dartford.

I announced in June, at columns 225–26, our intention of commissioning an engineering study for a third crossing at Dartford. My right hon. Friend, however, suggested to the Select Committee in July that the private sector might be willing to undertake the provision of a third crossing, and the inquiries we have had from construction and financial undertakings have confirmed their interest in this proposition.We shall shortly be issuing guidelines inviting interested parties to submit proposals, and commissioning data collection work on the engineering aspects to help the preparation of proposals.

A259 Rye bypass, East Sussex	Route options being investigated with a view to public consultation in 1986.
A259 Winchelsea bypass, East Sussex	Hope to announce preferred route shortly, with view to draft order publication late 1986.
A259 Bexhill and Hastings western bypass, East Sussex	New scheme added this year. Design agency to be appointed early 1986.
A27 Pevensey bypass, East Sussex	Draft line and side roads orders published. Draft compulsory purchase order to be published shortly.
A27 Polegate bypass, East Sussex	Scheme restored to programme this year. Design agency to be appointed early 1986.
A27 Brighton bypass, East/West Sussex	Route fixed. Hope to publish draft compulsory purchase orders summer 1986.
A27 Patching junction improvement, West Sussex	Scheme restored to programme this year. Design agency to be appointed early 1986.
A27 Arundel bypass, West Sussex	New scheme added this year. Route options being investigated with a view to public consultation by early 1987.
A27 Fontwell bypass, West Sussex	Final decision announced with a view to start of works in summer 1986.
A27 Westhampnett bypass, West Sussex	Hope to announce preferred route shortly. Earliest start date spring 1989.
A27 Havant-Chichester, Hampshire/West Sussex	Tenders to be invited shortly for start of works spring 1986.
A31 Ashley heath grade separated junction, Dorset	New scheme added this year. Consulting engineers to be appointed in 1986.
A31 Ferndown bypass, Dorset	Under construction. Scheduled for completion February 1987.
A35 Tolpuddle to Puddletown bypass, Dorset	Restored to active programme June 1985. Consulting engineers will shortly be appointed to prepare the scheme.
A35 Yellow Ham hill to Troytown, Dorset	Public consultation on possible options currently in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any proposals to close temporarily one of the lanes of the Dartford road tunnel for repairs; and if he will make a statement.

The tunnel is wholly the responsibility of Kent and Essex county councils. I understand that it is planned to carry out a major refurbishment of the northbound tunnel over a period of two years, starting in early 1986. Work will be carried out on weekdays at night, from 9 pm (11 pm on Fridays) to 5.30 am (7 am on Saturdays). There will be no closures in July and August. The aim is to cause little or no disruption. One or other tunnel is in any case closed most nights for routine maintenance.