asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of individuals who were working in the Palace of Westminster and associated buildings in 1970, 1975 and 1980; and how many of those were hon. Members, peers, secretaries, research assistants, Officers of either House and employees of either House.

The table gives the information requested in respect of Peers, Members, and Officers and employees of either House. Central records are not held for the other categories mentioned in my hon. Friend's question.

	1970	1975	1980
House of Lords
Peers*	770	841	914
(Daily average attendance of peers)	(225)	(262)	(290)
Officers and staff	184	234	263
House of Commons
Members	625	635	635
Officers and staff	407	545	†860
* Excluding peers without writs or summons or on leave of absence.
† Includes 235 staff of the Refreshment Department, which became a Department of the House on 1 April 1980. In 1970 and 1975 the number of staff working in the Refreshment Department was approximately 185.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what further plans he has to help in the fight against acquired immune deficiency syndrome; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government regard reduction of the rate of spread of this serious virus infection as a matter of very high priority. We have already taken important steps.First, we have improved the safety of blood and blood products supplied through the blood transfusion service. All Factor VIII and IX clotting agents derived from pooled plasma used by haemophiliacs are heat treated; all donations of whole blood are screened for antibodies to the AIDS virus. Second, detailed advice on the disease, how to help those infected, and how to avoid infection has gone to health professionals. Third, counselling and testing services have been introduced in the National Health Service. Fourth, information is being provided to those at risk by the Government—funded Health Education Council, and by the key voluntary organisations—the Terrence Higgins trust and the Haemophilia Society. Both of those organisations receive Government grants. Fifth, this year we have provided an extra £1·8 million for the development and use of a test for the AIDS virus, a special allocation to the three Thames regions and haemophilia centres, additional money for voluntary organisations and for the training of councillors.I am now announcing an allocation of an additional £6·3 million to support a package of measures to help those already infected and to reduce the number who become infected.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what percentage of the Bolton magisterial panel is currently not in full-time employment; what percentage is unemployed; what percentage is retired; what percentage is of independent status or means; and if he will list the panel by occupation.

Of the Bolton magistrates' bench, 46 per cent. are not in full employment, three per cent. are unemployed, and 16 per cent. have retired. I have no means of knowing—and do not wish to have any means of knowing—which members of the bench are of independent means.At the last review of the bench, the occupations were:

	Number
Directors and professionals	49
Landowners and farmers	2
Wholesale and retail proprietors and managers	15
Managers in industry and commerce or service	16
Teachers, nurses and other medical, social and artistic workers	25
White collar workers	34
Industrial, agricultural and service workers	19
Total	160

asked the Prime Minister what are the implications for the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards United Kingdom membership of UNESCO of her agreement to the Nassau declaration of world order.

Our decision to withdraw from membership of UNESCO, unless major reforms are secured, is entirely consistent with our commitment under the Nassau declaration to play a full part in revitalising international co-operation for development.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list by major programme the changes sought by Her Majesty's Government in UNESCO's programme and the extent to which each objective was met at the Sofia congress; and if she will make a statement.

The Government are still considering the outcome of the UNESCO conference in Sofia.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to transfer Her Majesty's industrial air pollution inspectorate to the Department of the Environment; and if she will make a statement.

No; but working arrangements in this and related areas are under review.

asked the Prime Minister if she will explain the criteria used to define capital receipts from the sales of public assets such as British Telecom and British Gas as negative public expenditure.

In accordance with the international convention on national accounting, purchases and sales of company shares are classified as "financial transactions" and, as such, are treated on a net basis. Unlike many other financial transactions they represent a direct expression of public policy and are therefore public expenditure (and government expenditure in the national accounts). It follows that, given the net treatment, when the Government buy shares, public expenditure is increased and when the Government sell shares, public expenditure is reduced. Since the Government incurred expenditure in acquiring the shares and assets of organisations being privatised, it is symmetrical and logical that expenditure should decrease when they are sold.

asked the Prime Minister if she will explain the criteria used to determine the definition and status of local authorities' capital from asset sales for the purposes of Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the control of public expenditure.

Capital receipts score as negative public expenditure in the year in which they are received. Local authorities may, in any one year, spend a prescribed proportion of receipts, new and accumulated.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with co-ordination between the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for the Environment regarding the presentation of Her Majesty's Government's policy towards reform of the rating system in different parts of the United Kingdom.

Yes. My right hon. Friends, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, intend to publish a consultative document early in the new year.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the text of letters exchanged in the last three months between her and the right hon. Harry West.

It is not my practice to publish correspondence between myself and a third party.

asked the Prime Minister on what evidence she bases her statement in the Official Report, 6 November, column 22, that 675,000 new jobs have been created in the past two years; if she will give a breakdown in numbers and percentages according to (a) region, (b) industrial sector, (c) gender, (d) full or part time and (e) employed or self-employed; and if she will indicate which figures are estimated and which are based on recorded information.

There was an estimated increase of 675,000 in the employed labour force in Great Britain between March 1983 and June 1985 as published in the October issue of Employment Gazette. I have asked my right hon. and learned Friend the Paymaster General to provide the hon. Member with the latest available breakdowns of the estimate, which has since been slightly revised. All these estimates will be further revised when the results of the 1984 census of employment and the 1985 labour force survey become available in the spring of next year.

asked the Prime Minister (1) what representations she has received from the Governor of the Bank of England relating to City frauds (a) by letter and (b) in person; and if she will make a statement;(2) if she will place in the Library copies of correspondence between the Governor of the Bank of England and herself relating to fraud in the City of London.

It is not my practice to make public exchanges of this kind.

asked the Prime Minister what is her best estimate of the cost of the Hillsborough summit on 15 November including the wages costs of security forces.

[pursuant to her reply, 21 November 1985, c. 271]: The best estimate of the costs of my meeting with the Taoiseach at Hillsborough castle on 15 November is £241,000. The greater part of this is accounted for by security. There were, in addition, costs of travel, communications equipment, press facilities, catering, staff and other services.

asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch on 25 November, Official Report, column 362, if any warrant for the arrest of any member of the Pahoomal family has been issued.

Yes. Warrants for the arrest of Mohan and Narender Pahoomal were issued on 11 November 1983 for forgery offences.

asked the Attorney-General if, pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 362, warrants have been issued for the arrest of Mr. Peter Cameron Webb, Mr. T. Dixon or any other person in connection with the PCW syndicate and Alexander Howden case.

No.

asked the Attorney-General what have been the costs to date of the investigations into the affairs of the Peter Cameron Webb syndicate and Alexander Howden, referred to in his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 362.

Because of the diverse nature of the work undertaken it is impossible to estimate with any degree of accuracy the total costs involved to date. Much of the work cannot be separated out from the ordinary running costs of the Police Service and the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 362, what further progress has been made as a result of the Solicitor-General's meeting with the fraud investigation group.

Further inquiries are being made here and overseas and the case remains under vigorous investigation.

asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions received any representations in 1983, 1984 and 1985 to the present day in relation to alleged fraud at Johnson Matthey Bank in respect of any person other than members of the Pahoomal family.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has considered police reports concerning three cases in which it is alleged that forged certificates purporting to be clean reports of finding issued by Societé Générale Surveillance were used.

asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions received any representations in 1983, 1984 and 1985 to the present day in relation to alleged forged Societée Générale Surveillance certificates or was made aware of the existence of any such certificates in respect of any cases other than the case of the Pahoomal family.

The Director of Public Prosecutions received such a report concerning one Ranjendra Sethia who is at present the subject of an application for extradition from India. That application remains in abeyance pending resolution of criminal proceedings in India.My right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General has passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions particulars of representations made by the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch to him arid to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. In addition, the Director of Public Prosecutions has discussed with the City of London police the progress of the investigation commenced in July this year at the present Johnson Matthey Bank Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment the Government have carried out of the implications of global warming for future energy policy.

As the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution pointed out in its tenth report, the effect on the world climate of global warming through increased atmospheric concentrations of certain substances, including CO2, has yet to be established. The implications for energy policy cannot therefore yet be assessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will respond to representations made by the hon. Member for Jarrow concerning the benefit entitlements of National Coal Board employees who became redundant after 1 January 1986; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has made it clear that no decisions have yet been made about the details of any scheme to succeed the current redundant mineworkers' payments scheme. As my right hon. Friend advised the House on 25 November, a statement will be made as soon as conclusions have been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many persons were made redundant from collieries and other National Coal Board owned industries, prior to their eventual closure, in the 12 months prior to the implementation of the redundant mineworkers scheme order.

The present redundant mineworkers payments scheme was introduced in The Redundant Mineworkers and Concessionary Coal (Payments Schemes) Order 1984, which came into operation on 1 April 1984. During the preceeding financial year 1983–84 some 20,400 men left the coal industry on RMPS terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is now able to reveal a framework of legislation which is designed to assist those coalminers who may lose the redundant mineworkers scheme benefits as a result of their 12-month long strike; and if he will make a statement.

I have made it clear that no decisions have yet been made about the details of any scheme to succeed the current redundant mineworkers' payments scheme. As I advised the right hon. Member during oral answers on 25 November, I will make a statement as soon as conclusions have been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total cost of the National Coal Board's publicity campaign associated with the miners' strike.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the pupil-teacher ratios

	1978–79		1979–80		1980–81
	Greater London	Leicester-shire	Greater London	Leicester-shire	Greater London	Leicester-shire
Number of Pupils ('000)
Nursery Schools	5·3	—	5·3	—	5·3	—
Primary Schools	578·9	85·3	553·1	82·8	528·3	79·5
Secondary Schools	514·8	73·8	506·8	74·1	494·7	74·2
Total	1,099·0	159·1	1,065·2	156·9	1,028·3	153·7
Institutional Expenditure (cash) (£m)
Nursery Schools	5·3	—	5·7	—	7·1	—
Primary Schools	264·2	29·4	307·6	33·2	377·8	40·1
Secondary Schools	338·3	38·1	391·4	43·8	489·7	53·6
Total	607·8	67·5	704·7	77·0	874·6	93·7
Institutional Expenditure (1985–86 Real Terms) (£m)
Nursery Schools	9·9	—	9·2	—	9·5	—
Primary Schools	495·5	55·1	493·6	53·3	510·4	54·1
Secondary Schools	634·4	71·5	628·1	70·3	661·6	72·5
Total	1,139·8	126·6	1,130·9	123·5	1,181·5	126·6
Expenditure per Pupil (cash) (£m)
Nursery Schools	1,005	500	1,080	540	1,345	680
Primary Schools	455	345	555	400	715	505
Secondary Schools	655	515	770	590	990	725
Total	555	425	660	490	850	610
Expenditure per Pupil (1985–86 Real Terms) (£)
Nursery Schools	1,885	915	1,740	875	1,815	920
Primary Schools	855	645	895	645	965	680
Secondary Schools	1,230	970	1,240	950	1,335	975
Total	1,040	795	1,060	790	1,150	825

for primary, secondary and all maintained schools in January of each year since 1975; and if he will give the same figures for Leicestershire.

The pupil-teacher ratios within maintained primary and secondary schools and the overall pupil-teacher ratio for maintained schools in England and in Leicestershire for each year since 1975 are as follows:

	England			Leicestershire
January of each year	Primary schools	Secondary schools	Overall	Primary schools	Secondary schools	Overall
1975	24·2	17·2	20·0	24·5	16·9	20·0
1976	24·0	17·0	19·8	24·4	17·1	20·2
1977	23·9	17·0	19·7	24·2	16·8	19·8
1978	23·6	16·9	19·4	24·0	16·6	19·5
1979	23·1	16·7	18·9	23·3	16·2	18·8
1980	22·7	16·6	18·7	23·4	16·3	18·9
1981	22·6	16·6	18·6	24·1	17·0	19·6
1982	22·5	16·6	18·5	23·7	16·8	19·2
1983	22·3	16·5	18·1	22·8	16·3	18·5
1984	22·1	16·2	17·9	22·5	16·0	17·8
1985	22·2	16·1	17·8	22·9	16·1	17·8

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures to show, aggregated for education authorities in London, for each year since 1978–79 (a) the number of pupils in nursery, primary and secondary schools, (b) the expenditure per pupil, in total and by sector, in cash and real terms, and (c) the total expenditure in cash and real terms; and if he will give the same information for Leicestershire.

The information is as follows:

	1981–82		1982–83		1983–84
	Greater London	Leicester-shire	Greater London	Leicester-shire	Greater London	Leicester-shire
Number of Pupils ('000)
Nursery Schools	5·4	—	5·5	—	5·6	—
Primary Schools	507·0	76·6	488·6	73·4	479·6	71·0
Secondary Schools	480·8	74·0	464·7	74·1	444·4	73·2
Total	993·2	150·6	958·8	147·5	929·6	144·2
Institutional Expenditure (cash) (£m)
Nursery Schools	8·3	—	8·9	—	9·9	—
Primary Schools	408·7	43·8	430·7	48·5	455·2	51·5
Secondary Schools	537·5	60·5	570·0	68·8	597·3	75·2
Total	954·5	104·3	1,009·6	117·3	1,062·4	126·7
Institutional Expenditure (1985–86 Real Terms) (£)
Nursery Schools	10·2	—	10·2	—	10·8	—
Primary Schools	501·5	53·7	493·8	55·6	499·5	56·6
Secondary Schools	659·5	74·3	653·4	78·9	655·5	82·5
Total	1,171·2	128·0	1,157·4	134·5	1,165·8	139·1
Expenditure per Pupil (cash) (£)
Nursery Schools	1,540	875	1,600	960	1,760	1,040
Primary Schools	805	570	880	660	950	725
Secondary Schools	1,120	815	1,225	930	1,345	1,030
Total	960	695	1,055	795	1,145	880
Expenditure per Pupil (1985–86 Real Terms) (£)
Nursery Schools	1,890	1,085	1,835	1,085	1,930	1,160
Primary Schools	990	700	1,010	760	1,040	795
Secondary Schools	1,370	1,005	1,405	1,065	1,475	1,130
Total	1,180	850	1,205	910	1,255	965

Notes:(1) The Gross Domestic Product (Market Prices) Deflator has been used to convert cash terms into Real Terms (1985–86=100).(2) Leicestershire had 24 pupils in Nursery Schools throughout the period.(3) The Greater London figures include the salaries and wages allowances for staff in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing (a) the average salary for a teacher in April for each year from 1974 to 1985, (b) the average salary for a teacher during each year had the levels of pay recommended by the Houghton committee been maintained and (c) the loss of pay during each year for that teacher, and the total loss over the period expressed for each at cash and April 1985 prices.

The table gives estimated average salaries (excluding allowances) for all full-time teachers in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales from April 1974 to April 1984 (the date from which the last settlement applied). The table also sets out the percentage pay settlements for each year, movement in the retail prices index for the same period, and indices showing cumulative year-on-year increases in average salaries and pay settlements from April 1974 and April 1979.

Year*	Average salaries for all school teachers (excluding allowances)			Percentage increases in school teachers' pay			Retail Price Index†
	£	Index 1974=100	Index 1979=100	Percent.	Index 1974=100	Index 1979=100	Percent.	Index 1974=100	Index 1979=100
April 1974	3,100	100	—	‡37·0	100	—	15·1	100	—
April 1975	3,800	123	—	22·3	122	—	21·7	122	—
April 1976	4,200	135	—	8·3	132	—	18·9	145	—
April 1977	4,400	142	—	3·8	137	—	17·4	170	—
April 1978	4,900	158	—	9·9	151	—	8·0	183	—
April 1979	5,400	174	100	9·3	165	100	10·0	202	100

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department takes to check whether its grant payments to polytechnics are received in full by the institution concerned; what instances there have been in the current and last financial year of grant payments not having been received in total or in part; and if he will make a statement.

The only grant payments made direct to polytechnics are in respect of research projects commissioned by my right hon. Friend. All claims that accord with the terms and conditions of the contracts concluded with the researcher or institution are met in full.My right hon. Friend also determines, on the advice of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Education (NAB)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how he decided on the figure of £40 million for lunchtime supervision for a full year.

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Full-time & sandwich	210	459	462	502	536	557
Part-time	58	63	81	32	31	113
Total	268	522	543	534	567	670

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to increase the number of occupational therapy places in educational institutions.

The figure of £40 million was fixed following careful consideration of the likely range of costs of employing sufficient supervisory staff necessary to secure the reliable and adequate supervision of pupils at midday. Account was taken of the number of supervisors who might be required in schools of different sizes having regard to the substantial number of people already employed by local education authorities to assist with midday supervision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list in the Official Report those organisations consulted by his Department on the question of the cost of lunchtime supervision.

The Government's new initiative for providing adequate and reliable supervision of pupils at midday has been the subject of detailed discussion between the Department and the Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of training places for occupational therapists available on 1 January 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.

Information about the places on courses for the training of occupational therapists is not collected centrally. The numbers of students attending such courses in maintained and assisted colleges of further education in England from November 1979 to 1984 are as follows. I understand that similar courses are also run in establishments maintained by the Department of Health and Social Security, and in institutions in the private sector.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. He will shortly be receiving the advice of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education both on applications for advanced course approvals and on the distribution of the AFE pool for 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science by how much Open University summer school and tuition fees rose between 1971 and 1986 against a 1971 index of 100; and how the retail prices index rose over the same period against the same base.

The Open university has not yet taken a final decision on summer school fees for 1986; neither is the retail price index known for 1986. 1985 is therefore given as the final year for the information requested. Using 1971 = 100 as a base, the increases are:

1971 = 100
Summer school fees	376
Tuition fees	705
Retail price index	470

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average number of new undergraduate applications to the Open University between 1975 and 1979 and 1980 and 1986.

The information for new applicants in 1975 is not available. The average figure for the years 1976–79 was 32,677 and the average figure for the years 1980–86^* is 38, 255.

^* provisional

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the basis upon which his Department calculated the numbers and proportion of children statemented under the Education Act 1981 as having special educational needs in each local education authority, as published in his reply to the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire, North-East on 13 June, Official Report, columns 514–8.

The numbers and proportions of children statemented under the Education Act 1981 as having special educational needs, in each local authority in England in 1984, were derived from returns submitted by schools to the Department in January 1984 as part of the annual census of schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what new steps he is taking to expedite the approving of new patterns at the National Weights and Measures Laboratory.

The Department is continually striving to reduce delays in pattern examination to the minimum possible. It is hoped that a special pay addition, which has recently been agreed for pattern examiners, will enable several vacancies at the national weights and measures laboratory to be filled in the near future. The vacancies are currently being advertised at the new rates.The committee, on metrological control, which reported earlier this year, made several recommendations relating to pattern examination procedures. The Department is giving serious consideration both to the committee's recommendations and to any comments on them that arise during the consultation process which is currently taking place.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether it is the Government's intention to seek to obtain a European standard for citizens band radio; and if he will list the alternative systems which could form the basis of such a European standard, indicating which is the Government's preferred option.

The Government's preferred option, and indeed the often stated intention, for CB is to adopt the CEPT recommendation which provides for common European frequencies at 26·96 MHz—27·40 MHz for an FM only service. My Department has been consulting existing users of the band about appropriate transitional arrangements and I have already announced that 1987 is the earliest realistic target date for the start of the new CB service.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many (a) bankruptcies and (b) company liquidations took place in 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and to the nearest available date in 1985.

The information requested for the years 1979 to 1984 was published in British business on 1 November 1985, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Provisional estimates show that there were 5,708 bankruptcies and 12,328 company liquidations in the first ten months of 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what was the total amount of exports from the United Kingdom to South Africa (a) in 1984 and (b) to the nearest available date in 1985;(2) what was the total amount of imports to the United Kingdom from South Africa in 1984 and to the nearest available date in 1985.

The information can be found in table IB of the relevant issues of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, copies of which are in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made, or has requested to be made, of the long-term impact of a Channel fixed link on each of the main industrial areas of Britain and that of north-eastern France, in as far as it will affect those areas in the United Kingdom.

An assessment of the proposals for the Channel fixed link is being carried out jointly by the British and French Governments. The assessment will take account of all aspects of the proposals, including their economic impact.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has asked for an inspector's report into the affairs of Johnson Matthey Bank under section 432 of the Companies Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.

No. A section 432 investigation at this stage would add little to the extensive enquiries that have already taken place and the police enquiries now in train.A fraud investigation group has been established. I am ready to help it and the police at any time through the use of section 447 powers to examine the company's records if this would be helpful.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 404, he will estimate the amount of money involved in the deferment of payments from Nigeria between the date when moneys were due and 1989 in relation to guarantees by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

It is estimated that the total amount involved will be about £500 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, pursuant to his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 404, he will state the reasons for the agreement entered into between Her Majesty's Government and the Nigerian Government over deferred payments between the date when moneys were due and 1989 and when the agreement was entered into.

There is no formal agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the Nigerian Government concerning the trade debts for which the Nigerian authorities have sought relief from their international creditors. Formal agreement covering officially insured debts will be negotiated multilaterally once the Nigerian authorities have reached an agreement with the IMF. Meanwhile, Her Majesty's Government and the other creditor Governments have taken note of the Nigerian Government's expressed intention to bring deferred payments in general up to date by the end of 1989, and to pay interest meantime.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the value added to the national economy by the textile and clothing industry in each of the last 10 years for which figures are available; and how this figure compares with that for the motor manufacturing industry and for the computer manufacturing industry in each of those years.

The information requested for the textile and clothing industry is as follows:

1. Textiles & Clothing Industry†
	£ million Value Added	per cent GDP*
1975	2,368	2·51
1976	2,562	2·32
1977	2,970	2·31
1978	3,362	2·27
1979	3,787	2·21
1980	3,725	1·87
1981	3,642	1·68
1982	3,722	1·56
1983	3,978	1·53
1984	n/a	n/a

2. Comparable information for Motor Vehicles and Parts Industry is as follows:
	£ million Value Added	per cent GDP*
1975	2,004	2·12
1976	2,394	2·17
1977	2,980	2·31
1978	3,463	2·34
1979	3,347	1·95
1980	3,041	1·53
1981	3,033	1·40
1982	3,156	1·33
1983	3,423	1·32
1984	n/a	n/a
3. Separate information on the computer manufacturing industry is not available.
* before financial services adjustment
†includes footwear and leather

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to how textile and clothing exports from the United Kingdom in the latest year for which figures are available compare to those from other EC member countries.

The information is as follows.

Exports of textiles and clothing* by the EC 1984
Exports from	US$ million
Belgium/Luxembourg	3,615
Denmark	801
France	4,645
Federal Republic of Germany	8,269
Greece	1,079
Ireland	500
Italy	9,207
Netherlands	2,398
United Kingdom	3,327

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has concerning the total amount spent upon re-equipment in the textile industry over the past 10 years.

Available information relating to capital expenditure in the textile industry is shown in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if in view of the current discussions between the European Commission and the Turkish textile industry, he will make representations to the Commission about the implications of the Turkish export potential of cotton velvet at subsidised prices for the markets available to United Kingdom manufacturers.

The Commission is well aware of United Kingdom concerns over such competition, both in the United Kingdom and in other markets.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all those manufacturing industries whose exports in the latest year for which figures are available exceeded £4 billion in value.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those bodies to which his Department makes appointments, the number of appointees and the number of these who are women.

The information requested is contained in the MPO publication "Public Bodies 1984", available in the Library of the House of Commons. The 1985 edition of this is to be published on 17 December and a copy will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has had any meetings with the Equal Opportunities Commission to discuss the implementation of those parts of the conclusions of the Nairobi conference on forward looking strategies for the advancement of women relevant to his Department; and if he has any future plans for such meetings.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he s taking to implement those parts of the conclusions of the United Nations Nairobi conference on forward looking strategies for the advancement of women which apply to his Department; what resources he has allocated to this; and if he will make a statement.

My Department is already working to encourage and facilitate the participation of women in areas of industry where women have not played a significant role in the past.Specific schemes include WISE (Women into Science and Engineering) Year 1984, a women's working group to ensure that women take a full and active part in the Industry Year Initiative, arid the recently announced national work shadowing project which is giving many girls the opportunity to experience industrial management at the highest levels. My Department has supported a number of other projects including:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for implementing paragraph 58 of the conclusions of the Nairobi conference on forward looking strategies for the advancement of women, on the collection of statistics on the situation of women.

The statistics collected by my Department do not in general lend themselves to being categorised by gender. Relevant statistics on the employment of women are, however, collected by the Department of Employment. I would therefore refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Paymaster General to a question from the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) today.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will establish a special office within his Department to monitor periodically and accelerate the process towards the equitable representation of women along the lines proposed in paragraph 88 of the Nairobi United Nations conference on forward looking strategies for the advancement of women.

My Department has embarked upon a nationally agreed programme of action for the development of employment opportunities for women. This applies to the employment of women within the Department and the nomination of suitably qualified women for public appointments for which it is responsible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about progress by the Official Receiver in the liquidation of Esal (Commodities) Ltd.; and what information he has as to the amount of that company's debts.

The winding-up order was made against Esal (Commodities) Limited on 7 November 1984 under which the official receiver is investigating the affairs of the company. The realisation and distribution of the assets is in the hands of the joint liquidators Mr. G. A. Weiss and Mr. M. A. Jordon. The liabilities are estimated to be in the region of £245 million but it is not yet possible to say what the assets will realise nor the likelihood of a distribution to creditors.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the amount of regional grants paid to Yorkshire and Humberside in the financial years 1979–80, 1980–81, 1981–82, 1982–83 and 1983–84.

Details are as follows:

Regional selective assistance under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982
	£ million
1979–80	6·761
1980–81	6·624
1981–82	7·083
1982–83	10·370
1983–84	8·772

Regional development grants under part II of the Industrial Development Act 1982
	£ million
197913;80	21·487
1980–81	38·710
1981–82	47·064
1982–83	36·368
1983–84	23·510

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the figures for grants related directly to jobs, as referred to in his letter to the right hon. Member for Swansea, West dated 27 November, for every constituency, giving in each case the number of related jobs and the time span over which they will arise; and if he will give the average grant for the United Kingdom, for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and each administrative region, respectively.

I regret that the information requested could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of the grants and loans under the regional and industrial policy in the last year within the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth dated 27 November.

The amount and number of offers for regional selective assistance and of approvals for new regional development grant in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency were as follows in the period 29 November 1984 to 31 October 1985:

	Number	Value £
RDG II	2	2,232
RSA	6	9,339

I regret that details of other assistance is not available on a constituency basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the total amounts offered to firms in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency under regional and industrial grants for each of the last 10 years.

I regret that information is not available for all regional and industrial grans because it would be too costly to transfer the historic records to the computer data base. However, the new Regional Development Grants are being recorded and regional selective assistance (RSA) under section 7 of the Industry Act is available for past years. The details for RSA are set out below:

Table of RSA offers for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Constituency
	Number of Offers	Value of Offers £000
1975–76	4	440
1976–77	6	318
1977–78	3	792
1978–79	5	142
1979–80	4	240
1980–81	Nil	Nil
1981–82	6	419
1982–83	5	862
1983–84	11	1,504
1984–85	6	6,956

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the grants paid in each parliamentary constituency in the Northern region in the last 12 months under (a) the new regional grants scheme and (b) the old regime.

The total paid to date under the new regional grant scheme in the North East (old Northern region) by constituency is as follows:

	£
Bishop Auckland	868,798
Blaydon	66,777
Blyth Valley	9,000
Easington	236,092
Gateshead East	156,436
Hartlepool	264,828
Houghton and Washington	401,714
Jarrow	26,324
Langbaurgh	8,100
Middlesbrough	748,663
Newcastle upon Tyne Central	5,844
Newcastle upon Tyne East	100,336
Newcastle upon Tyne North	70,913
North Durham	15,892
North West Durham	269,973
Sedgefield	12,707
South Shields	18,000
Stockton North	283,623
Stockton South	29,510
Sunderland North	69,851
Sunderland South	22,725
Tyne Bridge	178,533
Tynemouth	82,123
Wallsend	238,234
	4,184,996

The payments made under the old scheme are not available on a constituency basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps have been taken to increase the availability of scholarships to overseas students.

I announced last June a new shared scholarship scheme as part of the Government's targeted support for overseas students. The scholarships are for students of high academic ability from developing Commonwealth countries who are outside the scope of existing Government support schemes and who would not otherwise be able to study here. Costs will be shared jointly between ODA and the higher education institutions.My initial target was 50 awards to commence next autumn. Owing to the excellent response to the scheme I have decided to double that to 100. The scheme will initially run for five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the direct United Kingdom contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (a) in sterling and dollars at the prevailing rate of exchange for each year from 1979 to date and (b) as a percentage of the total budget from 1979 to date; and what will be the sterling contribution, and as anticipated in dollars, for 1986.

The Government's direct contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency since 1979 were as follows:

	British Contribution		Percentage total budget
	£million	$ million
1979	4·4	9·34	5·61
1980	4·5	10·47	4·96
1981	5·0	10·14	4·25
1982	4·0	7·00	2·64
1983	5·0	7·58	3·65
1984	6·0	8·02	3·96
1985	5·0	6·53	3·47

At the United Nations pledging conference earlier this month we announced a pledge of £5 million to UNRWA for 1986. This is subject to parliamentary approval. It is not possible to forecast the 1986 sterling-dollar exchange rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to seek to ensure that the World Bank does not make loans for projects which, if carried out, would be likely to cause environmental or rain forest damage.

I think the World Bank has an increasing awareness of the environmental implications of its projects, particularly involving tropical rain forests. We are in constant touch with the bank on its policies in this area.The World Bank was a co-sponsor, with the United Nations development programme and others, of a study on rain forests published in October. We expect the bank to take full account of the findings of this study.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the number of beds which will be provided in the new Falkland Islands hospital and the cost per bed as compared with cost per bed for an equivalent hospital in the United Kingdom.

The new hospital in Stanley will have 28 beds including a two-bed intensive care unit. This figure excludes sheltered housing which will provide accommodation for up to 15 elderly people who would formerly have been accommodated in a residential wing of the old hospital.The hospital has been designed to cater for the needs of the civilian and military communities in the Falkland Islands and includes such facilities as an operating theatre which would not be found in a hospital of similar size in this country. Direct comparisons with the cost of health care facilities in this country are therefore not possible. Standards in the new hospital conform to DHSS standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will undertake a major re-evaluation of bilateral aid and its effect upon British visible and invisible earnings and in particular a rationalisation of aid and trade provision procedures.

While the basic objective of the bilateral aid programme is to promote economic and social progress in developing countries, we bear British commercial and industrial interests fully in mind. Bilateral aid funds are tied to the purchase of British goods and services except for the provision of local costs in some of the poorer countries. The aid and trade provision (ATP) procedures have recently been reviewed. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced to the House the introduction of a new soft loan facility as part of the ATP on 12 November. By these means we hope to double the business supported by the ATP each year by 1988–89. In the light of this I do not believe a re-evaluation necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to seek to ensure that the British aid programme places emphasis on strategies designed to assist women in generating and creating income as called for in paragraph 115 of the United Nations Nairobi forward looking strategies for the advancement of women.

We support the objectives contained in paragraph 115 of the United Nations forward looking strategies for the advancement of women. Procedures were introduced in the ODA in 1984 to ensure that project work took better account of the role and needs of women.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will, as set out in paragraph 122 of the United Nations Nairobi forward looking strategies for the advancement of women, take steps to strengthen the evaluation of the effect of Britain's aid programme on women.

Assessment of how aid projects affect women is already an integral part of our evaluation studies. With our partners in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, we are considering how to improve the information in this respect, particularly governing statistics at our disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to seek to implement paragraph 177 of the United Nations Nairobi forward looking strategies for the advancement of women which calls for urgent measures to enhance the role of African women as food producers.

We support the recommendations in paragraph 177 of the United Nations Nairobi forward looking strategies for the advancement of women, and fully appreciate the importance of African women as food producers. We should be happy to consider requests from African Governments for help in enhancing their role in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what his Department is doing to seek to ensure that women are given access to training programmes to widen their skills and widen the range of methods and technologies used for agricultural production, as called for in paragraph 186 of the United Nations Nairobi forward looking strategies for the advancement of women.

We should be happy to consider requests from developing countries, to which paragraph 186 of forward looking strategies for the advancement of women was directed, to help with the activities there specified, including, where appropriate, training in Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to implement paragraph 299 of the conclusions of the United Nations Nairobi conference on forward looking strategies for the advancement of women relating to the establishment of special relief programmes.

We fully recognise the problems of refugees and displaced women and children, and have responded generously to special appeals from such international agencies as the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross and the League of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. In the calendar year 1985 our total refugee assistance is expected to exceed £27 million. In addition we are providing £5 million in the period 1984–89 in response to the second international conference for assistance to refugees in Africa, held in July 1984.Britain has also ratified the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees and takes every opportunity to encourage other governments to do likewise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Colombia following the recent landslip disaster; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government responded immediately to this disaster by providing two RAF Puma helicopters and one Hercules aircraft from Belize to help with rescue operations. The British ambassador in Bogota was authorised to purchase locally such essential items as electric generators. In addition, medicines, food, tents and other urgently needed relief items were sent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total of advances during each of the last five years by the Crown Agents for Property development in Scotland, England and Wales; and if he will include within the figures for England a separate estimate for London.

The Crown Agents have made no advances for property development during the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to ensure that the special needs of women are recognised in the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless.

We attach importance to the International Year of Shelter for the Homeless, and will do our best to ensure that the special needs of women are taken into account in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in how many cases in relation to investigations in connection with the recent disturbances in Tottenham the police have refused access to solicitors on the grounds that representing a particular client would create a conflict of interest or where in the opinion of the police it would be professionally improper for them to act;(2) in how many cases of persons being interviewed in relation to investigations in connection with the recent disturbances in the Tottenham area a solicitor instructed by a third party asked to see the person being interviewed; in how many of these cases the request was denied; and what reasons were given for refusing the request in each such case;(3) how many persons interviewed by the police in relation to investigations into the recent disturbances in the Tottenham area asked to see a solicitor; in how many cases the request was denied; and what reasons were given when the request was denied.

The information requested is not held centrally. On the basis of the information which is currently available, and whose accuracy cannot be completely guaranteed, we believe that six people were denied access to a solicitor for less than 24 hours, 14 for between 24 and 48 hours, and five for more than 48 hours. Access was denied because, in the opinion of the police, granting it would have caused unreasonable delay or hindrance to the conduct of the investigation. No further information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in how many cases of persons being interviewed in Metropolitan police districts where the police are operating as if the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act are in force a solicitor instructed by a third party, such as a relative, asked to see the person interviewed; in how many cases this request was denied; and what reason was given for refusing the request;(2) how many people interviewed by police officers in Metropolitan police districts where the police are operating as if the provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act are in force have asked to see a solicitor; in how many of these cases the request was denied; and what reasons were given.

The information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police districts in the Metropolitan police area are operating as if the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and the codes of practice are in force; and on what dates they started operating in this manner.

The Metropolitan police have introduced those provisions of the 1984 Act and the codes of practice which do not require statutory powers on the basis of trial runs. These were brought into operation in all Metropolitan police districts on 1 April 1985 in resepct of stop and search and road check powers, on 1 May 1985 in respect of the searching of premises, and on 1 July 1985 in respect of the detention, treatment, and questioning of persons by police officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provisions exist to repay from public funds the cost of return air tickets held by intending visitors to the United Kingdom who are refused even temporary admission and subsequently appeal successfully against the immigration officers' decisions in their country of departure.

There is no statutory provision to make such payments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what dates meetings have taken place between Ministers in his Department and officials of the Immigration Service Union in the past year; what have been the main issues discussed; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether at meetings between Ministers in his Department and officials of the Immigration Service Union, officials of that union have indicated that the Immigration Service Union intended to instruct its members not to deal with correspondence from hon. or right hon. Members concerning immigration matters; and on what basis Immigration Service Union officials have passed correspondence from hon. and right hon. Members on immigration matters to Ministers in his Department.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Dubs) on 20 November at columns 168–69. At my meeting with officials of the ISU on 17 October, they did not indicate that they intended to instruct their members not to deal with correspondence from hon. Members on immigration matters, but they did express their concern at the increase in the number of cases attracting representations from hon. and right hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fiancées have been granted admission to the United Kingdom since the change in August of the immigration rules requiring fiancées to have entry clearance; how many fiancées have been granted admission although they had not been granted entry clearance; and if the passports of such fiancées have been suitably endorsed in all cases.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of people who have been convicted of drug-related offences each year since 1979 and the range of prison sentences which were imposed for those offences during the same period.

Information on the numbers of persons found guilty of drugs offences in each year since 1979 is given in table 8 of "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs in the United Kingdom, 1984" (Home Office Statistical Bulletin 23/85). Details about the lengths of sentences of imprisonment for such offences are published annually in "Statistics of the Misuse of Drugs, United Kingdom, Supplementary Tables" (table 2.12 in the issues for 1983 and 1984 and table 3.3 in earlier issues). The published table for 1984 inadvertently excluded sentences of youth custody and so revised figures, including them, are given in the following table:

Persons sentenced to unsuspected imprisonment, including youth custody, for drugs offences by length of sentence, 1984—United Kingdom
Length of sentence given for principal drugs offence	Number of persons
Up to and including one month	501
Over one month up to and including three months	529
Over three months up to and including six months	436
Over six months up to and including one year	464
Over one year up to and including two years	682
Over two years up to and including five years	579
Over five years up to and including seven years	123
Over seven years	97
Total	3,411