asked the Prime Minister (1) if she will make it her policy not to agree to any increase in the powers of the European Parliament;(2) whether she will give particulars of the proposals which the Government are considering for increasing the powers of the European Assembly.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement that I made to the House on Thursday 5 December at columns 429–30 on the outcome of the European Council Meeting held on 2–3 December.

asked the Prime Minister whom she intends to invite to participate in the seminar which she intends to hold at Downing street early in the new year on crime prevention schemes.

Invitations to the seminar on crime prevention which I shall chair on 8 January are being issued this week to a wide range of organisations including representatives from industry, including certain nationalised industries, local authorities, the health and education services, the CBI, the TUC and the police.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement setting out the areas of Community decision-making which will now be subject to majority voting in consequence of the decisions made at Luxembourg on 2 and 3 December; and if she will provide some representative examples of the kind of directives or regulations which will no longer require unanimous consent.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 5 December at columns 429–30. Examples of measures which could be adopted by majority voting under article 100 include:

—common technical standards intended to remove barriers to trade: these are frequently held up by objections from one or two member states;

—certain consumer protection measures, eg the doorstep selling directive which has been blocked for some time by one member state;

—certain proposals in the agricultural field related to the achievement of the internal market, subject to safeguards for human, animal and plant health.

asked the Prime Minister whether there was any agreement at the summit meeting in Luxembourg on economic and monetary union; and if the agreed text of the outcome contains a reference to economic and monetary union.

The European Council agreed that the preamble to the text amending the Treaty of Rome should refer to the decision of the Heads of State or Government, at their conference in Paris in October 1972, to approve the objective of the progressive achievement of economic and monetary union. The Council also agreed that the Treaty of Rome should be amended to provide that any developments in the field of economic or monetary policy which necessitate institutional changes must be subject to the procedures of article 236 of the treaty, ie further amendment of the treaty and ratification according to national procedures. Like the Council's other decisions, these agreements are subject to reserves on the part of Denmark and Italy.

asked the Prime Minister if she will give further details of the European Council's decisions at Luxembourg on 2 and 3 December on the reduction of administrative and legal constraints on the growth of small and medium-sized undertakings.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made to the House on 5 December at columns 429–30. The conclusions of the European Council have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Employment and other Departments on the implementation of Her Majesty's Government's policy to combat illiteracy.

The Government's policies for raising performance in schools in all areas of the curriculum, including the improvement of standards of literacy, are set out in the white paper "Better Schools". The Department of Education and Science works closely with other interested department's wherever appropriate on the initiative outlined in "Better Schools". At the adult level, the membership of the management committee of the adult literacy and basic skills unit provides for coordination between the Department of Education and Science, the Home Office and the Manpower Services Commission, and there is also informal day-to-day contact between the unit, the Department of Education and Science and other Government Departments. The unit is engaged in development projects in the literacy field in partnership with the Manpower Services Commission and other relevant agencies.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the progress of all Government Departments in implementing the Government's energy policy objective of reducing the United Kingdom's longer-term dependence on oil; what part the coal firing scheme has to play in fulfilling this objective; and with what results so far.

In line with the Government's objective of ensuring that all economic forms of energy are produced, supplied and used as efficiently as possible, the coal firing scheme encourages industry to reduce energy costs by converting to coal from more expensive fuels such as oil.By the end of November 1985 the scheme had created over 2·5 million tonnes of annual coalburn, mainly at the expense of oil. In the light of the success of the scheme the Government have decided to extend the deadline for receipt of applications to the end of June 1987.

asked the Prime Minister if she will review the basis on which bishops are entitled to sit in the Upper House; and if she will make a statement.

The entitlement of Lords Spiritual to sit and vote in the Upper House has been established by long tradition, confirmed by statute. I have no plans to review the basis on which bishops take their seats in the Upper House.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish the latest estimate of the cost of implementing the pensioners' charter of the National Pensioners' Convention, in the manner of the answer of 22 March 1983, Official Report, columns 384–86.

I will reply to the hon. Gentleman shortly.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to introduce legislation to extend to television the provisions of the

My hon. Friend the Member for Davyhulme (Mr. Churchill) has introduced a Bill to amend section 1 of the Obscene Publications Act 1959 and we shall be considering his proposals very carefully.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her reply of Thursday 5 December, she will state those national interests which would be prejudiced by continued United Kingdom membership of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation and the interests enhanced by forthcoming withdrawal.

I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Minister for Overseas Development on 5 December at columns 448–57.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government intend to sign the European charter of local self-government; and if she will make a statement.

No. The Government subscribe to the general principles underlying the charter but we do not accept that the content is appropriate for a binding international agreement.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply of 14 November, Official Report, column 236, if she will list each of the public bodies to which she has appointed members in each of the past five years.

The information is as follows.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will provide the details of the leakage of coolant gas which occurred at Hinckley Point nuclear installation on 21 November, specifically indicating (a) what the estimated temperature of the gas was when it leaked, (b) whether the gas had been at any time in contact with the reactor, and (c) whether the gas had been, or came into contact with any of the concrete structure at Hinckley Point.

I am advised by the CEGB that, during the evening of 20 November, a crack in a pump cylinder housing led to a pipe failure in the CO2 plant room which is outside the reactor building. This led to a leakage of clean, unused CO2 which had never been in the reactor cooling circuits. There was no radiation hazard. I am asking the CEGB to write to the Hon. Member on his other points.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what weight and what proportion of spent nuclear fuel returned to the United Kingdom from magnox reactors in Italy and Japan has been reprocessed; and what safeguards apply to the reprocessed plutonium.

As my hon. Friend the Member for Pudsey (Mr. Shaw) said in his reply to the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme) on 5 March 1984 at column 393, the quantities of spent fuel received from individual countries are commercial-in-confidence. At October 1985 approximately 80 per cent. of the receipts of spent magnox fuel from the reactors at Latine (Italy) and Tokai Mura (Japan) has been reprocessed.Whilst in the United Kingdom the plutonium produced by reprocessing this spent fuel is subject to Euratom safeguards and inspection and to appropriate IAEA safeguards. In respect of returned plutonium I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 16 April 1985 at column

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the plutonium produced by the reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel from electricity board reactors by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd at Sellafield, for each of the last five years, have been subsequently (a) allocated for defence purposes, (b) stored for future civil use, (c) supplied to Dounreay for use in the prototype fast-breeder programme and (d) allocated to other users.

None of the plutonium produced over the last five years has been used for defence purposes. All of the plutonium produced from reprocessing the board's spent fuel has been stored on their behalf by BNFL.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has now concluded his study of the Waddilove committee's recommendations on coal mining subsidence; and if he will make a statement.

The committee's recommendations are being considered. The Government's response will be published as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation to provide a quick local arbitration process to deal with disputed claims against the National Coal Board.

Arbitration is already available in disputes about mining subsidence compensation which arises under the National Coal Board's voluntary code of practice. The possibility of making this option more widely available is one of the many points raised in the Waddilove report, which is presently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total amount of Government aid including grants, deficit grants, loans and social grants, provided to the National Coal Board between 1 July 1971 and 1 July 1982.

The information is compiled on a financial year basis. For the financial years 1971–72 to 1981–82 inclusive, the figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation providing notification by the National Coal Board of undermining operations affecting property owners.

Provision for this is made under the Coal Industry Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will introduce legislation requiring the National Coal Board to make good subsidence damage; and if he will make a statement.

Provision for this is made under the Coal Mining (Subsidence) Act 1957 and the Coal Industry Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what approaches he has made to local authorities to assist in the development of the coal firing scheme; what responses he has received; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether the coal firing scheme applies in the public sector.

The coal firing scheme is operated under section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982, which provides powers for the Government to make available selective assistance for purposes connected with the development of industry. Public sector bodies are therefore not in general eligible to receive such support.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those bodies that have to date taken advantage of the coal firing scheme, giving the actual or estimated coal tonnage taken up.

Details of companies given assistance under the coal firing scheme are published quarterly in the Department of Trade and Industry's journal British Business, copies of which are held in the Library of the House. By the end of November 1985 total annual coalburn for projects receiving coal firing grant exceeded 2·5 million tonnes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the value of assets transferred to the British National Oil Corporation on its formation on 1 January 1976; and if he will detail what assistance, direct or indirect, was provided by Her Majesty's Government to the corporation (a) between then and 31 October 1979 and (b) subsequently.

Under section 13 of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975, the whole of the issued share capital of National Coal Board (Exploration) Limited (subsequently re-named BNOC (Exploration) Limited) was transferred to the British National Oil Corporation on 1 January 1976 for consideration equal to its face value of £50,000. This transaction, and all subsequent operations of the corporation until 31 December 1982, when its link with the account was severed, were financed through the national oil account.Details of the amounts received by the corporation from the account, including loans from the national loans fund made via the account, and of payments made by the corporation to the account, are given in the corporation's annual reports and statements of account for each of the years to 31 December 1982 and in the published accounts of the national oil account for each of the financial years up to 31 March 1983, when the account was abolished. In the period up to 1 November 1982, when Britoil ceased to be a subsidiary of the corporation, the corporation received various investment and similar grants for which it was eligible in respect of its former oil exploration and development operations.At 1 January 1983, after its link with the national oil account ceased, the 'corporation was provided with capital reserves of £30 million free of interest. In the financial year ended 31 March 1985 net grants totalling £66,520,000 were paid to the corporation under section 6 of the Oil and Gas (Enterprise) Act 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the total number of gas and electricity disconnections for each year since 1979, and the number of pensioner households who have had their supplies disconnected.

I have asked the chairmen of the British Gas Corporation and the Electricity Council to provide the information direct to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to compensate or make retrospective payments to persons made redundant in the financial year 1983–84 from National Coal Board premises which were not shut down until after 1 April 1984; and if he will seek to amend the provisions of the Redundant Mineworkers Payments Scheme Order 1984 to the same effect.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a draft of the proposed licence to be given to British Gas under the Gas Bill.

I have today made copies of the proposed draft licence available in the Vote Office.

asked the Attorney-General if he will introduce legislation to restrict the power of courts to sequestrate the assets of organisations such as trade unions in contempt cases and to place a duty on the courts to make available to such organisations, on application, any proportion of the sequestrated assets which is necessary to cover the reasonable day-to-day running costs of the organisation concerned; and if he will make a statement.

No. The remedy in such cases is for these organisations to obey the lawful orders of the court in the first place, and if they do not, to purge their contempt.

asked the Attorney-General how many reports on fraud were submitted to the Director of Public Prosecutions by the City of London and Metropolitan police and how many resulted in prosecutions in each year since 1979; what was the average length of time taken to consider such reports in each year; and what were the longest and shortest times taken, respectively, in each year.

It has not been possible to collate the information requested within the time available. I will write to the hon. Member.

asked the Attorney-General if he will name the members of the fraud investigation group dealing with the Peter Cameron Webb and Alexander Howden case.

It is the policy of the director not to name the official, police officers and other persons who comprise a particular fraud investigation group. The fraud investigation group dealing with the Peter Cameron Webb and Howden case comprises the deputy Director of Public Prosecutions, an assistant director of public prosecutions, one professional officer, two detective superintendents, two detective chief inspectors, and five counsel (including two leading counsel) together with appropriate support staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the response from the British Railways Board to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the board's property activities, published on 5 June; and if he will make a statement.

The British Railways Board (the board) has considered the report and prepared a response, copies of which I am placing in the Library of the House. The response shows that the board is ready to accept the great majority of the commission's recommendations, and describes the action that the board will be taking for implementation. I welcome the board's initial response to the report. My Department is monitoring progress on this and I will make a further statement next year on the board's implementation of the commission's recommendations.It is the Government's general policy that all land surplus to the requirements of public authorities should be offered for sale as soon as practicable. While the commission saw no reason to criticise the board's decision to sell surplus property, it did suggest that the implementation of this decision was deficient in some respects. I am pleased to note from the board's response that it is confident that no sales have taken place in ill-considered ways or with unnecessary loss.The main business of the board is running the railway and the Government wish to see the board continue with its very successful programme of property disposals as vigorously as possible. Accordingly, we have restated to the chairman of the board the objectives which the Government wish the board to pursue towards its property. In particular these call for the board to continue to manage its operational property in accordance with best commercial practice, and to identify and divest itself of all its underused or surplus land and property as rapidly as possible, avoiding distress sales. Judgments on timing and relative priorities are to be based on discounted cash flow appraisal using a rate of discount not less than the required rate of return.The commission drew attention to the need for improvements in the organisation and management structure within the board in order to secure the best return from the estate. I welcome the action which the board is proposing to improve its handling of property matters, including strengthening the role of the managing director of the British Rail Property Board and setting up a BR property review group. The board believes that this will achieve the aims identified by the commission in a manner more compatible with the overall management structure of the board.The commission was critical of the board's procedures for releasing land no longer needed for operational use, which it saw as "cumbersome and expensive". I welcome the study which the board has set in hand to identify improvements that can be made in this important area.The commission acknowledged the board's success in developing and exploiting its operational estate, but made a number of recommendations for improvements. I look forward to effective implementation of the steps that the board is taking, including those to improve the procedures for reviewing development opportunities and for appraising property investments. I am encouraged by the progress being made in improving the marketing of railway arches and station trading facilities, and I look to the board to exploit to the full the opportunities for extending competition and involving the private sector in these areas.The commission also recommended that my Department should undertake a thorough review to determine how far current liabilities in respect of property no longer needed for the railway should be removed from the board or separately funded. My Department immediately sought from the board the factual information necessary to conduct this review, and is giving it careful consideration.We are grateful to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission for this wide-ranging report which I am confident will provide the stimulus for a variety of significant improvements in the manner and efficiency with which the board conducts its property activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many VT12 forms, garage monthly returns of Department of Transport tests performed, are printed each year; and at what cost.

Precise annual figures are not available as VT12 forms are ordered at irregular intervals. However, based on the last three years, the average yearly usage is approximately 35,000 pads of 30 forms at a yearly cost of approximately £14,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest position with regard to payments by his Department to the Birse Farr joint venture for remedial works carried out to joints on the M25 Reigate-Leatherhead section; and if he will make a statement.

No payments for remedial work to joints have been made. Our consulting engineers have not yet received full and detailed particulars of any claim in this respect.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many deaths there have been as a result of motor accidents on the M25; and if he will list their location.

Up to and including June 1985, there were 26 fatalities on the M25 as a result of road accidents. I regret that identifying the locations of each of these would involve disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has made into the effects of providing lighting on motorways; and if any research has been carried out into the effectiveness of motorway lighting in the prevention of accidents.

Research from a number of countries has indicated extremely variable reductions in accidents due to motorway lighting and the transport and road research laboratory is currently undertaking a study which should be completed early in 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the full details of the drink drive campaign for the Christmas period.

I announced details of the campaign at a press conference earlier today. A copy of the campaign guide and supporting material has been placed in the Library. I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future of Ribblehead viaduct, on the Settle to Carlisle railway line.

The Ribblehead viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle railway line is a scheduled monument and as such may not be altered or demolished without scheduled monument consent. The Railways Board's proposal to withdraw rail services from the line does not affect this position.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made any study into the effects of a Channel fixed rail link on the average travel time, city centre to city centre, from London to (a) Paris, (b) Brussels and (c) Amsterdam; and if he will make a statement.

This matter is being covered in the Government's assessment of fixed link proposals that is at present under way.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in negotiating an agreement on the fixed link with the French Government, he will seek to make arrangements enabling French permits for commercial vehicles to be more readily available.

This point has been covered in discussions between my right hon. Friend and his French counterpart.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the implications of the ban on commercial vehicle movements during Sundays and bank holidays in France for the projected level of use of such a link by heavy goods vehicles; and if he will make a statement.

I will answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when and in what form he expects to publish the joint British and French Governments' assessment of the proposals for a fixed Channel link; and if he will make it his policy to include in it an assessment of the relative economic impact of such a link on different regions of the United Kingdom and on north-eastern France in so far as it affects those regions of the United Kingdom.

The Government intend, as soon as possible after announcing their decision as to which, if any, scheme is to go ahead, to publish a White Paper giving the full reasons behind their decision. This will include an economic assessment of the effects of the chosen scheme on Kent and on other parts of the United Kingdom, bearing in mind all relevant factors. The Government are not responsible for north-eastern France.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make it his policy that nationalised transport industries should develop sources of supply from United Kingdom companies rather than looking to overseas manufacturing companies to provide their requirements for equipment.

Nationalised industries are expected to follow the Government's purchasing policy, which encourages them to buy British goods provided that the products and prices are right.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 4 December, what method the Civil Aviation Authority uses to bill airlines for meteorological services; what records are kept as to the payment of such bills; and if he will make a statement.

The costs of services supplied by the Meteorological Office to civil aviation are added to the costs incurred by the authority in providing en-route navigation services, and these are recovered through a single charge for each en-route flight. For chargeable flights in the two flight information regions which cover the United Kingdom, charges (which are calculated on the basis of distance flown and taking into account the weight of the aircraft) are billed on behalf of the CAA by the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL).The CAA itself levies charges (which are calculated on a simple per flight basis) for aircraft flights through the SHANWICK (North East Atlantic) flight information region, for which the United Kingdom is by international agreement responsible, and for helicopter flights over the North sea. Records are kept by EUROCONTROL and the CAA respectively in respect of the bills which they issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place a copy of the most recently completed driving instructors' written examination in the Library.

No. A series of examination papers are compiled from a bank of multi-choice format questions devised by my Department. They are designed to ensure that a successful candidate must demonstrate a high standard of knowledge over a wide range of relevant subjects and we believe that publishing individual papers could help potential candidates to learn the answers, rather than the knowledge. The whole range of subjects on which questions may be asked is set out in the Department's pamphlet ADI 14 "The Registration of Approved Driving Instructors". Most of the information needed to pass the examination may be found in the highway code, the

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

I regret the information is not available for all regional and industrial grants because it would be too costly to transfer the historic records to the computer data base. For the same reason a manual search to match addresses is also ruled out. However, the new regional development grants are being recorded and regional selective assistance (RSA) under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act is available for past years. The details for RSA in the Glasgow, Garscadden constituency are as follows:

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 Garscadden constituency referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden dated 27 November.

It is not the practice to disclose details of financial assistance given to individual companies other than in accordance with the arrangements announced by the then Secretary of State for Industry on 31 July 1974. Details are also withheld where it is thought that an Department's manual "Driving" and the Department's pamphlet DL68 "Your Driving Test". Copies of all these publications are held in the Library.

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

The information requested is as follows:individual company could be identified prior to publication in

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what financial assistance under regional aid was given to Hull in each year since 1975 at 1984 prices.

Government regional assistance to Hull since 1975 at 1984 prices is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the total amounts offered under the regional grant schemes at 1984 prices to companies in Scotland for each of the past 10 years.

Details relating to offers of regional selective assistance (RSA) and to payments of regional development grants (RDG I) for the last 10 years in Scotland at 1984 prices are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report the total amounts offered under the regional grants schemes, at 1984 prices, to companies in the Rutherglen constituency, for each of the last 10 years.

I regret the information is not available for all regional and industrial grants because it would be too costly to transfer the historic records to the computer data base. For the same reason a manual search to match addresses is also ruled out. However, the new regional development grants are being recorded and regional selective assistance (RSA) under section 7 of the Industrial Development Act is available for past years. The details for RSA in the Glasgow, Rutherglen constituency are as set out at 1984 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the applicants for the post of equal opportunities officer in his Department were (a) white males, (b) white females, (c) males of Afro-Caribbean or Asian origin or (d) females of Afro-Caribbean or Asian origin.

It is not the practice to fill posts of this nature by inviting staff to apply for them. Existing staff in personnel units have been designated as equal opportunities officers on the basis of their overall suitability and not on the basis of sex or ethnic origin. Equal opportunity matters are not their sole responsibility.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to write to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury, as indicated in his reply of 30 October, Official Report, column 480, regarding firms participating in the Alvey programme.

I wrote to the hon. Member on 30 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what account he proposes to take before reaching a decision on the form of a licensing scheme for life assurance and unit trust salesmen of the representations he has received from the Office of Fair Trading, the National Consumer Council and the Consumers' Association regarding the case for any such general scheme; and if he will make a statement.

I am currently awaiting detailed proposals from the marketing of investments board organising committee, and shall consider all the views that have been expressed on this matter before reaching any decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints the Office of Fair Trading has received in the past year relating to the time taken by insurance companies in settling claims.

This is a matter for the director general and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to extend the patent life for pharmaceutical products.

Community members resolved in 1975 to bring their national patent laws into conformity, as far as practicable, with the provisions of the European Patent Convention. This was done by the Patents Act 1977 which provided inter alia for the extension of the patent term from 16 to 20 years in line with the European Patent Convention. There are no immediate plans for common action with the other Community states to extend the term further. My right hon. and learned Friend has however received representations on the subject from the Association of British Pharmaceutical Industry and is considering whether a United Kingdom initiative would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to convey to the European Economic Community Commission and other member states Her Majesty's Government's policy that the multi-fibre arrangement should be renewed on more liberal terms.

In discussions in the European Community on the multi-fibre arrangement we have been pressing for the policy I outlined to the House on 9 May.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy towards the phasingout of European Economic Community restrictions on textile imports from Hong Kong on account of its open market.

As I told the House during the debate on the multi-fibre arrangement, restrictions on textile and clothing imports from Hong Kong, which is a major supplier to the Community, cannot be ended at this stage. But I also made clear that in the forthcoming negotiations I would seek above average improvements in access levels for countries such as Hong Kong which have low barriers to the Community's own exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the import figures for textiles and clothing in each of the last 10 years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will institute a formal investigation under the Companies Acts into the affairs of Trendhart Limited and Odestage Limited and those who have acted as directors of those companies.

I know of no reason for doing so but shall consider any information my hon. Friend may have about these companies.

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

Offers of new regional development grant to firms in parliamentary constituencies in the Northern region in the period 29 November 1984 to 30 November 1985 are listed as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the import figures for carpet and carpet fibres in each of the last 10 years.

The information relating to carpets and the available information relating to yarn for carpets is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has presented proposals within the framework of negotiations on multi-fibre arrangements to safeguard specialist carpet manufacturers in areas where the industry is socially and economically necessary for the well-being of the community; and if he will make a statement.

With very little United Kingdom production of knotted carpets, and most United Kingdom imports of other carpets coming from non-multi-fibre arrangement supplier countries, I consider that there is no case for any such proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the number of persons employed in carpet manufacturing in each of the travel-towork areas in Yorkshire and Humberside.

The following information is based on 1981 census of employment data.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what safeguards he has in mind within the renegotiations of a multi-fibre arrangement to deal with disruptive import surges of textiles and carpet imports into the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;(2) what proposals he has in mind to control a possible surge of imports from Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea if under-used quotas are abolished.

In deciding our detailed policy on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement we shall bear in mind the possibility of sudden increases in imports of particular textile and clothing products.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the main tariff barriers and import bans by countries who import textiles, clothing and carpets from the United Kingdom; what steps he is taking to have these reduced; and if he will make a statement.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister for Trade explained in the debate in the House on May 9 at columns 917–919, reducing trade barriers in developing countries, in many of which they are much too high, is one of the United Kingdom's objectives in the new round of multilateral trade negotiations in the GATT. This applies to textiles, clothing and carpets as well as other products. The main barriers facing these products are summarised on pages 60–61 of "The Multi-Fibre Arrangement and the UK Economy" by Professor Z. A. Silberston, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to seek to strengthen the antidumping legislation and the law relating to counterfeiting clothing and textiles; and if he will make a statement.

Anti-dumping legislation is a matter of Community competence and there are no present plans to strengthen it. As to counterfeiting, we are considering a proposal for general reform of the United Kingdom law made by the anti-counterfeiting group which represents a range of industries. The Government are also working both within the Community and in the GATT to improve measures restricting trade in counterfeit goods.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide, to the extent that this does not infringe commercial confidentiality, details of the total amounts of money provided to Westland Helicopters by Her Majesty's Government or Government bodies, including launch aid, regional aid, grants and loans between January 1977 and February 1985.

My Department provided £38·9 million in launch aid and grants to Westland Helicopters in the financial years 1977–78 to 1984–85. A further £6·8 million has been paid since April 1985 and £55·5 million has been allocated for continuing Westland projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will specify the figure that has been invested to date by the Government in relation to the creation and development of the specialised CR6 taxi cab;(2) if he will give details of the latest position with regard to the development of the CR6 taxi cab and a date when production is likely to start.

Information relating to projects under the Department's support for innovation scheme, such as the CR6 taxi, is regarded as commercial-in-confidence between the applicant and the Department.However, in respect of this particular project, there is some public acknowledgement of the Department's support. This can be found in the 1985 annual report of Manganese Bronze Holdings plc, the parent company of London Taxis International Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will show the crude balance of imports and exports of (a) cereals and cereal preparations, (b) motor vehicles and (c) electrical goods in 1979 and 1984; and if he will compare the net overall position in 1979 with 1984; and if he will make a statement.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply of 5 December to the hon. Member for Swansea, West giving the amount paid in each constituency in the last year for grants directly related to jobs, if he will now give for those same constituencies the number of jobs directly related to those grants.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make representations to the Government of Indonesia about the use of that country's official tax seal on pirate cassette recordings of the "Live Aid" concert which are on sale in the United Kingdom.

The Government are very concerned at allegations that illegal recordings of the Live Aid concert are being manufactured in Indonesia on a large-scale with Government endorsement. We shall be making representations on this matter to the Indonesian Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if an investigation by a Department of Trade and Industry inspector has been instituted into the operations of Lloyd's syndicate Bellew, Parry, Raven.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the number of persons employed in the clothing, textile and carpet manufacturing industries in the Barnsley travel-to-work area, the South Yorkshire metropolitan district and Yorkshire and Humberside, respectively; and to what extent they are affected by the multi-fibre arrangement.

The most recent information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to seek to reduce unemployment in the construction industry in the Province.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many workers were employed in the construction industry in the Province at the latest available date.

According to the Northern Ireland quarterly employment inquiry there were 22,850 such employees in employment at Sptember 1985.

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

During October 1985, 42 searches were carried out on 23 prisoners; seven prisoners were searched once, 14 were searched twice, one was searched three times and one prisoner was searched on four occasions. During November 1985, 26 searches were carried out on 16 prisoners; seven prisoners were searched once, eight were searched twice, and one prisoner was searched three times. No prohibited article was found during these searches and no prisoner refused to be searched. Searches were carried out in the following circumstances:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the text of the assurances circulated to the Royal Ulster Constabulary and other members of the public service concerning the effects of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he proposes to make any change in the provision for trunk road maintenance and local road maintenance in Wales in the light of the Chancellor's autumn statement.

I must ask the hon. Gentleman to await my right hon. Friend's statement about rate support grant provision for local authorities for 1986–87, which will be made next week, and the public expenditure White Paper, which will announce the provision for trunk road maintenance.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he will next meet the chairmen of health authorities in Wales to discuss the future funding of the Health Service in Wales.

My right hon. Friend and I hold regular meetings with chairmen of health authorities in Wales and I last met chairmen on 22 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the expenditure by the Welsh Development Agency in each of the past three years.

Gross expenditure by the Welsh Development Agency in each of the last three years was: £80·7 million in 1982–83; £66·6 million in 1983–84; and £71·6 million in 1984–85. The first two figures include special provision for steel closure areas. Gross expenditure this year is expected to be of the order of £70 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of the approaches he has received from Rhuddlan borough council regarding a byelaw to limit the nuisance from overnight parking of caravans on the promenade; and what reply he has sent.

The Rhuddlan borough council submitted byelaws to my Department for confirmation in December 1982 and, in modified form, in July 1984; both applications were refused. My hon. Friend the Member for Clwyd, North-West raised the matter in correspondence during the summer. Since my hon. Friend, the Member for Monmouth (Sir J. Stradling Thomas) last replied to him on 28 August there has been no further approach by the borough council.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to bring forward measures to seek to reduce the waiting lists for surgery in the ear, nose and throat, gynaecology and general surgery specialists in Mid Glamorgan and other health authorities in Wales.