asked the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to King's college hospital.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if the Double Taxation Relief (Taxes on Income) (Canada) Order 1985 has yet come into force.

Not yet, but the intention is that it will come into force later this month and take effect for 1986 and subsequent years.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 December.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty The Queen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the progress of his inquiry into domestic water metering.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 11 December at column 668.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which have repurchased homes under section 3(5) of the Housing Defects Act, indicating the number of properties involved in each case.

In my reply of 30 October, at column 533, to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald), I gave the numbers of dwellings then known to have been repurchased under the Housing Defects Act. Seventythree local authorities in England have now reported that a total of 541 dwellings were purchased during the first half of the current financial year. I regret that information on the number of repurchases specifically under section 3(5) of the Act is not currently available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent consideration has been given to a home counties weighting being introduced in calculating rate support grant for counties such as Hertfordshire.

We have in the past considered representations on this subject from a number of the home counties. My predecessor wrote to my hon. Friend on 31 January. We have received no further representations from Hertfordshire since that date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent consideration has been given to rate support grant for counties such as Hertfordshire being no longer based on rateable values as a measure of ability to pay rates.

The Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 requires block grant to be calculated according to the gross rateable value of each authority. However, we have over the past year been conducting wide-ranging studies of the whole local government finance system. We hope to publish our proposals around the turn of the year. There will then be extensive consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial targets he has set the Ordnance Survey for the financial year which ends on 31 March 1986; and when they were set.

After several months of discussion, the following targets have been set:

1. to recover 35 per cent. of the total cost of core activities;

2. to maximise revenue on commercial activities arid to recover not less than 110 per cent. of total costs of that category;

3. to recover 100 per cent. of the total cost of both public sector repayment and overseas business categories.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet set a financial target for the Ordnance Survey for the financial years beginning on 1 April 1986, 1 April 1987 and 1 April 1988.

Targets for the three years to March 1989 are currently under discussion and an announcement will be made when they are finalised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about future arrangements for the management of the Ordnance Survey.

Following discussion with the Ordnance Survey advisory board I have decided to set up a management board for the Ordnance Survey composed of executive and non-executive directors. It will replace the present advisory board. The advisory board agreed that a management board was the most suitable structure for the Ordnance Survey, but recommended that the new management board should have an independent chairman. After careful consideration, I have concluded that in the case of the Ordnance Survey this would create needless problems of accountability to Ministers and Parliament. I have therefore decided that the Director General, who is the accounting officer, should be chairman of the management board and report directly to Ministers as at present. In this way the chain of command and responsibilities remain clear and unaltered. The executive directors will be five Ordnance Survey senior managers.I am pleased to announce that Mrs. Jean Denton, Mr. David Feeny and Professor Jean Millar have agreed to serve as independent non-executive directors of Ordnance Survey. They will bring valuable private sector experience into the management of Ordnance Survey. They will also have direct access to departmental Ministers as necessary.The management board will be primarily responsible for reviewing policy, planning and the monitoring of performance in order to ensure that Ordnance Survey:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision is to be made for the work of the scientific services branch of the Greater London council after the abolition of the Greater London council.

This is a matter for the boroughs and other successor bodies. I understand that it is on the agenda for the London Co-ordinating Committee meeting on 18 December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) in how many planning appeals decided between July 1983 and September 1985 he did not accept the inspector's report where the number of homes proposed involved (a) 200 to 300, (b) 300 to 400, (c) 400 to 475, and (d) 475 or more;(2) how many planning appeals decided between July 1983 and September 1985 involved the proposed

construction of

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals involving residential development were decided between July 1983 and September 1985; how many of these were successful; and in how many cases he did not accept the inspector's report.

The information is only readily available for the calendar year 1984. In that period 5,340 appeals involving residential development were decided; 1,311 of these were successful and seven were decided by my right hon. Friend contrary to inspectors' recommendations. It should be noted, however, that only about 5 per cent. of all appeals are decided by my right hon. Friend following submission of an inspector's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning appeals were decided between July 1983 and September 1985; and in how many of these cases he did not accept the inspector's report.

28,161 appeals were decided in the period July 1983 to September 1985. Thirty-eight were decided by my right hon. Friend contrary to inspector's recommendations. It should be noted, however, that only about 5 per cent. of all appeals are decided by my right hon. Friend following submission of an inspector's report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) further to the answer of 10 December, Official Report, column 589, to the hon. Member for Ynys Môn, if he will state why lead is not regarded as the most suitable containment material for nuclear waste; why no studies have been carried out by his Department; and if he will make a cost and efficiency comparison between lead, mild steel and stainless steel, and concrete as containment material for nuclear waste;(2) further to the answer of 10 December,

Lead is not regarded as suitable containment material because of its high commodity value, its relatively poor mechanical strength and the pollution hazards that may arise from its use in the long term. In these circumstances we have seen no need to initiate detailed studies on the use of lead containers and the question of making cost and efficiency comparisons between lead and other materials consequently does not arise.Studies funded by my Department and the European Community on the corrosion of carbon steel external packaging for high-level radioactive waste have been carried out and a report of the first phase, which has been completed, is publicly available from the British Library. Research and development work is continuing with the support of European Community funding. A three-year programme is under way to study the use of steel containers for intermediate-level waste with joint funding from my Department and NIREX.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about his Department's Wildlife Inspectorate.

I informed the House on 12 December 1984 that there had been serious allegations against members of the Wildlife Inspectorate. With the full co-operation of my Department these allegations were investigated by the police.The Director of Public Prosecutions concluded on the evidence available that no criminal offence had been committed, and advised that no further action should be taken. As I told the House on 21 May, I called for a thorough review of the management and structure of the inspectorate. Subsequently, when the threat of a private prosecution had been dropped, I also asked the director of establishments to arrange for a full investigation into the specific complaints which had been made.The investigating officer has now considered all the evidence made available to the Department, including transcripts of various tapes. He is satisfied on the evidence that the inspector concerned did not prompt or encourage others to make a criminal entry into private property, nor did he indicate that he would be prepared to supply unregistered birds to be planted on a private individual in order to obtain a conviction. The investigating officer considers, however, that there is evidence that the inspector was indiscreet and acted improperly in the way he pursued his discussions with other people, and that this exposed the Department to criticism. There were also faults of supervision on the part of his superior officer. The necessary disciplinary procedures have been instituted.As a result of the management review, steps will be taken to strengthen the management of the inspectorate, to separate enforcement from the duties of normal inspection, and to improve the instructions and guidance which wildlife inspectors must follow.The inspectorate plays a major and positive role in bird protection. I am satisfied that these further measures will strengthen management control and improve the inspectorate's performance, so that it is better able to deal

Local authority	Number of whole-time social workers*	Percentage of whole-time social workers* with a certificate of qualification†	Number of part-time social workers*
Clwyd	163	81·0	12
Dyfed	123	78·9	—
Gwent	186	76·9	13
Gwynedd	91	64·8	17
Mid Glamorgan	224	75·4	27
Powys	38	55·3	2
South Glamorgan	194	90·2	24
West Glamorgan	149	62·4	18

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a Green Paper setting out options for 1986–87 to replicate the equalisation effect of the Greater London council precept, showing the options for calculating contributions from boroughs of different kinds and options for distribution to boroughs.

No. There has been a two-year period of consultation with local government on this issue. I will announce tomorrow my decisions on the London arrangements within the 1986–87 rate support grant settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those hospitals in Wales that have separate outpatient facilities for children.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many social workers are employed by each local authority in Wales; and what proportion of these have a certificate of qualification of social work.

The numbers of social workers employed by each local authority in Wales at 30 September 1984, is given in the table. Information about qualifications is available centrally only for whole-time staff.

asked the Attorney-General what action has been taken on the proposals of the Law Reform Committee on latent damages.

Following publication, on 29 November 1984, of the Law Reform Committee's 24th report on latent damage (Cmnd. 9390), the Lord Chancellor's Department consulted a broad range of interested groups. On 18 June this year the Lord Chancellor announced that the Government proposed to introduce legislation based on the committee's recommendations. It is hoped to introduce a Bill later in the current Session.

asked the Attorney-General if he will arrange for an office of the Land Registry to be opened in Birmingham; and if he will make a statement.

The Land Registry recognises that its future commitments may well be met by acquiring premises in new locations.Preliminary inquiries are being made, but at this time there are no firm proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many objections, inclusive of petition signatories, he

Year	Number of pupils in attendance on census day		Number of pupils taking meals on payment		Number of pupils receiving free meals		Number of pupils taking own food
1975	933,675		343,487		121,974		*
1976	911,143		345,438		161,801		*
1977	930,119		335,839		117,785		*
1978	909,093		269,532		155,711		*
1979	899,941		286,622		142,986		*
1980	876,816		258,690		122,618		*
1981	867,786		214,956		114,711		71,793
1982	823,646		191,665		124,547		73,551
	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary	Primary	Secondary
1983	434,043	341,440	108·470	66,423	82,066	43,053	61,314	18,409
1984	402,523	317,879	106,814	72,471	80,846	41,545	60·004	17,104
1985	399,619	311,737	103·298	75,948	86,570	43,072	61,751	14,052
Note: The information on the numbers, separately, of primary and secondary school pupils is not available prior to 1983 and the figures for 1975 to 1982 include nursery and special schools.
* Prior to 1981 statistics of pupils taking their own food were not collected centrally.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many non-departmental public bodies are currently in existence; and when the annual list of such bodies will be published.

On 1 April 1985, there were 1,653 non-departmental public bodies. That is 28 fewer than last year and over 500 fewer than in 1979. These bodies are listed in "Public Bodies 1985" published today. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

Up to 13 December there have been 662 individual objections to the proposal. In addition, there have been approximately 2,750 signatures to various petitions. It is not known how many individuals have signed one or more of the petitions.There have also been 761 representations in support of the proposed development.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate, for primary and secondary maintained schools in schools in Scotland. the number of pupils receiving free school meals where the entitlement derives from families' (a) receipt of supplementary benefit, (b) receipt of family income supplement and (c) local authority discretionary powers.

The information requested is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give figures for each year since 1975 for primary and secondary maintained schools in Scotland for the total number of pupils in attendance, the number of pupils taking school meals on payment and free and the number of pupils bringing their own food.

The information taken from the annual school meal census is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has given further consideration to the future of the Woolwich ferry; and if he will make a statement.

The Woolwich ferry currently provides a useful link in east London's transport infrastructure.My initial view had been that responsibility for the ferry should pass to the two boroughs between which it plies. However, I am now persuaded that this arrangement would not be satisfactory as the ferry has an importance that goes much wider then the two borough areas. I have decided, therefore, that it would be more appropriate for my Department to take responsibility for the ferry. I would propose to invite the London borough of Newham to act as my agent to employ the necessary staff to maintain and operate the ferry service.I have written to the boroughs of Newham and Greenwich advising them of my decision so that detailed arrangements can be concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what approaches he has received from London borough councils concerning the retention as a single coherent unit of that part of the Greater London council engineering staff and equipment concerned with the maintenance and servicing of flyovers and tunnels for vehicles and pedestrians; and if he will make a statement.

I have written to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the reply of 29 November, Official Report, column 717, when he will be announcing the terms and conditions under which proposals will be invited for a third crossing at Dartford.

I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. Friend on 29 November. However, I have recently appointed Messrs. Mott, Hay and Anderson as consultants to assemble the basic data relevant to the provision of additional capacity at Dartford.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what tests have been carried out on temporary spare wheels for passenger cars; and if he will make a statement.

Transport and Road Research Laboratory tests on temporary spare wheels have shown that a car's braking and cornering abilities remain satisfactory under normal conditions but if the car is driven at its limits of braking or cornering it could be more difficult to control than if fitted with a normal wheel. A temporary spare wheel should not be used at a speed exceeding 50 mph and must be replaced by a normal wheel as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what response he has made to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe regulations on vehicles fitted with temporary spare tyres and wheels.

In the near future we shall be consulting on draft regulations to require vehicles supplied with temporary spare tyres to meet the requirements of ECE regulation 64.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the traffic lights on the A5120 Junction 12 with the MI to be operative; what has caused the delay in their operation; and what has been the cost of installation.

The signals, which cost £42,000 to install, should be in operation by Christmas. There have been problems with the computer control mechanism.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, following the letter from the Minister of State of 5 December, to the hon. Member for Bedfordshire, South-West about the Leighton Linsdale bypass, it remains his policy to give a 100 per cent. grant for this scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The letter sent to Bedfordshire county council on 5 December drew attention to defects in its orders for the bypass and invited it to consider how to remedy them. My right hon. Friend has for the moment deferred a decision on the scheme following the public inquiries held in the summer. The approval in principle of its grant application still stands, but payment of the grant will depend on the satisfactory completion of the statutory procedures for the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the average total cost to public funds of a nighttime fatality on an unlit stretch of motorway in 1984; and what was the average total cost for a lit stretch of motorway;(2) what was the average total cost to public funds of a daytime fatality on a motorway in 1984.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities there were in each of the past three years (a) on an unlit stretch of a motorway at night, (b) on a lit stretch of a motorway at night. arid (c) during daytime on a motorway.

The information is as follows:

Motorway fatalities by lighting conditions: Great Britain
	1982	1983	1984
Unlit, at night	62	54	61
Lit, at night	40	24	33
Daytime	104	109	117

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many people were killed on the United Kingdom's roads through the actions of drunken drivers in each of the past three years and to date in 1985.

Causes of accidents are not identified in accident reports. The numbers of deaths in road accidents, in which a driver was positively breath-tested or refused or failed to provide a sample of breath were as follows:

Death in drinking and driving accidents: Great Britain
	Number
1982	451
1983	340
1984	388

Figures for 1985 are not yet available.

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.

[pursuant to the reply, 9 December 1985, c. 450]: The Government's assessment of the fixed link of necessity takes account of this ban which presently affects the pattern of utilisation of the ferries. But I view this French restriction with great concern, and will be raising it with them in the context of the Channel fixed link.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to seek to improve the nutritional content of school meals.

The nutritional content of the school meals which they are responsible for providing is a matter for the individual local education authorities. An authority's school meals organiser can get advice from a wide range of authoritative sources. I believe they are well aware of the importance of the nutritional factor.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will next meet the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission to discuss the youth training scheme.

There are regular contacts between the Department of Education and Science, the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission at many levels about matters of mutual interest including YTS.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he is having with the authorities at universities and other educational institutions about measures they propose to take to ensure freedom of speech within their premises; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and The Border (Mr. Maclean).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his Department's publication, "Selected National Education Systems: a Description of Six Countries as an Aid to International Comparisons."

The Department makes various international statistical comparisons to aid policy evolution and publishes, periodically, statistical bulletins which summarise the work undertaken. Comparisons of this nature are never straightforward and the differences between the educational systems of the countries concerned need to be well understood. This booklet has been produced as an aid to all making such comparisons.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which trade unions representing teachers have met him to discuss pay and conditions since the beginning of the current pay dispute in the teaching profession; how many meetings between him and these trade unions have taken place; and if he will make a statement.

Since February 1985 I have had formal meetings with national representatives of all six school teacher unions, at their request, to discuss—but not negotiate upon—a range of matters touching upon pay and conditions. There have been, with one such union or another, 12 such meetings.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what expectation he has of an early settlement to the teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current situation in the teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current situation in the teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the present teachers' pay dispute.

I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo), the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), my hon. Friends the Members for Saffron Walden (Mr. Haselhurst) and for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Howarth), the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Randall) and my hon. Friends the Members for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Merchant), for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) and for Leicester, South (Mr. Spencer).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate how many teacher-days teaching has been lost nationally in the current teachers' dispute.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 22 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller). I regret that the information available centrally does not enable any reliable estimate to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the teachers' dispute; and if he has any plans to make more Government money available before Christmas as a contribution towards the resolution of the dispute.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Suffolk, South (Mr. Yeo), the hon. Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Hancock), my hon. Friends the Members for Saffron Walden (Mr. Haselhurst) and for Stratford-on-Avon (Mr. Howarth), the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Randall) and my hon. Friends the Members for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Merchant), for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) and for Leicester, South (Mr. Spencer).The Government remain ready to see very substantial sums of additional money spent on teachers' pay in return for a bargain which would secure progress towards its objectives for better schools. So far, however, the unions have refused to seize the opportunity presented by the conditional investment of an additional £1,250 million over four years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of the teachers' pay dispute, he will hold discussions with vice chancellors of universities and directors of polytechnics as to what effect this dispute may have on performance at A-levels in 1986 and on the position of potential students in places of higher education; and if he will make a statement.

Although the three teacher unions engaged in disruption claim that their action is not directed against pupils sitting public examinations in 1986, there can be no doubt that some pupils' preparation for those examinations has been disrupted. I consider that indefensible. I understand that it is normal practice for universities and polytechnics to take into account in considering admissions, any particular problems reported by head teachers as having affected a pupil's performance in GCE A-level examinations, and that this would apply to reports of industrial action.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how many applicants, whose principal qualifications were Scottish Examination Board certificates, were refused admission to a first choice university place in England and Wales.

The Universities' Central Council on Admissions is not able to provide this information at present but may be able to in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average class size and pupil-teacher ratio in (a) 1979 and (b) the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

The average size of classes taught by one teacher in maintained primary and secondary schools in England improved over the period 1979 to 1985; from 25·9 to 24·9 in primary schools and from 21·0 to 20·4 in secondary schools. Pupil to teacher ratios also improved: within primary schools from 23·1 to 22·2 and within the secondary schools from 16·7 to 16·1. The overall pupil to teacher ratio improved from 18·9 to 17·8. The Government recognise that their policies for better schools imply some further limited improvement in the overall pupil to teacher ratio but the extent and pace of this improvement will depend on future public expenditure plans, changes in the cost of employing staff, and the staffing decisions of individual local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied with the working of current policies for concessionary school transport.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to amend the provisions on school transport in the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will next meet the vice-chancellor of the Open university to discuss the level of student fees.

My right hon. Friend met the vice-chancellor with the chairman of the university's council on 9 December. A range of issues was discussed including the level of student fees.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received regarding the problems of admission of new applicants fo places at the Open university.

Four letters on this subject have been received from hon. Members, and the issue has also been raised in recent discussions with the Open university.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on current and projected funding for the university sector.

I refer the hon. Member to the statement that my right hon. Friend made on 12 November, at columns 104–108, in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, South-West (Mrs. Bottomley).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to him to compare the achievements of pupils and the cost of education in selective and non-selective systems.

The Department regularly collects data giving information on examination results for individual local authorities but not for individual schools. Reliable comparisons of achievements in selective and non-selective systems require data, which are not available, on the social background factors for pupils and their attainments on entry to individual schools. Data on costs for individual schools or school systems are not collected by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of university research staff are on short-term contracts.

This information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what comparisons are available to him of the proportion of young people entering higher education in the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries, respectively.

Readily available information is shown in the following table:

All new entrants to higher education as a percentage of the relevant young person's age group
	Year	Age group*	New entrants to higher education per relevant population†
United Kingdom	1983	18–20	‡30·1
Belgium	1981	18–20	║12·9
Denmark	1982	—	35·3
France	1982	18–20	34·1
Germany, Federal Republic of	1982	19–21	27·8
Ireland	1982	—	24·6
Italy	1983	19–21	27·6
Netherlands	1982	18–20	26·1
Spain	1980	—	28·3
— Not available.
* Age group encompassing at least 80 per cent. of new entrants.
† New entrants (all ages) to full-time and part-time higher education as a percentage of the average population in the most relevant age range.
‡ Part-time new entrants included to aid international comparisons. Overseas students are excluded, as are postgraduates and others with higher education qualifications. Excludes students studying for higher education qualifications outside of the public education system other than nursing and other paramedical students at DHSS establishments. If included the United Kingdom figure would be around 40 per cent.
║ University only.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of 18-year-olds took up places in higher education in the last year for which statistics are available.

The Department's usual way of monitoring participation in higher education is the age participation index. This is defined as the number of full-time and sandwich home domiciled initial entrants to higher education aged under 21 expressed as a percentage of the average population of 18 and 19-year-olds. Initial entrants are those entering a higher education course for the first time. The age participation index for Great Britain in 1984 was 13–7.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the University Grants Committee to discuss the level of financial support for universities in the next five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the University Grants Committee to discuss their responses to the Green Paper, "The Development of Higher Education into the 1990s," on the amount of research being undertaken by universities.

My right hon. Friend has no meeting with the University Grants Committee arranged at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the Green Paper on higher education; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to make a statement about responses to the Green Paper on higher education until the Government make the further statement of policy on higher education promised in the Green Paper itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has yet met the new director general of City and Guilds to discuss new vocational examination schemes.

No. The City and Guilds of London Institute is an independent body established by royal charter and is free to develop new vocational certification schemes to meet the needs which it identifies. Officers of the Department and Her Majesty's inspectors, however, have regular contacts with the institute at all levels; and the director-general is a member of the review group on vocational qualifications. Any request for a meeting from the chairman and director of the institute would, of course, be sympathetically considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that there will continue to be adequate provision in British higher education for study and teaching of the language and culture of Nordic countries.

My right hon. Friend knows of no special grounds for concern about the adequacy of provision in this area. Earlier this year the University Grants Committee invited universities to review the scope for rationalising small departments in all disciplines and offered guidance on the considerations involved. As a follow-up to that advice, and as part of its current planning exercise, the committee will be giving attention to future provision for Scandinavian and other less widely studied languages and cultures.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery school places have been established in Liverpool during 1983–84 and 1984–85, respectively.

The Department does not have information in the form requested. In January 1984, there were 5,630 full-time and part-time pupils in nursery schools and classes maintained by Liverpool LEA; and in January 1985, 5,804.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the capacity of local authorities to put to use the new money being made available for lunchtime supervision of schoolchildren.

From discussions which the Department has had with representatives of the Association of County Councils and the Association of Metropolitan Authorities we expect that local education authorities will be able to take advantage of the additional resources being made available to assist them to introduce reliable and adequate arrangements for midday supervision. It is too early to predict the pace at which local education authorities will be able to introduce new arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the number of non-maintained special schools that are refusing to comply with the regulations on parental representation on governing bodies; and what action his Department takes when this happens.

According to the available information, no non-maintained special school has refused to comply with the requirement that there should be a parent representative on its governing body.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the implications of the recent reconstitution of the Burnham committee teachers' panel for the prospects for a settlement of the teachers' pay dispute.

In effecting this reconstitution my purpose was not to influence the conduct of the current pay negotiations but to ensure that the teachers' panel reflected the significant changes in union membership that had taken place over recent years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the programme for the introduction of the new general certificate of secondary education is on schedule; and if he will make a statement.

Preparations for the introduction of the GCSE are proceeding according to the timetable set by my right hon. Friend in June 1984. The Secondary Examinations Council and the GCSE examining groups are well on course in their plans for the start of the national programme of in-service training in January next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the impact on industry of the projection of future graduates in the Green Paper; "The Development of Higher Education in the 1990s"; and if he will make a statement.

The higher education Green Paper was discussed at a meeting of the National Economic Development Council on 5 November. My right hon. Friend and representatives of the CBI were present. The CBI is also planning to give my right hon. Friend a faunal response to the Green Paper shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the operation of deeds of covenant in relation to students' maintenance; and if he will make a statement.

The operation of deeds of covenant are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. However, my understanding is that many parents choose to pay their parental contribution to their student child's grant by means of a deed of covenant, rather than direct to the child, because of the tax advantages of this method of payment. It is, of course, for each family to decide on the method of payment which is most beneficial in their particular circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to increase the number of in-service training courses on nutrition offered by his Department.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to extend financial support to 16 arid 17-year-olds in fall-time education; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 29 November 1985 at column 689.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will earmark additional finance for local education authorities for publicising nutrition problems and promoting healthy eating in schools.

No. The level of resources for the provision of education about nutrition and related matters is for local education authorities to determine within the total resouces available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he intends to take to seek to ensure that local education authorities act on the findings of the recent reports by the National Advisory Committee on Nutrition Education and the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food.

Earlier this year a discussion paper by Her Majesty's Inspectorate, "Home Economics from 5 to 16", was given wide circulation. It drew attention to the importance of developing healthy attitudes and behaviour in relation to nutrition and included reference to the dietary advice contained in the report of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy (COMA). The Department has also drawn the attention of the school examining boards to the COMA report and asked that they take its recommendations into account in their home economics syllabuses. It is for individual local education authorities to determine their response to nationally-available guidance on nutrition.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will indicate what average student academic staff ratio he expects for the university sector for the coming year.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave him on 12 December 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has of the trend in applications to universities or polytechnics by women students.

Over the last five years the numbers and percentages of women applicants to United Kingdom universities through the Universities' Central Council on Admissions scheme have been as follows:

Year of entry	Women applicants	Percentage women applicants
1981	66,723	39·9
1982	69,967	40·8
1983	71,072	41·1
1984	72,661	41·8
1985	75,110	42·5

Similar figures for polytechnics will be available in due course for students entering in 1986 and thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of school leavers with three A levels continued on to a first degree course at a university or polytechnic in the last year for which statistics are available.

It is estimated that 65 per cent. of English school leavers in 1983–84 with three or more A-level passes intended directly to pursue a full-time degree course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in maintained schools left school with no qualifications in the most recent year for which statistics are available.

It is estimated that 70,300 (9·9 per cent.) of all leavers from English maintained secondary schools in 1983–84 did not hold a graded result on GCE or CSE examinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet representatives of the Open university's student association to discuss funding of the university.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to seek to set any limit on the amount of private funds universities are allowed to raise.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied with the operation of the Education Act 1980 in affording parents a choice of schools.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he has taken to investigate problems of teacher assessment in inner city areas.

I am very conscious that the appraisal of teachers' performance will have to have careful regard to the circumstances in which teachers work, including the age, ability, aptitude and social background of their pupils. This is one of a range of important questions which I would like to be under investigation now as part of an education support grant project into teacher appraisal. This project would have started in April had it not been blocked by the opposition of the teacher unions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to incorporate into the core curriculum practical knowledge of business skills and taxation.

Detailed decisions on the school curriculum are for the schools themselves, but my right hon. Friend has made clear our view that it is desirable that all pupils should be equipped by the age of 16 with some economic awareness and understanding. We are continuing to encourage the development of links between schools and employers, a process which will be reinforced by the activities associated with Industry Year 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list in the Official Report a breakdown of pupils of compulsory school age with special educational needs being educated in mainstream schools under the headings (a) curriculum types and (b) aspects of disability as these appear on form 7, by listing the number of pupils in each category and the percentage

per cent
	1959	1964	1970	1974	1979	1983	*1984
Petroleum†	25·1	35·3	47·2	48·2	41·7	36·7	45·7
Natural gas	—	0·1	5·1	14·8	19·1	22·9	23·5
Coal‡	74·1	62·8	44·4	33·0	34·9	34·2	24·2
Nuclear electricity	0·2	1·1	2·7	3·4	3·7	5·5	6·0
Other║	0·6	0·6	0·7	0·6	0·6	0·7	0·6
* The proportions for 1984 were affected by the coal industry dispute.
† Excluding petroleum for marine bunkers.
‡ Including other solid fuels.
║ Hydro-electricity, excluding pumped storage.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much has been paid into or out of the Exchequer in respect of (a) the British Gas Corporation and (b) the electricity supply industry in each year since 1975.

Payments of corporation tax and gas levy by the British Gas Corporation since 1981–82 are as follows. The electricity supply industry paid no corporation tax over the period from 1975–76 to 1984–85, and the British Gas Corporation paid neither corporation tax nor gas levy from 1975–76 to 1980–81.

British Gas Corporation
Financial Year	Corporation Tax	Gas Levy
	£ million	£ million
1981–82	154	383
1982–83	196	471
1983–84	234	522
1984–85	131	500

In addition, the industries pay a range of general taxes levied by the Government on United Kingdom industry generally which are not separately indentifiable.Net repayments of Government loans, and interest on outstanding loans, are as follows: of all children with special educational needs represented in each category (i) for England and (ii) for each local education authority in England at the latest date for which figures are available and for January 1984 if different; and if he will indicate whether the figures refer to pupils with statements under the 1981 Act or to pupils for whom statements are pending or appropriate.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of Britain's energy needs is met by (a) oil, (b) gas, (c) coal, (d) nuclear fuel and (e) other sources; and what were the figures in 1979, 1974, 1970, 1964 and 1959.

The following table gives the proportions of primary energy consumption met by each of the fuels, based on the volume of coal or coal equivalent. The use of fuels for non-energy purposes is included.

£ million
Financial year	Net repayment of Government loans		Interest on out standing loans
	BGC	ESI	BGC	ESI
1975–76	77	(95)	136	272
1976–77	136	320	125	301
1977–78	510	110	106	281
1978–79	606	7	59	296
1979–80	109	(837)	7	274
1980–81	—	(296)	—	412
1981–82	—	449	—	464
1982–83	—	(25)	—	387
1983–84	—	857	—	379
1984–85	—	553	—	295

() represents additional borrowing.Since the full repayment of Government loans in 1979–80, the British Gas Corporation has been investing funds surplus to its requirements on interest-earning deposit with the public sector. These remain in the ownership of the corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated income from standing charges for gas and electricity for each year since 1979.

The estimated incomes from standing charges for the British Gas Corporation and the electricity supply industry in England and Wales are some £600 million and £550 million, respectively, per year at present. Information in the detail requested is not readily available, and is a matter for the industries. I have therefore asked the chairmen to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the cost of building the new Falklands hospital per head of (a) the normal resident population of the Falkland Islands and (b) the total number of people who could use its facilities.

The cost of the new hospital will be about £4,500 per head of the civilian population. This figure taken in isolation is misleading, however, because the hospital has been designed to cater for the needs of both the civilian and military communities, and includes such facilities as an operating theatre and intensive care unit. The cost per head of the total number of people who could use its facilities cannot be given because it is the policy not to disclose information about force levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Falkland Islands Company has been asked to contribute to the cost of the new hospital in Port Stanley.

No.

asked the Paymaster General what are the numbers of persons in Tameside on temporary employment or training schemes.

None of our employment or training schemes is temporary. Some 6,000 people were taking advantage of the opportunities provided by the measures in Tameside at the end of November.

asked the Paymaster General whether the British Dental Association is registered as a trade union with the certification officer.

Yes. The British Dental Association is a listed trade union and has been issued with a certificate of independence.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list all parliamentary constituencies in which unemployment has been reduced by 5 per cent. or more since September 1984, giving the percentage reduction in each case.

I am sending a copy of a computer printout giving the requested information, which is also available from the Library. The printout shows those parliamentary constituencies where unemployment has been reduced by 5 per cent. or more between September 1984 and November 1985. The change will be affected by seasonal factors.

asked the Paymaster General (1) how many persons were employed in the Castleford travel-to-work area in the glass manufacturing industry in each of the last five years;(2) many persons were employed in the Castleford travel-to-work area in manufacturing industries, excluding glass manufacture, in each of the last five years;(3) how many persons were employed in the Castleford travel-to-work area in each of the last five years in the coal mining industry.

Comprehensive employment statistics for travel-to-work areas are not available except for dates when censuses of employment are taken. In the six years from 1978 to 1984, these censuses have been taken triennially. The available information for the years 1978 and 1981 is given in the following table. More up-to-date employment figures for travel-to-work areas will become available following the publication of the 1984 census of employment in the spring of 1986.Information for the glass manufacturing industry alone cannot be given without indirectly disclosing confidential information relating to individual undertakings. The table therefore gives figures for a broader group of industries comprising the manufacture of glass, bricks, fireclay and refractory goods, pottery, cement abrasives and other building materials.

Employees in employment in the Castleford travel-to-work area:
(thousands)
Industry and Order or Minimum List Heading (MLH) of the Standard Industrial Classification 1968	June 1978	September 1981
Coal mining (MLH 101)	12·3	12·4
Bricks, pottery, glass, etc. (Order XVI)	4·0	3·1
Manufacturing industries (Orders III-XIX excluding Order XVI	14·1	12·7

As results of the 1978 census are not available for the new travel-to-work areas announced last year, figures are given for the travel-to-work areas as defined before last year's review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether any advice was given by legal staff in his Department to the Association of Chief Police Officers before it produced the tactical options manual;(2) if the tactical options manual prepared by the Association of Chief Police Officers is available to the Metropolitan police; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he has approved the tactical options manual prepared by the Association of Chief Police Officers for use in the Metropolitan police area;(4) what legal advice and guidance he gives to police forces on possible police tactics

The tactical options manual was issued by ACPO in 1983 with the approval of my noble Friend Lord Whitelaw who was then Home Secretary. No legal advice was given to ACPO by the Home Office. The manual is available to the Metropolitan police as to other forces. The guidance it contains is subject to the overriding principle, set out in section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967, that the police shall use no more force than is reasonable in the circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list his responsibilities in relation to the Association of Chief Police Officers.

The purpose of the association is to protect the interests and co-ordinate the views of chief police officers. The costs of its secretariat are met from common police services funds, which are provided jointly by central Government and the police authorities. My right hon. Friend has no other responsibilities in relation to the association.