asked the Attorney-General how many senior and middle ranking posts are currently filled in the establishment of the Metropolitan police solicitors' department and provincial prosecuting offices; and how many equivalent posts there are in the reorganised Crown Prosecution Service.

Local authorities employ a variety of different arrangements for grading staff in prosecuting solicitors' departments. Staff in the Metropolitan police solicitor's department enjoy the same terms and conditions as civil servants, although they are not in fact civil servants. For the purpose of this answer I have taken senior posts in the Crown Prosecution Service to be those at grade 5 in the Civil Service (the grade which will ordinarily be applicable to chief Crown prosecutors) and above; middle ranking posts are taken to be those at grade 6 (the grade which will ordinarily be applicable to branch Crown prosecutors).It is anticipated that the Crown Prosecution Service will have 69 posts at grade 5 or above. There are at present 11 such posts in the Metropolitan police solicitor's department involving responsibility for work which will be transferred to the Crown Prosecution Service. In county prosecuting solicitors' departments 10 posts attract a salary on scales which, after abatement to take account of differences between Civil Service and local government pension schemes, have the same or a higher maximum salary than that for grade 5.Comparable figures for grade 6 posts are not yet available on a national basis. However, in the metropolitan counties outside London there will be 36 posts at grade 6 (maximum salary £22,926). There are at present no posts in prosecuting solicitors' departments which, after abatement to take account of differences between Civil Service and local government, have the same of a higher maximum salary than that for grade 6 (other than those which will become grade 5 or above).

asked the Prime Minister when the Government expect to complete their study of the Australian Royal Commission's report on British nuclear tests.

The Royal Commission was appointed by and has presented its report to the Australian Government. Her Majesty's Government will be discussing with the Australian Government those recommendations which affect the United Kingdom, and cannot complete their study of the report without taking these discussions into account.

asked the Prime Minister 'what arrangements the Government have made with the Australian Government to discuss the Royal Commission report on British nuclear tests and its recommendations which affect the United Kingdom.

The report has only just been published and we are, of course, studying it in detail. At his request, I have agreed with Senator Gareth Evans, Australian Minister for Resources and Energy, that discussions between officials should be held in Canberra shortly to discuss those recommendations which affect the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister what representations Her Majesty's Government have received from foreign Governments regarding the proposed reprocessing plant at Dounreay.

None. The Norwegian and Japanese Governments have however asked for information about the proposed development and this has been supplied.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to transfer civil servants from the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Education and Science to augment the divisions in the Ministry of Defence with responsibility for the strategic defence initiative; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. One civil servant from each of the Departments mentioned by the hon. Gentleman has already been transferred to the SDI participation office which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence recently set up within the MOD.

asked the Lord Privy Seal which Department of the House is responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the gentlemen's and ladies' lavatories in the Palace; and what steps are being taken to improve the standard of hygiene and ensure that adequate supplies of toilet rolls, towels and soap are available.

The Property Services Agency is responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of lavatories in the House of Commons. Routine cleaning is carried out on a regular basis, supplemented by occasional deep hygiene cleaning. The authorities of the House are responsible for supplies of toilet rolls, towels and soap. Certain problems have occurred recently, due to sickness among a high proportion of the directly employed labour staff, but steps are being taken to alleviate these problems. All the arrangements are kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he has given to health board members about possible conflicts of interests arising from privatisation proposals.

The general obligation of chairmen and members to declare any interests related to specific contracts is set out in the National Health Service (Health Boards: Membership, Procedure and Payment of Subscriptions) (Scotland) Regulations 1975. The standing orders of health boards also cover declarations of interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he requires health board chairmen to disclose to him particular financial interests which could lead to a conflict of interest when awarding contracts for hospital catering services;(2) whether he requires health board members to dislose to him particular financial interests which could lead to a conflict of interest when awarding contracts for hospital cleaning services.

No, but under the National Health Service (Health Boards: Membership, Procedure and Payment of Subscriptions) (Scotland) Regulations 1975 chairmen and members of boards are required, if they have any interest in a particular contract and if they are present at a relevant meeting of a board or one of its committees, to declare that interest and take no part in the discussions about the award of the contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants there are in his Department employed (a) in Scotland and (b) outside Scotland; and how many in each category were born in Scotland.

The number of Scottish Office staff in post (full-time equivalents) on 1 December 1985 comprised 9,849 based in Scotland and 31 outside Scotland. Information about place of birth would be disproportionately costly to obtain.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the reasons for the lower level of pay received by a Scottish ambulance driver relative to his English and Welsh counterparts in recent years.

Ambulancemen and women in Scotland receive the same nationally agreed basic rates of pay as their English and Welsh counterparts. Within the single ambulance service which operates in Scotland a policy of employing reliefs means that the level of overtime working is not as high as it is in many services in England and Wales. Another factor contributing to lower earnings in Scotland is the absence of an up-to-date bonus scheme. Bonus schemes can be implemented by local agreement, and over 50 per cent. of the ambulance work force in England and Wales are covered by bonus schemes which can boost earnings considerably. The introduction of a current bonus scheme in Scotland has been unacceptable to the trade unions concerned because of the loss of jobs which would be required to finance it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many children and young people are liable to be displaced as a result of the closure of list D schools;(2) if he will list the list D schools which will remain open after 1 April 1986;further to his reply of 20 November,

Six hundred and sixty seven children are currently placed in list D schools following decisions by children's hearings.Thirty one children are at present accommodated at two schools which intend to close by 31 March. The cases of those likely to remain at the time of closure will require to be brought before children's hearings for variation to the conditions of residence.The following schools have indicated that they intend to remain open after 31 March 1986 and a further nine schools1 are at present discussing terms of agreements with local authorities:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much is to be spent on the A92 Bridge of Don to the Gordon district/Banff Buchan boundary between 1985 and 1990; and when he expects the major works to be started and completed.

Expenditure on major road improvements for this section of A92-A952 trunk road between 1985 and 1990 is expected to amount to about £10 million. Work on the north Donside road roundabout will commence in the spring of 1986 and will take two to three months to complete. Schemes for Murcar-Balmedie, Tipperty, and Ellon bypass are expected to be ready to start in 1986–87 subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures and the availability of finance. Each of these schemes will require a two-year contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to control the destruction for agricultural purposes of woodlands in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

Since April 1984 the Forestry Commission, in considering applications for felling licences in areas of outstanding natural beauty and elsewhere, has operated a general presumption against the felling of woodland for the purpose of converting the land to agricultural use. No licence is granted for this purpose without the environmental impact of such felling being considered fully under the commission's consultation procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what criteria concerning other financial interests he applies when appointing health board chairmen;(2) what criteria relating to outside financial interests he uses when appointing members to health boards.

In making appointments to health boards my right hon. Friend assesses the personal contribution and experience which individuals can bring to the work of boards and seeks to provide among the board membership as wide relevant experience, including that of financial matters, as he can.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now replace the chairman of Tayside health board.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance he proposes for shipping services to the Scottish islands in 1986–87.

I propose to give deficit grants of £7.4 million to Caledonian MacBrayne and £1 million to Orkney Islands Shipping Company. I am pleased to note that because of the company's increased efficiency and good trading position, the grant to Caledonian MacBrayne reflects its estimated deficit, which is lower than the funding requirement in the present financial year. I propose to continue the present level of rebates on fares and charges for P and 0 and the various bulk shippers with whom I have undertakings, and will make provision for grants of £3·8 million to P and 0 and £1.4 million to bulk shippers.Total revenue support next year will amount to £13.6 million.

Hospital and Community Health Services: Gross Capital Expenditure by Health Boards
	1974–75		1975–76		1976–77		1977–78		1978–79		1979–80
	£000		£000		£000		£000		£000		£000
Health Board	Cash	Adjusted by GDP Deflator	Cash	Adjusted by GDP Deflator	Cash	Adjusted by GDP Deflator	Cash	Adjusted by GDP Deflator	Cash	Adjusted by GDP Deflator	Cash	Adjusted by GDP Deflator
Argyll and Clyde	4,262	14,326	4,855	12,982	4,419	10,442	4,648	9,645	7,397	13,870	8,775	14,084
Ayrshire and Arran	3,118	10,480	3,406	9,108	3,026	7,150	4,068	8,441	4,643	8,706	4,113	6,601
Borders	391	1,314	719	1,923	950	2,245	1,073	2,226	1,250	2,344	1,085	1,741
Dumfries and Galloway	1,876	6,305	1,113	2,976	620	1,465	529	1,098	676	1,268	748	1,201
Fife	1,480	4,974	1,372	3,669	1,134	2,680	1,204	2,498	2,133	3,999	2,857	4,585
Forth Valley	557	1,872	1,002	2,679	961	2,271	1,069	2,218	1,841	3,452	1,855	2,977
Grampian	2,543	8,547	3,604	9,637	2,572	6,078	2,113	4,384	3,558	6,671	2,588	4,154
Greater Glasgow	5,654	19,003	8,711	23,293	8,969	21,194	8,934	18,538	11,648	21,840	16,263	26,102
Highland	437	1,469	1,423	3,805	1,348	3,185	1,756	3,644	2,336	4,380	3,830	6,147
Lanarkshire	4,122	13,854	5,251	14,041	5,053	11,940	3,060	6,350	2,508	4,703	3,314	5,319
Lothian	2,590	8,705	4,329	11,576	4,525	10,693	7,034	14,596	8,468	15,878	7,763	12,460
Orkney	51	171	88	235	50	118	116	241	278	521	73	117
Shetland	38	128	151	404	158	373	84	174	158	296	328	526
Tayside	3,498	11,757	2,803	7,495	2,763	6,529	2,148	4,457	3,645	6,834	3,730	5,987
Western Isles	102	343	378	1,011	239	565	328	681	645	1,209	309	496
Total	30,719	103,247	39,205	104,834	36,787	86,928	38,164	79,191	51,184	95,971	57,631	92,497

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the external financing limit for the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in the current financial year.

I have made the following change to the external financing limit of the North of Scotland Hydro Electric Board in 1985–86:

	£ million
Previous limit	-19
Revised limit	-30
Change	-11

The new limit, which is consistent with the board's estimated outturn for the current year reflects a reduced demand for external finance due to the board's successful efforts to increase sales and contain costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board the revenue and capital expenditure in each year since 1974, expressing the figures (a) in money terms, (b) adjusted by the gross domestic product deflator and (c) adjusted by the movement of National Health Service pay and prices.

[pursuant to his reply, 2 December 1985, c. 53–54]: The tables give separately the current and capital expenditure on hospital and community health services by each health board on a cash basis and at 1985–86 prices as measured by the gross domestic product deflator. No separate record is maintained of pay and price movements within the NHS in Scotland. When measured by a pay and price index appropriate to current expenditure maintained for England by the Department of Health and Social Security, and by a construction price index for capital expenditure, spending on hospital and community health services in Scotland between 1974–75 and 1984–85 has increased by 17·7 per cent. It is not appropriate to revalue expenditure of individual health boards on hospital services by reference to a national index for pay and price movements because the composition of that expenditure may differ substantially from the national average.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now give the date when the building of the bone marrow transplant unit will start; and from what date he estimates that 20 transplants will be carried out each year.

The South Glamorgan health authority, which is responsible for providing the unit, has agreed that work will commence during the current financial year to provide facilities which will enable twenty transplants to be carried out during the financial year 1986–87 and therafter.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been (a) the total number of new hospital beds since May 1979 and (b) the total number of hospital beds closed, including those in hospitals which have been partially closed since May 1979 by authority.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. Jones) on 22 July 1985 at column 321–34, which contains the available information for the period 1979 to 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the safety properties of concrete safety barriers on motorways and if he will make a statement.

During 1985 concrete safety barriers have been the subject of two exchanges in the House and a small amount of correspondence. I shall be meeting a number of hon. Members shortly to discuss concrete safety barriers.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for all airfields in the United Kingdom licensed by his Department, all buildings which are frequently used or occupied by more than 1,000 members of the public for recreational purposes; and which are within two miles of the airfield perimeter.

Neither the Civil Aviation Authority (which is responsible for aerodrome licensing) nor the Department keep records in sufficiently comprehensive form to enable them to compile such a list: to create such records would be inordinately expensive.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to bring into effect the Pilot Boat R Regulations dated October 1983.

I am considering this matter, along with others on which the Transport Select Committee made recommendations in its report on marine pilotage, and will make an announcement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations his Department has received from the town clerk of Manchester under the heading public transport plan for 1986–87 to 1988–89; what reply he is sending; if he will publish the correspondence in the Official Report; and if he will make a statement.

My officials have received a letter from the town clerk of Manchester city council in support of the application by the Greater Manchester passenger transport authority for a redetermination of the expenditure level and have acknowledged receipt. No doubt the town clerk will be prepared to make a copy of his letter available to the right hon. Gentleman.I expect to announce very shortly my decision on the application made by Greater Manchester passenger transport authority for the determination of its expenditure level.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state projected total staffing levels of lighthouses in (a) Northern Lighthouse Board and (b) Trinity House Lighthouse Service areas over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

I am presently considering the boards' manpower forecasts for the years 1986–87 to 1988–89. I shall make an announcement on these in due course after the House resumes.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has decided the amount and distribution of the transport supplementary grant for 1986–87; and if he will make a statement.

I have decided to accept for transport supplementary grant a total of £328 million of capital expenditure which local highway authorities estimate they will spend in 1986–87 on roads of more than local importance. A total of £164 million of grant will be paid at a flat rate of 50 per cent. on all accepted expenditure.In deciding the distribution of the grant among the 108 authorities which will be eligible next year, I have considered carefully the transport policies and programmes submitted in the summer, particularly as they related to roads which carry heavy through traffic. Many of the more important local authority roads, such as those which form part of the primary route network and major urban roads, carry traffic similar in mix and density to that on national roads. I want to encourage local authorities to improve such roads to the standards which people expect of national roads. Improvements to these through routes are a sound investment with benefits to the economy as well as to local people and industry. TSG represents the Government's share in this investment. I have, therefore, looked for road schemes which benefit longer distance traffic, which take heavy lorries away from places where people live and shop, and which provide good value for money. The amount of grant available to each authority depends upon the stage which their road building plans have reached and what can reasonably be achieved in 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in the Official Report his Department's letter of 19 November to the town clerk of Manchester concerning the establishment of a Manchester international airport company and the town clerk's reply of 9 December; and what is his reaction to the shadow board's decisions as conveyed by the town clerk's letter.

If the town clerk of Manchester city council is willing to make a copy of his letter of 9 December available to the right hon. Gentleman, I would have no objection to him also making available my Department's letters of 19 November and 16 December, the last of which replies to the town clerk's letter of 9 December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the effective loss of police manpower at the rank of sergeant as a result of the custody officer requirements of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act (a) in England and (b) in Thames Valley.

The 1984 Act is intended to be broadly neutral in resource terms, and although extra sergeants may in some instances be required to ensure that the custody officer functions are properly carried out, there will be scope for offsetting savings. For example, some custody officers may be able to combine responsibility for the detention and treatment of arrested persons with other supervisory or administrative duties, and it may be possible to transfer to constables some duties hitherto carried out by sergeants. Police authorities and chief officers are aware that consideration will be given to any applications for adjustments in police establishments to help them meet the custody officer requirements. My right hon. Friend and I are today meeting representatives of the Thames Valley Police Authority and the chief constable to discuss the authority's recent application for an increase in the establishment of the force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he is making for medical and counselling care to be provided in the prison acquired immune deficiency syndrome unit.

It is planned to convert part of the hospital complex at Brixton prison to use as an isolation unit for the care of patients suffering from infectious disease, including AIDS. The unit will draw upon the medical nursing and other specialist resources already available to the establishment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the results of the ethnic monitoring of the prison population will be published.

It is expected that information on the ethnic origin of persons received into prison department establishments will be published in the early months of the new year; corresponding information on the prison population will not become available until some time later. Publication has been delayed because priority was given to analytical work associated with the rapid rise in the prison population earlier in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were in custody in Her Majesty's prisons at the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these prisoners were held on remand awaiting trial.

On 31 October 1985 about 46,900 persons were held in prison department establishments in England and Wales, of whom about 8,150 were untried. Information on how many were awaiting commencement of their trial is not available centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in H Wing at Durham prison.

In the financial year 1984–85 the average weekly cost of keeping a person in custody in Durham prison was £226. Cost information for particular locations within a prison is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average cost of keeping (a) a male and (b) a female in custody in the financial year 1984–85.

The average costs of keeping a male and a female in custody during the financial year 1984–85 were £13,183 and £18,902 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the average length of time taken to review life sentence prisoners for release on licence in any recent convenient period.

The average time at present taken between consideration of a case by the local review committee at the prison to consideration by the Parole Board is about 101/2 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the average length of time between a decision in favour of release on licence and the actual release of a life sentence prisoner in any recent convenient period.

The decision to release a life sentence prisoner is taken by my right hon. Friend on the recommendation of the Parole Board and after consultation with the Lord Chief Justice and, if available, the trial judge. When release is authorised, a provisional release date is fixed some time ahead—usually 12 months, though the period may be longer or shorter in the light of circumstances of the individual case. In all cases, release is dependent upon the prisoner's continued good behaviour, upon suitable arrangements being made for his resettlement and, in most cases, upon the satisfactory completion of periods in open conditions and—or the pre-release employment scheme. Failure to observe these conditions can lead to the deferment or cancellation of the provisional release date.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently serving life sentences in England and Wales.

According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, on 31 October 1985 about 2,070 persons in prison department establishments in England and Wales were serving life sentences, including custody for life and detention during Her Majesty's pleasure or for life under section 53 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the guns used for discharging baton rounds held by the Metropolitan police have on any

	Fire and Civil Defence		Fire	Civil Defence
	£ million		£ million	£ million
Greater Manchester	40·139	These figures comprise	40·056	0·083
Merseyside	26·884		26·804	0·080
South Yorkshire	20·059		19·987	0·072
Tyne and Wear	19·992		19·921	0·071
West Midlands	36·374		36·290	0·084
West Yorkshire	32·388		32·305	0·083
London	147·383		147·067	0·316

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the contract to provide premises for the Metropolitan police at Drummond Gate, Rampayne street, Pimlico.

The Metropolitan police occupy two office buildings on the site between Drummond Gate and occasion operated defectively; if on any occasion the metal casing has remained on the rounds after discharge; and if he is taking steps to replace the converted Very pistols now in use.

This equipment has been used only in training. We understand that there have been occasional minor malfunctions, including one or two where the metal end-cap has not dropped off immediately after discharge. There are no present plans to replace the baton round discharger, but the Commissioner is reviewing the range of public order equipment following the riots at Brixton and Tottenham.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the budget at each penal establishment for medical services for each individual prisoner imprisoned during a year.

Only a small proportion of expenditure on medical services is budgeted at establishment level. Across the prison service as a whole medical services are estimated to have cost £31·8 million in the 1984–85 financial year; as the average inmate population during that period was about 43,400, the average cost of providing medical services per inmate was about £733.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has redetermined the expenditure levels for the new joint police and fire and civil defence authorities for the financial year 1986–87.

I am today notifying these authorities of my decisions on redetermination of their expenditure levels which are as follows:

	Police £ million
Greater Manchester	83·687
Merseyside	59·808
Northumbria	43·431
South Yorkshire	35·412
West Midlands	30·831
West Yorkshire	63·269

Rampayne street, Pimlico, on leases from the Crown Estates Commissioners. These buildings have been in use by the force since they were completed in 1983 and 1984. There are no plans for additional police accommodation on this site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations he has now received from Sir Kenneth Newman in regard to training, strategy, tactics and equipment as a result of the Metropolitan police review group's fresh examination of the police response to serious spontaneous public disorder in the light of events since the riots in Brixton and Tottenham.

The review is not yet complete.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what maximum precepts he proposes to prescribe in respect of 1986–87 for the new joint police and fire and civil defence authorities.

My proposals for the maximum precept levels of these authorities for 1986–87 are as follows:

Police
	Pence in the £.
Greater Manchester	16·52
Merseyside	25·62
Northumbria	13·01
South Yorkshire	17·12
West Midlands	12·67
West Yorkshire	20·81

Fire and Civil Defence
	Pence in the £.
Greater Manchester	9·09
Merseyside	6·42
South Yorkshire	10·84
Tyne and Wear	10·98
West Midlands	6·17
West Yorkshire	11·20
London	7·50

Formal notification of the proposed maximum precepts has been served on the authorities today. I have asked the authorities to let me know by 15 January whether they accept the proposed maximum precepts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what study he has made of the effect of public street lighting on the recent inner city disturbances.

We know of no conclusive research evidence to show that improved street and estate lighting can deter crime, but experience from the Department of the Environment's priority estate project suggests improved lighting can deter crime and reduce tenants' fear of crime. The background set out in the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Tottenham (Mr. Atkinson) on 14 February, at column 234, is still relevant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government policy on psychological and behavioural experiments on animals in the light of the evidence sent to his Department on 9 May and 14 August by the Mobilisation for Laboratory Animals organisation.

The Advisory Committee on Animal Experiments has been reviewing experimental work in psychology and behavioural science. As my noble Friend said in another place on 12 December 1985, at column 413, we are awaiting with interest the report of the committee's consideration of the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Stretford on 9 December, Official Report, column 462, if he will give the reasons for not allowing friends, relatives or representatives to remain with travellers during interviews at the port of arrival; if he will indicate the regulation under which this procedure was established; and if he will make a statement.

A person seeking entry for a purpose for which an entry clearance is not required must himself satisfy the immigration officer that he qualifies for entry under the immigration rules. In practice most passengers are granted leave to enter after a brief initial interview and the presence of friends, relatives or representatives at the initial stage would be likely to hinder the rapid and efficient clearance of passengers through the control.The relevant legal provisions include paragraph 2(1) of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971, which provides that an immigration officer may examine any persons who have arrived in the United Kingdom for the purpose of determining whether leave should be granted or withheld and paragraphs 4(1) and (2) which place an obligation on the person so examined to furnish to the person carrying out the examination all such information as that person may require for the purpose of his functions under paragraph 2. It is an offence under section 26(1) of the Act if the passenger refuses or fails to furnish information without reasonable excuse. Paragraphs 26 and 27 of Schedule 2 give powers to the Secretary of State to specify the conditions and restrictions (if any) to be observed in a control area designated for the embarkation or disembarkation of passengers at any port.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been brought and how many have been successful for non-compliance with the requirements of the Fire Precautions Act 1971 and Statutory Instrument 1972 No. 238.

The information available to me which may be incomplete is given in the table. The number of prosecutions may reflect the nature of fire prevention activity rather than the extent of offending.

Defendants proceeded against in magistrates' courts and found guilty at all courts of offences under the Fire Precautions Act 1971–England and Wales
	Number of defendants
Year	Proceeded against	Found guilty
1975	34	33
1976	53	47
1977	25	25
1978	15	12
1979	22	18
1980	43	38

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be replying to the letter sent to him by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, on 12 October, concerning the composition of the Greater Manchester police board.

My right hon. Friend will be writing to the right hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he gives to chief fire officers on the standards of external and internal lighting of premises which they inspect for the purpose of licensing.

Chief fire officers are aware of relevant British standards and the regulations for electrical installations issued by the Institution of Electrical Engineers with respect to normal and emergency lighting for premises used by the public which are required to have a licence. Specific guidance on lighting in cinemas for licensing authorities and licensees is contained in the Guide to the Cinematograph (Safety) Regulations 1955 currently under review. A guide to fire precautions in other places of entertainment which will include recommendations on the standards of lighting is currently being prepared.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he takes to provide advice on external lighting as a crime prevention measure to those responsible for the design of new housing.

At the request of the Home Office, the British Standards Institution has prepared a guide for architects and planners on the security of new dwellings. This is to be published shortly and which will include advice on lighting as a crime prevention measure. Advice is also available for police force crime prevention officers and architect liaison officers to provide advice on external lighting as a crime prevention measure to architects, tenants' and community associations, and other interested bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he proposes to take to reduce the administrative procedures involved in the granting of safety certificates to sports grounds; and if he will make a statement.

The issue of a safety certificate under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 is the responsibility of the appropriate local authority which has a statutory duty to consult the chief officer of police and the building authority about the terms and conditions to be contained within it. The operation of the Safety of Sports Grounds Act has been the subject of a review by the committee of inquiry into crowd safety and control at sports grounds, whose final report is expected to be published soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response has been received from those hon. Members referred to in his statement on Tuesday 29 October about representations made by right hon. and hon. Members in immigration cases; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. and learned Friend wrote to 23 hon. Members. Only two have replied giving express consent to make the correspondence public. In these circumstances, I do not believe that it would be right to name any of the hon. Members or publish any of the correspondence.Individual replies have been received from 12 hon. Members out of the 23. Four of these have objected to publication; one has written but has not made his position clear; and one has asked for further information. Four hon. Members have agreed to their names being published—but not the correspondence—in the context of a debate. Three of these hon. Members have drawn attention to a statement issued following a meeting of hon. Members of the Parliamentary Labour party concerned with immigration and entry procedures making the same point. A letter in similar terms has been received from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) in his rapacity as chairman of the Parliamentary Labour party s home affairs group.I think it would now be sensible to proceed to hold discussions referred to in my statement to the House on 29 October. The aim of these discussions should be to agree upon a code of practice which can be applied to the general run of immigration cases and which achieves a sensible balance between the rights and privileges of hon. Members to make representations on behalf of their constituents and the need to maintain an efficient and effective immigration control in accordance with the Immigration Act 1971 and the immigration rules, which have been endorsed by Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the response to the paper entitled "Strengthening the Local Voluntary Sector" on which his Department invited comments in June 1985.

I am glad to say that the proposals in this consultation paper were generally welcomed.In the light of this response, it has been decided to establish a development fund with the objective of strengthening the voluntary sector at a local level. The fund will enable grants to be made to help start or strengthen local "generalist" voluntary organisations whose function is to provide support and services to other voluntary bodies in their areas, to stimulate volunteering, help develop new voluntary projects and promote collaboration with statutory agencies. Typical recipients might be local councils for voluntary service or volunteer bureaux. The fund will have available the sum million for three years from April 1986 which will be provided jointly by my Department, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Transport. It will be administered by a committee composed of representatives of national voluntary organisations, with an independent chairman. The committee will also have both central or local government participation. It will be serviced by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the study of United States prison designs announced by his predecessor has yet been completed.

The study of recent developments in the design of prisons in the United States has been conducted by a working group of officials from the Home Office an Property Services Agency under the chairmanship of the director of regimes and services in the prison department. The group's report is published today by Her Majesty's Stationery Office under the title "New Directions in Prison Design". A copy has been placed in the Library.The study was commissioned following a review of control problems in the long-term prison system. The report describes and analyses the design features of a number of the "new generation" prisons visited by members of the group. It emphasises that prison designs need to be related to a clear management philosophy, and that therefore designs developed in the context of one penal system cannot simply be transposed to another system in the expectation that they will be equally appropriate. Nevertheless, the study concludes that "new generation" concepts appear to offer significant benefits in the context of our own prison system. The group considers that, given the right management practices and staffing levels, new generation prisons need not be more costly than conventional prisons of equivalent size. The group also considers that "new generation" concepts may be of particular value in application to local prisons, and that while high-rise development does not form part of the Home Office's immediate plans, such development should not be ruled out for local prisons as it may permit the use of smaller urban sites with consequent advantages in terms of staffing and access to courts. The present building programme gives us the opportunity to consider the applicability of new generation concepts to specific projects and the opportunity is being taken to study the feasibility of new generation designs at two of the local prisons in the programme, at Milton Keynes and Doncaster. The final decision on the design of these prisons will, of course be subject to full consideration of the financial and planning implications.I welcome this report and hope that it will serve to stimulate a wide-ranging and informed discussion on the future design of prisons in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of his civil defence adviser, Mr. Eric Alley.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas) on 4 December, at columns 246–47. Mr. Alley discharges his main responsibility relating to the civil defence functions of local authorities by advising my right hon. Friend on the implementation of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983 as a result of visiting local authorities to monitor their progress, and discuss and offer guidance to them on their difficulties; preparing assessments of the level of local authority preparedness; and identifying measures on how best to help local authorities with, and ensure their implementation of, the regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police forces have a lower ratio of police to population than Thames Valley; and which have a higher ratio.

The police/population ratios which are calculated centrally for police forces in England and Wales show the population per police officer and are published for 31 December each year in the annual reports of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary. On 31 December 1984 the Thames Valley police had a ratio of 562 population per police officer, which was the highest of any police force in England and Wales on that date. The ratio for each police force in England and Wales was as follows:

Population per police officer on 31 December 1984*
Area	Number
Avon and Somerset	454
Bedfordshire	513
Cambridgeshire	527
Cheshire	506
Cleveland	383
Cumbria	428
Derbyshire	516
Devon and Cornwall	514
Dorset	515
Durham	447
Dyfed Powys	478
Essex	534
Gloucestershire	435
Greater Manchester	374
Gwent	450
Hampshire	525
Hertfordshire	527
Humberside	433
Kent	517
Lancashire	436
Leicestershire	499
Lincolnshire	468
Merseyside	326
Norfolk	559
Northamptonshire	526
Northumbria	431
North Wales	476
North Yorkshire	501
Nottinghamshire	439
South Wales	417
South Yorkshire	456
Staffordshire	484
Suffolk	540
Surrey	484
Sussex	478
Thames Valley	562
Warwickshire	517
West Mercia	532
West Midlands	398
West Yorkshire	399

Area	Number
Wiltshire	511
City of London	8
Metropolitan	266

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has yet reached a final decision on continued United Kingdom membership of UNESCO.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has yet reached a final decision on whether Britain should leave the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to my statement of 5 December at columns 448–49.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on British membership of UNESCO.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received on Government policy towards the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Murphy) on 12 December at column 707.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has held with Commonwealth Governments over the future of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

I discussed UNESCO's problems with Commonwealth high commissioners in London on 26 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the proposed merger of Plessey and General Electric Company.

I understand that no formal offer has yet been made. My right hon. and learned Friend will make a decision on reference at the appropriate time, in the light of advice from the Director General of Fair Trading.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 9 December, Official Report column 439–42 to the hon. Member for Swansea, West giving the number of grant-related jobs into each constituency, if he will break that table down into jobs created and jobs preserved.

The information requested is as follows:

	Estimated new	Employment
		safeguarded
Aberavon	881	1,768
Aldridge-Brownhills*	32	70
Alyn & Deeside*	724	0
Angus East	362	80
Ashton under Lyne	33	0
Ayr	839	565
Bamsley East	11	8
Bamsley West & Penistone	20	0
Batley & Spen	95	0
Berwick-upon-Tweed	54	124
Beverley	26	0
Birkenhead	148	45
Birmingham Erdington	77	50
Birmingham Hall Green	15	0
Birmingham Ladywood	164	30
Birmingham Northfield	18	0
Birmingham Selly Oak	30	0
Birmingham Small Heath	70	35
Birmingham Sparkbrook	47	3,800
Birmingham Yardley	34	0
Bishop Auckland	1,137	0
Blackburn	370	0
Blaenau Gwent	601	0
Blaydon	95	0
Blyth Valley	436	0
Bolton North East	4	209
Bolton South East	12	65
Bolton West	113	0
Boothferry	132	0
Bootle	184	286
Bosworth	182	40
Bradford North*	343	53
Bradford South	70	0
Bradford West	190	0
Brecon & Radnor	214	0
Bridgend	445	0
Bridlington	466	1,257
Brigg & Cleethorpes	279	817
Bromsgrove	30	0
Bury North	46	0
Bury South	24	0
Caernarfon	61	0
Caerphilly	182	0
Calder Valley	25	0
Cannock & Burntwood	37	4
Cardiff Central	122	0
Cardiff North	266	0
Cardiff South & Penarth	206	0
Cardiff West	116	0
Carmarthen	46	0
Carrick Cumnock & Doon Valley	177	11
Central Fife	454	331
Ceredigion & Pembroke	61	14
Chorley	29	29
City of Chester	96	0
City of Durham	115	50
Clackmannan	132	10
Clwyd Nonh West	87	0
Clwyd South West*	133	0
Clydebank and Milngavie	370	187
Conwy	7	0
Copeland	45	0
Corby	1,885	0
Coventry North East	32	0
Coventry South East	35	100
Coventry South West	268	2
Crosby	52	0
Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	1,088	813
Cunninghame North*	613	0

	Estimated new	Employment
		safeguarded
Cunninghame South*	766	202
Cynon Valley	421	50
Darlington	252	0
Delyn*	805	6
Don Valley	156	0
Doncaster Central	22	0
Doncaster North	60	0
Dudley East	46	0
Dudley West	183	0
Dumbarton	57	0
Dundee East	369	128
Dundee West*	554	1,965
Dunfermline East	1,616	7
Dunfermline West	723	609
Easington	458	85
East Kilbride	654	9
East Lindsey	24	0
East Lothian	95	0
Eastwood	74	0
Eddisbury	56	0
Ellesmere Port and Neston	48	0
Falkirk East	176	150
Falkirk West	34	36
Falmouth and Cambourne	155	9
Fylde	5	0
Gainsborough and Horncastle	391	0
Galloway and Upper Nithsdale	94	283
Gateshead East	495	0
Glanford and Scunthorpe	1,340	0
Glasgow Cathcart	183	200
Glasgow Central*	605	49
Glasgow Garscadden	182	0
Glasgow Govan*	108	0
Glasgow Hillhead	1,131	92
Glasgow Maryhill*	271	44
Glasgow Pollok	98	41
Glasgow Provan	214	0
Glasgow Rutherglen	165	169
Glasgow Shettleston	218	353
Glasgow Springburn	67	0
Gower	30	0
Great Grimsby	89	0
Greenock and Port Glasgow	785	30
Halesowen and Stourbridge	42	807
Halton	385	0
Hamilton	764	0
Hartlepool	352	0
Hexham	29	0
Heywood & Middleton	152	0
High Peak	200	180
Houghton & Washington	730	45
Hyndburn	93	65
Inverness Nairn & Lochaber	90	0
Islwyn	191	0
Jarrow	82	0
Kilmarnock & Loudoun	443	0
Kingston upon Hull, East	52	0
Kingston upon Hull, North	125	0
Kingston upon Hull, West	80	0
Kirkcaldy	256	0
Knowsley, North	220	0
Knowsley, South	0	585
Lancaster	0	30
Langbaurgh	32	0
Leigh	400	0
Linlithgow*	1,359	175
Littleborough & Saddleworth	120	0
Liverpool, Broadgreen	50	20
Liverpool, Garston	204	123
Liverpool, Mossley Hill	16	0
Liverpool, Riverside	244	50
Liverpool, Walton	78	94
Liverpool, West Derby	11	0
Livingston*	2,968	0
Llanelli	138	7
Ludlow	26	0

	Estimated new	Employment
		safeguarded
Makerfield	130	220
Manchester, Blackley	5	0
Manchester, Central	336	0
Manchester, Gorton	43	0
Meriden	44	13
Merthyr Tydfil & Rhymney	733	150
Mid Worcestershire	300	43
Middlesbrough	434	0
Monklands, East	513	0
Monklands, West	211	0
Monmouth	223	0
Motherwell, North*	270	160
Mothenvell, South	244	0
Neath	192	45
Newcastle upon Tyne, Central	43	0
Newcastle upon Tyne, East	106	0
Newcastle upon Tyne, North	96	38
Newport*	728	25
Newport, West*	270	60
North Cornwall	395	19
North Devon	134	19
North Durham	104	0
North-East Derbyshire	6	6
North Warwickshire	19	8
North-West Durham	355	122
Northavon	18	0
Nuneaton	116	502
Ogmore	136	110
Oldham Central & Royton	12	0
Oldham West	223	0
Paisley North	595	0
Paisley South	532	315
Pembroke	425	20
Penrith & The Border	35	0
Perth & Kinross	82	0
Plymouth Devonport	91	0
Plymouth Drake	187	0
Plymouth Sutton	284	0
Pontypridd	1,002	430
Pudsey	228	0
Redcar	122	0
Renfrew West & Inverclyde	160	0
Rhondda	202	189
Richmond (Yorks)	15	0
Rochdale	171	0
Rosss Cromarty & Skye	0	1,200
Rosendale & Darwen	187	0
Rother Valley	274	0
Rotherham	759	5
Rutland & Melton	15	0
Salford East	79	0
Scarborough	133	0
Sedgefield*	394	0
Sheffield Attercliffe	7	0
Sheffield Brightside	34	0
Sheffield Central	71	21
Sheffield Hillsborough	7	0
Shipley	231	70
Solihull	19	0
South East Cornwall	13	0
South East Staffordshire	187	0
South Hams	61	0
South Shields	194	0
South Staffordshire	295	0
Southport	101	0
St. Helens North	140	70
St. Helens South	323	300
St. Ives	202	0
Stalybridge & Hyde	21	0
Stirling*	36	118
Stockton North	368	3
Stockton South	304	100
Stratford-on-Avon	28	0
Strathkelvin & Bearsden	163	0
Stretford	15	0
Sunderland North	187	240

	Estimated new	Employment
		safeguarded
Sunderland South	185	0
Sutton Coldfield	19	0
Swansea East*	69	3
Swansea West*	108	0
Tatton	16	0
Teignbridge	26	0
The Wrekin	522	27
Torfaen	762	2,818
Torridge and West Devon	50	0
Truro	131	0
Tyne Bridge	352	284
Tynemouth	484	0
Vale of Glamorgan	173	409
Wallasey	85	0
Wallsend	356	0
Walsall North	52	47
Walsall South	757	235
Wansbeck	521	0
Warley East*	58	368
Warley West	312	111
Warrington South	10	0
Wentworth	227	0
West Bromwich East	80	0
West Bromwich West	214	1,000
West Gloucestershire	1,061	204
West Lancashire	378	0
Wigan	248	0
Wirral South	104	0
Wirral West	74	0
Wolverhampton North East	23	0
Wolverhampton South East	34	5
Workington	280	0
Worsley	6	0
Wrexham*	1,306	0
Wyre	20	0
Wyre Forest	180	0
Ynys Mon	172	0

Defendant	Relevant share	Outcome
John Bryce	Winterbottom Trust Ltd.	Guilty
John and Joyce Titheridge	Joseph Stocks & Sons (Holdings) Ltd.	Guilty
John Allen Crump Dickenson	Harris & Sheldon Group Ltd.	Guilty
Colin Kettle and Neil Thorneywork	Blockley pic.	Acquitted
Ronald John Hancock	Suter Electrical Ltd.	Acquitted
David John Brooks	Suter Electrical Ltd.	Awaiting trial

I am not prepared to disclose details of cases where prosecution did not ensue.