asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about Phoenix II, the proposed engineering steels joint venture between the British Steel Corporation and Guest, Keen and Nettlefold.

The Government announced on 7 August 1985 their agreement in principle that Phoenix II should go ahead, as a joint venture company combining BSC's special steels businesses and GKN's special steels and forgings operations. Agreement has now been reached on a number of major outstanding issues, which should enable the new company, to be called United Engineering Steels, to start trading on 1 April 1986.BSC and GKN will both contribute fixed assets, stocks and cash to the new company. As part of these arrangements the Government have approved the provision of funds for BSC to subscribe £55 million for preference shares and loanstock. United Engineering Steels will be a freestanding, private sector company, and it is the firm intention of BSC and GKN as shareholders, and of the Government, that it will meet all future financial requirements without further recourse to public sector finance or guarantees. The Government approval is also on the understanding that the new company will undertake further investments, particularly in continuous casting facilities.On the information at present before him, and in accordance with the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading, my right hon. and learned Friend has decided not to refer the merger of the relevant BSC and GKN activities to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. Formation of the new company is also subject to the agreement of the European Commission under the competition provisions of the treaty of Paris.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he intends to publish the 1986 public expenditure White Paper.

"The Government's Expenditure Plans 1986–87 to 1988–89"—Cmnd. 9702, Vol I and II, will be published at 3·30 pm on Wednesday 15 January, and copies will be available in the Vote Office.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to receive payment of the 1,000 million European currency units abatement agreed at Fontainebleau in June 1984 in respect of the United Kingdom's excessive net contribution to the 1984 Community budget.

Payment of the 1,000 mecu (£604 million) was made over the period 31 December to 6 January. It could not be paid to the United Kingdom until the Community's new own resources decision had been approved by all member states in accordance with their respective national procedures. Notification of the last of the national approvals was received by the Community on 28 December. The 1,000 mecu were then paid as soon as possible thereafter. Further details are contained in a press notice issued by Her Majesty's Treasury on 7 January, copies of which have been placed in the Library.

asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions has received any report from the police concerning allegations of fraud in connection with the Kestrel pension scheme run by Hill: Kestrel Communications Limited; and if he will make a statement.

These allegations were the subject of a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions by the Thames Valley police in December 1984. The Director of Public Prosecutions established a fraud investigation group to co-ordinate the investigation and the result of the inquiries is now under consideration.

asked the Attorney-General if he has received representations about the return of the bones of Saint Edward, the Anglo Saxon martyr king, to Shaftesbury; and if he has been engaged in legal proceedings concerning the return of the bones.

I have received a number of representations on this matter from supporters of the King Edward Orthodox Trust, who wish to establish a resting place for the bones at Brookwood Cemetery, and from others who would like to see the bones returned to Shaftesbury where they were discovered. I have no plans, at present, to pursue legal proceedings concerning the return of the bones.

asked the Attorney-General if the remit for the investigation by the Roskill commission included the trial of cases involving commercial counterfeiting; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The remit of the fraud trials committee included all criminal proceedings arising from fraud. I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement my right hon. Friend made today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the stocks of beef and skimmed milk held in intervention stores in the United Kingdom at the latest convenient date; and if he will make a statement.

A note setting out the volume of United Kingdom and Community intervention stocks, including those of beef and skimmed milk powder, is deposited in the Library of the House and updated monthly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost in 1984–85, and what is the estimated cost in 1985–86, of holding beef and skimmed milk in intervention stores.

Figures for storage and other related costs are:

£'000
	1984–85 (outturn)	1985–86 (estimate)
Beef	12,552	23,769
Skimmed milk powder	2,323	924

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the cattle which produced the beef and skimmed milk currently held in intervention stores were fed on imported grain, soya, ground nuts or anchovies.

It is not possible to ascertain on what the animals from which are derived the beef and milk products held in intervention have been fed. I have no evidence that imported groundnuts or anchovies are used

'000 tonnes
	1982	1983	1984	Date at which applicable in each year
European Community foodstuffs held in public intervention storage
Butter	100	692	841	31 December
Skimmed milk powder	567	990	617	31 December
Wheat of which:	6,300	6,857	8,782	31 December
Feed	n.a.	n.a.	3,109	31 December
Bread	n.a.	n.a.	5,673	31 December
Barley	1,625	1,102	1,845	31 December
Rye	293	249	426	31 December
Durum	771	714	858	31 December
Beef	203	372	610	31 December
Olive oil	166	102	112	31 December
Oilseeds	37	0	55	31 December
Wine alcohol	n.a.	n.a.	2mhl	September
Sugar (white sugar equivalent)	0	0	88	31 December
European Community foodstuffs held in assisted private storage
Butter	237	188	107	31 December (1982 and 1983 = December)
Cheese	67	91	‡100	December
Beef	26	24	275	Figures represent quantities contracted for storage under schemes operating nearest the end of each year
Pigmeat	10	22	4	31 December
Dried fruit	0	*5	*15	31 December
			÷22	31 December
Table wine	38mh10	39mh1	5mhl	31 December

*1981 crop dried grapes.†1982 crop dried grapes and figs suitable for distillation and animal feed.‡Estimated.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy that beef and skimmed milk going into intervention stores do not come from cattle reared on imported grain, soya, ground nuts or anchovies, or on crops capable of being used for human consumption.

No. Producers should continue to be free to choose the most economic way of providing feedstuffs for their livestock. It is any way not practicable nor sensible to do this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total tonnage of surplus food in European Economic Community private and public stores at the most recent date for which figures are available; what were the comparable totals on the same date in each of the previous three years; and what was the increase in such total stocks each day over the past 12 months.

A note setting out the volume of produce, including foodstuffs, in intervention and private storage in the European Economic Community on the latest available dates is deposited in the Library of the House and is updated monthly. Information on EC stock levels at the end of December in each of the three previous years is as follows: Figures showing the increase in stocks on a day-to-day basis over the past 12 months are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the 1986 annual review of agriculture.

A White Paper setting out the conclusions of the 1986 annual review of agriculture will be laid before Parliament today. The White Paper shows that gross output in current prices is forecast to decrease about 5 per cent. from £12,550 million in 1984 to £11,883 million in 1985. Aggregate farming income during 1985 fell by 43 per cent. following the 35 per cent. increase in 1984. Farm business income, a broader based measure, declined by 25 per cent. following a 27 per cent. increase in 1984. The industry's labour productivity declined by 3 per cent. compared to an average annual growth rate of 7 per cent. over the last decade.These adverse trends are largely the result of the exceptional weather conditions experienced in 1985 which particularly affected Scotland, Northern Ireland and the hill and upland areas of Wales and Northern England.The cereals harvest was 4·3 million tonnes below the record level in 1984 and there were marked reductions in farming incomes in the cattle and sheep, cereals and other cropping sectors. Community policies aimed at restraining production were also contributing factors.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to make an order to permit live fish of the salmon family to enter Great Britain from Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Following extensive investigations conducted by our officials, my right hon. Friends and I have concluded that the present absolute prohibition on imports of live fish of the salmon family under section 1 of the Diseases of Fish Act 1937 should be relaxed in respect of Northern Ireland. Accordingly, we have today laid before Parliament for its approval a draft statutory instrument entitled The Importation of Live Fish of the Salmon Family Order, which would give effect to this relaxation.The absolute prohibition under the 1937 Act on imports of live fish of the salmon family has served us well over the years and the Government intend to do nothing which would jeopardise our present relative freedom from serious fish diseases. The relaxation we propose relates only to live fish of the salmon family coming from regularly tested hatcheries in Northern Ireland. We have concluded that such a relaxation is justified because of the fish disease status of Northern Ireland and the measures it takes to secure that status. When the order comes into force movements of live fish of the salmon family from Northern Ireland to Great Britain will need to be licensed by the appropriate Fisheries Department. Licences will be issued only so long as we are satisfied as to the health status of the supplying site.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy towards the reimbursement of transport costs for children who, as a result of disruption to school timetables in connection with the teachers' dispute, are obliged to travel at times of day when official school transport is not available.

Under section 55(1) of the Education Act 1944 it is for local education authorities to judge whether it is necessary to make arrangements for facilitating the attendance of pupils at schools. Transport provided under such arrangements must be free of charge. Section 55(2) provides a discretionary power for authorities to pay the whole or part of the travel expenses in other cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received the report of the Open University's visiting committee; and if he will make a statement on the Open University's allocation of grant for 1986 and the provisional allocation for 1987 and 1988.

My right hon. Friend has considered the Open University visiting committee's report. A copy has been sent to the university with a letter notifying it of its grant for 1986 and indicated grants for 1987 and 1988. Copies of the report and the grant letter have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the existence of a synergistic relationship between the two pollutant effects sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen.

Research so far indicates that these two pollutants can be synergistic in their effects in some cases but that in others their combined effects may be equal to, or less than, the effect of each independently. Further research in my Department's programme is aimed at increasing our understanding of these complex relationships.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what freshwater bodies in the United Kingdom have become unable to support fish stocks because of acidification as a result of anthropogenic emissions of sulphur compounds; and, in each case, if a return to former viability is expected to be achieved by the end of the century, with or without liming operations.

There are a number of man made and natural causes of acidification. The freshwaters where fish stocks have been most affected by acidification are mainly areas of high rainfall and acid geology in the north arid west of Britain. A report by my Department's acid waters review group identifying the most susceptible areas will soon be published.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what fall there has been in the level of emission of sulphur dioxide from United Kingdom sources between 1979 and 1984.

United Kingdom sulphur dioxide emissions fell from an estimated 5·34 million tonnes in 1979 to an estimated 3·54 million tonnes in 1984, a fall of 33·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many reports were made to health officials by water undertakings to indicate nitrate levels in public water supplies over 50 mg; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous three years.

Water authorities and companies notify health authorities whenever nitrate levels in a public water supply exceed 50 mg per litre. During the first six months of 1985, 70 supplies exceeded 50 mg nitrate per litre at some time, in 1984, 81 supplies and in 1983, 82 supplies. I do not have comparable information for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to reduce nitrate levels in public water supplies.

No public water supply is allowed to contain nitrate levels which the Government's medical advisers consider to be a danger to public health. As a result of my Department's recent examination of applications for derogations from the nitrate standard of the EC drinking water directive, concentrations in seven supplies have been or are being reduced. A group of experts will shortly be reporting to Ministers on the scope for limiting nitrate concentrations in water sources and supplies in the longer term.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reached a conclusion on the possibility of providing additional funding for victim support schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I remain of the view that individual schemes should in the main be able to look to their local communities as their primary sources of funds. Such an arrangement best corresponds with the spontaneous and voluntary character of the victims support movement. I am, however, conscious that some schemes are experiencing particular financial difficulties, and I therefore propose to make £136,000 available in the financial year 1986–87 to help such schemes. This will be in addition to the grant which will continue to be paid to the National Association of Victims Support Schemes to support its headquarters work. The money will be paid to NAVSS, which will allocate grants to local schemes which are in particular need of financial assistance. I understand that NAVSS will shortly be writing to local management committees inviting applications. Victims support schemes, like other voluntary bodies, can also apply for assistance under general Government programmes such as the urban programme and the MSC voluntary projects and community programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the report by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on his strategy for the coming year; and if he will make a statement.

I am today placing copies of the Commissioner's report to me in the Library, and I am sending a copy to all right hon. and hon. Members for constituencies wholly or partly within the Metropolitan police district. I plan to meet London Members shortly to discuss the report, and I hope that the House as a whole will also have the opportunity to debate it.I have discussed the Commissioner's report fully with him. It describes the progress made towards achieving the strategy last year, and sets a new force goal for 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the increase in the number of 14 to 17-year-olds and 17 to 21-year-olds cautioned for indictable offences between 1983 and 1984.

Statistics of cautions are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (chapter 5 of the latest issue of 1984, Cmnd. 9621) and more detail is given in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables, Volume 4". Table S4·1(c) of the issue of the latter for 1984 shows that between 1983 and 1984 the number of cautions of those aged 14 to 16 increased by 10 per cent. and of those aged 17 to 20 by 34 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to consolidate the law regarding the duties of coroners.

We have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of criminal offences recorded in 1985 and the number in 1978.

Information on notifiable offences recorded by the police in England and Wales in the first three quarters of 1985 was published in "Home Office Statistical Bulletin", issue 34/85 on 11 December 1985. The number of offences in 1978 was published in the report on criminal statistics for that year (Cmnd. 7670).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the operation of neighbourhood watch schemes.

Neighbourhood watch provides an important stimulus for community involvement in practical crime prevention and I am encouraged by its continued expansion. Some 8,000 individual schemes are now operating in England and Wales, and more are planned. Schemes which are properly designed and carefully introduced can reduce local crime. The results of detailed evaluations of neighbourhood watch schemes in the Metropolitan police district, which we expect towards the end of the year, should provide further information on how to obtain the full benefit of this valuable crime prevention initiative.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will update the figures previously given for the number of representations he has received from members of the public and interested parties for and against the Shops Bill [Lords] detailing the total numbers involved; and if he will list any shopping chains that have written in favour and those against.

	Wet Deposition		Dry Deposition
	Loch Ard	Merrick	Loch Ard	Merrick
Hydrogen ion (gH+m-2 year-1)	0·05–0·1	0·05–0·1	—	—
Sulphate (gSm-2 year-1)	1·2.1·6	>1·6	0·5–1·0	0·5–1·0
Nitrate (gNm-2 year-1)	0·2–0·4	0·1–0·2	Not Available

It is not possible to make an accurate estimate of future deposition levels at specific sites in individual years because of the difficulty of forecasting emissions and the large year-to-year variation introduced by meteorological

We have received 27 representations in favour of the Bill since its publication and 16,292 against. The following multiple retailers have written in favour of the Bill since its publication:

Wyevale Garden Centres Limited

Notcutts Garden Centres Limited

William Stike Limited

Briggs Boot Stores.

The Co-operative Union Limited has written against.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects Sir Cyril Philips to complete his next annual report on the operation of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

Sir Cyril Philips has undertaken a comprehensive programme of visits and has consulted a number of organisations interested in the operation of the prevention of terrorism legislation. Observations from other interested persons or organisations may be sent to him direct or received on his behalf by the Home Office F.4 division by 24 January. I hope to make the report public later this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give figures to show the current levels of deposited acidity in grams of hydrogen ion per square metre per year, deposited non-marine sulphate, and deposited nitrate in grams of sulphur and nitrogen per square metre per year for (a) the Loch Ard area and (b) the Merrick in Galloway; and what is the number of years over which the figures are averaged;(2) if he will publish estimates of levels of deposited acidity in grams of hydrogen ion per square metre per year and deposited non-marine sulphate and deposited nitrate in grams of sulphur and nitrogen per square metre per year for

Figures of the levels of deposited acidity in the Loch Ard area and the Merrick are not available but values can be deduced from the date published by the Department of the Environment review group on acid rain in 1983 and available from Her Majesty Stationery Office. Ranges representative of these general areas, averaged over three years 1978–1980, within which depositions may be expected to lie are set out in the table. factors. Data from a number of Scottish sites suggest, however, that if present emission patterns remain relatively constant there is unlikely to be a significant change in deposition levels over the Loch Ard and Merrick areas in the next 15 years. A reduction in emissions would, however, be expected to result in generally reduced depositions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has to the maximum level of sulphur deposition, expressed in kilograms per hectare per year, which lochs and freshwaters in acid-sensitive areas of Scotland can tolerate without experiencing long-term acidification; and what information he has as to which specific bodies of water have already been acidified beyond this maximum level.

The sensitivity of lochs and freshwaters to acidity varies according to geological and other conditions, and the level of sulphur deposition above which ecosystems may become affected is subject to continuing research. The biological effects of long-term acidification have, however, been evident so far only in the surface waters of the Galloway and Trossach areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage change there has been in the concentration of acidity of rainfall in Scotland between 1979 and 1984.

Current research indicates that between 1979 and 1984 the concentration of acidity in rainfall in Scotland has reduced substantially, probably by 40 to 50 per cent., although the trend has not been consistent over the country due to effects of variable weather patterns. These figures are based on measurements taken since 1978 at a number of different sites throughout the country.

asked the Paymaster General why claimants who are disallowed unemployment benefit on availability grounds are included in the unemployment totals if they continue to sign on as unemployed.

The monthly unemployment count relates to those claiming benefits at unemployment benefit offices. The count may therefore include some people who are disallowed benefit on availability grounds who continue to sign on, usually because they are appealing against disallowance.

asked the Paymaster General if he will describe the types of information published by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in respect of accidents, incidents and untoward occurrences, including those without any radiological consequences, at licensed nuclear sites and at other nuclear sites; and if he will make a statement.

The Health and Safety Executive publishes a quarterly statement of all incidents at nuclear installations which are reported to Ministers under the arrangements announced by my hon. Friend the Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore), the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy, to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 26 July 1982, at column 374.In addition, the executive publishes reports of special investigations that it carries out.

asked the Paymaster General how many people have been assisted by the work on own account scheme in each of the last five years for which figures are available; what was the cost of the scheme in each year; if he will provide details of the assistance given in each individual case in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

The number of people helped in the last five years and the total cost of the business on own account scheme in each of those years was:

	Beneficiaries	Expenditure£
1980–81	11	9,906
1981–82	13	19,762
1982–83	7	24,085
1983–84	13	34,568
1984–85	7	26,272

Details of the grants awarded, but not necessarily paid, in 1984£85 are as follows:

asked the Paymaster General if he will provide details of the work on own account scheme and the eligibility criteria for the scheme.

The business on own account scheme is intended to help certain very severely disabled people who have no other means of obtaining employment to set up their own businesses. It provides assistance in cases where other schemes, such as The enterprise allowance scheme, are not appropriate or do not make adequate financial provision. The scheme is administered by the Manpower Services Commission.Assistance under the scheme is given in the form of a single grant towards the cost of the tools, equipment, premises alterations and so on necessary to start up a business. MSC's disablement resettlement officers can advise potential applicants as to their eligibility, the criteria for which are:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what factors he attributes the decline in net private aid flows to the Third world between 1980 and 1984, and in particular the fall in bank lending.

The decline in net private flows to developing countries is the product of general world economic circumstances. During the 1970s many such countries borrowed heavily on floating rate terms in currencies which in recent years have yielded high real rates of interest. This has led to an increasing level of debt servicing and a corresponding decline in creditworthiness. The increased risk of international bank lending has resulted in banks, including those in the United Kingdom, reducing the level of net lending to developing countries.Net private flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries are estimated to have declined from £4·5 billion in 1980 to £1·4 billion in 1984, the main element being a decline from £1·9 billion to £0·1 billion in bank lending on market terms (that is loans with a maturity of one year or more, net of repayments). Total international bank lending from all sources to developing countries declined markedly over the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will set out in tabular form from Organisation for Economic Development and Co-operation sources the actual monetary amount, converted to pounds sterling or United States dollars, of official aid provided in 1984 by France, Canada, West Germany, Japan, the United Kingdom, Italy and the United States of America.

Net official development assistance provided in 1984 by the listed countries was:

	US $ billion	US *#x0024 billion
France	*2·552	†3·788
Canada	1·625
West Germany	2·782
Japan	4·319
United Kingdom	1·418
Italy	1·105
United States	8·711

*Excludes disbursements to overseas departments and territories.†Includes disbursements to overseas departments and territories.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what conclusions the National Coal Board's chief scientist for Scotland has reached following his analysis of the length of copper piping taken from near the Polkemmet Bing and supplied by the hon. Member for Linlithgow to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Wirral, West (Mr. Hunt) on 16 December; and if he will make a statement.

The National Coal Board's monitoring of the fumes at the Polkemmet Bing has shown that the levels of hydrogen sulphide and sulphur dioxide at the perimeter of the burning Bing are less than one part per million; concentrations at nearby properties should be even lower because of dilution. Experts believe that these low concentrations would not be a health hazard, even though they have unpleasant odours and are capable of discolouring some metals such as copper.The section of copper pipe which the hon. Member passed on to me on 16 December has been examined by the Scottish area of the NCB's chief scientist, with the assistance of the Institute of Occupational Medicine in Edinburgh. They conclude that the discolouration of the pipe is a film of copper sulphide, which is to be expected given the prevailing conditions at Polkemmet. I shall be writing to the hon. Member to give him the details of the reports.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the forthcoming visit to the United Kingdom by the Prime Minister of Israel.

The Prime Minister of the State of Israel will visit the United Kingdom at my invitation from 21–26 January. I look forward to my talks with Mr. Peres.

asked the Prime Minister if she will allocate specific ministerial responsibility for the welfare and protection of children to co-ordinate the responsibilities of the Department of Health and Social Security, education, police and voluntary services; and if she will make a statement.

I am fully aware of the need for effective co-ordination on all matters concerned with the welfare and protection of children. But I do not believe that my hon. Friend's proposal would secure the result he earnestly seeks. At present the Secretary of State for Social Services is the lead Minister in the existing arrangements.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to use British Rail at least once in the course of her official duties in 1986.

I will try.

asked the Prime Minister what has been the response of other European Economic Community members to the reservation which she placed at the Luxembourg summit in December on the proposal to extend majority voting to directives dealing with terms and conditions of employment; and if she will make a statement.

At the Foreign Affairs Council on 16–17 December, there was a brief discussion in which my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, maintained our reserve on the working environment text dealing with the health and safety of workers on the grounds that this article, as drafted, might be used to impose unfair burdens on our small and medium businesses. It has already been agreed to maintain unanimity for directives concerned with harmonisation of laws relating to other rights and interests of employed persons.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 14 January.

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.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will institute an inquiry into the publication of recent

	Belfast	North-Eastern	South-Eastern	Southern	Western
1. Pupil/teacher ratios Primary (including nursery)	21·7	23·5	23·8	23·8	23·8
Secondary	14·0	15·3	15·1	15·4	15·2
Grammar	15·5	16·0	17·2	15·7	16·1
2. Cost per pupil	£	£	£	£	£
Primary (including nursery)	739	642	627	612	629
Secondary	1,314	1,064	1,063	984	1,042
Grammar	1,047	1,003	919	1,023	1,010

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will introduce legislation to provide for stiffer sentences for terrorist activities, including the reintroduction of the death penalty for murder.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to action taken by local authorities in Tyne and Wear on cases referred to them in accordance with his Department's circular S 12/85 on substandard board and lodging accommodation.

I understand that local authorities in the Tyne and Wear area have taken action in two cases following reference to them in accordance with the Department's circular S 12/85. The details of any such action are of course the responsibility of the local authorities concerned—the boroughs of Sunderland and South Tyneside—and the hon. Member may therefore wish to consult them direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps have been taken to ensure the payment of arrears of supplementary benefit board and lodging allowances following the statement to the House on 17 December 1985 by the Minister for Social Security, the hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton).

[pursuant to her reply, 13 January 1986]: An inquiry has been instituted.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish detailed statistics on pupil-teacher ratios and unit costs in primary, secondary and grammar schools for each of the five education and library board areas in Northern Ireland.

The latest available information is as follows:

Instructions were issued last week on the payment of arrears of benefit to people in ordinary board and lodging between 29 April and 24 November 1985. Copies of the instructions are in the Library. Local offices will be identifying affected cases and paying arrears as soon as possible.We shall also take the earliest possible opportunity to secure, take in and, as appropriate, act upon judicial clarification of the effect of the Supplementary Benefit (Requirements) Amendment and Temporary Provisions Regulations (SI 1984/2034), which governed the payments for all types of boarders from December 1984 to April 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all new hospitals which have opened since May 1979 or are due to open over the next 18 months, indicating the first date on which approval for each scheme was given.

The tables list the major capital schemes completed since May 1979 and those expected to be completed in 1986–87 and give in each case the year in which the scheme was first approved. A major scheme is one above a certain cost, which has varied over time, which requires it to be subject to departmental approvals. During the period many smaller capital projects have been completed, but for which full records are not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to social services today to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 27 January 1986 to 31 January 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who are the members of the interdepartmental committee on acquired immune deficiency syndrome; when the committee last met; and what are its terms of reference.

The ministerial steering group on AIDS and the interdepartmental group on AIDS comprise 1979 representatives from the following Departments: Health and Social Security, Home Office, Employment, Education and Science, Environment, Defence, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Cabinet Office, Treasury, Trade and Industry, and the Welsh, Northern Ireland, and Scottish Offices.The ministerial steering group met on 2 December 1985 and the first meeting of the interdepartmental group will be held on 21 January. The interdepartmental group's terms of reference are

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he intends to publish guidelines to those people in the National Health Service who are likely to come into contact with individuals who are HTLVIII positive.

The Advisory Committee on Dangerous 1981Pathogens has already issued interim guidelines on AIDS for clinical and laboratory staff. ACDP is revising the guidelines to take account of current scientific knowledge and these should be published in the early part of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement on the current position of the Government's drug misuse education and information campaign.

The campaign of information and education about the misuse of drugs has been running since February. It features a set of leaflets for parents, two television commercials and a series of poster and press advertisements. In December last year a video training package entitled "Working with Drug Users" was launched.As the next stage, the Government have launched "Double Take", a video package for young people, especially 12 to 15-year-olds. The package will be issued free for retention to any secondary school in England and Wales that applies for it. All secondary school headteachers in England and Wales are being mailed with details of the package.The 1985 campaign as a whole has been evaluated by two independent market research companies and the initial

Number of cases on acute surgical in-patient waiting lists in National Health Service hospitals in district health authorities wholly or partly within the Greater London council area
District health authority	30 September	31 March	30 September	31 March	30 September	31 March
	1982∗	1983∗	1983∗	1984∗	1984	1985
Barnet	3,521	3,614	3,708	3,356	3,689	3,766
Harrow	1,271	1,383	1,257	1,521	1,132	1,104
Hillingdon	5,809	5,900	5,799	5,954	6,162	6,665
Hounslow and Spelthorne	3,100	3,211	3,707	3,610	4,104	3,839
Ealing	1,367	1,268	1,610	1,689	1,341	1,659
Brent	1,620	1,908	2,243	2,169	2,097	1,840
Paddington and North Kensington	2,628	2,416	2,282	2,757	2,881	2,380
Hammersmith and Fulham	2,972	2,930	2,632	2,679	2,294	2,830
Victoria	2,713	2,731	2,602	2,657	2,637	2,327
Barking, Havering and Brentwood	4,312	4,497	4,234	5,199	5,665	6,103
Hampstead	1,948	1,675	1,705	1,879	1,776	2,133
Bloomsbury	8,904	10,342	9,842	11,694	11,921	12,853
Islington	1,072	1,123	1,312	1,571	1,476	1,748
City and Hackney	4,131	4,436	4,985	5,434	5,834	6,399
Newham	2,222	2,000	2,412	1,504	1,550	1,162
Tower Hamlets	5,563	5,505	5,495	5,476	5,508	5,823
Enfield	2,952	2,676	2,755	2,829	2,792	3,069
Haringey	1,708	1,456	1,350	1,108	1,211	1,208
Redbridge	1,688	1,658	1,465	1,623	1,577	1,375
Waltham Forest	3,245	3,712	3,566	3,963	3,670	3,945
Bexley	1,049	1,148	1,026	920	1,268	1,348
Greenwich	2,138	2,579	2,463	2,435	2,241	2,026
Bromley	1,906	2,122	2,103	1,910	1,806	1,919
West Lambeth	5,602	4,616	4,215	5,006	5,158	4,732
Camberwell	3,128	2,927	2,949	2,842	2,954	2,748
Lewisham and North Southwark	4,800	4,726	4,347	5,207	5,496	5,840
Croydon	3,006	2,922	2,709	2,390	1,942	2,142
Kingston and Esher	3,168	3,038	2,948	3,118	2,934	3,070
Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton	2,266	2,333	2,571	2,740	2,899	2,770
Wandsworth	2,939	3,139	2,863	3,048	2,987	3,044
Merton and Sutton	3,530	3,374	3,285	2,622	2,411	2,424

∗Figures before 30 September 1984 exclude a small number of surgical specialist units which were not separately identifiable.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish in the Official Report the index for the movement of National Health Service pay and

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the number of people on the waiting list for acute surgery in each London health district from November 1982 until the latest available date.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 December 1985, c. 155]: The available information at 30 September and 31 March is given in the table.prices since 1970, expressing 1970 costs as 100; and whether separate indices are used to deflate health service costs in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 December 1985, c. 312]: There is not an index of National Health Service pay and price movements, but indices are maintained, based on centrally assessed movements of pay and prices in England, for health and community health service revenue and capital expenditure respectively. The indices are available from 1971–72 and are shown in the table with the index for 1971–72 expressed as 100. Figures are not available for the current financial year.Real increases in expenditure on the HCHS are measured by reference to general inflation, as recorded by movements in the GDP deflator, since this approach records changes in the real cost of the service. It would, in any event, be highly misleading to revalue district or health board expenditure by reference to national pay and price indices, because the composition of that expenditure can vary from the national average.Separate pay and price indices are not maintained for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Hospital and Community Health Services
	Revenue	Capital
1971–72	100·0	100·0
1972–73	109·0	108·2
1973–74	119·6	123·9
1974–75	162·9	154·1
1975–76	209·8	201·3
1976–77	238·7	225·4
1977–78	259·2	257·7
1978–79	284·1	287·8
1979–80	342·4	347·4
1980–81	438·2	437·4
1981–82	474·2	451·4
1982–83	505·0	458·6
1983–84	530·6	465·9
1984–85	561·4	483·1

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether his Department was consulted prior to the designation and eventual implementation of two new bus lanes along Millbank between Parliament square and Abingdon street; what advice was given to the Greater London council; and what assessment he has made of the effect on traffic flows to and from the Palace of Westminster;(2) what representations were received, what advice was given, and what meetings were held with the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis prior to the introduction by the Greater London council of new bus lanes along Millbank between Parliament square and Abingdon street in order to ascertain how they might affect the Palace of Westminster and access to it.

The GLC is solely and entirely responsible for this scheme. I understand that they have consulted the House authorities (who have expressed their concern at the scheme) and the police. They have not consulted me. The GLC has classified the scheme as experimental and my approval is not required. It will be open to Westminster city council from 1 April to decide if it should be abandoned forthwith. Meanwhile, the GLC is pressing ahead despite the concern that has been expressed and the fact that Westminster city council has recently announced a comprehensive review of traffic and environmental conditions in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what changes will be made in the defence budget over the next five years as a result of British participation in the strategic defence initiative.

None. The provision for defence expenditure up to 1988–89 was given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his autumn statement on 12 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many contracts have been created to date for British institutions through the activities of the strategic defence initiative participation office.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of procurement contracts which may be available to the west midlands in the take-up of the United Kingdom's strategic defence initiative responsibilities; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate of the value of research contracts which could accrue to the United Kingdom from the strategic defence initiative research programme.

Since the formal agreement between the United States and United Kingdom Governments on British participation in SDI research was only concluded on 6 December 1985 it would be premature to make such an assessment. We are confident, however, that the terms of the agreement will provide for substantial British participation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation his Department has made of the feasibility of the strategic defence initiative as a defence system.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Meadowcroft).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what defence technology of use to Britain he expects to obtain from United Kingdom participation in the strategic defence initiative.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence said in this House on 9 December 1985, at column 623.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications of United Kingdom participation in strategic defence initiative research for United Kingdom research into emerging technologies with application for conventional defence.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence said in the House on 9 December 1985, at columns 623–24.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what changes will be made in the defence budget over the next five years as a result of British participation in the strategic defence initiative.

I have nothing to add to what my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State said to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present level of planned defence spending as a percentage of all public expenditure; and what was the comparable figure for 1979.

Based on the figure for general Government expenditure in the 1985 autumn statement made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 12 November, planned defence expenditure is expected to be 11·5 per cent. of general Government expenditure in 1985–86, compared to 10 per cent. in 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to discuss the Australian Royal Commission report on British nuclear tests with his Australian counterpart; and if he will make a statement.

At the instigation of the Australian Government, discussions between British and Australian officials took place in Canberra last week on those recommendations of the Australian Royal Commission's report which may affect the United Kingdom. I plan to meet Senator Evans, the Australian Minister for Resources and Energy, next week to discuss these matters. It would be premature to make a statement until the outcome of our discussions with the Australian Government has been fully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, in the light of the recently published line of the A13 marshes route, he will review his Department's need for its landholding on the Rainham marshes.

None of the published routes for the A13 road will be materially affected by the existence of the Purfleet firing range, which is my Department's only remaining landholding in the area. The need for this heavily used range continues.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to equip British soldiers stationed on British soil with man mobile atomic weapons (nuclear back-packs).

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now answer parliamentary questions on the levels of the United Kingdom stock of weapons grade nuclear materials; and if he will make a statement.

It has been the longstanding practice of successive Governments not to disclose information of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate of the proportion of British-made content in the Trident programme.

Approximately 55 per cent. or over £5,100 million by value of the total estimated cost of Trident (£9,285 million at 1984–85 prices and at £1 =S1·38) is planned to be spent in the United Kingdom. In addition, there are a number of British companies competing for work on the United States Trident H programme. To date, 128 contracts (at a value of some $38 million) have been placed with 50 United Kingdom firms. Many of these sub-contracts are for initial quantities with the potential for follow-on orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to complete development of the Trident missile programme; and if he will make a statement.

The development of the United Kingdom Trident system is planned to be completed to enable it to be deployed in the mid-1990s.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the current cost of Trident and the proportion it will take up of the defence budget; and if he will make a statement.

My predecessor announced an estimate of the cost of Trident of £9,285 million at 1984–85 prices and at an exchange rate of £1 = $1·38 on 29 January 1985. Over its procurement period, Trident is expected to absorb about 3 per cent. of the defence budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if there has been a full military review of the International Committee of the Red Cross, protocols 1 and 2 of 1977, initialled by Her Majesty's Government but not yet ratified.

I understand that a full review of the military implications of protocols 1 and 2 was conducted prior to the then Government's initialling of these protocols in 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the likely introduction date of the Nimrod airborne early warning aircraft into squadron service.

This must be dependent on the outcome of the current negotiations with GEC Avionics Limited and on the consequent decisions on the best way to take the project forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects SACEUR to visit the United Kingdom to begin negotiations for the development of modernised battlefield nuclear weapons.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Members for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) and for Orkney and Shetland (Mr. Wallace) on 22 November 1985 at column 351. Initial discussions with SACEUR's staff are planned to commence in February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received about payment of compensation to former service men and women as a result of Britain's nuclear testing programme.

Within the past three months I have received seven such representations. Two of these were inquiries made by hon. Members on behalf of constituents, two were early-day motions laid before the House by hon. Members and three were questions for oral answer tabled by hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department now intends to review claims for compensation to ex-service personnel arising from Britain's nuclear test programme.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Members for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) and Worsley (Mr. Lewis) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will report on progress on the European fighter aircraft.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with his United States counterpart concerning an evaluation of the strategy of mutually assured destruction.

My right hon. Friend's predecessor regularly discussed with Mr. Weinberger matters pertaining to NATO's strategy of deterrence, which has preserved peace with freedom in western Europe for more than 40 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the present cost for training Royal Air Force fighter pilots.

The RAF does not separately categorise fighter pilots. The average cost to the Ministry of Defence of training a student pilot to the point when he joins an operational fast jet squadron is approximately £2·87 million (at 1984–85 prices).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what methods he uses to measure the efficiency of his Department.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed the House of certain steps which have been taken to improve the efficiency of defence in his speech in the defence debate on 12 June 1985, at columns 915–16, and a fuller record was given in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates" (Cmnd. 9430–1).

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if there have been any breaches of security at the private yards where HMS Otter and HMS Euryalus are being refitted.

I am not aware of any breaches in security in these yards. The security arrangements at these private yards were examined in detail by the security authorities, to confirm that they complied with my Department's requirements. Some small improvement in the existing arrangements were made as a result.If the hon. Gentleman has any relevant information I should be grateful to hear from him.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he next intends to meet his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts; and what he expects to discuss.