asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of persons who have been asked to resign from the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, in 1985 as a result of having been charged with crimes, giving separately details of persons who resigned as a result of being charged with scheduled offences.

In 1985 three members of the Ulster Defence Regiment resigned, having been charged with criminal offences. None of these were scheduled offences.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment, and its Reserve, in 1985 have been found to be members of illegal paramilitary organisations or, separately, legal paramilitary organisations such as the Ulster Defence Association or the Third Force.

In 1985 no members of the UDR or its reserve were convicted of membership of any organisation proscribed under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve are currently estimated to be Catholics; what proportion this represents of the regiment's manpower; and how these proportions compare with the recruitment of the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1985.

Between 2 and 3 per cent. of members of the Ulster Defence Regiment have declared their religion as Roman Catholic. In 1985, 4·9 per cent. of those who applied to join the regiment and 4·2 per cent. of those accepted for service during the year declared their religion as Roman Catholic.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning current policy and practice on deployment of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve with particular reference to the areas and circumstances in which it is deemed opportune and inopportune to deploy the regiment.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 11 December 1984 at column 415. The policy has not changed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the average time served in the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve by current operatives for 1985 for each group of non-commissioned officers and other men.

The information requested is as follows:

	Average time served Years
Officers	7·9
Non-commissioned officers	10·1
Other ranks	4·5

NOTE: Figures cover full and part-time, males and females.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the number of operatives by rank, separately, of those who have joined the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve, and of those who have resigned from the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve in 1985.

The information is not available in the form requested. However, the latest available figures for those male and female officers and other ranks who have joined the UDR and who have left the UDR for reasons other than medical or disciplinary or on death for the period October 1984 to September 1985, are as follows:

	Intake	Outflow
Officers
Male	32	42
Female	Nil	Nil
Other ranks
Male	868	813
Female	187	139

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve by rank of serving operative as at 31 December 1985.

The information is as follows. Figures for 31 December 1985 are not yet available and therefore those given are as at the latest date, 31 December 1984.

	Number
Officers
Lt. colonel	2
Major	79
Captain	112
Lieutenant	81
2nd lieutenant	33
Other ranks
Warrant officer 1	—
Warrant officer 2	135
Staff sergeant	168
Sergeant	344
Corporal	619
Lance corporal	743
Private	3,466

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the military equipment of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve listing separately firearms and the type of firearms, motor vehicles, armoured vehicles and type and number of radio, radar and electronics surveillance equipment with which the regiment is equipped today and in each year since its inception.

Details of equipment allocated to the Ulster Defence Regiment between 1970 and 1983 are not available in the form required. For 1983, I refer the hon. Member for my answer to his question of 11 December 1984 at column 412. The establishment of vehicles for the Ulster Defence Regiment has not changed since then. However, the system of accounting for weapons has altered. Like other equipment, weapons are now issued according to the current needs and commitments of each battalion. On 16 January 1986 the following types and numbers of weapons were held:

	Number
Pistol, Walther 7·65mm	*25
Pistol, Walther ·22mm	*22,319
Pistol, 9mm	†983
SMG, 9mm	242
SLR	6,714
LMG/GPMG	163
Shotgun	3
* Personal protection weapons (PPWs).
† Some 50 per cent. of which are issued as PPWs.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the manpower strength of the Ulster Defence Regiment and its Reserve, as between full-time, part-time, male and female operatives on 31 December of the latest calendar year and at the latest available date.

The information is as follows. Figures for 1 January 1986 are not available, and therefore figures for the latest available date, 30 November 1985 are given.

	Full time	Part time	Total
As at 31 December 1985
Male officers	77	209	286
Female officers	10	11	21
Service men	2,406	3,069	5,475
Service women	196	462	658
As at 30 November 1985
Male officers	88	191	279
Female officers	10	10	20
Service men	2,472	2,996	5,468
Service women	195	516	711

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the manpower strength of the British Army in Northern Ireland on 1 January, giving details of the number of operatives at that time for the following categories: Ulster Defence Regiment, regular British Army and British Territorial Army.

The information requested is as follows. Figures for 1 January 1986 are not available and therefore figures for the latest available date, 30 November 1985, are as follows:

	Strength
Ulster Defence Regiment	6,478
Regular Army	9,014
Territorial Army	3,479

The figures for the Ulster Defence Regiment include both full-time and part-time soldiers. Soldiers of the Territorial Army are not used in support of the RUC in counter-terrorist operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has for the refitting of Oberon class patrol submarines; and if he will make a statement.

The refitting of Oberon class submarines is planned to continue into the 1990s. Currently HMS Osiris and HMS Otus are in refit at Devonport dockyard. HMS Onyx is completing refit at Rosyth dockyard with HMS Oracle shortly to commence refit there. HMS Otter is in refit at Humber Shiprepair. There are no plans to invite tenders from commercial yards for any other submarine refit in the immediate future, but we have made clear our intention in the long-term ot introduce the principles of competition to the refitting of naval vessels.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he remains satisfied with security at Greenham common.

I will answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the implications for security at Greenham common of the lessons learnt from Exercise Brave Defender.

I will answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number from an ethnic minority background who are employed in his private office and those of other Ministers in his Department; and what are the positions they occupy.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 January 1986, c. 238]: A phased programme of surveys to determine the ethnic origin of civilian staff in MOD is now being conducted. Staff in private offices have not yet taken part in these surveys, and as participation in the survey is voluntary, we are not in a position to release any ethnic information in advance. The surveys are being carried out according to an agreed code of practice on confidentiality. This code provides that no statistical data should be published which might make it easy to identify the ethnic origin of individuals.

asked the Attorney-General if he will institute proceedings against Lotus cars for offences in connection with its criminal involvement with De Lorean; and if he will make a statement.

The Royal Ulster Constabulary is investigating certain matters relating to the companies to which the hon. Member refers. At the conclusion of that investigation the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland will consider whether any criminal proceedings are appropriate.

asked the Attorney-General if he will prosecute Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha as an accessory after the fact in relation to the murder of WPC Yvonne Fletcher; and if he will make a statement.

The whole of the law relating to accessories after the fact was repealed by the Criminal Law Act 1967 and was replaced by a new offence of impeding the apprehension or prosecution of an offender. I take the question to refer to a possible offence under section 4 of the Criminal Law Act 1967. There is no evidence to justify the prosecution of Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha for such or any other offence.

asked the Attorney-General if he will outline the grounds on which he based his statement to the Prime Minister that he was satisfied that the offer of immunity from prosecution to an individual in connection with the disclosure of official information relating to the Westland affair in no way interfered with the course of justice; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Attorney-General when the Solicitor-General was first informed that extracts from his letter to the then Secretary of State for Defence had been publicly disclosed; and how he was so informed.

Before I authorised the Head of the Civil Service to inform the person concerned that, provided that she gave a full and truthful account of what she knew about this matter, she would not be prosecuted, I satisfied myself, on the basis of what he was already able to report to me, that she was unwilling, unless given such an assurance, to provide the full and frank account of the facts which was essential if the inquiry was to be successful. I was also satisfied that there was in any event no possibility that proceedings would be instituted against her in respect of the part which she had played in this matter.

asked the Attorney-General on what date the Director of Public Prosecutions was consulted about the possibility of instituting proceedings against any persons concerned in the disclosure of official information relating to the Westland affair; on what date senior Treasury counsel were consulted on the same question; and what was their specific role in the matter.

Both the Director of Public Prosecutions and senior Treasury counsel were consulted on 23 January. Their role was to advise me whether the facts of this case justified the institution of criminal proceedings against any person under section 2 of the Official Secrets Acts 1911. My consultation of them was in accordance with the usual practice in matters of this kind.

asked the Attorney-General on what date and at what hour his right hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General first became aware that extracts from his letter of 6 January to the then Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) had been communicated to the Press Association; what was his source of information on this point; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General first learned of the disclosure at about 3 pm on 6 January as a result of my Department being asked to comment on it by representatives of the media shortly before that time.

asked the Attorney-General when he was first informed that extracts from the letter from the Solicitor-General to the then Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine) had been disclosed; and if he will make a statement.

I first learned of the disclosure when I heard reports on the radio at about 5 pm on 6 January.

asked the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report the full text of (a) the lever dated 6 January from his right hon. and learned Friend the Solicitor-General to the then Secretary of State for Defence and (b) the further letter from the Solicitor-General to the then Secretary of State relating to Westland plc.

A copy of my hon. and learned Friend's letter of 6 January was placed in the Library of the House on 15 January. A copy of his further letter of 7 January has today been placed in the Library. I understand that a copy of the letter of 6 January from my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Defence to which that further letter was a reply has also been placed in the Library.

asked the Attorney-General what is his policy towards the offering to named individuals of immunity from prosecution in cases of inquiries into disclosure of official information; what conditions he requires to be fulfilled in such cases before granting his consent to the offering of immunity; and if he will make a statement.

My policy in this matter is to authorise an assurance being given to a witness that he will himself not be prosecuted only if I am satisfied that it is unlikely that he will otherwise be willing to give a full and truthful account of what he knows and that it is necessary. if the true facts are to be established or, as the case may be, if evidence is to be obtained which may permit proceedings to be instituted against others, that he should give that account. Such an assurance is always conditional upon his telling the truth.It is often a relevant consideration that there is no prospect of criminal proceedings being instituted against him, whatever his own anxieties on that matter, or that there is no evidence against him upon which such proceedings could be founded other than what he himself may say.

asked the Paymaster General how many vacancies currently available under the community programme are part-time; and what proportion this number represents of the total number of advertised vacancies under this scheme.

There were about 17,000 unfilled part-time community programme vacancies on 6 December, which was about 77 per cent. of the total number of unfilled vacancies. Part-time jobs on the programme are defined as those involving work for less than 35 hours per week.

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report the 50 parliamentary constituencies in which unemployment has increased by the greatest amount, ranked by the percentage increase in each case.

The following table shows the 50 parliamentary constituents in the United Kingdom in which unemployment has increased by the greatest amount between December 1984 and December 1985, giving the percentage increase in each case.

Parliamentary constituency	Percentage increase
Greenock and Port Glasgow	17·08
Barnsley, West and Penistone	15·39
Holland with Boston	15·35
Barnsley, East	15·31
Woolwich	14·61
Dunfermline, East	14·57
Kirkcaldy	14·29
Central Fife	14·11
Moray	14·10
Yeovil	13·66
Bassetlaw	13·00
Bexhill and Battle	12·92
South-West Norfolk	12·63
Penrith and the Borders	12·47
Ceredigion and Pembroke, North	12·31
Southwark and Bermondsey	12·24
Don Valley	11·88
Hemsworth	11·50
Norwich, North	11·50
Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber	11·46
Great Yarmouth	11·41
Rother Valley	11·06
Dover	10·97
Islwyn	10·71
Doncaster, North	10·26
Wentworth	10·15
Greenwich	10·09
South Norfolk	9·66
Renfrew, West and Inverclyde	9·25
Clwyd, North-West	9·05
Colne Valley	8·86
Enfield, North	8·84
North Antrim	8·52
Torridge and West Devon	8·46
Bury St. Edmunds	8·43
Liverpool, Mossley Hill	8·42
Norwich, South	8·38
North Dorset	8·31
Stafford	8·21
Canterbury	8·20
Bridlington	8·18
Harrogate	7·96
Gainsborough and Horncastle	7·96
Sheffield, Heeley	7·92
Wells	7·91
Westbury	7·91
North Down	7·88
Wigan	7·83
Selby	7·82
Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley	7·80

asked the Paymaster General what steps he is taking to deal with the high risk of the incidence of farmer's lung following last summer's wet hay harvest.

The increased risk of farmer's lung following a wet hay harvest is well known and advice has been available for some years. This year the problem was anticipated. The Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectors have been reminding farmers of the hazards. A news release has been issued highlighting the dangers.

asked the Paymaster General how many fraud investigators his Department employs; and what is his estimate of the amount of public money they saved in 1985.

On 31 December 1985 there were 548 full-time fraud investigators employed in the Department of Employment. It is estimated that they saved £31·8 million in social security benefits in 1985. This estimate is based on an assumption as to the minimum length of time that claimants would have continued claiming benefit fraudulently.

asked the Paymaster General what percentage of his Department's annual budget is spent on staff training; and if he will give details for each of the last five years.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will use his best endeavours to bring to the attention of the farming community in Wales the high risk of farmer's lung this winter following 1985's wet hay harvest.

The ways of minimising this risk have already featured at the many open meetings and demonstrations which have been organised by ADAS over the last few months. The five divisional agricultural offices have published relevant articles in their regular bulletins which are circulated to the farming community and ADAS specialists have made radio and TV broadcasts in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations the National Museum of Wales had with his Department regarding the proposed conditions prior to the arrangements for the forthcoming exhibitions in Japan; and if he will make a statement.

My Department was consulted in October 1985 at the time the arrangements which had been made by the then Director and Keeper of Art Earlier in the year were considered by the Museum Council. It was pointed out to the museum that the matter was entirely one for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the proposed exhibition in Japan of items from the National Museum of Wales; of these, how many were in favour and how many against; and if he will make a statement.

Two; one expressed no particular view, the other expressed concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if, in view of the part played by members of its staff in securing the arrangements for the exhibition of items from the National Museum of Wales in Japan, he will initiate an inquiry into the management of the art department of the National Museum of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Under the terms of the Museum's royal charter the council is responsible for the management of the museum and the superintendence and control of the director and all other officers. It would not be appropriate for me to interfere in these functions. At the same time it is generally recognised that there are problems about housing the visual arts in Wales and I have appointed a small group of experts to inquire into this and report to me with recommendations. I shall write to the hon. Lady and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of jobs in Wales are (a) full-time and (b) part-time.

Of women employees in Wales 44·8 per cent. were part-time in June 1985. The latest available figure for males is for September 1981 when 4·7 per cent. were employed part-time.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh people suffered from dysentery in 1985; how many of these were aged 16 years or under; and what steps he has taken to ensure prevention of a similar outbreak in 1986.

I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the investment per head of population in Welsh industry in real terms in May 1979 and December 1985.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, at the latest available date, how many (a) men and (b) women in Wales have been unemployed for three years or longer.

At October 1985, 25,807 men and 5,244 women had been unemployed for three years or more in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to seek to privatise the Welsh Development Agency; if any review of the Welsh Development Agency is currently underway; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to privatise the Welsh Development Agency. As foreseen in my answer of 4 December 1985 at column 232, a review of the WDA is currently under way as part of the programme of reviews of all of the executive non-departmental public bodies under my control.

asked the Secretary of State for. Wales if he has any plans to privatise the Welsh water authority; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Urban Affairs and Construction on 9 December 1985 at column 467.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the report of the working group set up by the board of the Welsh advisory body on higher education.

The working group has not yet produced its report. It will be for the Wales Advisory Body to decide at what stage the report should be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations the working group set up by the board of the Welsh advisory body on higher education has had with the institutions being considered for rationalisation.

The working group has obtained statistical information from every institution in Wales engaged in initial teacher training. The working group is now considering the information it has collected. It has not entered into consultations with any of the institutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the members of the working group set up by the board of the Welsh advisory body on higher education Ito consider what scope there is for rationalisation of initial teacher training places in Wales.

The members of the working group are:

• Mr. C. Roberts — Deputy director, Polytechnic of Wales (chairman)
• Mr. S. J. Adams—HMI, Wales
• Mr. Colin Alves—Secretary of the National Society
• Mr. J. B. Davies — Principal, Welsh Office Education Department
• Mr. D. Dale Jones—Regional officer, NATFHE
• Dr. B. L. Powell—Secretary, Wales Advisory Body
• Dr. Gareth Owen—Vice-Chancellor, University of Wales
• Mrs. Tydfil Thomas-Member, University Grants Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the members and where appropriate their local authorities of the committee of local government members of the advisory body on higher education.

I chair the committee of the Wales Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education, and the members are as follows

• Councillor E. Currie-Jones, South Glamorgan
• Councillor J. W. Griffiths, Powys
• Councillor J. A. H. Harries, Dyfed
• Councillor G. Jenkins, Gwent
• Councillor W. A. Jones, Clwyd
• Councillor F. J. Kingdom, West Glamorgan
• Councillor J. G. Roberts, Gwynedd
• Councillor P. Squire, Mid Glamorgan

>

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the members and, where appropriate, their academic institutions of the board of the Welsh advisory body on higher education.

The board of the Wales Advisory Body (WAB) is being reconstituted following the conclusion of the review of WAB conducted last year. The bodies represented on the board have been invited to submit nominations. Most of these have now been received and we shall be appointing new members before the next meeting of the board at the end of February.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what changes to the student grant system were investigated during his Department's review.

A wide variety of changes were considered including the extension of student support to all full-time advanced courses, the abolition or reduction of the parental contribution and lowering the age of independence. However, without the introduction of loans, or without some severe cutback to the present system, or of increased funding which would have been contrary to the Government's policies to constrain public expenditure, it would not have been possible to finance such changes, however desirable.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what factors he took into account when deciding that means tested grants to undergraduates and full grants for postgraduates should be increased by £36 a year.

The recently announced 1986–87 grant increase of about 2 per cent. (around £36 a year) represents a balance between students' needs and the total expenditure which taxpayers and ratepayers can reasonably be asked to meet, given other claims on scarce resources. Any increase to student awards agreed following consultations currently being conducted by the Social Security Advisory Committee on the disentitlement of students to certain benefits will be paid in addition to this. The announcement is recorded in Hansard, 16 December 1985, at column 39.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many scientific faculties of universities or polytechnics have been closed during the last six academic years.

No science faculties have been closed in either universities or polytechnics in the last six years. Several small individual science subject departments have been closed or merged.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of Burton Manor college, Merseyside.

I understand that a resolution of the college governors, providing for the termination of the present agreement for the government and maintenance of the college, will shortly be submitted by the Liverpool local education authority to my right hon. Friend, whose confirmation of the resolution and approval to the sale of the premises is required under the terms of the agreement. In reaching his decision my right hon. Friend will take account of the representations which he has already received about it from various quarters, including hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is satisfied that preparation for the new GCSE examination is now proceeding satisfactorily and that courses are likely to be able to commence in September.

The preparations for the introduction of GCSE examinations have so far proceeded according to the timetable set by my right hon. Friend. Teachers have been able to consider draft GCSE syllabuses for some time, and approved syllabuses are now becoming available. The Secondary Examinations Council has completed its preparation and distribution of the materials necessary for the special programme of in-service training seminars, and the examining groups have completed their plans for the delivery of the first round of these training seminars.In accord with the timetable set, the first seminars are being held this month. It is too soon to assess whether this next phase of training programme is proceeding satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his answer of 14 November 1985, Official Report, column 270, if he intends to provide a full response to the British Deaf Association's report entitled "Raise the Standard: The Case for Improving Deaf Children's Education"; if he intends to discuss the issues raised in the report with the British Deaf Association; when he expects to conclude his review of the provision of special schools for hearing-impaired children; and if he will make a statement.

Officials of the Department will be meeting members of the British Deaf Association to discuss their report "Raise the Standard: the Case for Improving Deaf Children's Education". The review of provision of special schools for hearing-impaired children is nearly complete. There are some matters outstanding which initially require action from the providers of the special schools before the review can be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why he is not prepared to institute any review of the salaries and terms of conditions of university and polytechnic teachers and researchers.

As I explained to my hon. Friend in the reply I gave him on 21 January at column 82, pay negotiations are still in progress between the university staff side and the employers. My right hon. Friend has received no joint request for a review. Nor has he received any such request from the two sides responsible for negotiating salaries and terms of conditions of FE lecturers (which includes polytechnic lecturers) to undertake a review.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide further information concerning the nature of the review by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of good practice in regard to discipline in schools; when he expects this to be published; and if he will make a statement.

The review is now underway. It will identify good practice as regards relationships, behaviour, attitudes to work and discipline observed by Her Majesty's Inspectors during their routine and specialist visits to schools so that the generality of schools can learn from the most successful. I hope that the report will be published before the end of 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many compulsory redundancies there have been in maintained schools in England and Wales in each of the past three years.

The Department does not collect data of this kind. Such information as is available would suggest that compulsory redundancies among teachers aged under 50 were rare over this period. Between 1,500 and 2,000 primary and secondary teachers aged 50 and over were prematurely retired on redundancy grounds in each of the last three years but these would in the main have been willing volunteers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to his Department in respect of children who are educated out of school and subsequently taken into care by the local authority under a compulsory care order; how many such cases are known to him; and what representations he has received.

The Department collects no information about such cases and only one has come to the attention of my right hon. Friend recently. Representations have been made by the parents that the authority concerned have acted unreasonably and the matter is currently being considered within the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be in a position to make a statement about the pay of clinical academic staff.

My right hon. Friend will reply as soon as possible to the request for additional funding from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply of 29 October, Official Report, column 467, what are the reasons for the delay in reaching a decision regarding the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals' request for extra funding to cover the 1985 pay award for clinical academic staff.

The report from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals raises questions of general principle in relation to the Government's public expenditure policies that have to be considered carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what promise his Department made to the National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association with regard to consultations on the production of a national plan for deaf-blind education; and what action has been taken on this matter subsequently.

The Department is preparing a consultation paper on the education of deaf-blind children and will consult the National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association (now called SENSE) together with other interested parties. A meeting is being arranged with SENSE, after which it is hoped that the consultation paper will be ready for circulation fairly shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research he has sponsored into the behaviour of the Epstein-Barr virus, the incidence of infectious mononucleosis, commonly called glandular fever, and into the development of a suitable viral vaccine.

The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid through the Department, is the main Government agency for the promotion of medical research in the United Kingdom. I understand that the council is supporting some such research and I will write to my hon. Friend with details.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement explaining the factors which he takes into account in establishing the level of student grant.

The level of student grant represents a balance between covering students' needs and the total expenditure which taxpayers and ratepayers can reasonably be asked to meet, given other claims on scarce resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether Her Majesty's Goverment intend the £36 compensation sum, to be paid to students under his White Paper scheme, to be means-tested.

Any increase in the student grant arising from the present proposals to change student's entitlement to social security benefits would be means-tested in the usual way. The vast majority of students would, however, receive the additional sum in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of his Department's annual budget is spent on staff training; and if he will detail this for each of the last five years.

The information is as follows

Expenditure on staff training as a percentage of administration costs
	per cent
1980–81	0·12
1981–82	0·16
1982–83	0·21
1983–84	0·23
1984–85	0·27

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the percentage change in the funding of each university by the University Grants Committee between 1980–81 and 1984–85, excluding those amounts representing compensation for changes in home student fees, for redundancy and for early retirement, changes to take account of minor capital works from the recurrent grant, changes in the level of local authority rates additions made for the information technology and new blood programmes;(2) what is the percentage change in real terms, measured by the gross domestic product deflator, in the funding of each university by the University Grants Committee between 1980–81 and 1984–85, excluding those amounts representing compensation for changes in home student fees, compensation for redundancy and early retirement, changes to take account of minor capital works from the recurrent grant and changes in the level of local authority rates

[pursuant to his reply, 21 January 1986, c. 150]: The title of the table in cols 150–151 contained a typographical error and should read "Percentage change in UGC funding (Academic Year) 1980–81 to 1984–85."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the continued presence of South African military attachés in the United Kingdom.

In accordance with the measures agreed with our European partners, we have withdrawn our military attachés from Pretoria and have undertaken not to grant accreditation to military attachés from South Africa.The question of the continued presence of existing South African attachés is under review with our European partners.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, for each of the 51 judgments against signatory nations delivered by the European Court of Human Rights, whether the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe has passed a resolution under article 54 of the European Convention on Human Rights satisfying itself that the Government involved have executed the judgment of the court and, where such a resolution has been passed, the date on which it was done.

The information requested by my hon. Friend is being assembled and I shall arrange for it to be published in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which other European Governments, in addition to the Italian Government, his Department contacted over the future of Westland plc; what instructions were given to ambassadors in each country; and what response was received from each of the individual Governments.

At various times over the last two months, my Department has been in contact with the Governments of France, the Federal Republic of Germany, the Netherlands and Italy, over the future of Westland plc. In these contacts it was emphasised to the Governments that in the view of Her Majesty's Government the future of Westland plc was a matter for the board of Westland and the company's shareholders to decide. The Governments concerned took note of this position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response was made by the Italian Government to Lord Bridges' representations regarding public statements by the Italian Government relating to Westland plc.

The Italian Government took note of the representation made by Lord Bridges.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of torture being carried out abroad with the aid of British-made equipment.

We are not aware of any specific reports of the use of British instruments for the purpose of torture in other countries.I am ready to look into any cases that are drawn to my attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what time scale Her Majesty's Government have in mind with regard to the United Kingdom's ultimate ratification of the United Nations Convention on Torture and the European Convention on Torture; and if he will make a statement.

We intend to ratify this convention, which we signed on 15 March 1985, when the necessary procedures ahve been completed. We need to examine first whether our current legislation and other arrangements accord with its provisions or whether new legislation will be required. This examination and further consultation with the dependent territories, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will necessarily take time.The draft European Convention against Torture is still under negotiation by an expert committee of the Council of Europe. We are participating constructively in those negotiations. Our objective is a convention that can be signed and ratified by all members of the Council of Europe.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received and what overtures he has made to the Soviet Government about the case of Valeri Barinov.

During 1985, representations were received from 20 hon. Members in the form of letters on the case of Valeri Barinov. Mr. Barinov's case was among those raised by our delegation to the CSCE experts' meeting on human rights in Ottawa last year in bilateral discussions with the Soviet delegation. We continue to take every suitable opportunity to register with the Soviet authorities our concern for better implementation of the humanitarian provisions of the Helsinki final act. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs most recently did so with Soviet Deputy Foreign Minister Ryzhov on 21 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha has been accorded diplomatic status; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha had diplomatic status at the time of the seige of the Libyan People's Bureau.

Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha was employed by the former Libyan people's bureau as a film technician until he left the United Kingdom on 27 April. At no time was he notified to us as a diplomatic agent nor a member of the administrative and technical staff; he had no diplomatic status. He is not now notified to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in any capacity.Any question about his presence in the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the majority shareholding of South Atlantic Islands Development Corporation Limited.

We understand that Field Nominees Limited, a subsidiary nominee company of the Bank of Butterfield and Son Ltd., Bermuda, holds 75 per cent. of the corporation's issued shares to the order of financial institutions. Of these shares, a British-Swiss financial institution, SG Warburg Bank AG, holds 7,000 of the corporation's shares (equivalent to 70 per cent. of the issued capital) on behalf of two European legal entities, whose directors are all of European nationality and domicile.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will maintain the embargo on arms sales to Israel until that country has withdrawn its forces from neighbouring countries.

We imposed restrictions on arms sales to Israel in direct response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. We welcomed Israel's decision to withdraw, but are disappointed by the residual Israeli presence on Lebanese territory. Our policy is kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if any progress has been made to clarify the position of last D schools at Balncraig, Balrossie, Kerelaw, Kibble, Oakbank, Rossie and St. Mary's, Kenmure, respectively;(2) if he will list the facilities available to those children displaced by the closure of list D schools, in each region.

I understand that these schools intend to continue after 31 March 1986. The redundancy notices issued to the staff of St. Mary's, Kenmure, on 27 December 1985 were withdrawn by the managers on 10 January 1986 following discussion between the churches and Strathclyde region.The case of each child affected by closure of a list D school will be reviewed by a children's hearing. Local authorities are responsible for providing or securing the provision of facilities including residential and other accommodation, and full information on this is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the alternative provisions available to cater for the needs of children displaced by the closure of List D schools; and if he will make a statement.

Regional authorities are at present negotiating the terms on which financial support will be offered to the list D schools whose services they require. The total capacity of the list D system currently exceeds demand by some 240. Two schools have so far intimated that they intend to close. Authorities are responsible for providing or securing the provision of facilities, including residential and other accommodation. It is not for me to intervene in these matters, but my Department will continue to respond sympathetically to any requests for advice from the parties to the negotiations. Full information about local facilities is not held centrally.The case of each child affected by closure will be reviewed by a children's hearing. The review will not necessarily lead to transfer of the child to another residential establishment. It is open to the hearing to vary the terms of the supervision requirement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of rickets were notified in Scotland in each year from 1980 to 1985.

Rickets is not a notifiable disease and the information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was spent by the Government, local authorities and the National Coal Board on land reclamation in Scotland in 1975 and every year until 1985; and what acreage of land was reclaimed by each body.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for grants under the crofting townships roads programme have been refused in the current financial year.

35 applications had been received by the Scottish Development Department, and remained unapproved when revised arrangements for winding up the programme were announced on 23 October 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to make a formal response to the representations concerning the establishment of a rural aid fund which were made by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities at a meeting with the Minister of State on 12 July 1985.

I hope to respond shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will use his best endeavours to bring to the attention of the farming community in Scotland the high risk of farmers' lung this winter following 1985's wet hay harvest.

Advice to farmers in Scotland is a function of the three Scottish agricultural colleges which produce leaflets drawing farmers' attention to this particular hazard.Because of the increased risk due to the exceptionally wet weather in 1985 the problem has been further drawn to the attention of farmers in a number of ways. There have been new releases to the media and the subject has been covered in radio broadcasts, in articles in farming journals and in newsletters which are circulated to farmers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what security consideration determined boot and bonnet searches of the cars of hon. Members attending the Scottish Grand Committee in Edinburgh on 20 January.

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

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the cost of holding the Scottish Grand Committee meeting in Edinburgh on 20 January.

The details on the basis of which a figure could be given are not yet available. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many visits have been made by each of the departmental Select Committees, including visits by Sub-Committees, since their appointment, abroad and within the United Kingdom; and what is the total cost for each Committee, together with the global cost for each Committee and for all departmental Committees since their inception.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 January 1986, c. 289–92]: Whilst all the visits referred to in the table involved official Select Committee business, they were not necessarily all quorate visits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands police constabulary as to the numbers of uniformed and civilian manpower in his force, as to the levels of pay which have been allocated to each rank of officer, as to the number of officers in his force who have been employed on drug detection duties each year since 1979 and as to what proportion of the expenditure of the West Midlands police constabulary will qualify within the framework of the 8 per cent. increment which he intends to allocate to police in England and Wales.

On 30 November 1985 there were 6,539 police officers and 1,354 full-time and 289 part-time civilian staff in the West Midlands police.The rates of pay or salary scales of each rank of police officer in the West Midlands police are as follows:

	£ per annum
Chief Constable	40,500
Deputy Chief Constable	32,400
Assistant Chief Constables	26,730
Chief Superintendents
On promotion	22,671
After 1 year	22,995
After 2 years	23,511
After 3 years	24,072
Superintendents
On promotion	20,394
After 1 year	20,913
After 2 years	21,432
After 3 years	22,143
Chief Inspectors
On promotion	14,991
After 1 year	15,411
After 2 years	15,828
After 3 years	16,254
After 4 years	16,677
Inspectors
On promotion	13,203
After 1 year	13,617
After 2 years	14,151
After 3 years	14,568
After 4 years	14,991
Sergeants
On promotion	11,508
After 1 year	12,033
After 2 years	12,456
After 3 years	12,870
After 4 years	13,203
Constables
Less than 1 year's service (under 22)	7,212

	£ per annum
Less than 1 year's service (over 22)	*9,075
After 1 year (under 22)	7,710
After 1 year (over 22)	*9,075
After 2 years	9,705
After 3 years	9,291
After 4 years	9,597
After 5 years	9,927
After 6 years	10,245
After 7 years	10,563
After 8 years	10,875
After 12 years	11,508
After 15 years	12,033
* These rates are only payable to persons who join the service for the first time aged 22 or over.

The strength of the drug squad in the West Midlands police was 39 during the period 1979 to December 1985 when it was increased to 55.The planned increases in cash provision for total police expenditure in England and Wales are not allocated to individual forces. The West Midlands police budget is determined by the police authority. In setting the police budget for 1986–87 the authority will need to take account of my right hon. Friend's determination of its maximum precept, under section 68 of the Local Government Act 1985. Authorised police expenditure qualifies for 50 per cent. specific grant from the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners have been transferred from (a) England and Wales to Northern Ireland in the latest available calendar year, (b) from Northern Ireland to England and Wales in the latest available calendar year, (c) from Scotland to Northern Ireland in each year since 1979 and (d) from Northern Ireland to Scotland in each year since 1979; and under which section of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 such transfers were carried out.

Five prisoners were transferred from England and Wales to Northern Ireland in 1985, two of them on more than one occasion. Four of these transfers were under section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 (permanent transfer) one under section 27 (temporary transfer) and two under section 29 (transfer for judicial purposes). No prisoner was transferred from Northern Ireland to England and Wales. Transfers between Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times Patrick Hackett (342603 Parkhurst) has been held in single cellular confinement; what was the average time spent by the prisoner in single cell confinement; and what was the shortest and longest time so spent.

On one occasion Mr. Hackett has been awarded two terms of 28 days cellular confinement, to run concurrently.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the number of parking tickets evaded by diplomats in the Metropolitan police area in each of the last three years for which figures are available; if he will break down the figures by country in each case; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend was given the figures for 1983 and 1984 in reply to his earlier questions on illegal parking by diplomats on 13 February 1985 at columns 193–95; and 10 July 1985 at columns 457–61. The available figures for 1985 were given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in his reply of 15 November 1985 to my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) at columns 301–3. The figures for the final quarter of 1985 are not yet available, but the preliminary indications are that the improvement which followed the introduction of the new and stricter policy on 1 May continued in the last quarter of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many instances there have been of public prosecutions of school teachers for assaults on pupils in each police force area in the past three years; and how many resulted in a conviction.

Information is not collected centrally on the circumstances of offences of assault which are the subject of court proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for the reform of the prison system in the light of the Howard League for Penal Reform's report, Women in the Penal System, copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend is considering this interesting report, which he received on 23 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the report made to him by the Metropolitan police on the Commissioner's annual strategy.

My right hon. Friend did so on 14 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he has set up to monitor the burdens of business arising from provisions of the Data Protection Act.

The Data Protection Registrar has been asked to report to the Home Office on the impact of the Act on businesses after it has come fully into force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will designate Leeds-Bradford airport as a port of entry; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to require the repatriation of all Libyan student engineers currently under training at airports in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Applications for leave to enter or remain have to be considered individually in accordance with the immigration rules. There are no grounds to justify a general policy of curtailing the stay or deporting all Libyan student engineers currently under training at airports here. But Libyan nationals remain subject to the strict immigration controls announced by my right hon. and learned Friend, the then Home Secretary, on 1 May 1984, and all applications from them are closely scrutinised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be replying to the letter of 12 November sent to him by the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding the Remembrance ceremony in Whitehall; and what was the reason for the delay in replying.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible. I am sorry not to have replied before, but I am still considering carefully the points made in the letter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about why Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha was in the Libyan People's Bureau and what he was doing there at the time of the siege in April 1984.

At the time of the siege in April 1984, Mr. Ben Rabha was a locally engaged employee of the Libyan People's Bureau, working as a film technican. There is no evidence that he was personally implicated in the shooting of WPC Fletcher.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the estimates he has received from chief constables or police authorities of the additional costs arising from implementation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 for each police force area in England and Wales.

In the long term the Act is intended to be broadly neutral as regards resources. My right hon. Friend has, however, agreed to adjustments in force establishments in a number of cases, for reasons associated in part with the requirements of the Act. The estimates and information which he has received from chief constables and police authorities have not been confined solely to additional costs arising specifically from implementation.The substantial training requirement for all serving police officers has now been completed, and new recruits are being taught the procedures in the Act as part of their basic training, instead of the complex of separate statutory and informal provisions which their predecessors had to learn.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a statement of the estimates he has received of the additional costs arising in respect of magistrates' courts in England and Wales from implementation of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act.

Minor additional costs will arise as the result of the occasional need to hold courts outside normal office hours. Any expenditure of this kind will be marginal, and no separate estimates are available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people in Wales in 1985 were convicted of drug-related offences.

The latest available information relates to 1984 when 1,297 persons were found guilty in Wales of offences under drugs legislation or of other offences involving controlled drugs. The corresponding figure for 1985 will not be available before the late summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the energy research and development budget is devoted to non-nuclear subjects; and if he will make a statement.

My Department's expenditure on non-nuclear R & D in 1984–85 was £41 million or 17 per cent. of its total R & D budget. The principal items in this non-nuclear programme are renewables, energy efficiency and offshore oil and gas.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what support he plans to provide for research and development of renewable energy sources over the next five years; and if he will make a statement.

The renewable sources of energy have a key role in the Government's energy strategy and strong support for their research and development will continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about voluntary insulation groups.

My Department's Energy Efficiency Office provides grant aid for voluntary sector insulation projects and for the national co-ordinating charity, Neighbourhood Energy Action. The number of projects now operating represents a six fold increase since my right hon. Friend launched his energy efficiency initiative in 1983 and the number will more than double by the end of Energy Efficiency Year 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about Energy Efficiency Year.

I shall of course keep the House regularly informed about the progress with the year. I am delighted to say that, since December, the number of events planned for the year has risen from 500 to over 700 and is still rising. 1,100 top executives attended the first of my new series of breakfast briefings in London last week.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Electricity Council to discuss electricity charges.

I meet the chairman of the Electricity Council frequently. Prices are for the industry to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much electricity was imported and exported via the Channel link in the most recent period for which figures are available.