asked the Lord Privy Seal how many telephone complaints have been registered in the Palace of Westminster, and how many faults have been reported, in each year since 1969.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will detail visits, home and overseas, made by each Select Committee since 1979, indicating the number of members involved, the place and purpose of the visit and the cost to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 January 1986, c. 529]: I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce legislation to seek to supersede the warrant sale method of debt collecting; and if he will make a statement.

for Scotland: The Government are aware of the criticisms levelled at the warrant sale procedure in recent years. Last November we presented to Parliament the Scottish Law Commission's report on diligence and debtor protection containing wide-ranging recommendations for reform of the law, including that relating to warrant sales. We are anxious to see the law reformed and, with a view to introducing legislation at the earliest possible opportunity, have issued a consultation paper inviting comments.The commission stresses the need to look at its proposals as a whole and also emphasises the need for a system of debt enforcement to be effective as well as humane.Since the consultation period lasts until mid-March 1986 and final policy decisions on implementation of the proposals have yet to be made, it would not be appropriate to make any further statement at this time.Copies of the report and the consultation paper are available on the Libraries of both Houses.

asked the Attorney-General when he first approached the Prime Minister or her office with a request that a leak inquiry should be set up into the disclosure of extracts from the Solicitor-General's letter of 6 January to the then Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine); what response he received; what subsequent discussions took place on the matter between him or his office on the one hand, and the Prime Minister and her office, on the other; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 30 January to a similar question from the right hon. Member for Swansea, West (Mr. Williams). When I initially sought the views of the head of the Civil Service on 7 January, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister described to the House on 27 January, the Prime Minister's office was informed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the total number of neighbourhood watch schemes operating in the Metropolitan police district broken down by (a) boroughs and (b) police divisions.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that at the end of 1985 there were 3,770 neighbourhood watch schemes operating in the Metropolitan police district. The breakdown of these schemes by police division is as follows:

Number of established Neighbourhood Watch schemes as at 31 December 1985
Metropolitan Police Division	Number
Barkingside	35
Chingford	17
Ilford	14
Leyton	6
Kings Cross	7
Holloway	14
Edmonton	8
Enfield	26
Hornsey	20
Tottenham	69
Hackney	15
Stoke Newington	10
Leman Street	3
Bethnal Green	6
Limehouse	6
Romford	69
Dagenham	28
East Ham	27
West Ham	14
Peckham	40
Southwark	9
Carter Street	44
Catford	146
Lewisham	111
Orpington	153
Bromley	150
Greenwich	34
Woolwich	33
Bexleyheath	43
Brixton	38
Kennington	9
Streatham	36
Clapham	18
Wimbledon	77
Croydon	190
Norbury	738
Epsom	365

Metropolitan Police Division	Number
Chiswick	18
Hounslow	19
Twickenham	48
Richmond	37
Battersea	45
Tooting	131
Wandsworth	199
Kingston	80
Chelsea	25
Kensington	31
Notting Hill	24
Hammersmith	12
Fulham	10
Shepherds Bush	16
Ealing	47
Southall	18
Ruislip	54
Hayes	10
Kentish Town	7
Hampstead	29
Holborn	3
Harrow	100
Wembley	33
Kilburn	6
Barnet	50
Golders Green	21
West Hendon	24
Gerald Road	5
Rochester Row	3
West End Central	1
Vine Street	2
Marylebone	2
Paddington	22
Harrow Road	10

The information required as regards London boroughs, which are not conterminous with police divisions, is not held centrally and could be obtained only with considerable difficulty and at significant cost. Moreover, a number of neighbourhood watch schemes will almost certainly cross borough boundaries.

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 how many premises are fitted with audible intruder alarms and in respect of what proportion of these the police have been notified of at least two keyholders.

I understand from the Commissioner that this information is not available as there is no requirement to report the installation of alarms signalled by bells only. Where such notification is nevertheless received, it is force policy to require the alarm holder to notify the police of at least two keyholders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of the operation of the list of premises where false alarms regularly originate, maintained by the Metropolitan police; whether the police intend to make a charge for removal of such premises from the list; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that no such list is maintained for alarms signalled by bells only. Records are, however, kept of alarm systems whose signals go to the police direct or via central stations maintained by alarm companies. The Metropolitan police, in common with other police forces in England and Wales, continues to operate a policy of withdrawal of direct police response to such alarms if they generate an unacceptable number of false calls. Police response is reinstated only after a specified period, and after inspection by the Metropolitan police burglar alarm inspectorate. There is currently no charge for this inspection, but the Commissioner is considering the introduction of one.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to remove tax on police rent allowances.

Tax legislation is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. But under regulation 50 of the Police Regulations 1979, the tax paid on rent allowance is reimbursed by police authorities in the following financial year by means of compensatory grant. Rent allowance is thus effectively tax free.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time taken by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board in dealing with claims.

Information is not available on the average time taken to deal with applications to the board. As stated in the board's past annual report (Cmnd. 9684, paragraph 5), three quarters of cases resolved in the 1984–85 financial year were resolved within a year of application.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any investigations are carried out by inspectors, employed under the Cruelty to Animals Act, into the source of animals used in experimentation.

No, this is not currently part of the duties of inspectors appointed under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. Under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Bill, the source of all animals used in scientific procedures will be controlled by means of conditions attached to the project licences, and to the certificates of designated breeding, supplying and scientific procedure establishments. One of the duties of the inspectors will be to visit designated establishments to ensure that conditions of licences and certificates are being complied with.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Home Office inspectors employed between 1980 and to date, under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, have previously performed experiments on animals in commercial, academic or Government laboratories.

It is not the practice to provide information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to prohibit the draize eye irritancy test.

No. There is not yet any proven non-sentient alternative to this test. However, we intend to issue guidance to researchers with the aim of ensuring that the test is used only where absolutely necessary and that any painful effects are reduced to a minimum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the authorised establishment of the Sussex police force; what is the present strength of the force; and what representations he has received from the Sussex police authority on the level of grant.

The authorised establishment of the Sussex police is 2,830. The strength of the force on 31 December 1985 was 2,790. My right hon. Friend has not received any representations recently from the Sussex police authority about the level of grant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the policy implications of the report by Mr. Nigel Baker QC, on the incident at Fulbourn hospital, Cambridgeshire, involving Claude Dixon, a former patient at Broadmoor; if, in light of the report's findings, he is satisfied that it was in the public interest to discharge this person from Broadmoor; what arrangements he has made for the future safe custody of this person; and if he will review the criteria applied when considering the recommendations for release of psychotic killers from prison hospitals.

We have received a copy of Mr. Baker's report and are studying it, as I understand is my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.The committee of inquiry found no reason to criticise the decision to transfer Mr. Dixon to Fulbourn hospital, and we consider that it was reasonable in the light of the information which was available at the time. We already take full account of considerations of public safety when considering proposals for the transfer of mentally disordered offenders from special hospitals such as Broadmoor. Mr. Dixon is now being detained in Broadmoor hospital under a restriction order made for an indefinite period.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer, Official Report, column 710, to the hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire of 17 January, what steps he proposes to take to monitor the level of compliance of local education authorities with the statutory requirements regarding morning worship in schools under the Education Act 1944.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to collect information centrally on this matter. Where complaints are made to him that the requirements of the Education Act 1944 on collective worship are not being met in a particular school, he obtains details of the circumstances of the individual case and carefully considers these in the light of his statutory functions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how many teachers employed specifically to teach art there are in each local education authority.

The information requested is not held centrally. Information for England as a whole is available from a staffing survey carried out by the Department in 1984 among a sample of maintained secondary schools. It is estimated from this survey that some 23,000 full-time and 3,000 part-time teachers had art as a subject forming part of a qualification above A-level. Some 16,000 full-time teachers were teaching art. Not all of them had the subject as part of a qualification above A-level, but those who did not were providing only about 5 per cent. of tuition in art. Some teachers of art were teaching others subjects as well.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the outcome of the third conference of European Ministers of Labour organised by the Council of Europe.

At the conference there was a useful exchange of views on employment trends, youth unemployment and the impact of new technology on employment, which provided a good opportunity to explain United Kingdom Government policy on these issues. I shall be arranging for a copy of the final communiqué to be placed in the Library as soon as the definitive text is available.

asked the Paymaster General what consideration has been give to the encouragement of job clubs in Hertfordshire; how such organisations are run; and if he will make a statement.

The Manpower Services Commission currently operates 30 job clubs to help longer term unemployed people find jobs, and is evaluating their effectiveness. Should this confirm their early success, the commission has been asked to introduce a national network of 200 job clubs by the end of this year These plans include a proposal for a job club at Stevenage jobcentre. Other sites have yet to be chosen.Job clubs are organised by jobcentre staff. The job club leader runs a series of sessions over a two-week period designed to restore self-confidence and teach job-hunting techniques. The leader then encourages and supports members in their search for work. Initial evidence suggests that two thirds of all people passing through job clubs enter employment.

asked the Paymaster General what is his latest estimate, by trade and professional categories, of the number of self-employed in the United Kingdom.

Estimates from the labour force survey conducted in spring 1984 of the number of self-employed in the United Kingdom by occupational groupings are contained in the following table:

Self-employed persons by occupation, United Kingdom, 1984
	Classification of Occupations 1980 Occupation Order	Thousands
I	Professional and related supporting management; senior national and local government managers	143
II	Professional and related in education, welfare and health	150
III	Literary, artistic and sports	101
IV	Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields	76
V	Managerial	904
VI	Clerical and related	79
VII	Selling	146
VIII	Security and protective service	2
IX	Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal service	115
X	Farming, fishing and related	68
XI	Materials processing, making and repairing (excluding metal and electrical)	197
XII	Processing, making, repairing and related (metal and electrical)	226
XIII	Painting, repetitive assembling, product inspecting, packaging and related	93
XIV	Construction, mining and related	268
XV	Transport operating, materials moving and storing and related	120
XVI	Miscellaneous	6
	All occupations*	2,698

asked the Paymaster General if he plans to introduce legislation to seek to increase the minimum amount of money given to people made redundant.

There are no plans to change employees' statutory entitlements, although an order already approved increases to £155 the amount of weekly earnings reckonable for redundancy pay purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is (a) the level of output, (b) the number of jobs and (c) the percentage of the work force in the Northern Ireland manufacturing industry for each year since 1979.

The information requested is as follows:

Year	Index of manufacturing output (1980=100) (annual average)	Employees in employment in manufacturing at June	Manufacturing as a per cent. of total employees in employment at June
1979	106	144,950	28
1980	100	135,360	26
1981	95	121,240	25
1982	91	108,700	23
1983	94	102,510	22
1984	96	101,430	22
1985	*98	101,070	22

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs were created by the Northern Ireland Industrial Development Board in 1985; and if the board met its target of new jobs for this year.

In the calendar year 1985, the IDB promoted 3,966 new jobs in Northern Ireland. The target for new job promotions in the financial year 1985–86 is 5,750.This has proved a difficult period for investment but at present it is not possible to say whether or not the target will be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many plastic bullets have been fired in Northern Ireland since the beginning of the current year; in what circumstances; in what locations the bullets were fired; and how many persons were injured as a result of the use of plastic bullets.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1986, c.408]: During 1985 1,173 plastic baton rounds were fired in Northern Ireland. Eleven people were allegedly injured during that period. So far this year 10 plastic baton rounds were fired and there have been no reports of anyone having been injured.I am writing to the hon. Member with the information he has requested about the circumstances and places in which the baton rounds were fired. A copy of my letter will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show how many firearms, by type, namely, handguns, rifles, shotguns or fully automatic weapons, were seized by the security forces in Northern Ireland in the latest calendar year and to date; and, for each type, how many were legally held weapons stolen by terrorist organisations from (i) civilians, (ii) the Royal Ulster Constabulary, (iii) the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve, (iv) the Ulster Special Constabulary, (v) the Ulster Defence Regiment and (vi) the Regular Army.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1986, c. 408–9]: Information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate

January 1985 to December 1985
	Pistols/revolvers	Rifles	Machine guns/sub-machine guns	Shotguns
Firearms recovered by the Security Forces in Northern Ireland	76	47	6	44
Legally held firearms stolen in Northern Ireland—stolen from:
Army	1	—	—	—
Ulster Defence Regiment	12	3	—	—
Royal Ulster Constabulary/Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve	6	—	—	—
Civilians	9	13	—	79

1 January to 19 January 1986
	Pistols/revolvers	Rifles	Machine guns/ sup-machine guns	Shotguns
Firearms recovered by the Security Forces in Northern Ireland	3	4	—	6
Legally held firearms stolen in Northern Ireland—stolen from:
Army	—	—	—	—
Ulster Defence Regiment	—	—	—	—
Royal Ulster Constabulary/Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve	1	—	—	—
Civilians	—	—	—	2

asked the Prime Minister if any disciplinary action is to be taken against any member of her staff over their conduct in the disclosure of the Solicitor-General's letter to the then Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Henley (Mr. Heseltine).

Breaches of discipline by officials are matters for Heads of Departments, but so far as I am aware there has been no breach of the disciplinary code in this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the production of the Trident warheads will begin.

The production of warheads will fully support the Trident submarine in-service date of the mid-1990s.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the testing of the Trident D5 warheads.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bosworth (Sir. A. Butler), in response to a question from the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown) on 24 May 1985 at column 600.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the report by Lord Hill-Norton into the choice cost. Such information as is available about weapons which have been recovered or stolen is given in the following table:of the new frigate for the Royal Navy; when he will be in a position to announce what action he proposes to take on it; and if he will make a statement.

I cannot comment on Lord Hill-Norton's report until it is received and I have had the opportunity to study it. Publication will, of course, be a matter for the author.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if officials of his Department have had any discussions with United Technologies concerning British participation in the strategic defence initiative; and if he will make a statement.

No such discussions have taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if there are any plans further to privatise facilities provided at, or duties carried out by, established Ministry of Defence units at Royal Naval Air Service, Yeovilton.

The Ministry of Defence already makes extensive use of civilian flying services under contract to perform certain support and training tasks at RNAS Yeovilton and this will continue. Further privatisation of the maintenance of aircraft ground support equipment and ground radio installations is being considered. In addition, in line with other RN establishments, responsibility for grounds maintenance will be transferred to the PSA which will then put the task out to contract. For Yeovilton this is likely to occur by early 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Nimrod programme.

I have nothing to add to the answers I gave to my hon. Friend on 14 January at column 914.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the implications for British Aerospace generally and its Woodford plant in particular of a possible cancellation of the Nimrod airborne early warning programme.

British Aerospace work on the Nimrod AEW Mk 3 project is well advanced; but I can assure my hon. Friend that no decision on the future of the project would be taken without careful assessment of the industrial implications.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he proposes to place an order for 105 FD ammunition; and which companies he proposes to order it from.

We have this week placed an order for 105 FD ammunition with the RO factory at Chorley. We expect to place a further order for a smaller quantity later this year; it has not yet been decided with whom.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the audit report into the Marine Services Department.

A copy of a consultative document detailing the audit's findings was placed in the Library when the report was issued to the trade unions last July.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a list of the related establishments to Rosyth and Devonport royal dockyards, as referred to in the Dockyard Services Bill.

Those "related establishments" for which Rosyth and Devonport dockyards currently provide support and which may, under the terms of the Dockyard Services Bill, continue to receive such support from commercially managed dockyards, include:

• HMS Drake
• HMS Raleigh
• HMS Fisgard
• HMS Cambridge
• HMS Seahawk
• HMS Cochrane (including Caledonia Training Centre)
• HMS Gannet
• HMS Neptune
• Clyde submarine base
• Principal supplies and transport officer (Navy), Devonport Naval base
• Principal supplies and transport officer (Navy) Rosyth Naval base
• Royal Naval armament depot, Crombie
• Royal Naval armament depot, Ernesettle
• Royal Naval armament depot, Bull Point
• Royal Naval stores depot, Wrangaton
• Royal Naval stores depot, Exeter
• Royal Naval stores depot, Lathalmond
• Royal Elizabeth yard, Kirkliston
• Royal William yard
• Thanckes oil fuel depot

• Keyham oil fuel depot
• Maritime headquarters, Mount Rise
• Maritime headquarters, Pitreavie
• Royal Naval hospital, Stonehouse
• Britannia Royal Naval college, Dartmouth
• Admiralty research establishment, Rosyth
• Royal Marines Arbroath
• Royal Marines Lympstone
• Royal Marines Stonehouse
• Royal Marines Seaton barracks
• Royal Marines Bickleigh
• Royal Marines Coypool
• Royal Marines Instow
• Royal Marines Citadel
• Royal Naval engineering college Manadon
• Royal Naval air station Culdrose
• Captain Fleet maintenance
• Royal Maritime auxiliary service Turnchapel
• Clyde Marine Services, Greenock
• Royal Naval Reserve and Cadet training, Corps units
• Wireless and telegraph stations
• Royal Naval Auxiliary service stations
• Royal Naval air workshop, Almondbank

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if there are any plans to put the work of Admiralty surface weapons establishment, Portsmouth, out to private contractors.

The former Admiralty surface weapons establishment was merged on 1 April 1984 with other units to form the Admiralty research establishment (ARE). So far as ARE sites in the Portsmouth area are concerned, there are currently no firm plans to contractorise operations but a number of possibilities are being examined, including the operation and maintenance of facilities at Haslar and at the experimental diving unit and physiological laboratory at Portsmouth and Alverstoke, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the closed document in the Public Record Office, entitled "Damage to Ship Containing Chemical Weapons" (AN2–13585) will be released;(2) whether the closed document in the Public Record Office, entitled "Damage to Ship Containing Chemical Weapons" (AN2–13585) refers to the SS John Henry in Bari harbour in December 1943; and if he will make a statement.

The document in question is not closed, but is open to inspection by members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the personnel of the companies which have visited Her Majesty's dockyards at Rosyth and Devonport in order to acquaint themselves with facilities and services in which they might be interested in relation to the Dockyard Services Bill and the personnel of his Department whom they met on such visits.

[pursuant to his answer, 30 January 1986, c. 629]: About 40 representatives of companies which have expressed an interest in tendering for the contracts to operate the royal dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth have visited the dockyards in pursuit of that interest. It would be a matter for the companies concerned to give the names of their representatives who have visited the dockyards. Detailed records of the many dockyard and naval base staff in my Department whom the representatives met do not exist, and the information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the companies-consortia which have shown an interest in bidding for the refit and repair services at Rosyth and Devonport dockyards, detailing the amount of current contracts placed by his Department with such organisations or any subsidiaries.

[pursuant to his answer, 30 January 1986, c. 629]: The following companies and consortia have shown an interest in tendering for the contracts to operate the royal dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth:

• A & P Appledore/Plessey/Trafalgar House.
• Babcock International/Thorn EMI.
• Balfour Beatty/Weir Group.
• British Aerospace.
• Costain.
• Devonport Dockyard Ltd.
• Flight Refuelling.
• Foster Wheeler.
• GEC.
• Hawker Siddeley.
• Northern Engineering Industries.
• Press Offshore.
• RCA Services.
• Seaforth Welding.
• STC.
• Taylor Woodrow.
• Tyne Ship Repair.

Some of these have subsequently withdrawn their interest.The information requested about current contracts placed by my Department with such organisations or any subsidiaries could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied the British Standards Institute Register of approved stockists for his Department's purposes can ensure that products supplied against Ministry of Defence requirements have direct traceability to, and have been supplied by, his Department's approved sources of manufacture.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1986, c. 448]: Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what rates of exchange were used to cost the various options open to his Department for the purchase of helicopters; and what effect there would be if the costings were all adjusted to current rates of exchange.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1986, c. 533]: Whenever purchases involving foreign exchange are being considered, the appropriate current rate of exchange is used. However, none of the three collaborative projects—EH101, NH90 and light battlefield helicopter—has yet reached the point where production orders are about to be placed.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations were made to the Governments of France, Italy and Germany before 29 November last to persuade them to take a shareholding directly or indirectly in Westland helicopters in return for a commitment by the United Kingdom to buy a continental helicopter.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 January 1986, c. 533]: There were discussions with the Governments of France, Italy and Germany about ways and means of meeting helicopter requirements on a number of occasions. The possibility of a United Kingdom commitment to buy a continental helicopter in the context of a possible shareholding in Westland did not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how much was subscribed in each of the years 1983, 1984 and 1985 by each Government who contributed to the budget of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine refugees in the near east.

I am arranging for the relevant extracts from reports by the Commissioner General of United Nations Relief and Works Agency to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the latest proposals and role in arms negotiations of the five continents peace initiative.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Deakins) on 3 December 1985, at column 202.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had in the European Economic Community and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade about the international trading status of Hong Kong after 1997; and if he will make a statement.

None.Hong Kong's future position in the GATT is one of the subjects under discussion with the Chinese Government in the Sino-British joint liaison group.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to review current philatelic policy in respect of the remaining British dependent territories, in consultation with those territories; and if he will make a statement.

None. The current policy provides an effective safeguard for the best interests of the dependent territories while having due regard to the royal prerogative in the field of postage stamp policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the proposal by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics for on-site inspection for verification of a comprehensive test ban treaty; and if he will make a statement.

For a number of years the Russians have claimed a willingness to consider on-site inspections, but they are now making prior acceptance of a moratorium a pre-condition for such consideration. We welcome this willingness to the extent that it implies recognition of legitimate Western concerns on verification. But the demand for prior acceptance of a moratorium is unacceptable.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of any recent representations he has received from the Governments of signatory nations of the non-proliferation treaty regarding progress on the agreement of a comprehensive test ban.

Since the review conference of the NPT last September, the only substantive approach we have had was contained in the 15 January proposals by Mr. Gorbachev, the General Secretary of the Communist party of the Soviet Union.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail the problems of verifying a comprehensive test ban treaty which Her Majesty's Government believe are still outstanding.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Best) on 11 December 1985 at column 636.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Western proposals at the conference on disarmament include provision for the verification of chemical production by limited companies as well as by state-run concerns.

Yes. United Kingdom proposals to this end were tabled at the conference on disarmament in Geneva on 6 March 1985 with full Western support. These provide for controls based on routine, random inspection or data exchange to be applied to all industry, both privately and publicly owned, which manufactures particular chemicals potentially subject to misuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to Mr. Gorbachev's most recent proposals on nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

Mr. Gorbachev sent a message to the Prime Minister on 15 January setting out the latest Soviet arms control proposals. We are giving these careful consideration in consultation with our allies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during his forthcoming visit to Nepal, he will raise with the Government of Nepal allegations of persecution of Nepalese Christians.

No. Allegations about the treatment of Nepalese citizens in Nepal are an internal matter for the Government of that country. We have no locus standi to intervene. Her Majesty's embassy at Kathmandu is in regular contact with Christian leaders and missionary societies in Nepal.We have no hesitation about making our views on human rights clear to other Governments when necessary. His Majesty King Birendra and the Nepalese Foreign Minister—who is himself a Christian—are aware of our position. I understand that the Foreign Minister has undertaken to investigate any specific allegations of persecution of Nepalese Christians. In the circumstances, I do not consider it would be appropriate for us to make representations.I understand that the delegation which the hon. Member recently accompanied to Nepal received the full and open co-operation of the Nepalese Government.

asked the Minister for the Arts what has been the funding for the Arts Council in each of the last five years.

Grant-in-aid for the Arts Council in each of the last five years was as follows:

	£ million
1981–82	80·5
1982–83	91·3
1983–84	94·6
1984–85	100·0
1985–86	105·0

On 14 November 1985 I announced that the Arts Council's grant for 1986–87 would be £135·6 million, including £25 million "abolition funding".

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the share of total personal incomes taken in direct and indirect taxation and social security contributions in each financial year from 1978–79 to 1985–86; and what comparable figures are available to him for the United States, France, West Germany and Japan, respectively.

The latest available estimates are for calendar years as follows. No comparable estimates are readily available for indirect taxation on households in countries other than the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in the light of recent exchange rate movements, the United Kingdom is to become a member of the European monetary system; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to my statement in the debate on 29 January.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce legislation to provide for value added tax paid on standard rated clothing and shoes purchased for use by children aged under 16 years to be fully refundable to the purchaser.

No. The scope and operation of the present relief for young children's clothing and footwear was thoroughly reviewed in 1980. It was concluded that changes of the kind suggested would increase the cost of administering and cotrolling the relief, and increase the risk of its misapplication to persons for whom it was never intended.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the estimated cost of providing mortgage interest tax relief in 1985–86 and 1986–87, at 1985–86 prices, showing separately the estimated cost of mortgages previously under the option mortgage scheme.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for the latest years now available, identifiable public expenditure by programme in England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom expressed (a) in cash terms, (b) as a percentage of total United Kingdom public expenditure, (c) as an amount per capita and (d) as an amount per capita expressed as a percentage of the United Kingdom amount per capita.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Darlington (Mr. Fallon) on 20 December 1985 at column 360. I will arrange for more recent data to be published in the Official Report as soon as it becomes available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when the report on the National Health Service staffing review of Scotland will be available.

The review, which is being undertaken with the full co-operation of the Scottish joint consultants committee, relates to medical staffing and is taking place on a specialty by specialty basis. A report is not expected before the summer of 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the proposal to strengthen central manpower control in the National Health Service by making use of the regulatory mechanism already in existence by the Advisory Committee on Medical Establishment and to give additional powers to the Advisory Committee on Medical Establishment to redistribute hospital doctors to protect patient services.

The remit of the Advisory Committee on Medical Establishments has, with the agreement of the profession, been extended to include (a) a requirement to approve paragraph 94 (clinical assistant) appointments where the post involves six or more sessions per week and (b) the authority to transfer junior posts from the better endowed centres when it considers a request for an additional post in another centre is justified.No further proposals to extend the remit of the advisory committee have been put to the Scottish Home and Health Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect on patient care in Scotland of the Greater Glasgow health board's decisions not to replace junior posts as doctors' contracts expire and to offer early retirement to acute sector consultants.

I am advised by the health board that it has taken no general decision not to replace junior doctors' posts as contracts expire, but that—in the light of its assessment of priorities against the resources available to it— it is considering various proposals relating to medical staffing, including an early retirement scheme for consultants, in conjunction with the BMA and the area medical committee. In the meantime, the board proposes to review carefully the need for immediate replacement of posts which fall vacant. In every case I expect the board to give full consideration to the implications for services to patients.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether in the light of population trends more recent than those upon which the Scottish Health Services Allocation of Resources in the Eighties formula was based, he is satisfied that the Greater Glasgow health board is not being under-funded.

The Scottish health authorities revenue equalisation formula (SHARE) provides for annual uprating of weighted population figures. The figures used in the calculation of allocations for a given year are an average of (a) the figures for the years three and four years prior to that year (the most recent years for which firm data are available) and (b) the Registrar General's estimates for the immediately preceding year. The weighted population of the Greater Glasgow health board's area has declined steadily since the SHARE formula was introduced. The board was overfunded in SHARE terms when the formula was introduced and remains so.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will show 1984–85 outturn expenditure, 1985–86 estimated expenditure and 1986–87 planned expenditure on (i) trunk roads (a) new construction and improvement, (b) structural maintenance and (c) routine maintenance, (ii) local authority roads (a) new construction and improvement and (b) maintenance, (iii) public transport administration, (iv) local authority car parks (a) capital and (b) current (net) and (v) road safety in Scotland.

The information requested is as follows:

£ million cash
	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87
	Outturn*	Estimate	Planned
(i) Motorways and Trunk Roads
(a) New construction and improvement	84·7	88·8	†177·2
(b) Structural maintenance	12·5	15·3	18·0
(c) Routine and winter maintenance	16·8	15·8	17·0
(ii) Local Authority Roads
(a) New construction and improvement	103·7	120·9	124·7
(b) Maintenance	150·3	154·0	158·8
(iii) Public Transport Administration‡	23·1	24·7	25·6
(iv) Local Authority Car Parks
(a) Capital	1·6	1·9	1·9
(b) Current (net)	—	—	—
(v) Road Safety in Scotland	1·3	1·4	1·5

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of 6 Fortress road, NW5, for which the Greater London council applied on 25 November 1985;(2) why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of 41–45, Shorts gardens for which the Greater London council applied on 1 November 1985;(3) why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of 8 Kellner road, for which the Greater London council applied on 31 October 1985;(4) why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of the Peacock public house for which the Greater London council applied on 21 October 1985.

Consent has been given to these applications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of the Avon trading centre for which the Greater London council applied on 7 November 1985.

I am not aware of any application from the Greater London council for consent under the Local Government (Interim Provisions) Act 1984 or the Local Government Act 1985 to the disposal of the Avon trading centre. However, consent has been given to an application dated 7 November 1985 from the council for the refurbishment of the Avon trading estate phase IV.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of The Ivories public house for which the Greater London council applied on 17 December 1985;

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on Tuesday 21 January at column 141.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal of Rishmore Crescent, E.5, for which the Greater London council applied on 16 December 1985.

I am not aware of any such application. Consent has been given to the letting of a contract by the Greater London council for works at Rushmore Crescent, E5, pursuant to an application dated 16 December 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has not yet given his consent to the disposal North East Regional Stores for which the Greater London council applied on 29 November 1985.

I am not aware of any such application. Consent has been given to the acquisition by the Greater London council of North East Regional Stores pursuant to an application dated 25 November 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many representations he has received with regard to the proposed review of the Town and Country Planning Order 1972.

By 30 January my Department had received 116 written representations on the subject of the Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order 1972 in response to the proposals of a sub-group of the property advisory group, which were published on 2 December 1985.

asked the Sectetary of State for the Environment what representations have been made to him with regard to the possible listing as an historic buiding of the central barrack block at the Royal Marines barracks, Eastney, Portsmouth; if he intends to list this building; and if he will make a statement.

My Department was approached in October with a request to consider the central barrack block for listing. We are now seeking the advice of the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission on the case. I shall write to the hon. Member when a decision has been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the wreck of the Invincible off Southsea.

My right hon. Friend has received a request from Invincible Conservations (1744–1758) Limited to call in planning applications by the Southern water authority for works in connection with a proposed long sea sewage outfall. The trust considers that the discharge from the outfall will harm the wreck and interfere with the work of divers.My right hon. Friend has been advised by his right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport that the advisory committee on protected wrecks is concerned that the wreck of the Invincible may be at risk.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what applications have been made to him by the Invincible Conservation Trust in connection with its work on the wreck; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

Invincible Conservations (1744–1758) Limited have requested my right hon. Friend to call in Southern water authority's applications to Portsmouth city council for the construction of a jetty and the temporary use of land in connection with a proposed long sea sewage outfall.My right hon. Friend decided not to call in these applications but he will take account of the trust's representations if and when he is required to consider an application by the Southern water authority for consent to discharge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he was advised in advance of the discharge of radioactive material from Sellafield into the Irish sea on Friday 24 January; if he authorised this discharge; and if he will make a statement.

My Department was informed in advance of the discharge of radioactive material from Sellafield into the Irish sea on Thursday 23 January. The amount discharged was well within the limits specified in the authorisation for disposal of radioactive waste issued jointly by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. My officials have nevertheless asked British Nuclear Fuels Limited for an explanation of why they chose to discharge this material in preference to any other options that may have been open to them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications of his proposals contained in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" for the rate concession to firms which locate in an enterprise zone; and if he will make a statement.

Our proposals will have no effect on the rate holiday for businesses locating in enterprise zones.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the gross provision for housing capital expenditure by local authorities in England for 1986–87 relates to receipts accumulated and unspent by the Greater London council or to the non-prescribed proportion of receipts which have accrued to the Greater London council or which will accrue to the London Residuary Body.

The gross provision for housing capital expenditure by local authorities in England is determined at the national level, and neither this figure nor the estimate made of the aggregate spending power available to local authorities from accumulated receipts, is broken down into figures for individual authorities or regions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an assurance that the existing renovation programme covering ex-Greater London council housing stock will be completed on schedule by 1992.

I cannot give such an assurance. After the abolition of the GLC, the boroughs will receive the resources which would otherwise have been given to the GLC for this purpose; but it will be for the boroughs to decide how to employ those resources according to their own priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much of the housing investment programme has been allocated to the London borough of Lambeth for 1986–87 in respect of the ex-Greater London council housing stock in that borough;(2) how the liabilities inherited by the London boroughs from the Greater London council have been taken into account in the determination of the housing investment programme allocations for 1986–87.

The allocations to boroughs took full account of the boroughs' bids and of estimates made by the GLC of liabilities for 1986–87 and the balance of the renovation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the share of national housing resources which will be available to London local authorities in 1986–87 from housing investment programme and capital receipts; and how this compares with the resources available in 1982–83, 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86;(2) whether he will give the housing investment programme allocations for each of the years 1979–80 to 1986–87

The HIP allocations were as follows:

	(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)
	London	Inner London	London	Inner London
	£ million	£ million	per cent	per cent
1979–80	887	458	34·9	18·0
1980–81	769	417	34·9	18·9
1981–82	552	308	30·8	17·2

	(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)
	London	Inner London	London	Inner London
	£ million	£ million	per cent	per cent
1982–83	632	389	28·8	17·7
1983–84	596	350	26·7	15·7
1984–85	560	331	30·2	17·9
1985–86*	483	286	30·3	18·0
1986–87*	430	305	30·5	21·6
* Figures for 1985–86 and 1986–87 are initial allocations.

The prescribed proportions of housing capital receipts reported by authorities were as follows:

	(i)	(ii)	(iii)	(iv)
	London	Inner London	London	Inner London
			Per cent	Per cent
1979–80	0	0	—	—
1980–81	0	0	—	—
1981–82	133	51	26	10
1982–83	215	80	23	9
1983–84	183	51	20	6
1984–85	215	88	28	12
1985–86	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
1986–87	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a

Authorities may increase the spending power of allocations each year by the prescribed proportion of accumulated unused and current year capital receipts. Detailed estimates of accumulated receipts are not at present available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the London borough of Hillingdon will receive any housing capital receipts from the London Residuary Body as a result of the abolition of the Greater London council.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what liabilities the London borough of Hillingdon will inherit as a result of the abolition of the Greater London council in relation to housing stock transferred to the borough from the Greater London council.

According to Hillingdon council and housing associations working in its area, some £600,000 in respect of transferred stock and housing association stock.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 27 January, Official Report, column 426, if he will name the bodies or individuals who made representations to him about the interim budget issued by the London Residuary Body; if he will place the submissions in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

No. It is for those making representations to make them available if they wish.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to use his powers under section 77 of the Local Government Act 1985 to direct the London Residuary Body how and when to distribute housing capital receipts to the London boroughs.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received regarding the timing of the notification of the distribution of housing capital receipts by the London Residuary Body.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from the London boroughs and has drawn them to the attention of the London Residuary Body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to notify the London boroughs of the amounts they will be able to spend as a result of the distribution by the London Residuary Body of housing capital receipts.

The timing of the distribution is a matter for the London Residuary Body.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how he will take account of the outstanding repair work on housing stock transferred from the Greater London council in the distribution to the London boroughs of the capital receipts accruing to the London Residuary Body.

The capital receipts will be distributed in proportion to HIP allocations, which are themselves a measure of need for repair and other capital work in the boroughs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to approve the north Southwark district plan; and why he has not already given his decision.

My right hon. Friend has decided that he should call in the north Southwark local plan for his own decision. A letter conveying that decision was sent to the London borough of Southwark on 28 January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any changes to announce to his Department's cash limits.

Yes. The level of receipts from disposals of the new town property has been running at a higher level than expected. Accordingly, the non-voted cash net limit (DOE/NT1) for this year has been reduced by £15·88 million from minus £99·6 million to minus £115·53 million. The net cash limit is negative because, with the new towns programme nearing completion, disposal receipts now exceed the amount of gross new investment.£1·63 million of the additional receipts arises from a further disposal of properties from the Central Lancashire Development Corporation to various housing associations.To permit the acquisition, the non-voted net cash limit DOE/HC1 has been increased accordingly, from £698·4 million to £700·03 million.The overall effect of the changes is a reduction of £14·25 million in the Department's public expenditure provision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to provide increased funding to British Rail to move to a programme of modernisation based on electrification and electric multiple units, instead of the current plans based on diesel multiple units in preparation for the completion of the fixed Channel link.

It is for BR to bring forward investment proposals including proposals resulting from a Channel fixed link. BR proposed the current investment in diesel multiple units which are predominantly for local services and I approved it on financial grounds.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, when he next meets the chairman of British Rail, he will raise with him the implications for revenues from freight traffic of the current shortage of locomotive power; and if he will make a statement.

The availability of locomotives is a matter for the management of British Rail.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends bringing in legislation to amend the Road Traffic Act 1980 in line with the recommendations of the Rayner scrutiny published a year ago concerning revision of certain parts of the Act in relation to a levy to charge against a driver of any vehicle involved in injuring a person needing hospital attention; and if he will make a statement.

The Rayner scrutiny recommendations concerns section 155 of the Road Traffic Act 1972 which provides for the collection of prescribed fees from drivers for emergency treatment of road accident victims. The Government intend to introduce legislation to abolish the emergency treatment fee payable to health authorities at the earliest convenient opportunity.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the Civil Aviation Authority regarding fireproofing of aircraft seats; if he will have discussions at international level to seek to produce improved international safety standards; and if he will make a statement.