asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with his European and American counterparts about the effect of high interest rates on the economies of the developing countries.

This is a subject with wide ramifications, which causes the Government serious concern. Ministers are in constant touch with their counterparts about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many requests the land resources development centre received for project assistance during 1985; and how many had to be declined due to non-availability of staff.

The centre received 39 requests for project assistance during 1985, including requests for extensions of existing projects. Thirty-six of these were accepted. Three had to be declined because suitable staff were already committed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to take any measures to offset the financial crisis and possible imminent closure of the centre for world development education.

I have already done so by providing a special grant of £25,000 towards a rescue package which will resolve CWDE's immediate problems.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what decision he has reached on the future of the pensions work carried out for the Overseas Development Administration by the Crown Agents pensions division in East Kilbride.

I have concluded from a careful study of the issues that this work should be absorbed into the ODA. I believe that we shall achieve the best value for money in handling this substantial but shrinking block of work if we combine the routine administration at present carried out by the Crown Agents with the policy and other work which must remain with the ODA. I have also borne in mind our commitment to maintain a strong ODA presence in East Kilbride. It remains our objective to privatise the main part of the Crown Agents.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the West Yorkshire police authority on the question of the level of expenditure for police services in 1986–87; and what response he has made.

A delegation from the West Yorkshire police authority came to meet my right hon. Friend and myself last month to explain the authority's concern about the problems it believed it would face in spending up to the expenditure level of §60·616 million which my right hon. Friend had proposed under the Rates Act 1984. My right hon. Friend is considering the points the authority raised at the meeting. Following representations from the authority, my right hon. Friend redetermined the expenditure level at £63· 269 million. More recently the authority has asked him to increase the maximum precept which he had proposed it should be able to make for 1986–87 in order to allow a greater margin for contingencies. We have considered the authority's arguments but have concluded that a higher provision is not justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to introduce a scheme to provide a pre-entry training course for candidates for the police who are otherwise suitable but who do not meet the basic minimum academic standard required for entry; and if he will make a statement.

Chief officers of police are responsible for appointing constables, and it is for each chief officer to consider what steps should be taken to secure an adequate number of suitable recruits. At present there is no general shortage of good quality recruits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the answer of 23 January and 16 December 1985, Official Report, column 581, he will now provide figures for the whole of 1985 relating to the numbers of racial incidents in the Metropolitan police district.

I presume that the hon. Member is referring to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 10 December 1985, at column 583. I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the provisional number of racial incidents recorded in the Metropolitan police district in the whole of 1985 is 1,935.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give separately the numbers of prisoners giving as their domicile either the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland who have been permitted to return home to the Republic of Ireland or Northern Ireland on parole for humanitarian reason in 1985.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give separately the numbers of prisoners in British prisons giving as their place of domicile the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland; and, separately, how many of these prisoners are serving sentences for terrorist-type offences;(2) how many prisoners in British prisons who give as their domicile Northern Ireland have been returned to Northern Ireland to serve the whole or part of their sentences in 1985; and how many of these prisoners were serving sentences for terrorist-type offences.

Statistics are not kept centrally of prisoners' place of domicile prior to reception into prison, and this information could be obtained for the whole prison population only at disproportionate cost. The information which is readily available relates to prisoners' place of birth and to terrorist-type prisoners held in category A. At 30 November 1985 there were in England and Wales 640 prisoners who gave as their place of birth as the Republic of Ireland and 321 who gave Northern Ireland. Of these, 11 born in the Republic of Ireland and 30 born in Northern Ireland had been convicted of terrorist-type offences and were held in category A.Of the four prisoners who were permanently transferred from England and Wales to Northern Ireland in 1985, two were domiciled there prior to reception into prison. Of these two, one is serving a sentence for acts of terrorism. 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 if, in the light of improved security cooperation between the Republic of Ireland and Great Britain, he intends to review policy on the repatriation of prisoners giving as their domicile the Republic of Ireland to the Republic of Ireland in order to complete their prison sentences.

My right hon. Friend has no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report

Persons detained in 1985 under the Prevention of Terrorism Act 1984 and subsequent charges
Police force area	Detained	Charged under the Prevention of Terrorism Act	Charged under other legislation*
Metropolitan Police district	61	2	8
Merseyside	23	3	2
Dumfries and Galloway	47	3	—
Other areas	135	7	28
Total	266	15	38

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average period of custodial remand for female custodial prisoners in England and Wales for the years 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.

The available information for England and Wales relates to all homicides attributed to acts of terrorism connected with Northern Ireland and is published in table 4.5 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1984 (Cmnd. 9621). Five such deaths were recorded in 1984, and provisional information is that there were no such deaths in 1985. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland that there were no such deaths in Scotland in 1984 or 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the average period between remand and trial for prisoners refused bail and charged with terrorist-type offences in Great Britain in 1985 and the current year to date; and how many prisoners were held in this manner.

The information which is readily available concerning prisoners charged with terrorist-type offences relates to prisoners who are currently in prison custody in England and Wales and in category A. It does not cover prisoners who have been released or downgraded.In 1985, 11 prisoners were first received in custody charged with terrorist-type offences and placed in category A. As at 16 January 1986 none of the trials of these prisoners has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts in each of the police areas of Metropolitan London, Dumfries and Galloway and Merseyside have been charged with offences under the Acts or under the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Acts of 1973 and 1978 in 1985.

The available information is shown in the following table. Information on detentions in the three police forces areas specified is published quarterly in Home Office Statistical Bulletins (table 3 of issue 1/86).

The available information is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 2(g)) of the latest issue for 1984, (Cmnd. 9622). Corresponding figures for 1985 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of custodial sentences of female prisoners in England and Wales in 1985.

Information on the distribution of the length of sentence of females received under sentence is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (tables 3.3, 3.13, 5.2, 5.9 and 7.1 of the latest issue for 1984) (Cmnd. 9622). The average length of sentence for females received into prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1984 to serve a determinate sentence, excluding those in default of payment of a fine, was about 18 weeks for young offenders and 23 weeks for adults. Information for 1985 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ban the sale of crossbows to the general public in the light of information being sent to him by the hon. Member for Plymouth, Drake.

We are considering the matter and I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made towards redesignating prisons in Yorkshire and Humberside and in transferring prisoners.

Hull will change from a dispersal prison to a local prison-remand centre on 22 February. Thorp Arch will change from a remand centre to a category C training prison on 3 March. Some transfer of prisoners has already begun.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the current state of industrial relations at her Majesty's prison, Leeds.

There are no particular industrial relations problems at Her Majesty's prison, Leeds, at the present time. Relations between management and the prison service trade union are good.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Wiltshire as to the cost of providing protection for Mr. Salah Abdessalem Ben Rabha; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable that the local police merely provided increased cover in the vicinity of this family's home for brief periods when there were several people outside the house.

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 average (a) hourly and (b) daily cost per man of providing protection for foreign diplomats; what was the total cost to public funds in 1985 of providing protection to diplomats based in London; and if he will make a statement.

The average hourly and daily cost per man of providing protection for foreign diplomats cannot be calculated without disproportionate cost; the total cost to public funds in 1985 of providing protection to diplomats based in London is estimated to be about £14·65 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims have been received under the Riot (Damages) Act in respect of the riot in Birmingham on 9 and 10 September 1985; how many have been met in full or in part; and how much compensation has been paid out.

The West Midlands county council is the relevant compensation authority for claims under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 arising from the Handsworth disorders. The Home Office is not involved in the processing of claims.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, East of 30 January, Official Report, column 582–3, he will introduce legislation to provide for a refund, proportionate to the amount of time left to the original expiry date, to be paid to the surviving spouse of a holder of a family passport in the event of it having been rendered invalid by the death of the holder; and if he will make a statement.

No. The basis on which the family passport is available is clearly indicated in the notes which accompany the application form. Exceptionally, passport offices do excercise discretion however, in issuing without charge a replacement passport where the family passport has not been used and not more than six months have elapsed between issue and death of the holder.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Leicester, East of 30 January, Official Report, column 582–83, he intends to introduce the new machine readable passport; what he estimates will be the cost of producing a passport of this type; and what he expects will be the relevant scale of fees.

The aim is to introduce the new machine readable passport in 1987; it should cost no more to print and produce than the existing passport, the present cost of which is about £1·40. I cannot anticipate at this stage what the scale of fees will then be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 486, if the Zimbabwean bird scares is the only foreign national authorised to carry a firearm at Heathrow.

I confirm that he is the only person who holds a firearm certificate in connection with the performance of duties at Heathrow. As a Zimbabwean he is a Commonwealth citizen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what priority he attaches within the overall policing requirements of London to the enforcement by the Metropolitan police of the Greater London council's lorry ban in London; what resources are currently being devoted to this task; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the Commissioner to determine, in the light of other demands on his resources, the amount of attention to be given to the enforcement of a particular aspect of the criminal law at a particular time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to seek to provide that keyholders of premises fitted with alarm bells should be obliged to make themselves available at the premises within 20 minutes and that the names of two keyholders to such premises be notified to the police; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The code of practice on noise from audible intruder alarms, issued under the provisions of part III of the Control of Pollution Act 1974, recommends that keyholders of premises with alarm bells should take measures on the lines described by the hon. Member. The code, though not having the force of law, is widely used by local authorities and magistrates' courts in the exercise of their powers under the Act, and I see no need for any change.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what machinery Her Majesty's Government are involved in to ensure co-ordination of the standardisation work of the European Economic Community, the European Free Trade Association, the Council of Europe and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

No formal machinery exists to coordinate the standards work of all these bodies, but along with other Government Departments the Department of Trade and Industry fully supports the efforts of the organisations to reduce technical barriers to trade in Europe, and it co-ordinates the Government input to the work.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will outline the steps which his Department takes to ensure that grant aid given to voluntary bodies and organisations, whether directly or indirectly, is not used for political purposes.

All voluntary bodies grant-aided by my Department accept the need to maintain political impartiality.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is now able to make a statement arising from the studies commissioned by his Department's biotechnology unit into the possible impact on the process plant industry of the development of biotechnology.

The studies commissioned by the biotechnology unit indicates that biotechnology will have a significant impact on the process plant industry. By the year 2000 it is estimated that equipment to the value of more than £300 million will be installed in the United Kingdom and more than 10 times that value in the rest of the world. The United Kingdom has the potential skills to become a major supplier of equipment and plant installations for biotechnology. This information has been made available to United Kingdom companies and my Department is encouraging process plant manufacturers to tackle these potential markets vigorously. The Department is giving direct assistance in collaborative projects aimed at pre-competitive research and, with some companies, in specific product developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to publish the White Paper on copyright.

The White Paper on copyright law is in its final stages of preparation and I hope that publication will not be long delayed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much financial assistance was given to tobacco companies under the various industry Acts in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, in the last calendar year for which figures are available.

The following assistance has been provided under the Industrial Development Act 1982 (as amended) to tobacco companies in England, Scotland and Wales in the calendar year to 31 December 1985:

REGIONAL SELECTIVE ASSISTANCE

Section 7

Total payments made £225,000. (Scotland £200,000 and Wales £25,000. No payments were made to tobacco companies in England.)

Section 8

No payments made.

NEW REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT GRANTS

Payments made £99,000.

The assistance was all in grant form. Details of payments of new regional development grants are confidential between the applicants and the Department. The Department does, however, however, publish quarterly in

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will introduce legislation to impose a statutory requirement for the payment of a royalty on the sale of blank tape and at the same time to render lawful recording in the home for non-commercial purposes; and if he will make a statement:(2) if there has been any change in Government policy towards the imposition of a statutory requirement for the payment of a royalty on the sale of blank tape since the publication of the Green Paper, paragraph 3.2, Cmnd. 9445, "The Recording and Rental of Audio and Video Copyright Material", and if he will make a statement.

The Government are still considering whether or not to introduce a levy for the benefit of copyright owners on the sale of blank recording tape intended for home use. If a levy were to be introduced, recording of copyright material in the home for private purposes would be licensed at the same time. We will announce our conclusions in the White Paper on copyright law which is now in the final stages of preparation.

Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Darlington of 29 January, the careful scrutiny to which his Department submits voluntary export restraint agreements includes identifiable studies of their effects and costs.

The Department's scrutinies of trade restraints cover all relevant factors, including the effects and costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) at what level of imports agreement has been reached for the import of cotton velvet (category 32) from Turkey in the recent voluntary restraint agreement;(2) on which date a voluntary restraint agreement regarding imports of cotton velvet (category 32) from Turkey was reached.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in his discussions with London Taxis International about the future of the CR6 taxi, the Company has indicated that it may wish to abandon this Project; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend will have seen reported in the press on 29 January, London Taxis International has said that it no longer proposes to produce a CR6 taxi based on the Range Rover design but aims to develop and introduce a new taxi based on the existing FX4. The company states that the new taxi will still have the ability to carry wheelchair-bound passengers. My Department is discussing the implications of this change of plan with LTI.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about future launching aid for the European Airbus.

On 27 January 1986 the supervisory board of Airbus Industrie approved the first step towards the launch of the new Airbus A330 and A340 programmes. This decision does not, however, constitute a commitment to the development and production of these aircraft.British Aerospace has indicated that it would expect, in due course, to seek Government launch aid in respect of participation in these programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to introduce safety legislation for gas appliances sold in the United Kingdom; if he plans to introduce separate legislation to cover the sale of gas cookers; how many accidents have occurred in each of the last three years involving uncertified imported gas cookers; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on future policy towards the proposed Mersey barrage.

The report on the Mersey barrage has been received by my Department and it is being studied carefully. I will consider seriously any proposals for taking the work forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he plans to make public funding available in connection with the proposed Mersey barrage; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has recently received a copy of the Mersey barrage report and is studying it with interest. I understand that further support for the project is being sought in the private and public sector, and I will consider any proposals carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to develop the role of voluntary sector based projects in the execution of insulation work; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, West (Mr. Sackville) on 27 January. My Department will continue to support the expansion of this programme in collaboration with the Manpower Services Commission's community programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list the meetings held by Ministers and his Department with members of the European Economic Community Commission and the European Coal and Steel Community since January 1985 on the proposed new Community rules for state aids to the coal industry;(2) what powers he has to stop the introduction of the new European Economic Community Commission rules for state aids to the coal industry.

The European Commission proposal, COM (85) 525, sets out a new regime to permit the payment of state aids to the coal industry without infringing the ECSC treaty. This replaces the existing decision of 1976.The United Kingdom has no reason to oppose the introduction of a continuing regime of this kind without which all state aids to the coal industry would become illegal.My right hon. Friend's objective in the negotiations currently under way in the Council of Ministers is to ensure that the new regime give maximum flexibility to individual member states in the challenging task of creating sound and economically viable coal industries which can compete in the world market.The proposed regime has been discussed at the following meetings of the European Communities: by Ministers at the Energy Council of 11 November 1985 and by officials at the high level energy group of 29 October 1985 and at the following ECSC working groups:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has made to the European Economic Community Commission and the European Coal and Steel Community in reply to their new Community energy objectives, in particular the elimination of certain existing types of aids to the British coal industry; and if he will make a statement.

The proposed new Community energy objectives have been discussed twice by the Council of Energy Ministers. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has argued that the new objectives should be seen as markers, not as prescriptive targets. The draft objectives do not propose the elimination of aids to the coal industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will now take steps to reduce North sea oil production; and if he will make a statement.

No, and no.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what formal representations he has received from the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries or Saudi Arabia about the level of United Kingdom oil production; and what reply has been given.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the effect on recruitment and retention of university clinical academic staff of the discrepancies in pay between them and National Health Service staff.

The present salary differences between National Health Service hospital doctors and university clinical academic staff reflect the fact that the 1985 pay settlement for the former group was concluded last June, whereas the university settlement has yet to be decided. (Until last June the salaries of both groups were broadly in line). Recruitment and retention of the university staff are unlikely to be affected significantly by the different timing of these settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report those voluntary bodies and organisations assisted by his Department with grant aid in the last financial year for which figures are available, and the size of the grant so given.

Details of grants made by the Department in 1984–85 under section 17 of the Education (Grant) Regulations 1983 are listed in table 23 of the Department's annual report 1984, a copy of which is in the Library.In addition, grants were given to the following national associations under section 19 of the regulations:

National Associations	£000
National Union of Townswomen's Guilds	12·4
National Federation of Women's Institutes	15·6
National Institute of Adult and Continuing Education	81·0
National Council of YMCAs	10·2
British Theatre Association	13·5
Workers' Educational Association Headquarters	47·0
Educational Centres Association	18·0
National Association of Women's Clubs	27·0
National Housewives' Register	5·2
Pre-Retirement Association	75·0
National Federation of Community Organisations	21·7
British Chess Federation	27·3

The following grants were given towards the headquarters expenditure of national voluntary youth organisations under section 20(1)(b) of the regulations:

Organisation	1984–85
Anglican Young People's Association	—
Army Cadet Force Association	7,400
Association for Jewish Youth	17,150
Baptist Union of Great Britain and Ireland	18,200
Boys' Brigade	30,600
British Council of Churches	8,650
British Red Cross Society	8,200
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers	18,650
Campaigners	5,300
Catholic Youth Services Council	15,500
Church Lad's Brigade and Church Girls' Brigade	10,150
Church of England Board of Education	34,150
Colony Holidays	—
Concordis	—
Concourse	—
Co-operative Union	1,700
Council for Environmental Conservation	19,300

Organisation	1984–85
Council for Environmental Education	19,300
Council for Nature	—
Covenanters	1,100
Da watul Islam: United Kingdom and Eire	5,250
Discovery Dockland Trust	2,100
Dockland Settlements	—
Drake Fellowship	19,500
Duke of Edinburgh's Award	70,550
Endeavour Training	21,450
Forest Schools Camps	1,250
Foudroyant Trust	6,650
Frontier Youth Trust	3,600
Gingerbread Holidays	1,000
Girl Guides Association	44,400
Girls' Brigade	20,100
Girls' Friendly Society	—
Girls' Venture Corps	22,150
Horse Rangers Association	1,100
Inter-Action Trust	14,900
International Voluntary Service	1,050
Invalid Children's Aid Association	2,000
Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade	5,000
JMB Development Training	3,600
Methodist Association of Youth Clubs	74,800
National Association for Asian Youth	—
National Association for Boys' Clubs	159,600
National Association for Muslim Youth	11,850
National Association of Youth Clubs	265,100
National Elfrida Rathbone Society	19,300
National Federation of 18+ Groups	30,550
National Federation of Gateway Clubs	31,500
National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs	69,750
National PHAB	36,500
National Youth Assembly	8,100
National Youth Orchestra	4,150
National Youth Theatre	34,450
Ocean Youth Club	10,300
Outward Bound Trust	13,200
Quaker Home Service	10,850
Reform Synagogues of Great Britain	3,500
Royal Society of the Protection of Birds	2,400
Sail Training Association	4,350
Salvation Army	9,050
Save the Children	1,200
Scout Association	47,100
Sea Cadet Association	13,400
St. John Ambulance	8,800
Task Force	—
Union of Maccabi Association	3,750
United Kingdom Federation of Jazz Bands	4,150
United Reformed Church	29,800
Woodcraft Folk	5,900
Youth Christian Workers	25,150
Young Men's Christian Association	134,550
Young Womens' Christian Association	65,200
Youth Hostels Association	34,000

Tabl 23. Grants to bodies other than local education authorities for educational services under the Educational Services and Research
Grant Regulations 1946 (Grant Regulations, No. 4)*†
Organisation	Grant made or approved in 1984–85 £
CRAC/NICEC: conference	1,000
Educational Institute of Design, Craft and Technology	350
Association for All Speech Impaired Children (AFASIC)	10,000
British Association for Early Childhood Education	2,250
British Association for the Advancement of Science: Young Investigators	20,000
British Association Young Scientists	11,000
British ORT Trust	15,000

Organisation	Grant made or approved in 1984–85 £
Centre for Education and Development in Teacher Education	43,220
Centre for European Education: UK National Committee	11,500
Centre for Information on Language Teaching and Research	347,590
Centre for Mathematics Education: Open University	47,600
CGLI Co-ordinating Committee Validating Agricultural Education	40,000
Community Service Voulnteers Schools Advisory Service	24,500
Council for Educational Technology for the United Kingdom‡	699,530
Council for Education in World Citizenship	38,530
Educational Counselling and Credit Transfer Information Service	401,320
Educational Disadvantage Projects	31,375
Further Education Unit	3,332,000
International Baccalaureate Office	14,600
Joint Board for the Certificate of Pre-Vocational Education	310,000
Molecule Club	5,000
National Association for Gifted Children	5,000
National Bureau for Handicapped Students	15,000
National Committee for Mathematical Contests	100
National Development Programme for Microelectronics in Education (CETUK)‡	5,237,080
National Foundation for Educational Research‡	10,000
Pre-School Playgroups Association	57,700
Project Trident	15,000
Royal Institution: Mathematics Master Classes	5,000
Standing Committee for the Education and Training of Teachers (SCETT)	1,500
Standing Conference on Education for International Understanding	3,000
Standing Conference on Schools Science and Technology	34,900
UK-EEC Education Information Centre (EPIC)	39,000
World Organisation for Early Childhood Education: UK National Committee	750
Mathematical Association: residential workshop	3,000
School Technology Forum	3,500
Centre for Study of Comprehensive Schools	6,500
Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR)	6,000
Germinations: Art Exhibition	12,400
Polytechnics Central Admissions System (PCAS)	100,000
Leicester University Centre for Training and Development in Social and Moral Education	7,500
Central Register and Clearing House	10,000
Understanding Industry	10,000
London Institute: Annual Statistics Prize-giving	1,500
Association of Teachers of Mathematics	4,060

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the governmental agencies to which his Department gives grant aid which in turn provide financial support for voluntary bodies and organisations, and the size of the grant so given in the last financial year for which figures are available.

The Department gives no grants to any such agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will Outline the steps which his Department takes to ensure that grant aid given to voluntary bodies and organisations, whether directly or indirectly, is not used for political purposes.

The Department makes grants in the light of the relevant statutory provisions for purposes which are specified to the recipients. The recipients are responsible to the Department for ensuring that the funds concerned are not used improperly. If my hon. Friend has any particular grant in mind, perhaps he would let me know.

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

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

I refer my hon. Friends to the statement which I gave today.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has about the effect on the education of children of the selective disruptive action targeted on particular constituencies; and if he will make a statement.

There can be no doubt that disruptive action has adversely affected the education of all the children who have been caught up in it. I deeply regret that. I have no particular evidence on the extent of the damage done to children in targeted areas. I have said many times how much I deplore the attempt by some unions to apply pressure by concentrating disruptive action on areas perceived by them to be politically sensitive.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has regarding the proportion of pupils in York taking GCE A-levels, 0- levels and certificate of secondary education in each year since 1978; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not available in the Department for areas smaller than local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many (a) secondary and (b) primary schools in England offer Japanese as a subject;(2) how many schools in England offer French on the curriculum;(3) how many schools in England teach Russian.

Information is not available centrally on the extent of teaching of Japanese. The 1984 sample survey of secondary school staffing, carried out by this Department, gives information on pupils studying French and Russian in maintained secondary schools in England. Estimates for year groups one to five are as follows. No information on language teaching is available centrally for primary schools.

England Maintained secondary schools, January 1984
Percentages of schools with pupils studying named subject
	French	Russian
Year group 1	96	Nil
Year group 2	98	1
Year group 3	99	2
Year group 4	99	2
Year group 5	98	2

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proportion of (a) members and (b) staff of the Medical Research Council who are active medical practitioners; who advises him on the composition of the Medical Research Council; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that as at 1 January 1986 seven members of the Medical Research Council (MRC) and 170 members of MRC's staff were medical practitioners engaged in the clinical care of patients. These figures constitute, respectively, 37 per cent. of the council's membership and 16 per cent. of the scientifically qualified staff.In appointing members to the council, my right hon. Friend consults those ministerial colleagues principally concerned as well as the council itself; and, in the case of members appointed on account of their qualifications in science, the president of the Royal Society. Such consultation is in accordance with the terms of "Framework for Government Research and Development" (Cmnd. 5046) and of the MRC's charter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what expert advice his Department offers to the Medical Research Council regarding essential areas for new medical research; and if he will make a statement.

None. It is not the Department's function to offer such advice. It is for the Medical Research Council (MRC) to decide how to apportion the grant-in-aid it receives from the Department's science budget between the various areas of science which it supports, and to take a view on which new areas should be considered essential. However, in advising my right hon. Friend on the allocation of the science budget amongst the research councils and other bodies the Advisory Board for the Research Councils broadly considers, and explores with MRC, the balance of its scientific programmes. There is also continuous liaison at all levels between the MRC and the health departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the number of grants given in 1984–85 under the Education Act 1944, section 100(1)(b); to whom these grants were given; and what were the individual sums involved.

Details of grants given by the Department in 1984–85 to bodies (other than local education authorities) for educational services, under section 17 of the Education (Grant) Regulations 1983 are listed in table 23 of the Department's annual report 1984, a copy of which is in the Library. The following grants were also given in 1984–85 under regulations made under the Education Act 1944, section 100(1)(b):

	Grants 1984–85 £000
Special Schools (Capital)	140
Direct Grant Schools (Current and Capital)	250
Music and Ballet Schools (Current and Capital)	2,202
Grant-aided Colleges (Current, Capital and Restructuring Grant)	79,328
Royal College of Art (Current and Capital)	6,098
Cranfield Institute of Technology (Current and Capital)	8,461
British Universities Film and Video Council Ltd.	121
Adult Education:	£000
Responsible Bodies	7,879
Residential Colleges	1,299
National Associations	1,746
Trade Union Studies	787
Adult Unemployed	234
British Chess Federation	27
Long Term Residential Colleges Bursaries	1,435

The following grants were given towards the headquarters expenditure of national voluntary youth organisations under section 20(1)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all the institutions in England and Wales which are responsible for the pre-service training of teachers, giving in each case their total capacity and current complement of students in full-time equivalents.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how many teachers the Liverpool education authority is below establishment and as to the distribution between types of schools and individual schools.

Levels of teacher staffing are the responsibility of local education authorities, which alone have up-to-date information on posts filled. Pupil-teacher ratios within primary and secondary schools in the Liverpool education authority were 20·6:1 and 15·8:1, respectively, in January 1985. The equivalent figures for England were 22·1:1 and 16·1:1. More detailed information in respect of individual schools could not be provided without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assumptions are made in the White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans" for the years 1986–87 to 1988–89 for the likely increase in teachers' salaries.

The plans are consistent with moderate increases in both 1985–86 and 1986–87. No planning assumptions have been made for later years, since no decisions have yet been taken about the level of total local authority expenditure after 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received regarding funding for repairs and maintenance of school buildings.

My right hon. Friend has received no recent representations concerned wholly with this subject. However, last October's report by the National Confederation of Parent Teacher Associations surveying "The State of Schools in England and Wales" referred to the state of repair and maintenance of schools included in its survey. In addition, resolutions calling for increased funding for repairs and maintenance are among those passed at the 1985 annual conferences of the Council of Local Education Authorities (CLEA) and the Campaign for the Advancement of State Education (CASE). Both my right hon. Friend and I receive letters on the subject of repairs and maintenance from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many parents deemed to be paying parental contributions to student children have nil, one, two or three or more dependent children.

My Department does not have information on the number of dependent children of parents liable for a parental contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to seek the formation of a professional, self-regulating body of teachers, along the same lines as the General Medical Council for doctors; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has been asked from time to time about his views on the case for a general teaching council, or similar self-regulating body for the profession. He has replied that he would need to be convinced that such proposals commanded wide support and safeguarded the interests of producers and consumers alike, before the Government could consider whether to support the establishment of such a body. That remains the Government's view.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the rate support grant is to be reduced by an amount equal to the 20 per cent. rates contribution proposed to be made by recipients of social security benefits.

The proposal that all householders who are recipients of social security benefits shoÙuld pay a minimum contribution to their rates bill is only one of a number of changes to housing benefits put forward in the White Paper "Reform of Social Security: Programme for Action" (Cmnd. 9691). Under the reformed housing benefit scheme, the majority of local authorities' benefit costs will continue to be met by direct subsidy outside the rate support grant, with a proportion of the remainder being supported by rate support grant. The aggregate of rate support grant will need to be adjusted to take account of the White Paper proposals but at present it is not possible to say by how much.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the order for the transfer of Greater London council staff after abolition will be made.

Very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those voluntary bodies and organisations assisted by his Department with grant aid in the last financial year for which figures are available, and the size of the grant so given.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 3 June 1985, at column 46, to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the governmental agencies to which his Department gives grant aid which in turn provide financial support for voluntary bodies and organisations, and the size of the grant so given in the last financial year for which figures are available.

The agencies to which this Department gives grant aid which provide support for voluntary bodies and organisations, and the amount of the grant-in-aid that they received from the Department in 1984–85, are as follows:

Agency	Grant-in-aid £ million
Countryside Commission	12·967
Development Commission	19·859
Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission	49·323
Nature Conservancy Council	18·127
Sports Council	28·603

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the steps which his Department takes to ensure that grant aid given to voluntary bodies and organisations, whether directly or indirectly, is not used for political purposes.

This Department and its sponsored bodies have made it clear that grants cannot be given to voluntary bodies and organisations to use for political purposes. Grants are monitored to confirm that expenditure is confined to the purposes for which the grant was given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the financing, management and ownership of Brixton recreation centre after 31 March.

It is the intention that the responsibility for sport and recreation facilities such as the Brixton recreation centre should fall to the boroughs in which they are located.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much derelict or under-utilised land there is in the Bradford metropolitan district council area; who owns it; and how much has been disposed of under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980.

Information on the total amount of derelict or under-utilised land in the Bradford metropolitan district council area is not available. Separate figures from the 1982 survey of derelict [and in England recorded 326 hectares of such land in the district of which 39 hectares were publicly owned. The figures on land disposed of under-the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 is not available. Unused or under-utilised land held by the public sector is recorded on the Bradford land register set up under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1985. Currently 379 hectares are so registered. To date 102 hectares have been removed from the registers, of which 87 hectares have been sold or leased.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many parish town councils there are in England and Wales.

There are about 8,500 parish councils in England and about 780 community councils in Wales. These numbers include councils which have adopted town status.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will institute a survey into the use of Plaschem boards in the construction of council house dwellings.

No. I am not aware of any need for the Department to institute such a survey.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the use of Plaschem boards in the building industry; and if he will make a statement.

A number of representations were received prior to 1977 when the fire research station published a report on its investigations of house fires involving Plaschem ceilings. This concluded that the replacement or underdrawing of plastic ceilings would not lead to greater safety overall. Since that date the Department has received one representation in 1984.I have seen the hon. Member's letter of 22 January 1986 to the Secretary of State, and I will be replying to the representations shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the implications of the bans imposed by some water authorities and fishery owners on the use by anglers of toxic lead shot for his plans to delay legislation on the use of such shot until 1987 at the earliest; and if he will make a statement.

The Government propose to ban the sale and import of most lead for angling in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1987 if the voluntary approach has not worked by the end of the current coarse fishing season (15 March). The Nature Conservancy Council is monitoring the situation and will report to the Secretary of State on the effectiveness of these voluntary measures, following which a decision will be made on whether it is necessary to proceed with statutory regulations. This decision is a separate matter from any action water authorities may take.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department is monitoring the introduction of anglers' non-toxic lead shot; what information he has on the availability of cheap alternatives to toxic lead shot; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. A number of satisfactory nontoxic alternatives to lead weights for angling are now available. Although these products are not as cheap as lead, they are all reusable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a national code of conduct within which water authorities and fishery owners can frame their bylaws in order to establish a uniform national framework on the use of non-toxic lead shot in angling.

As part of the package of measures to help protect swans from poisoning by anglers' lead announced by the Government last July, my right hon. Friends the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretary of State for Wales issued a draft model byelaw to aid water authorities in considering whether they wish to propose a ban on the use of anglers' lead in their area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many individual donations of £1 he has received under the £1 project organised by Friends of the Earth; and to what purpose the donations thus received will be directed.

A total of £873 has been received to date. Since most donors have not given their addresses, the money is being sent on to the Friends of the Earth.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received the assurances sought from West Yorkshire county council and Wakefield district council on the Welbeck land reclamation scheme; if he will publish details of the arrangements proposed by the two councils; and if he will make a statement.

On 6 August 1985 my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) announced the Government's intention to contribute up to £1·5 million to the Welbeck scheme provided that certain assurances were received regarding financial contributions by other parties, the supply of colliery spoil, responsibility for the long term management of the scheme and a commitment to monitor and report on progress. Satisfactory assurances have been received from the National Coal Board, West Yorkshire county council and Wakefield district council and work on the Welbeck project is under way. The scheme is currently being managed by West Yorkshire county council; on 1 April ownership of the land will pass to Wakefield district council. I understand that discussions on the management of the scheme are currently under way between the various successor authorities and between members of the West Yorkshire waste management joint committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criminal sanctions people will face who fail to register in relation to the community charge he is proposing in "Paying for Local Government", Cmnd. 9714; and if he will make a statement.

This must be a matter for consultation with local government and other interested parties. We had envisaged that the sanction would be similar to that presently applying for electoral registration purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, under his proposals in, "Paying for Local Government", the community charge precepted by parish and community councils is envisaged to be precepted in addition to sums precepted by the rating authorities for their own purposes; and if it is envisaged that the community charge payable by persons living within the area of a particular parish will reflect, as regards the parish community charge, solely the charge raised by that parish.

We envisage that indivudal community charges would be the sum of the amounts levied by all the local authorities, including any parish council precept.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how the urban programme for 1986–87 which he announced in the Official Report, column 417, on 27 January, compares with expected expenditure for 1985–86; and if he will express the comparisons on the same cost basis.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 28 January, Official Report, column 468, what proportion of its total resources the Sports Council devoted to organisations directly concerned with sport for the disabled in each of the last three financial years.

Grants from the Sports Council to the British Sports Association for the Disabled and Riding for the Disabled Association represented 0·3 per cent. of the council's total resources in each of the last three years. These were complemented by considerable support to local authorities and other organisations to assist schemes of benefit to the disabled and the community as a whole.