asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the projected population of the five Scottish new towns as at June 1990; and how this compares with the present population of the new towns and with the population stipulated as the trigger for winding up the development corporation, respectively.

The Registrar General does not produce projections of population for areas smaller than local authority districts. The latest available population figures for the new towns and the population stipulated as the trigger for winding up the development corporations are as set out below. As was indicated in November 1984 when the Government announced their conclusions about the winding-up of the development corporations, the dates on which the wind-up triggers are likely to be reached cannot be predicted with complete certainty although the triggers are broadly consistent with the new towns commencing wind-up at different dates in the 1990s. No development corporation is to begin the wind-up process before 1 April 1990. Because of the difficulties in predicting demographic trends the position is to be reviewed in 1989.

	Population as at 30 September 1985	Trigger population
East Kilbride	70,200	74,250
Cumbernauld	49,739	54,000
Glenrothes	38,000	43,000
Livingston	39,550	49,500
Irvine	57,500.	63,000

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what costs have so far been incurred and what are the expected final costs involved in the transfer of staff of the Scottish Plant Breeding Station in Edinburgh to the Scottish Crop Research Institute in Dundee.

The gross cost of transferring staff from the Scottish Plant Breeding Station at Pentlandfield to the Scottish Crop Research Institute at Invergowrie is £230,000 to date, and is expected to rise to about £400,000 by completion of the merger. Gross capital costs incurred since the merger relate both to accommodation for transferred staff, and the development programme of the new Institute. The estimate of the capital costs already committed on projects directly related to the merger are approximately £3·3 million. Detailed project costs for further accommodation required are not yet available, but may amount to about £2 million. These figures do not take account of any savings likely to arise from the rationalisation of all provision on a single site.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any changes to his Department's cash limits for 1985–86.

Yes. I intend to make changes to two of the cash limits within my responsibility. The cash limit for Vote XV:2 (Agricultural Services and Fisheries, Scotland) is being reduced by £400,000 from £66,453,000 to £66,053,000. This reduction, together with the reductions announced by my predecessor on 12 December 1985, at column 745, will partly offset increased expenditure of £14,776,000 on Vote XV:1 (Agricultural Support, Scotland) which is not subject to a cash limit and for which a Supplementary Estimate will be presented to Parliament shortly.Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit for Vote XV:15 (Education, Arts, Libraries and Social Work, Scotland) will be increased by £752,000 from £148,634,000 to £149,386,000. The increase, which is not classified as public expenditure, is required to cover additional payments to Lothian and Strathclyde regional councils for the outstanding loan debts on Napier college and Glasgow college of technology on their transfer to central institution status.

asked the Secretary of Stale for Scotland when he expects the discussions with the relevant bodies to establish a better system of avalanche forecasting in Scotland to produce recommendations.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 February 1986, c. 273]: The Scottish Office is not involved in any discussions on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from police authorities about the availability of resources to the police; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations from a number of police authorities about various aspects of police expenditure. In view of the increasing demands on the police service, particularly the need to counter drug abuse, public disorder and terrorism, I intend to increase the proportion of police expenditure met by central Government through police grant from 50 to 51 per cent. in 1986–87. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will be making a further £22 million of block grant available in England. Under the block grant system this will ensure that all police authorities receive an increase in grant and there is no less for other authorities. This will help all police authorities in England and Wales without placing too great a burden on the ratepayers. It will enable the joint police authorities in the metropolitan areas to provide the level of service implied by their expenditure levels, and I look to them to do so. At the same time, they will be able to make precepts below the maximum levels which I have set or proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners seeking parole are kept waiting for a decision beyond their possible parole date; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that this information is not available. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to transfer Martina Anderson and Ella O'Dwyer from Her Majesty's prison, Brixton, to a women's prison; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to transfer either woman from Brixton prison at present.Ms. O'Dwyer and Ms. Anderson have been placed provisionally in the highest security category, category A. The only accommodation suitable for female category A remand prisoners in the London area is at Brixton, on a self-contained landing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to give the police increased powers for the capture and extermination of stray dogs involved in the killing and maiming of sheep; and if he will make a statement.

The Dogs (Protection of Livestock) Act 1953 already provides for the seizure and disposal of dogs which have been worrying livestock. The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 (schedule 6, paragraph 7) has, with effect from 1 January 1986, added to police powers under the 1953 Act by providing justices of the peace with power to issue a warrant authorising the police to enter and search premises in order to identify a dog suspected of worrying sheep or other livestock.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the criteria required for issue of a firearms certificate.

The Firearms Act 1968 requires a chief officer of police to satisfy himself that an applicant has a good reason for having in his possession the firearm or ammunition in respect of which the application is made, that he is a fit person to be entrusted with it and that he can be permitted to have it in his possession without danger to the public safety or to the peace.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time in any recent week for which figures are conveniently available for which prisoners have been confined to their cells at (a) Brixton prison and (b) Wandsworth prison.

This information is not available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department has imposed a recruitment freeze, effective from 1 April, on the Merseyside fire service; and what criteria were used to determine the level of budget approved for the Merseyside fire service in relation to the figure it had requested.

No recruitment freeze has been imposed. Under paragraph 4 of the Fire and Civil Defence Authorities (Establishment, Support Services and Management Schemes) Regulations 1985 the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority will be consulted shortly about its establishment scheme for 1986–87, including what is appropriate for recruitment.It is for the authority itself to settle its budget for 1986–87, and the maximum precept prescribed in the draft Local Government Act 1985 (Police and Fire and Civil Defence Authorities) Precepts Limitation Order 1986 should enable it broadly to maintain the existing levels of service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 3 February, Official Report, column 6, on how many occasions in each of the last five years passport officers have exercised their discretion in the exceptional circumstances described; if he will now take steps to widen this discretion to permit the issue without charge of a replacement passport where the family passport has used up less than a third of its period of validity and where it has been used on no more than one occasion; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that the statistics requested are not available. We have no plans to extend the criteria on which current discretion operates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 18 December 1985, Official Report, column 176, how he intends to proceed with the discussions about representations made by right hon. and hon. Members in immigration cases.

Draft guidelines have been prepared setting out proposals for the practice to be followed in the general run of immigration cases, and a copy of the draft guidelines has been placed in the Library.The objective of these proposals is to assist right hon. and hon. Members to carry out their responsibilities on behalf of their constituents in a way which is compatible with an effective and efficient immigration control in accordance with the Immigration Act 1971 and the immigration rules which have been approved by Parliament. The guidelines provide a facility for right hon. and hon. Members to obtain the facts relating to a decision to refuse entry quickly so that they can decide whether there is a case for making substantive representations. At the same time the guidelines seek to set sensible time scales within which representations should be made.My hon. and learned Friend is writing to a number of right hon. and hon. Members, whom we know to be closely involved or interested in these matters, inviting their views on the guidelines proposed but the views of all hon. Members will be welcomed. The House will have an opportunity to debate the proposals before new guidelines become effective.

asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what progress has been made to resolve the problems of grading, staffing and conditions of work in the Department of the Official Report.

The Commission is aware of the difficulties which have arisen in the Department of the Official Report over staffing levels, and in reaching agreement to revised grading and pay linkages.Negotiations commenced yesterday (10 February) with representatives of Hansard editorial and reporting staff on new management proposals for dealing with these problems. It is hoped that these negotiations will lead to agreement with the one group of staff in the House with whom it has not so far been possible to reach a negotiated settlement based on recommendations made by the Board of Management following the Staff Inspector's recently completed grading review.

asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, when the Official Report last had a full complement of 10 Committee Sub-Editors and 14 trained Reporters; what is the present complement; and how many are trainees.

The complement of 10 Committee Sub-Editors is regularly staffed at that level. The complement of Reporters is 17 with not more than 14 full Reporters for more than a short period. A Reporter is usually training for two years. On this basis the number of Reporters and Trainee Reporters on 1 April each year since 1979 is:

	Reporter	Trainee Reporter
1979	11	1
1980	7	10
1981	8	8
1982	7	6
1983	9	2
1984	10	5
1985	10	6
10 February 1986	10	8

It is the practice to make up the shortfall in experience and to cover for peak periods by employing freelance Reporters on a casual basis.

asked the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the established complement of staff of each Department of the House in 1979 as compared with 1985, together with the percentage increase in each Department over that period of time.

The established complement of staff (full-time equivalent) of each Department of the House at 1 April in 1979 and 1985 together with the percentage increase during this period is as follows:

	1979	1985	Percentage increase
Speaker's Office	10	14	40·0
Department of the Clerk of the House	119	146	22·7
Department of the Library	118	149	26·3
Department of the Serjeant at Arms	181	185	2·2
Administration Department	60	93	55·0
Department of the Official Report	70	75	6·6
Refreshment Department	*234	235	0·41

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will bring forward proposals to restrict the use of the facilities of the Palace of Westminster by parliamentary delegations representing totalitarian Governments; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what decisions he has taken following the recent consultation on the treatment of balances and capital receipts after the abolition of the Greater London council and the metropolitan county councils.

I announced some of my decisions during the rate support grant debate on 20 January. This reply confirms what I said then and deals with other issues raised by the consultation process.The residuary bodies will be able to use the cash balances of the outgoing authorities to close the accounts of those authorities and to make compensation payments falling due to staff in the first year after abolition.The remaining balances, including unapplied capital receipts, will in general be distributed by the residuary bodies to the boroughs or districts in each area. In the light of the views expressed during the consultation. I have concluded that the distribution should be carried out pro rata to population. In the consultation paper I proposed that as an exception to the general rule any balances attributable to the Inner London education authority, the Northumbria police authority and the Tyne and Mersey tunnels should pass to the successor authorities responsible for those operations. I have now accepted that there should be one further exception: in accordance with the wishes of interested parties locally, balances attributable to Birmingham international airport will remain with the airport undertaking.I look to the residuary bodies, with the assistance of the outgoing authorities, to give successor authorities their best estimate of the amount of balances likely to be distributed to each successor very shortly now, to assist the rating and precepting process. The timing of the actual distribution during 1986–87 may be settled between the residuary bodies and the recipient authorities in the light of local circumstances.Where the outgoing authorities have accumulated capital receipts which have not been used to justify additional capital expenditure under part VIII of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, the unused spending permission will be passed on to the boroughs or districts pro rata to population, or where appropriate to the other authorities referred to above, whether or not the receipts form part of the cash balances. Further consideration is being given to the mechanics of this.Capital receipts accruing to the residuary bodies after abolition will in general be distributed to the boroughs or districts, pro rata to housing investment programme capital allocations in the case of housing receipts and pro rata to population in other cases.But in three cases the cash from receipts will be differently treated. Mortgage principal repayments will be retained by residuary bodies to redeem debt, in accordance with normal local authority practice. I have also decided to allow residuary bodies to use receipts from asset sales to pay for any capital expenditure needed to prepare the assets for sale, and I have so far announced that in London at least £10 million will be available from receipts to endow a new charitable trust. Boroughs and districts will still receive the spending permission associated with the receipts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to seek to prohibit local authorities from inserting non-commercial clauses in contracts for the supply of goods and services.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my hon. Friend the Minister for Environment, Countryside and Local Government gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Heddle) on 30 October, at column 542. I understand that the Building Employers Confederation is giving serious consideration to taking action in the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he received in the course of the consideration of the West Midlands county structure plan in favour of and against the housing development proposed for land near Four Ashes road, Dorridge, Solihull.

My right hon. Friend has received 35 letters about the proposed housing development at Four Ashes. Of those, 28 opposed the proposal and seven were in favour. While recognising the strength of local feelings, my right hon. Friend accepted the independent panel's recommendation that some increased provision at Four Ashes was the least harmful way of meeting the overall requirement, especially as this involved no additional land take and no loss of green belt.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will release Solihull council from the requirement to provide a five-year supply of land for housing.

There is no formal provision for relaxing the requirement laid down in circular 15/84 to maintain a five-year supply of land. While the circular sets out a general policy, local circumstances must also be taken into account when applying its provisions to particular cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the total value of grants made by the Greater London council to each London borough which he has approved; which individual boroughs have received the grants; and if he intends to exercise his powers under section 91 of the Local Government Act 1985 to recover any such grants which have not been authorised by him.

The total value of financial assistance provided by the GLC to the London boroughs for which my right hon. Friend has given his consent under section 91 of the Local Government Act 1985 is as follows:

Borough	Total value (£)
Barking and Dagenham	4,398
Brent	100,000
Ealing	387,500
Enfield	27,500
Greenwich	2,166,252
Hackney	35,814
Hammersmith and Fulham	155,300
Haringey	1,846,015
Havering	49,000
Hillingdon	30,363
Hounslow	116,570
Kensington and Chelsea	26,600
Lambeth	427,465
Newham	228,000
Redbridge	216,240
Richmond Upon Thames	25,000
Southwark	61,696
Tower Hamlets	4,394,158
Waltham Forest	117,349
Wandsworth	100,000
	10,515,220

Following his announcement on 18 December, at column 219, my right hon. Friend is considering the extent to which he would wish to exercise his discretion to direct the London Residuary Body to recover the value of assistance given without his consent under the provisions in the 1985 Act. My right hon. Friend has also made clear his concern about the continuing assistance proposed to be given by the GLC to individual boroughs on a selective basis, particularly where this involves funding activities continuing beyond abolition. We take the view that, with the approach of abolition, there is in general little justification for the GLC seeking at this stage to fund post-abolition activities from ratepayers' money. Decisions as to such funding are primarily the province of successor authorities. My right hon. Friend will therefore wish to look very closely at any further applications for consent under section 91 of the 1985 Act. Where assistance is given without his consent or consent is refused, he intends to exercise his discretion under schedule 15, paragraph 2(2), to the Act to direct the London Residuary body to recover the value of the assistance from the authority concerned in every case where this appears to be justified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of houses in England are connected to the public sewerage system; how this compares with other member states of the European Community: and how this compares with the United States of America.

This information is not held by my Department. However, I would refer the hon. Member to the November 1985 edition of "Water Facts" published by the Water Authorities Association, which gives figures for the percentage of the population connected to sewers and comparative figures for other member states of the European Community. I have today placed copies in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local authorities which have been invited to help with research into access to local authority housing; and what response each has given.

The Department invited the following local authorities to help with its research project into access to local authority housing:

• Manchester
• Lambeth
• Sheffield
• Hackney
• Sandwell
• Islington
• Southwark
• Dudley
• North Tyneside
• Sefton
• Trafford
• Bradford
• Basildon
• Kingston upon Hull
• Leicester
• Langbaurgh
• Nuneaton and Bedworth
• Hyndburn
• Woking
• Wycombe
• Carlisle
• Wychavon
• Harrogate
• Leominister
• South Cambridgeshire
• West Somerset
• Poole

Eighteen authorities have agreed to participate; Leominster and Wycombe have declined, and seven others, Islington, Southwark, Manchester, Sheffield, Basildon, Leicester and Poole, have yet to reply to the invitation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he makes of the employment potential of each £100,000 of (a) public and (b) private investment in housing improvement.

The employment effects are approximately equal for public and private investment in housing improvement. About 70 to 75 per cent. of the cost is estimated to be spent on labour, directly and indirectly. This varies according to the nature of the work. However, assessment of the overall effects on employment potential depends on a wide range of assumptions about effects on competing expenditures, on interest rates, on exchange rates and other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from voluntary organisations located in Merseyside concerning their future funding; and if he will make a statement.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the future of the Liverpool philharmonic hall; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received several representations about the future of the Liverpool philharmonic hall. Under the main property transfer order the hall is transferred to Liverpool city council as functional successor, but my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider the alternative of temporary transfer to the residuary body for onward transmission to a trust if this can be made financially viable, and subject to the outcome of consultation with Liverpool. I understand that there is now a good prospect of this, and officials of the Office of Arts and Libraries have therefore written to Liverpool asking the council for its views on the proposal by 14 February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the future of Croxteth hall and country park; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations about Croxteth hall and country park. Under the main property transfer order this will pass to Liverpool city council as successor authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the future of the Merseyside innovation centre; and if he will make a statement.

I have received no representations about Merseyside innovation centre other than the letter from the hon. Member dated 4 February 1986.The centre is a project with a scope beyond the Liverpool city council area. As such it is classed as a county-wide scheme and would be appropriate for consideration for funding under section 48 of the Local Government Act 1985, but the Merseyside district authorities have so far failed to agree upon the arrangements for establishing such a scheme.Liverpool city council and Sefton MBC have submitted bids of £50,267 and £10,400 respectively under the transitional funding arrangements. These are currently being considered by my Department. The Merseyside innovation centre is also seeking other sources of future funding, and early discussions have been arranged with the EEC to look into possible funding through the European business network programme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the future of the Liverpool ice rink; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 6 February, at column 248, by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Urban Affairs and Construction to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the future of the Empire theatre in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received several representations about the future of the Empire theatre. Under the main property transfer order the lease on the theatre is transferred to Liverpool city council as functional successor, but I understand that two private entrepreneurs are having discussions with the theatre trustees and with Merseyside county council about the possibility of their taking over the running of the theatre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has plans to pay an official visit to Merseyside in the near future.

I am looking forward to visiting Merseyside in May or June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities were affected by the multiplier factor in the rate support grant calculations in 1984–85; and what were the changes to the multiplier in each of these local authorities for the year 1985–86.

Under the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1984–85" multipliers other than 1·0 were determined for the following local authorities. The percentage change between the multiplier for those authorities determined under that report and under the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1985–86" was as follows:

	per cent.
Cumbria	2·4
Durham	·4
Essex	-·1
Hertfordshire	-·3
Northumberland	2·8
Surrey	-·5
City of London	—
Camden	·5
Greenwich	·4
Hackney	—
Hammersmith and Fulham	7·7

	per cent.
Islington	—
Kensington and Chelsea	9·7
Lambeth	-6·2
Lewisham	—
Southwark	—
Tower Hamlets	3·2
Wandsworth	2·8
Westminster	—
Barking and Dagenham	·8
Barnet	—
Bexley	—
Brent	—
Bromley	—
Croydon	—
Ealing	—
Enfield	—
Haringey	—
Harrow	—
Havering	—
Hillingdon	3·6
Hounslow	-·6
Kingston-upon-Thames	3·4
Merton	—
Newham	2·3
Redbridge	—
Richmond-upon-Thames	3·6
Sutton	—
Waltham Forest	-1—2
ILEA	24·7
GLC	-1·8
Manchester	-1·8
Salford	10·7
Liverpool	4·9
St. Helens	1·2
Gateshead	·2
South Tyneside	1·3
Coventry	·3
South Yorkshire	1·1
Tyne and Wear	·0
North Bedfordshire	2·6
Luton	4·6
Mid Bedfordshire	-2·7
South Bedfordshire	4·3
Newbury	-1·9
Slough	1·0
South Bucks	3·1
Fenland	·1
Peterborough	·8
Hartlepool	11·0
Langbaurgh	9·5
Middlesbrough	19·2
Stockton-on-Tees	6·7
Penwith	1·6
Barrow in Furness	1·1
Copeland	-2·4
Amber Valley	-1·7
West Derbyshire	-2·9
East Devon	·6
North Devon	3·6
South Hams	1·0
Teignbridge	·3
Torridge	1·3
West Devon	-·.5
Weymouth and Portland	5·9
Wimborne	-6·3
Chester-le-Street	2·1
Darlington	1·6
Easington	1·9
Sedgefield	5·2
Wear Valley	2·8
Brighton	11·3
Eastbourne	3·3
Hove	·9
Lewes	2·7
Basildon	-·8
Uttlesford	-3·6
Forest of Dean	·4

	per cent.
Stroud	-·3
East Hampshire	-1·6
Hart	-2·8
Havant	4·2
New Forest	-2·2
Portsmouth	5·4
Rushmoor	3·9
Southampton	·6
Wyre Forest	1·4
Broxbourne	-·7
East Hertfordshire	·1
Stevenage	3·6
Watford	8·2
Welwyn Hatfield	6·9
Great Grimsby	1·1
Kingston upon Hull	·6
Scunthorpe	-13·6
Dartford	2·8
Dover	4·5
Gravesham	·3
Thanet	1·1
Blackburn	1·3
Blackpool	·4
Burnley	1·4
Fylde	-·3
Wyre	-4·2
Leicester	4·1
East Lindsey	1·1
Blyth Valley	-3·4
Scarborough	6·2
Ashfield	-·5
Bassetlaw	-·8
Broxtowe	·1
Mansfield	-7·4
Nottingham	6·4
The Wrekin	3·1
Sedgemoor	·6
West Somerset	2·5
Cannock Chase	1·1
Forest Heath	-2·1
Mid Suffolk	-5·3
Epsom and Ewell	-1·1
Woking	·5
North Warwickshire	-·3
Nuneaton and Bedworth	3·3
Adur	-·4
Chichester	-1·3
Isles of Scilly	·1

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received from the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive its list of sites for investigation as nuclear dumps; when he intends to present this list to Parliament; whether he intends to change the list or consider the case for particular places in that interim period; and what representations he is willing to receive from areas concerned about the possibility of being on that list, before it is presented to Parliament.

The chairman of UK NIREX Ltd. wrote to my right hon. Friend on 8 January setting out proposals. These are currently being considered. My right hon. Friend is always willing to consider representations from hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will agree to the transfer of the Liverpool philharmonic hall to a charitable trust adequately funded; and if he will seek the support of the local authorities in providing that funding.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1986, c. 336–37]: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing).

asked the Paymaster General what measures he plans to take to encourage self-employment.

We are taking a number of measures to encourage self-employment. The enterprise allowance scheme which helps unemployed people to start their own businesses is to be expanded to 80,000 places for 1986–87. More resources are being allocated to local enterprise agencies to allow them to offer improved services to those who wish to start businesses. The Manpower Services Commission is refocusing its adult training programme more sharply on promoting enterprise and self-employment. The commission is also planning to increase the enterprise and self-employment elements of the youth training scheme, community programme and voluntary projects programme to encourage more people to consider self-employment.

asked the Paymaster General what is the total number of self-employed people in Britain.

In September 1985, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of self-employed people in Great Britain was provisionally estimated to be 2,590,000.

asked the Paymaster General what is the basis of calculations for changes in the number of self-employed; and what information is available about the main types of self-employment.

The Department's self-employment estimates are obtained from the censuses of population, the latest of which was held in 1981, updated by applying proportionate changes in self-employment as estimated from a labour force survey (LFS). For periods since the date of the latest available LFS results, currently spring 1984, the estimates assume continuation of the rate of change observed in a previous period.The estimates for years for which census of LFS data are available are analysed by industry and by region and the detailed estimates published in articles in

asked the Paymaster General if he will give a breakdown by region of the number of individuals who have been self-employed in each of the last 15 years for which figures are available; and in each of these years what this figure represents as a percentage of the total number of individuals in paid work in that region.

The figures are contained in the following tables:

asked the Paymaster General which discussions he has had with General Motors on the employment implications of the future of British Leyland, Bathgate; and if he will make a statement.

None. The closure of Bathgate was proposed by the British Leyland board in its 1984 corporate plan which was discussed in detail between the Department of Trade and Industry and British Leyland. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry told the hon. Member on 6 February, the position is unchanged by recent announcements concerning talks between British Leyland and General Motors. Discussions about possible future use of the facility are continuing locally, and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland is keeping in close touch with British Leyland and has made it clear that he stands ready to help any viable proposition.

asked the Paymaster General what are the objectives of his Department's policy on the long-term unemployed; how he is monitoring its effectiveness; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend on 21 January at column 118. In addition, my right hon. and learned Friend announced on 12 November 1985 that the Manpower Services Commission had been asked to test two new measures to help the long-term unemployed in their search for jobs. These measures, operating since January in nine pilot areas, consist of in-depth counselling interviews at jobcentres, and a net job start allowance of £20 per week for those taking jobs earning less that £80 per week. The pilots are being carefully monitored to establish whether they should be extended more widely.

asked the Paymaster General which specific companies in the west midlands region have offered places to YTS trainees for the extended two-year programme; and how many places have been offered by each individual company.

The information requested is listed by Manpower Services Commission training division area:

Training Division Area Office—Birmingham
Provider	Number of places offered
Henry Boot	70
Reflections	72
Copec housing	10
Freight—Rover	29
IMI Kynoch	6
Newey & Ayre	100
James Beattie	15
Jaguar Cars	12
West Midlands Fine Service	25
John Frost	6
Cadbury's	58
Land Rover	40
Lucas Aerospace	18
Walter Smith	30
Midland Electric Manufacturing Co.	20
NEC	6
Greenall Whitley	20
Hardy Spicer	16
West Midlands Police	60
James Carrington	4
Sutcliffe Catering	20
Caroline Leisure	17
Lucas Electrical	40

Provider	Number of places offered
Post Office	96
Bromich Catering	12
IMI Training Services	20
Delta B2	40

TD Area Office—Coventry
Provider	Number of Places Offered
Alvis	10
Courtaulds	20
Coventry Co-op	30
Coventry Chamber of Commerce	273
Coventry Radiator	14
Dunlop	80
GEC	75
Guy Associates	75
Jaguar	40
Midland Link	135
Lloyds British	130
MGTS	333
Massey Ferguson	12
Talbot	50
Whitman Bennett	12
GTA	61
JH Pitman	75
GEC Large M/Cs	200
Thelma Dawkes	21
Automative Products	30
Galla Training Agency	105
Neaton TW	90
Warwickshire GTA	46
IDC Ltd.	10
Results	182
IDTS	18
Leamington Intec	145
Rugby Intec	145
Nuneaton Intec	120
Garage and Transport	45
Bedworth Itec	52
Martanne	40
St. Mary's Church	50
3 As	40
Galliford Lindley	12
JHP Atherstone	155
Atherstone TW	60
International Hotel School	30
St. Francis	30
Arthur Rank	11
Leamington Secretarial College	30
Rugby Design	10
Rugby Itec	75
Ace	20
British Leyland	10
As good as new	130
HCITB	70

TD Area Office-Dudley/Sandwell
Provider	Number of places offered
Dudley
James Beattie	20
Henry Boot Ltd	65
Corbet Management Services	235
R. K. Grunau	45
B. R. Hammersley Ltd	40
Keyboard Training	60
J. H. P.	100
Trevor Leddington	6
Link Organisation	200
Metcon	194
M.O.S.T.	72

Provider	Number of places offered
O.J.A.	30
Team	150
West Midlands Training Group	40
West Midlands Group Training	20
Inter-skill	100
NACRO	100
Sandwell
Allbright and Wilson	25
W. and T. Avery	30
Babcock Power	26
Billingtons	44
Central Training Group	24
G. E. C. Small Machines	51
J. H. P.	50
Link Organisation	175
Lloyds British Training	40
Martin James Hair Design	175
Midland Foundry Training Centre	20
NACRO	85
Pentotech	210
Pims	40
Providence Group Training	159
Elfrida Rathbone Society	60
St. James and St. Johns	45
Sandwell Training Association	301
Saver Centre	15
S.T.A.R.T.	180
Tipton Youth Training	170
Y.M.C.A.	105
Youth Skill Training Agency	60

TD area office-Staffordshire
Provider	Number of places offered
Bass Brewing	45
Pirelli	76
Burton Rubber Co.	36
FH Burgess	37
Micro Applications	90
G.E.C. Turbines	50
United Co-op Society	180
G.E.C. Meters	20
Borough Arms Hotel	50
Judas Allman	100
Michelin Tyre Co.	50
Wood and Sons	30
Wrists; Wires and Cables	75
Staffordshire Potteries	43
Churchill Pottery	32
Arthur Wood Ltd.	46
Josiah Wedgewood	19
George Staples	30
Thomas Bolton	30
J.C. Bamford	30
G.E.C. Industrial Controls	22
T.I. Creda	26

TD Area Office-Telford
Provider	Number of places offered
Henry Boot	65
Roses and Shrubs	15
Royce Management	54
Severnrise Kennels	8
Wyke Equestrian Centre	11
S. W. M'Connell	80
Perkins Engines	58
Telford School of Welding	15
Watkin, Starback & Jones	246
Iron bridge Gorge Museum Trust	30

Provider	Number of places offered
Disabled Skills	18
Margetts Foods	10
Link—51	21
Brintons	46
Foxworth Farm	6
Gordon Russel	5
Martin James McHale	90
Herfordshire Hairdressing	45
Ledbury Preserves	9
Nei-ape Allen Gears	8
Redman Heenan	46
Carpets of Worth	22
S.E.G.T.A.	160
Margaret Ursell	3
H. P. Bulmers	20
Mr Bamber	30
Worcester Royal Porcelain	30
Small Business Developments	120

TD area office—Wolverhampton
Provider	Number of places offered
Beaties	39
Blenheim	40
John Brennand	47
Cannon	15
Carvies	60
Chubb	24
Dowty Boulton Paul	36
Glynwed	14
Goodyear	22
GKN Tech	9
Lampit and Partners	320
Lucas	28
Marston	30
Querty	30
Seamless Tubes	15
Spicer Transmission	30
Tarmac plc	11
BRD	13
Bournevale Stables	20
Corbetts	180
W. A. Gould	15
Hair by David	30
Incomm	100
McKechnie	40
Midland Hotel	38
J. Parkes	32
Pitmans	150
Peter Pyne	15
Starbuck Motors	3
Henry Boot	130
Tarmac Roadstone	40
W. Midlands Co-op	80

asked the Paymaster General what is the latest information which he has regarding the percentage change in the prices of bread, milk, beer, bus fares, newspapers and children's clothing over the period since 1974; and how the percentage change in each of these commodities compares with that for the retail prices index as a whole over the same period.

The latest available information is as follows:

Percentage Changes in Retail Prices Indices between January 1974 and December 1985
	Per cent.
Bread	242·9
Fresh milk	313·3
Beer	407·1
Bus fares	386·9
Newspapers and Periodicals	453·1
Children's clothing	164·4
Retail Prices Index—"all items"	278·9

asked the Paymaster General if he can give a list of all the cities that were considered, before the aid was given for the new initiatives, for aid to the inner city announced by his Department on 6 February.

This is a pilot initiative, and we chose the areas because we felt they were together broadly representative of the problems faced by inner city residents. It would serve no purpose to list other areas which were not selected, even if at this stage we could recollect all those areas mentioned at some stage or other of the discussions inside Government.

asked the Paymaster General what framework there is for consultation between local authorities and his Department concerning the development of local economic initiatives.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1986]: I am anxious that the locally based inner cities initiative which I announced to the House on 6 February should, wherever possible, operate in cooperation and consultation with the local authorities concerned. I hope to meet those local authorities soon to discuss how best to establish the necessary links.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any of the meetings which have taken place between officials of his Department and officials of the Commission for Racial Equality have involved matters relating to the Welsh language in Wales.

No, although at the November 1985 meeting of the Commission for Racial Equality's Welsh consultative committee, which an official of the Welsh Office attends, an official of the commission gave a brief and general account of an industrial tribunal case where the Welsh language was an issue.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of houses in Wales are connected to the public sewerage system; how this compares with other member states of the European Community; and how this compares with the United States of America.

This information is not held by the Department, but figures for the percentage of the population connected to sewers and comparable figures for other member states of the European Community are to be found in the November 1985 edition of "Water Facts", published by the Water Authorities Association. A copy has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the employment implications of the closure of the Dairy Crest depot, Johnstown in Carmarthen; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of representations from individuals and organisations about the closure of the Dairy Crest plant in Johnstown. However, the closure of the plant, while regrettable, is a matter for the commercial judgment of Dairy Crest as part of a rationalisation programme to improve the productive and competitive performance of its cheese-making capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the percentage cumulative growth of National Health Service expenditure in each Welsh health authority in each year since 1979 (a) in retail price index terms, (b) in terms of National Health Service pay and prices and (c) after taking account of the annual growth in demand for health services arising from demographic factors; and if he will make a statement.

The information given in the following table relates to the recurrent revenue resources

Per cent. Cumulative Growth in recurrent revenue resources 1978–79 to 1986–87 (after adjustment for inflation using GDP deflator)
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86†	1986–87‡
Clwyd	3·7	18·6	21·1	21·4	24·9	28·7	29·4	32·3
East Dyfed*	—	—	—	2·6	6·3	8·6	8·8	10·5
Pembrokeshire*	—	—	—	1·4	5·3	12·9	14·5	17·3
Gwent	5·0	14·3	16·0	17·5	20·7	21·6	20·4	21·8
Gwynedd	3·5	13·1	15·3	17·4	19·9	29·0	33·0	34·1
Mid Glamorgan	2·3	10·2	10·9	12·4	13·8	16·2	18·1	20·8
Powys	5·6	14·8	19·5	21·9	23·1	24·5	24·2	26·1
South Glamorgan	2·9	10·7	11·2	13·2	14·5	15·7	16·1	17·8
West Glamorgan	4·4	13·3	15·9	18·4	20·3	23·8	30·7	36·0
Total	3·8	13·1	14·8	16·5	18·9	21·7	23·2	25·6

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many skilled building workers he estimates are (a) employed and (b) unemployed in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Information regarding skilled building workers is not separately available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average figure for people with bronchitic diseases in (a) Wales, (b) England and (c) the United Kingdom for the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not available centrally. The number of deaths and discharges from hospitals in Wales of people suffering from bronchitic diseases was 4,590 in 1984, the latest year for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average wage of Welsh farm workers; how this compares with that in England; and if he will make a statement.

In the year ended September 1985 the average weekly earnings of full-time hired men in agriculture in Wales were £118·24 for 45·5 hours worked. I understand from my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that this compares with £130·33 for 46·6 hours worked for equivalent workers in England in the same period.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently employed by the Welsh water authority.

At 31 December 1985 there were 4,786 people employed by the Welsh water authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many jobs in Wales he estimates will be created by the construction of a fixed link across the English Channel; and if he will make a statement.

No estimate is possible at present, but, when the link is completed, the improved communications provided should create new opportunities for businesses and industry in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales by how much water rates have increased in the last five years in (a) Wales and (b) the average for English authorities; and if he will make a statement.

The total increase in the average domestic water bill in Wales between 1981 and 1986 in cash terms is £37·15. The comparative figure for the English authorities is £25·09.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he has made appointments since 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons he has appointed to public bodies in Wales since his appointment in 1979, either solely or jointly with other Departments; and if he will state the numbers of all political parties separately.

The information requested in the first part of the question is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Records of appointees' political affiliations are not kept. In making appointments it is our policy to select the best person for the job bearing in mind all factors relevant to the post.

asked the Prime Minister what action was taken on the night of Wednesday 8 January, when the then Secretary of State for Defence reported to her office that the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry had urged the managing director of the leading company in the British Westland consortium to withdraw in the national interest.

Westland was fully discussed by the Cabinet on 9 January with the participation of both my right hon. Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Gainsborough.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 11 February.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be addressing the National Farmers Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what steps he is taking to bring to the attention of farmers the grants which are available to diversify into tourism; and if he will make a statement;(2) what expertise is being developed at local level to help and advise farmers who wish to take up a grant for tourism and crafts;(3) what expertise on tourism marketing is being developed at a local level to enable his Department's officials to make decisions on the suitability of marketing plans, as described in his Department's booklet A.I.S. 6, "Tourism and Crafts", paragraph 28;

My Department has published a comprehensive range of advisory leaflets on grants available under the agriculture improvement scheme and has arranged for wide publicity in the national and local press and at farming conferences, agricultural shows and so on.My Department has a team of specialist advisers on farm tourism and crafts who maintain close contacts with the tourist boards and the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas and participate in the boards' development panels and the regional tourism steering committees of the Department of Employment.MAFF booklet 2005—"Farmhouse and Self-catering Accommodation"—contains comprehensive information on the minimum voluntary standards recommended by the English Tourist Board. This booklet has gone to all farmers known to have an interest in tourism.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the cost of the parliamentary answer to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 27 January, Official Report, column 404, about current European Economic Community import levies; and what extra cost would have been entailed in providing the information in the form requested.

The cost of the parliamentary answer given was about £130. It is our custom, when appropriate, to refer hon. Members to the authoritative figures in the Official Journal, as not to do so would involve us in disproportionate cost. In this case the disproportionate cost would have arisen particularly from the large number of import levies for different presentations of imports and the conversions required.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the current capital grants available to farmers for installation of renewable energy systems; and if he will list such grants by number, value and type in each year since the grants were introduced.

Grants have been available since 1 October 1985 under the agriculture improvement scheme for the supply and installation of straw-burning boilers and furnaces, heat pumps, heat exchangers, wind or water-powered pumps and generators, anaerobic digestors and solar heating panels.The rates of grant are 15 per cent. in the lowlands and 30 per cent. in the less-favoured areas.I regret that no information is available on the grants paid so far on each type of energy-saving facility.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the proposal by the European Commission that agricultural spending in 1986 should be further increased by £500 million and that a special fund of £2,000 million should be established for surplus disposal.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1986]: We have yet to see a detailed proposal for an addition of £500 million to the 1986 Community budget. It remains a key objective that the agreed financial guideline is held to. The Commission has made no proposals for a special £2,000 million fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the overseas earnings of the British record industry.

Information distinguishing royalties and other overseas earnings by the record industry is not available. In 1985 (provisional) United Kingdom exports of records were valued at £62 million (fob) and exports of recorded tapes for the reproduction of music were valued at £10 million (fob).