asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for the latest year for which information is available for each hon. and right hon. Member representing constituencies in Wales, the arithmetic mean in days that his Department took to reply to letters.

The information is given in the table:

Letters received from hon. and right hon. Members representing constituencies in Wales between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 1985
Constituency	Average number of working days taken to reply
Aberavon	16
Alyn and Deeside	13
Blaenau Gwent	15
Brecon and Radnor*	12
Bridgend	15
Caernarfon	16
Caerphilly	15
Cardiff Central	15
Cardiff North	13
Cardiff South and Penarth	14
Cardiff West	17
Carmarthen	13
Ceredigion and Pembroke North	14
Clwyd North West	15
Clwyd South West	14
Cynon Valley	13
Delyn	15
Gower	16
Islwyn	11
Llanelli	14
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy	17
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	13
Monmouth	15
Montgomery	15
Neath	18
Newport East	14
Ogmore	12
Pontypridd	12
Rhondda	15
Swansea East	15
Swansea West	16
Torfaen	15
Vale of Glamorgan	14
Wrexham	15
Ynys Mon	14

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for the latest year for which information is available, the total numbers of letters that he has received from hon. and right hon. Members representing constituencies in Wales.

Between 1 January 1985 and 31 December 1985, the latest year for which figures are available, Ministers in my Department received 2,667 letters from hon. and right hon. Members representing constituencies in Wales, which required substantive replies.In addition several hundred letters were received but not recorded. These included letters that required a standard reply, were copied for information or provided further information about an ongoing case.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to persuade Welsh local authorities to moderate their 1986–87 budget and rating proposals.

I am disappointed that the proposals announced by the Welsh councils markedly exceed the forecast level of inflation. As the local authorities understand, spending in excess of the settlement provision brings with it penalties in the form of reduced grant entitlement and hence increased rates. I shall shortly be discussing the situation with the Welsh local authority associations and I hope that as a result the proposals so far announced will be moderated before final decisions are taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proposed level of expenditure by his Department for the year 1986–87 on church schools in the London borough of Ealing; and if he will make a statement.

The capital expenditure allocations announced by the Department on 18 December 1985 included £331,000 in respect of continuing work on Phase II of the redevelopment of Twyford Church of England School in Ealing. Grant of 85 per cent. will be paid by the Department on this expenditure. No other capital works project at a voluntary aided or special agreement school in Ealing could be accommodated in the capital expenditure programme. The Department's contribution to expenditure by governors on repairs to voluntary schools within an individual local authority cannot be estimated in advance.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now reconsider his decision regarding the inclusion of the study of chiropody in his mandatory list of courses.

There is no present intention to reconsider the inclusion of chiropody courses among those which attract mandatory awards.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were teachers' salaries in January 1979 and January 1984, respectively; and what is the difference in real terms for each of the scales.

The information requested is contained in the table. Each salary scale contains a number of incremental points and scale minima and maxima have been used for illustration.

Salary scales for teachers (P + S) in operation at January 1979* and January 1984*
	April 1978		April 1983		†Difference in real terms
	Min.	Max.	Min.	Max.	Min.	Max.
Scale	£	£	£	£	Per cent.	Per cent.
1	2,964	‡4,662	5,178	¶18,142	2·2	2·1
2	3,408	║5,184	5,949	9,132	2·1	3·0
3	4,212	5,958	7,359	10,497	2·2	3·0
4	5,010	6,621	8,754	11,763	2·2	3·9
Senior teachers	5,355	7,083	9,435	12,744	3·0	5·2
Deputy head▀	3,663	8,682	6,477	15,879	3·4	7·0
Head▀	5,070	11,544	9,108	21,828	5·1	10·6

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average headmaster's salary in January 1979 and January 1986, respectively; and what is the percentage difference in real terms.

The Department does not hold information in the form requested. Teachers' pay is negotiated with effect from 1 April each year, and no increases has been implemented since 1 April 1984. The average salary for head teachers in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales was £6,920 in April 1978 and £13,250 in April 1984, an increase in real terms of 6·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that all schools in England are publishing examination results information in accordance with the Education (School Information) Regulations 1981.

The regulations impose a duty on local education authorities and governing bodies to publish such information. It would not be possible for the Department to monitor the discharge of this duty in all schools, but any failure that came to the Department's attention would be pursued.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of people employed on information, press and public relations work in his Department in each of the past five years, together with the annual costs over the same period.

The number of service personnel and civilians employed on information, press and public relations work in the Ministry of Defence in the years 1982–83 to 1985–86, together with the annual staffing costs over the same period, is as follows:

Year	Numbers	Cost £ million
1982–83	222	4·0
1983–84	290	4·8
1984–85	282½	5·3
1985–86	249½	5·1

Figures for 1981–82 are not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate expense. The numbers given for 1983–84 onwards include all service personnel and civilians in complemented PR posts in London and in commands and districts at home and overseas; the 1982–83 figure was not prepared on this comprehensive basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will indicate the numerical strength of the armed forces in West Germany, Belgium, France, Holland and Italy; and if he will estimate the percentage of each of the individual totals that is represented by conscripts.

The information requested is a matter for the countries concerned. Unofficial information on these countries' armed forces is, however, contained in "The Military Balance 1985–1986", published by the International Institute of Strategic Studies, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the anticipated manpower in the Royal Navy for each year until 1993.

It is not the practice to give detailed forward figures for the strength of the armed forces, as these are subject to change in the light of operational and other considerations. As announced, however, in the 1985 "Statement on the Defence Estimates", on current plans naval manpower numbers are expected to have declined by about 11,000 in the early 1990s from the 1981 level.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of the United States forces contingent at the Akrotiri base in Cyprus, in particular (a) the number of personnel, (b) the number and type of aircraft they support, (c) the role of the contingent and (d) the agreement under which the United States contingent is stationed there; and if he will make a statement.

I shall answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what were the salaries of an air marshal, admiral and general on 1 January 1979 and 1986; and what is the percentage difference in real terms.

The salaries of these officers on the dates concerned were:

Rank	1st January 1979	1st January 1986
	£	£
Admiral. General (and Air Chief Marshal)	19,947	52,750
Air Marshal	15,629	39,250

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will provide information about all facilities the British base in Hong Kong provides for visiting warships;(2) if he will list by country and class, the number of visiting warships to the British base in Hong Kong in the last five years.

I shall answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will outline the facilities the British base in Ascension Island provides for visiting warships.

I shall answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report those bathing beaches in Scotland which do not presently conform with established EEC standards.

No beaches in Scotland are at present listed under the EC bathing water directive.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what plans he has to monitor bathing beaches in Scotland to ensure they conform to EEC quality standards;(2) if he will undertake to carry out and publish a study of the quality of bathing beaches at all major tourist resorts in Scotland.

At the Government's request, local river purification boards are to monitor the quality of bathing water on 20 beaches in Scotland over the next two bathing seasons. Consideration will be given to publication of the results. The list of bathing waters is:

• Nairn
• Aberdeen
• Cullen
• Fraserburgh
• Arbroath
• Carnoustie
• St. Andrews
• Aberdour
• Gullane
• Kinghorn
• North Berwick
• Yellowcraigs
• Pease Bay
• Sandyhills
• Ayr
• Girvan
• Irvine-Gailes
• Prestwick
• Saltcoats, Ardrossan
• Troon (south)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy towards the future operation of the national joint working party on physical education in the light of the decision by members representing teachers to withdraw; whether he still proposes to issue guidelines on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

Following the withdrawal of the teacher members of the standard grade joint working party on physical education, the JWP proceeded to complete its report. This was approved by the joint working parties steering committee and it will be issued by the Scottish Examination Board for comment by interested bodies including the teachers' associations. Whether or not the JWP is required to do any further work will depend on the outcome of these consultations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to introduce legislation to permit financial and other institutions to offer conveyancing services in Scotland.

I have no plans to do so at present. The Building Societies Bill currently before the House will give my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor power to recognise institutions for the purpose of providing conveyancing services in respect of land in England and Wales. I have decided that it would be inappropriate for me to take similar powers in Scotland where the house purchase and conveyancing systems differ significantly from those in England and Wales. I shall be keeping the position under review to ensure that the interests of those buying and selling houses in Scotland are adequately safeguarded.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the future of the Top Salaries Review Body.

The Top Salaries Review Body is currently working on its 1986 recommendations and is expected to report in April.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of 11 February, what action was taken in connection with the report by the then Secretary of State for Defence alleging that the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry had urged the managing director of the leading company in the European Westland consortium to withdraw in the national interest, during the period between the receipt by the private office of that report on 8 January and the discussion of Westland plc by the Cabinet on 9 January.

As is clear from the text of Sir Clive Whitmore's letter of 13 January to Sir John Cuckney, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House on 27 January, that letter was written in response to a letter from Sir John Cuckney of 10 January putting questions about Government policy.

asked the Prime Minister whether she spoke to Sir Raymond Lygo between the publication on 15 January of his verbatim notes of his meeting with the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, and the publication of his letter to him of 17 January.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if similar pension arrangements to those that will apply for Hong Kong civil servants after 1997 will be extended to other surviving former overseas colonial service employees.

Arrangements for pensions for Hong Kong civil servants are the responsibility of the Hong Kong Government and are not therefore applicable to former overseas colonial service officers elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present level of aid to (a) Nicaragua, (b) E1 Salvador, (c) Honduras and (d) Guatemala.

I have no more recent information than I gave in the answer to the hon. Member's question on the same subject on 11 November 1985 at column 38.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the figures for (a) current and (b) constant 1974 prices and (c) expressed as a proportion of gross national product for official, private and total flows from the United Kingdom to developing countries for each calender year since 1974.

The information requested is contained in the following tables:

Net official flows* from the United Kingdom to developing countries
Year	Current prices £ million	†Constant (1974) prices £ million	Pecentage of GNP
1974	713	713	0·84
1975	839	659	0·79
1976	973	665	0·77
1977	712	427	0·49
1978	968	522	0·58
1979	1,083	510	0·55
1980	726	285	0·32
1981	1,253	440	0·49
1982	1,117	365	0·40
1983	1,198	373	0·40
1984	1,419	423	0·44

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to follow up the "Gun Sense is Good Sense" campaign in 1983; and what further measures he proposes to continue education about the hazards arising from misuse of air weapons.

I continue to attach great importance to ensuring that people who acquire air weapons are correctly instructed in their use. It was always our intention to continue the education process after the formal campaign had ended. The material produced in connection with the campaign is still being used, and the television films were shown about 60 times in the first nine months of 1985. In the light of our assessment of the campaign I am considering the feasibility and cost of further campaigns in those areas in which the highest number of air weapons offences have been recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for firearms certificates relating to the possession and purchase of licensable air weapons have been (a) granted and (b) refused in each year since 1979 (i) in London and (ii) in total nationally.

This information is not available. Under the Firearms (Dangerous Air Weapons) Rules 1969 certificates are only required in respect of certain high powered air weapons. I understand from inquiries made of police firearms officers that they receive very few applications for such certificates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received on the nationality position of non-ethnic Chinese citizens in Hong Kong after 1997.

About 40.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reassess the Scarman proposals for inner city policing.

Action has been taken on the specific recommendations for the police in Lord Scarman's report on the 1981 Brixton disorders. The principles of policing upon which Lord Scarman based his proposals continue to be the underlying principles of policing in this country, and will continue to be developed to try to meet the needs of the community which the police serve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; and what subjects were discussed.

I last met the commissioner privately on 6 February when we discussed the use of firearms by the police. The commissioner and a number of his senior colleagues also attended the meeting which I held on 10 February with the London Boroughs' Association, the Association of London Authorities, and the Outer London Districts Metropolitan Police Consultative Association to discuss his recent strategy report. A wide range of subjects was discussed at that meeting, including finance, manpower, ethnic minority recruitment, the force reorganisation, co-operation between the police and local authorities, the Holloway road assault case, standards of professional conduct and traffic matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for increasing the staffing at Her Majesty's prison, Styal; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements have been made for rive additional officers to take up post at Styal with effect from 31 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the salaries of constables, sergeants and chief inspectors on 1 January in 1979 and 1986; and what is the percentage difference in real terms.

The information requested follows:

Rank	January 1979		January 1986
	Minimum	Maximum	Minimum	Maximum
Constable	3,189	4,809	7,212	12,033
Sergeant	4,683	5,406	11,508	13,203
Chief Inspector	6,198	7,260	14,991	17,388

The cumulative increase arising from annual pay settlements since January 1979 is 148·3 per cent. Over the period January 1979 to November 1985 underlying average earnings have risen by 106 per cent. while between January 1979 and December 1985 the retail prices index rose by 82·9 per cent. and the tax and price index by 81·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which laboratories have been investigated under the Cruelty to Animals Act since 1980.

All premises registered under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 are visited by inspectors, mainly without notice. The numbers of these visits since 1977 are given in Cmnd. 9574, page 30, table 24 together with the numbers of registered premises concerned. It is not our practice to give details of individual premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to seek to amend the immigration rules or the Immigration Act 1971.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 23 January, at column 274 the Government intend to introduce legislation in the lifetime of this Parliament to the effect that an offence of overstaying is committed on the day when the overstayer first knows that his leave has expired and that it continues to be committed throughout any period during which he remains in the United Kingdom thereafter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance is issued by his Department to chief constables and police authorities on the criteria governing, and the level of expenditure which is allowed for, removal expenses and the equipping of offices for senior police officers;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands about the amount of expenses he has claimed in the last financial year for removal of furniture, equipping offices and installation of burglar alarms.

Police authorities are required by the Police Regulations 1979, as amended, to reimburse removal costs reasonably incurred by senior officers joining their forces. It is entirely for the police authority to determine the sum paid in any particular case. It is also for the authority alone to decide what equipement should be provided for senior officers. The Home Office issues no guidance on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether employees of E1-A1 are permitted to remove their weapons from their aircraft at Heathrow.

Firearms which are carried on board an aircraft for security purposes are required to be surrendered to the police or customs on arrival. If the aircraft is staying only a short time, the firearms are sealed in a container on board. If the aircraft is staying longer, the firearms are kept in safe custody by the police and returned shortly before it leaves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Yorkshire as to the number of people prosecuted in the last 12 months for which figures are available for the alleged illegal sale or renting of firearms.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to restrict the circumstances in which licences may be obtained for firearms; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given yesterday to a question from the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Meadowcroft) at column 516.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the relocation of those detained in prison in the London area under powers in the Immigration Act 1971.

As a result of pressures on the prison system in the London area it has become necessary to use for other purposes the accommodation currently set aside for Immigration Act detainees at Ashford remand centre. After considering various alternatives I have decided that such detainees should, for the foreseeable future be accommodated in Latchmere house remand centre in Richmond-upon-Thames. One landing will be set aside for their exclusive use and it is planned that they should move there in the latter half of this month. This will not alter the present arrangements under which some immigration detainees may need to be held in other London prisons from time to time.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his policy towards the development of voluntary insulation groups.

My Department's energy efficiency office will continue to provide grants for voluntary insulation projects and for the national co-ordinating charity, Neighbourhood Energy Action. The number of projects operating is expected to double by the end of 1986, Energy Efficiency Year. 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 if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury of 13 December, Official Report, column 803, he will set out the reasons why it would not be in the public interest to publish details of withdrawals of nuclear materials from safeguards under the tripartite safeguards agreement, Cmnd. 6730.

For national security reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury of 10 December, Official Report, columns 589–90, he will set out the reasons why details of plutonium exported for civil end use are regarded as being commercially sensitive.

Because there is a confidentiality clause in the contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury of 13 December, Official Report, column 804, he will (a) list the dates on which the plutonium exports to France referred to in his reply took place and (b) specify the international safeguards agreements under which these plutonium exports took place.

One export licence was granted in each of the following years:1968, 1973, 1974, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984 and 1985. The material in question is subject to Euratom safeguards in France under the terms of the Euratom treaty. Shipments since 1981 would also be subject to IAEA safeguards under the terms of the agreement between France, Euratom and the IAEA of 27 July 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce a decision on the Mersey barrage project; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Mersey barrage has been received by my Department and is now under consideration. I will, of course, consider seriously any proposals for taking the work forward.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list each bench of magistrates in the country showing the number of supporters of each of the main political parties on each.

I regret that this information could not be provided except at disproportionate cost. In any event, the information provided by a candidate at the time of appointment depends on the candidate's own description of his views at the time of application, not always clearly expressed, and may now be up to 40 years out of date.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the dates on which the House has met on a Saturday; what was the main item of business under discussion; and what time the House met and at what time the House subsequently adjourned, for each session since 1956.

The information is as follows:

Saturday 3 November 1956:

Adjournment: Subjects of debate: Middle East and Hungary.

The House met at 12 o'clock and adjourned at 3 o'clock.

Saturday 30 January 1965:

The House attended the funeral of right hon. Sir Winston Churchill.

Saturday 3 April 1982:

Adjournment: Subject of debate: Falkland Islands.

The House met at 11 o'clock and adjourned at 2 o'clock.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will publish in the Official Report, a list showing the dates when the House sat later than 1.30 am and at what time the House subsequently adjourned for each Session since 1959.

The information requested is as follows:

House sits after 1.30 am
Session and time at which adjourned (am unless stated)
	Date
1959–60
1.35	6.7.60
1.47	29.6.60

	Date
2.12	19.7.60
2.35	31.5.60
2.50	22.3.60
2.57	22.6.60
4.42	8.12.59
7.35	26.7.60
1960–61
1.31	3.7.61
2.10	6.7.61
2.11	12.4.61
2.41	27.6.61
3.05	23.3.61
3.22	16.5.61
3.32	20.2.61
4.06	22.2.61
4.09	2.5.61
4.52	23.2.61
4.54	20.6.61
5.03	13.2.61
6.16	7.6.61
6.46	15.3.61
7.20	1.8.61
8.15	15.2.61
1961–62
1.44	3.4.62
1.55	2.7.62
2.29	5.7.62
2.30	25.7.62
2.41	17.4.62
2.52	3.7.62
5.39	15.11.61
6.30	23.7.62
7.20	27.3.62
9.00	30.7.62
1962–63
1.35	1.5.63
1.54	6.2.63
2.10	21.5.63
3.10	28.11.62
3.10	21.3.63
3.13	8.5.63
4.45	15.7.63
5.05	26.6.63
6.14	24.7.63
1963–64
2.05	20.7.64
2.09	18.6.64
4.11	19.3.64
8.56	29.7.64
1964–65
1.32	17.11.65
1.32	20.7.64
1.32	29.7.65
1.38	26.5.65
1.46	12.7.65
1.49	6.7.65
1.50	27.7.65
1.52	1.11.65
2.07	21.7.65
2.57	7.12.64
2.58	14.4.65
3.00	26.11.64
3.16	21.6.65
3.25	9.12.64
3.25	22.3.65
3.31	14.7.65
3.40	22.6.65
4.07	28.6.65
4.41	2.12.64
5.06	20.5.65
5.39	29.6.65
6.22	22.7.65

	Date
6.25	31.5.65
6.39	25.5.65
11.24	3.8.65
12.06 pm	16.6.65
1.02 pm	25.3.65

Session and time at which adjourned (am unless stated
	Date
1965–66
2.01	24.11.65
2.10	26.11.65
2.10	5.12.65
2.25	2.12.65
3.00	15.11.65
3.14	23.11.65
5.06	9.3.66
1966–67
1.32	27.4.66
1.32	22.2.67
1.36	29.11.66
1.40	16.6.66
1.41	11.7.66
1.43	6.2.67
1.48	22.11.66
1.49	20.6.66
1.53	23.5.66
1.53	25.5.66
2.05	19.7.66
2.05	20.6.67
2.22	2.7.67
2.41	13.7.66
2.49	24.7.67
2.58	27.10.66
3.10	26.7.66
3.10	1.2.67
3.54	23.1.67
3.55	20.2.67
4.13	26.10.66
4.14	25.1.67
4.14	19.6.67
4.27	22.6.66
5.29	23.6.66
6.04	9.8.66
6.21	3.7.67
6.36	18.7.66
6.40	10.7.67
6.57	19.7.67
7.41	11.7.67
7.59	27.6.66
8.12	18.7.67
8.19	25.7.67
9.03	8.8.66
10.02	20.3.67
10.12	17.1.67
10.16	29.6.67
10.39	29.6.66
2.59 pm	13.7.67
1967–68
1.51	21.5.68
1.58	3.4.68
2.25	23.5.68
3.28	30.1.68
3.30	23.10.68
4.25	9.4.68
5.10	9.7.68
5.41	14.3.68
6.20	5.12.67
7.22	22.5.68
8.09	28.2.68
9.23	26.6.68
10.01	29.2.68
10.02	26.3.68
10.38	24.7.68

	Date
11.58	†29.5.68
12.23 pm	†23.7.68
12.54 pm	†27.5.68
1.02 pm	†20.5.68
1.09 pm	†28.5.68
1.10 pm	†26.2.68
1968–69
1.41	12.5.69
1.48	19.3.69
1.49	10.2.69
1.54	14.5.69
1.58	24.6.69
2.08	5.5.69
2.19	12.5.69
2.19	27.6.69
2.41	21.7.69
3.32	9.6.69
3.44	16.7.69
4.20	3.12.68
5.55	4.12.68
7.54	25.3.69
11.21	23.7.69
11.25	24.3.69
1.07 pm	†19.2.69
1.10 pm	†14.7.69
1.23 pm	†25.11.68
1.44 pm	†18.2.69
1.47 pm	†18.3.69
1.59 pm	‡16.12.68
2.00 pm	‡29.4.69
2.41 pm	12.6.69

† Sitting suspended in pursuance of Order of House (12.12.67) (now S.O. No 2).‡ Sitting suspended pursuant to S.O. No. 2.

Session and time at which adjourned (am unless stated)
	Date
1969–70
1.38	11.5.70
1.53	14.5.70
1.53	27.5.70
3.04	17.11.69
3.15	19.3.70
3.36	20.1.70
5.13	7.4.70
7.30	27.1.70
10.08	1.12.69
1970–71
1.36	3.11.70
1.45	1.7.71
1.49	20.4.71
1.50	16.2.71
1.51	7.4.71
2.00	3.8.71
2.04	24.2.71
2.10	8.2.71
2.13	25.3.71
2.14	4.8.71
2.15	22.6.71
2.16	17.6.71
2.24	26.10.71
2.27	9.12.70
2.30	25.10.71
2.32	2.8.71
2.38	10.2.71
2.53	18.3.71
3.31	22.2.71
3.40	17.2.71
3.44	15.3.71
3.49	13.7.71
4.15	25.2.71
4.36	11.2.71

	Date
4.55	25.1.71
5.20	21.7.70
5.27	28.1.71
6.14	23.7.70
6.14	2.3.71
7.05	19.1.71
7.30	27.10.71
9.29	27.7.71
12.10 pm	23.3.71
1971–72
1.37	26.4.72
1.39	7.8.72
1.40	15.3.72
1.45	10.5.72
1.52	21.6.72
1.55	14.3.72
1.58	26.7.72
2.27	19.4.72
2.29	27.6.72
2.32	7.6.72
2.33	23.2.72
2.33	13.6.72
2.42	13.3.72
2.46	12.6.72
3.02	12.7.72
3.20	19.7.72
3.30	25.4.72
3.47	18.4.72
3.48	18.1.72
3.58	25.7.72
4.01	20.3.72
4.34	15.6.72
4.58	16.5.72
5.17	31.7.72
6.26	4.7.72
6.54	17.7.72
7.41	1.3.72
10.15	15.12.71
10.22	2.8.72
1.14 pm	29.3.72
1972–73
1.31	14.5.73
1.35	20.12.72
1.39	6.2.73
1.47	3.7.73
1.56	23.1.73
1.58	10.7.73
2.00	1.5.73
2.01	17.4.73
2.02	11.7.73
2.07	8.5.73
2.11	15.5.73
2.11	22.5.73
2.12	16.4.73
2.17	20.4.73
2.47	22.4.73
3.01	31.1.73
3.12	19.6.73
3.22	22.2.73
3.27	23.11.72
3.38	12.6.73
4.14	24.10.72
6.25	18.6.73
7.13	19.7.73
9.18	6.12.72

Session and time at which adjourned (am unless stared)
	Date
1973–74
1.44	19.12.73
3.08	21.1.74
3.20	13.11.73
10.02	16.1.74

	Date
1974
1.32	27.6.74
1.54	22.7.74
2.13	25.3.74
2.30	18.6.74
2.50	23.7.74
3.19	25.6.74
3.23	9.4.74
5.08	30.7.74
5.31	20.3.74
1.00 pm	29.7.74
1974–75
1.47	24.2.75
1.48	14.4.75
1.50	21.1.75
1.53	16.1.75
1.56	20.3.75
1.58	12.12.74
1.58	21.10.75
1.59	15.5.75
2.05	22.4.75
2.09	26.6.75
2.14	14.1.75
2.16	22.1.75
2.18	11.6.75
2.19	18.6.75
2.25	30.4.75
2.35	21.7.75
2.44	28.10.75
2.49	11.12.74
2.51	22.7.75
3.00	5.8.75
3.09	13.10.75
3.13	1.7.75
3.24	27.10.75
3.32	23.4.75
3.50	5.3.75
3.53	10.12.74
4.37	7.7.75
4.42	12.3.75
5.23	29.7.75
5.25	17.3.75
9.41	11.11.75
10.24	31.7.75
10.38	4.12.74
10.47	28.11.74
4.56 pm	24.7.75
1975–76
1.33	2.12.75
1.34	17.11.76
1.35	13.4.76
1.41	16.11.76
1.43	19.5.76
1.43	22.7.76
1.44	20.5.76
1.47	22.6.76
1.54	19.7.76
1.54	14.10.76
1.57	24.5.76
1.58	15.6.76
2.00	8.6.76
2.01	4.5.76
2.12	1.11.76
2.16	3.12.75
2.19	10.6.76
2.20	27.10.76
2.25	9.6.76
2.28	14.7.76
2.34	10.11.76
2.44	28.1.76
2.45	20.7.76
2.45	25.10.76
2.49	17.12.75
2.50	21.6.76

	Date
2.57	15.7.76
3.22	3.8.76
3.33	18.3.76
3.36	30.6.76
3.51	13.7.76
4.16	7.6.76
4.23	14.6.76
5.31	18.12.75
6.15	19.10.76
6.46	12.7.76
10.21	27.7.76
11.40	4.8.76
1.41 pm	8.7.76

Session and time at which adjourned (am unless stated)
	Date
1976–77
1.32	10.5.77
1.34	14.2.77
1.40	1.12.76
1.51	28.4.77
1.53	15.2.77
1.53	16.3.77
1.55	9.12.76
2.00	20.7.77
2.10	2.3.77
2.11	12.5.77
2.50	18.1.77
3.44	25.7.77
4.52	26.7.77
4.55	27.7.77
5.04	25.1.77
5.42	7.3.77
6.03	1.2.77
6.22	19.1.77
6.54	14.12.76
7.25	13.7.77
10.39	20.12.76
3.19 pm	28.7.77
9.33 pm	21.6.77
1977–78
1.32	23.11.77
1.32	12.12.77
1.34	23.5.78
1.39	26.1.78
1.40	29.11.77
1.40	21.6.78
1.44	17.11.77
1.56	11.7.78
2.00	14.11.77
2.11	7.12.77
2.14	18.7.78
2.17	27.7.78
2.24	6.12.77
2.24	19.7.78
2.39	6.3.78
2.46	20.7.78
2.54	20.6.78
4.01	15.11.77
5.38	17.5.78
7.22	20.3.78
12.58 pm	1.8.78
1978–79
1.31	25.1.79
1.51	29.11.78
2.23	13.12.78
3.07	7.11.78
4.10	17.1.79
4.37	14.12.78
4.40	15.3.79
11.00	12.12.78
1979–80

	Date
1.32	4.3.80
1.35	2.7.80
1.38	24.3.80
1.39	17.7.79
1.39	12.3.80
1.41	22.4.80
1.48	19.12.79
1.55	7.5.80
1.58	17.12.79
2.02	5.2.80
2.02	10.6.80
2.04	21.7.80
2.10	6.2.80
2.11	23.4.80
2.11	6.5.80
2.14	24.7.79
2.18	16.4.80
2.22	25.3.80
2.23	24.6.80
2.34	12.2.80
2.43	12.7.79
2.45	23.7.80
2.50	16.7.80
2.53	12.11.79
2.57	11.11.80
3.04	25.6.80
3.05	14.5.80
3.08	25.6.79
3.30	4.6.80
3.35	25.7.79
3.56	3.7.79
3.59	16.7.79
4.16	9.6.80
4.52	8.7.80
5.39	28.10.80
6.32	23.7.79
6.49	6.8.80
7.30	18.12.79
7.33	13.5.80
9.43	26.7.79
2.51 pm	4.8.80

Session and Time at which adjourned (am unless stated)
	Date
1980–81
1.31	14.1.81
1.35	10.12.80
1.36	14.4.81
1.37	26.10.81
1.51	8.12.80
1.54	21.5.81
1.54	27.7.81
1.56	12.5.81
2.05	3.12.80
2.07	21.1.81
2.07	8.4.81
2.18	16.6.81
2.22	28.7.81
2.43	8.7.81
2.47	23.3.81
2.50	30.6.81
2.59	22.7.81
3.14	13.7.81
3.58	30.7.81
4.02	14.7.81
4.07	18.2.81
4.53	15.7.81
6.31	11.12.80
8.42	23.7.81
9.51	6.7.81
10.32	17.12.80
10.39	8.6.81
3.30 pm	1.4.81
1981–82

	Date
1.35	30.6.82
1.38	15.12.81
1.40	24.3.82
1.43	29.6.82
1.48	16.6.82
2.07	23.6.82
2.18	13.7.82
2.35	17.5.82
2.44	16.3.82
2.46	7.7.82
3.25	26.7.82
3.38	12.5.82
3.47	2.2.82
3.55	19.7.82
4.45	3.2.82
5.34	12.7.82
6.00	18.10.82
6.05	8.6.82
6.45	9.6.82
8.40	29.7.82
9.21	15.6.82
9.27	21.12.81
1982–83
1.39	1.2.83
1.43	20.12.82
1.50	7.3.83
1.54	14.12.82
2.08	18.1.83
2.09	28.3.83
2.13	24.11.82
2.23	16.2.83
2.32	4.5.83
4.21	24.3.83
4.31	15.12.82
6.08	3.5.83
9.21	7.2.83

Session and time at which adjourned (am unless stated)
	Date
1983–84
1.38	13.12.83
1.40	2.4.84
1.41	18.7.83
1.41	28.3.84
1.43	22.3.84
1.45	19.3.84
1.46	3.7.84
1.51	6.2.84
1.51	29.10.84
1.54	9.7.84
1.55	24.7.84
1.58	20.6.84
2.09	26.7.84
2.15	12.12.83
2.19	11.7.83
2.28	13.6.84
2.33	14.12.83
2.46	9.4.84
3.03	26.6.84
3.14	2.5.84
3.29	30.4.84
3.42	10.4.84
3.49	18.7.84
3.50	20.7.83
4.05	30.7.84
4.37	15.5.84
4.39	19.7.83
5.24	9.5.84
9.25	25.7.84
9.28	12.3.84
9.29	25.7.83
9.29	19.12.83
12.15 pm.	11.7.84
10.43 pm.	22.5.84

	Date
1984–85
1.37	3.12.84
1.39	28.3.85
1.44	14.5.85
1.45	15.7.85
1.49	1.7.85
1.50	25.3.85
1.52	6.12.84
1.52	26.6.85
1.53	12.3.85
1.53	27.3.85
1.54	7.5.85
1.56	10.7.85
1.57	26.2.85
2.00	6.2.85
2.07	26.11.84
2.08	10.12.84
2.08	1.5.85
2.08	15.5.85
2.09	12.2.85
2.18	4.12.84
2.25	23.7.85
2.28	14.2.85
2.33	28.11.84
2.40	20.2.85
2.45	14.1.85
3.13	16.1.85
3.27	9.7.85
3.42	19.2.85
3.43	24.10.85
3.47	5.2.85
4.56	3.7.85
9.24	24.7.85
9.30	26.3.85
9.34	19.12.84
8.44 pm.	5.3.85
1985–86*
1.40	10.12.85
1.49	20.1.86
9.27	18.12.85

asked the Lord Privy Seal (1) if he will consult hon. Members and their staff who have offices in the Norman Shaw buildings regarding the extension of opening hours of the Norman Shaw north issue office; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will refer the opening hours of the Norman Shaw north issue office to the Services Committee; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what steps he is taking to bring into line the opening hours of the Norman Shaw north issue office with the main basement Vote Office; and if he will make a statement.

I will ask the relevant Sub-Committee of the Services Committee to review this question. I am sure that the Sub-Committee will conduct consultations among those concerned before making its recommendations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal why there is a delay of parliamentary papers being delivered to the Norman Shaw north issue office; what steps he is taking to alleviate the problem; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any general problem of delay in the delivery of parliamentary papers to the Norman Shaw issue office. Documents are sent between the main Vote Office stores and Norman Shaw by van twice daily; and papers for issue during the day are taken over by hand between van deliveries. Papers of the day are avialable at 10 am when the issue office opens. If my hon. Friend has any particular complaint, I will ask the Deliverer of the Vote to investigate it.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many (a) temporary or part-time staff and (b) full-time staff are employed by (i) the Norman Shaw north issue office and (ii) the main basement Vote Office; and how this compares with 1974 and 1979.

The Norman Shaw issue office is manned by two full-time staff, and has been since its inception in 1974. They are assisted from time to time by other Vote Office staff drawn from other sections based in Norman Shaw. The main basement Vote Office has a rotating pattern of duties which involve:

24 part-time staff between 7.30 am and 10 pm daily.

8 full-time staff at varying times between 7.30 am and the rising of the House.

There are never more than three or fewer than two employed in the main store on duties equivalent to those in the Norman Shaw issue office.Overall staff complement figures for the Vote Office are as follows:

	Permanent	Temporary
1974*	16	10
1979	18	19
1986†	19	25

asked the Lord Privy Seal what are the opening hours during sitting days of (a) the Norman Shaw north issue office and (b) the main basement Vote Office; and how this compares with 1974 and 1979.

The opening hours of the Norman Shaw issue office on sitting days are 10 am to 6 pm. These hours have been the same since the office opened in 1974. The opening hours of the main basement Vote Office on sitting days have remained unchanged since 1842, namely 7.30 am to the rising of the House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will seek to make available in the Vote Offices copies of the Official Report of debates in the Irish Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

The Official Report of debates in both Houses of the Irish Parliament is available to hon. Members in the Library. I do not consider that there is sufficient evidence of demand to justify regular stocks being held in the Vote Office.

asked the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, how many people are on the staff of the Official Report; how many are qualified; what is the authorised staff level; and what was the rate of staff turnover during the past 12 months.

On 10 February there were 77 staff, including two part-time, in the Department of the Official Report. Of this number 17 were under training and 2½ were on unpaid leave. The authorised staff level is 78. In the 12 months to 9 February 1986, eight staff left the Department.

asked the Paymaster General what estimates he has of the gross and net cost of extending the job release scheme to (a) those aged 60 years and (b) those aged 55 years.

Estimates for lowering the job release scheme age of eligibility to 60 were published in the Employment Committee's minutes of evidence of Wednesday 3 July 1985 on special employment measures (Cmnd. 487-i, questions 3 and 8, pages 9 and 12); and also in paragraph 3.36 and table 13 of the paper attached to the memorandum submitted to the Committee by Mr. Gavyn Davies, referred to in the minutes of evidence for Wednesday 10 July (Cmnd 487-ii, page 37). I am not aware of estimates for lowering the age to 55 years.

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish his most recent figures for the average industrial wage for (a) men and (b) women.

The latest available information on the average gross weekly earnings of full-time adult employees in manufacturing industries, distinguishing males and females, relates to April 1985 and is published in Table 5.6 of Labour Market Data in the December 1985 issue of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General what information he has available to him about the value of postgraduate qualifications in terms of additional earnings for those holding such qualifications.

There is very little information available on the salaries of people with postgraduate qualifications. A number of professional institutes in science and technology carry out salary surveys of their members which include a question on postgraduate qualifications. The numbers involved are small and cannot be used to draw general conclusions about the returns to postgraduate qualifications even in the disciplines concerned. The surveys show that professional institute members with master's degrees earn salaries similar to those of their colleagues with first degrees. Members with doctorates tend to earn between 10 per cent. and 40 per cent. more than those in the same age groups with first degrees. The differences are greater for members of the Institute of Biology and the Institutions of Civil Engineers and least for members of the Royal Society of Chemistry and the Institution of Geologists.

asked the Paymaster General if he will estimate how many construction workers were unemployed in Great Britain in 1975, 1980 and 1985 or the nearest available years.

In May 1975 there were 148,568 unemployed registrants at jobcentres in Great Britain whose previous employment had been in the construction industry, and the corresponding number in May 1980 was 189,554. Industrial analysis of unemployment has not been available since the change in the basis of the unemployment count in October 1982.Some information on unemployment by industry continues to be available from the annual labour force Slough survey, although these results are not directly comparable with those previously available from the monthly unemployment count. According to the 1984 labour force survey, in the spring of that year there were an estimated 233,000 persons unemployed in Great Britain whose most recent job in the last three years was in the construction industry.

asked the Paymaster General, pursuant to the answer of 10 February, Official Report, column 348, if he will list in the Official Report the number of people registered at Jobcentres located within the travel-to-work areas referred to.

The following table gives the numbers of jobseekers who, on 3 January 1986, were registered at jobcentres which closely relate to those travel-to-work areas with an unemployment rate of 8 per cent. or less. It is not necessary to register for employment in order to use the jobcentre, nor should it be assumed that these figures represent all the jobseekers in the areas who are actively looking for work.

Travel-to-work area and jobcentre	Number of persons registered as at 3 January 1986
Winchester and Eastleigh
Winchester	436
Eastleigh	552
Crawley
Crawley	162
Dorking	116
East Grinstead	171
Gatwick	183
Haywards Heath	75
Horsham	132
Redhill	203
Clitheroe
Clitheroe	471
Aylesbury and Wycombe
Aylesbury	370
Chesham	54
High Wycombe	137
Basingstoke and Alton
Basingstoke	349
Alton	219
Aberdeen
Aberdeen	1,303

Travel-to-work area and jobcentre	Number of persons registered as at 3 January 1986
Shetland Isles
Lerwick	132
Cambridge
Cambridge	544
Ely	65
Royston	124
Saffron Waldon	194
Guildford and Aldershot
Guildford*	421
Camberley*	357
Slough
Bracknell	67
Maidenhead	51
Slough	210
Windsor	62
Tunbridge Wells
Edenbridge	138
Sevenoaks	125
Tonbridge	404
Tunbridge Wells	357
Bury St. Edmunds
Bury St. Edmunds	1,359
Heathrow
Acton	172
Chiswick	281
Ealing	180
Feltham	66
Hayes	22
Hounslow	917
Kingston	468
Richmond	339
Ruislip	270
Southall	197
Twickenham	172
Uxbridge	142
West Drayton	58
Oxford
Abingdon	117
Didcot	513
Oxford*	836
Witney	148
Malton
Malton	150
Reading
Reading	1,120
Wokingham	93

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the EEC budget for 1986 finally agreed by the Council balances anticipated expenditure and anticipated income; and if he will make a statement.

Both the draft budget, as amended by the Council at the Second Reading, and the budget as adopted by the European Parliament, were in balance.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what changes are proposed in the structure and operations of Enterprise Ulster.

I am currently consulting the board of Enterprise Ulster and other interested organisations about the possibility that its functions might be carried out more economically by other means. No decision about its future will be taken until I have received, and given careful consideration to, the views of those consulted.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about the attitude adopted by representatives of the nationalist community and the Roman Catholic Church towards the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Ulster Defence Regiment, following the signing of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 February 1986, c. 271]: When the Anglo-Irish agreement was debated in this House on 26 November the leader of the Social Democratic and Labour party, the hon. Member for Foyle (Mr. Hume) expressed full and unqualified support for the police force in impartially seeking out anybody who commits a crime in Northern Ireland. I welcome this support. I am also aware of various other statements by nationalists and Roman Catholic clergymen about the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Ulster Defence Regiment made since the signing of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many of the reports from departmental Select Committees made since 1979 are now out of print; what percentage of these are out of print because demand exceeded supply; what percentage because stocks have been destroyed; and what percentage for any other reason.

The precise information requested could be supplied only at disproportionate cost. However, reports of departmental Select Committees are allowed to go out of print only when stocks are exhausted and current demand does not warrant a reprint.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current distribution of mortgage interest tax relief by income bands under £5,000 a year, £5,000 to £10,000, £10,000 to £15,000, £15,000 to £20,000, £20,000 to £25,000, £25,000 to £30,000, £30,000 to £40,000, £40,000 to £50,000 and over £50,000; what is the number of taxpayers in each income band receiving this relief; what is the total relief per mortgagor in pound millions and as a percentage; and what is the average relief per mortgagor in each income band.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what view the Inland Revenue takes on future reinsurance at Lloyd's for the purposes of the payment of tax.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 February 1986]: Reinsurance is dealt with in accordance with the normal income tax principles which apply to payments and provisions for future liabilities of traders.