asked the Attorney-General whether he will bring forward proposals concerning applications to the social security commissioners for leave to appeal to the commissioners in order to (a) require the commissioners to give reasons for a decision to refuse such leave and (b) giving a direct right of appeal to the Court of Appeal against such a refusal of leave; and if he will make a statement.

I have no such plans at present.

asked the Attorney-General what specific actions have been taken by the Lord Chancellor's Department to reduce the delays in disposing of appeals to the social security commissioners (a) in supplementary benefit cases and (b) in other cases, since that Department assumed responsibility for the commissioners on 1 January 1985.

The Lord Chancellor's Department has undertaken a detailed review of the procedures and working methods in all types of cases which come before the social security commissioners and a number of measures designed to contain delays have been taken. These include improved listing procedures and typing facilities and revised arrangements for handling applications for leave to appeal. Other measures are under consideration, and the current Social Security Bill contains provisions designed to secure a number of procedural improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken to deal with interference from amateur radio transmissions suffered by the residents of Tudor Close, Eastcote, near Pinner, Middlesex; and if he will make a statement.

Problems can arise when high power radio transmissions are made in close proximity to radio and television sets, or indeed a range of electrical apparatus not designed to receive radio. Such problems can be exacerbated by equipment which is deficient in its ability to reject unwanted signals or in the case of radios and televisions which have an inadequate or defective aerial or no aerial at all. The problem is growing because more and more homes now contain a great range of electric equipment; and high power transmitting equipment is now more widely available to the growing number of amateur radio licensees.Radio amateurs generally take a responsible attitude to the problems their transmissions cause. Equally, manufacturers are keen to produce equipment which has adequate immunity. Regrettably, a few amateurs and manufacturers do not have such a responsible attitude; it is they who cause problems.My officials are currently discussing with the British Radio and Electronic Equipment Manufacturers Association and the Radio Society of Great Britain the implications for them of the new standard for television immunity currently under discussion internationally and procedures for dealing with individual cases where interference is caused. I would like to see sensible immunity standards observed by all manufacturers and importers of radio receiving and radio sensitive equipment. Where possible and appropriate these will be enforced by order. Similarly, manufacturers and importers of radio and non-radio equipment should seek to ensure that their products do not cause interference to radio users. Orders exist for some types of equipment and where appropriate others will be made.Where it proves impossible to resolve individual problems and the affected apparatus has been brought up to a reasonable level of immunity, I intend to vary the terms under which the relevant amateurs are licensed; where necessary (and I hope it will not be necessary often) licences will be revoked.In the particular case referred to by my hon. Friend, I will vary the powers which the amateur is licensed to use and restrict his use of certain bands. If this does not resolve the problem, I shall further review the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were employed in the textile and clothing industries in each of the last three years.

The number of people employed in the United Kingdom textile and clothing industries was 500,400 in June 1983, 490,500 in June 1984 and 483,300 in June 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessments he has made of the impact of the multi-fibre arrangement on employment in the textile and clothing industries.

A number of studies have attempted to assess the employment consequences of the MFA. These I look at with interest and attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a list of all Government investment grants and European Economic Community grants or loans to industry in the Faversham constituency since 1979, under the Industry Act or other legislation, indicating the amounts involved.

Under my Department's main schemes of assistance, five grants worth a total of £2,062,000 have been offered to companies in the Faversham constituency since the beginning of 1979. The names of the companies concerned cannot be disclosed owing to the normal rules of commercial confidentiality. No EEC grants are available in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing the level of investment in the United Kingdom made by foreign-based pharmaceutical companies in each year of the last five years, to the latest available date.

Information on the level of inward direct investment is available only from the triennial census of overseas assets and liabilities. The latest available data related to the end of 1981 and showed investment of £868 million. Levels of direct investment at the end of 1984 will not be available until the end of 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the employment consequences of the renewal of the multi-fibre arrangement.

I have received representations from a wide range of interested parties in industry, trade unions and retail and consumer interests on, inter alia, the employment effects of the MFA.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give figures for (a) Stoke on Trent, (b) the west midlands and (c) the United Kingdom showing the percentage change between 1979 and the most recent year for which figures are available for (i) manufacturing output and (ii) investment in manufacturing industry; and if he will list the steps he has taken in the last 12 months to improve the figures.

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

			£'000
Regional Development Grant Expenditure	Gross payments	Refunds	Net payments
	97,587	3,157	94,430*
Regional Development Grant Supply Estimate	Gross Provision	Appropriations in Aid	Net provision
	188,050	10,000	178,050
Regional Selective Assistance Expenditure	Gross payments	Refunds	Net payments
	41,000	—	41,000†
Regional Selective Assistance Supply Estimate	Gross Provision	Appropriations in Aid	Net provision
	61,599	—	61,599‡

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what Government assistance has been given to Burroughs Machines by way of regional selective assistance and regional development grant in each year from 1979 (a) in total, (b) in Scotland and (c) in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will use his powers under the Companies Act 1985 to ascertain who were the beneficial owners of shares held in nominees' names in Westland plc at the time when the decision was taken to accept the Sikorsky proposals.

Westland has itself issued notices under section 212 of the Companies Act requiring disclosure of information about the beneficial ownership of the shares in question. In the present circumstances, action by the Secretary of State is unnecessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money has been paid out so far in the financial year in (a) regional development grant and (b) selective financial assistance; and if he will publish a table which compares actual expenditure with his original estimate of likely expenditure.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 February 1986]: Expenditure on regional development grants (RDG) and regional selective assistance (RSA) in England for the period 1 April—31 December 1985 (the latest period available) is as follows:outcome of the Government's scheme of assistance to farmers who suffered exceptional hardship as a result of the bad weather in the summer of 1985.

To date, payments made to farmers in England under the exceptional Weather aid scheme amount to some £3·24 million. The few remaining claims are now being processed and we expect total payments to amount to about £3·3 million, slightly lower than the original estimate of £3·4 million. It appears that virtually all eligible livestock farmers—about 9,600 in all—submitted applications.As I announced on 3 December, we have adopted special procedures to pay advances (at the rate of 75 per cent.) to farmers eligible for hill livestock compensatory allowances. Under these, we have by today paid out some £13·3 million to 7,800 applicants in England. The remaining claimants should receive their advances very shortly after submitting their applications. In addition, payment of advances of sheep annual premium to producers in the less-favoured areas of England has been virtually completed: to date, some £6·4 million has been paid to 11,370 applicants.These special measures will have been of substantial benefit to producers facing cash flow problems as a result of last year's bad weather.

asked the Prime Minister when she last met the general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing.

In January 1985, when I attended the annual dinner of the Royal College of Nursing.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the latest consultations with, and information which she has had from, President Reagan's Administration regarding the arms control negotiations in Geneva.

We remain in close and regular touch with the United States Administration on the arms control negotiations in. Geneva. The most recent consultations took place at the North Atlantic Council meeting on 3 February when the three United States negotiators briefed the council on the present state of the negotiations. Ambassador Paul Nitze, special adviser on arms control to Secretary of State Shultz, called on me on 5 February, when we discussed the latest Gorbachev proposals and the Geneva negotiations.

asked the Prime Minister what steps she proposes to take to seek to increase public support for the Anglo-Irish agreement; and if she will make a statement.

I recognise that there are still misunderstandings within Northern Ireland about both the terms and operation of the Anglo-Irish agreement. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and I will, therefore, continue to explain why fears are unjustified and to draw attention to the advantages the agreement offers to all sections of the community in Northern Ireland. I am soon to meet the leaders of the two main Unionist parties, the Speaker of the Assembly, and representatives from the Church of Ireland. I also hope to meet the leaders of the SDLP and alliance parties.

asked the Prime Minister on what date Sir Robert Armstrong was originally scheduled to return from his visit to Honolulu in connection with preparations for the economic summit; why he returned to the United Kingdom before this date; and if she will make a statement.

In his capacity as my personal representative for the purposes of preparing the 1986 economic summit, Sir Robert Armstrong attended a meeting of Personal Representatives held in Honolulu from Friday 31 January until Sunday 2 February. He planned to stop over in Washington for two days on his way back, but returned to this country direct in order to be available in case he was invited to appear before the Select Committee on Defence, as in the event he was.

asked the Prime Minister is she will pay an official visit to a British Leyland factory.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will place on the agenda for the discussions with the Prime Minister of Turkey from 17 to 19 February the subject of torture and human rights in Turkey.

I look forward to holding wide-ranging talks with Mr. Ozal later today. I shall welcome the progress made by his Government on human rights and, as on previous occasions, express our hope that Turkey will continue its efforts to achieve full normalisation on these matters.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government that, when tenders for warships are considered, total Government expenditure including both procurement costs and industrial assistance are taken into account and that the option offering the lowest net figures should be accepted.

It is the Government's policy that, save in exceptional circumstances, warship orders should be awarded to the tender which offers best value for the defence budget. At the same time, where warship builders are publicly owned, the Government's policy is that tenders for defence work should be on an unsubsidised basis.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will take steps to transfer the sponsorship of the Natural History museum and the Geological museum from the Department of Education and Science to the Office of Arts and Libraries; and if she will make a statement.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official visits to factories and other workplaces which were planned since 1979, but subsequently cancelled, providing details of such visits, sites, names of employers, and the reasons for cancellation.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official visits to factories and other workplaces since 1979, providing details of dates of visits, sites and names of employers.

The information is as follows:

Date	Site	Name of Employer
6 July 1979	Cambridge	HH Electronics and Laser Scan Ltd.
11 July 1979	Edinburgh	Ethicon Ltd.
13 July 1979	Taywood Road	Taylor Woodrow Research Laboratory
31 August 1979	Skelmersdale	Ward and Goldstone (Raydex International) Ltd.
	Atherton	Carrington Viyella
	Pendlebury	Rigby Electronics
	Dounreay	Atomic Energy Authority
7 September 1979	Tullos	Shell John Wood Group
14 September 1979	North Tawton	Express Creameries
	Barnstaple	Shapland and Petter Ltd.
15 February 1980	Wilton	Wilton Carpet Factory
	Devizes	Archie Kidd Ltd.
	Calne	Calne Electronics Ltd.
14 March 1980	Selby	NCB
	Howden Dyke, Humberside	Howden Glucose Factory
	Hull	Smith and Nephew
18 April 1980	Basingstoke	Posidata Ltd.
	Basingstoke	Lansing Bagnall Ltd.
	London	Logica Ltd.
23 May 1980	Pallion West Industrial Estate	Arthur Pawson Carpenters (Glaziers) Ltd.
		Hilton Press Myervale Ltd.
		M. G. Tate
		P. B. Upholsteries Geoffrey Maskall Engineering Ltd.
		Jebson Cabinet Makers
23 May 1980	Wearside	Austin and Pickersgill
	Cramlington	British Gas Corporation
6 June 1980	Castner Kellner Works	ICI
	Runcorn
	Stoke on Trent	Royal Doulton

Date	Site	Name of Employer
27 June 1980	Bitteswell	British
		Aerospace
		Aircraft Group
	Northampton	Heygates Flour Mill
4 July 1980	Forties Field	British Petroleum
18 July 1980	Holyhead	Anglesey
	Holyhead	CMT Wells Co. Ltd.
5 September 1980	Flotta, Orkney	Occidental Oil Company
11 September 1980	Harwell	Atomic Energy
		Research
		Establishment
12 December 1980	Hereford	Bulmers
6 March 1981	Belfast	Hughes Tool Co.
		Belfast Tool & Gauge Co.
10 April 1981	Neston	GEC
4 June 1981	Warminster	Airfoil
		Development
		Company
5 June 1981	Bristol	Electrolocation Ltd.
	Bristol	Stachan & Henshaw Engineering
10 July 1981	Hanger Lane, London	GB Computer Centre
5 August 1981	Norwich Watlington	Norplan Ltd. Mill Farm
3 September 1981	Glasgow	Howdens Falmers Jeans
20 November 1981	Sharnbrook, Bedford	Unilever Biotechnology Research Laboratory
	Bedford	Texas Instruments
11 December 1981	Harlescott, Shrewsbury	Bibby's Feed Mill
	Allscott	British Sugar Corporation
	Telford	Glynwed
15 January 1982	Salford	Science Park Hiltcroft Precision Instrumentation Ltd.
	Trafford Park, Manchester	Kellogs Ltd.
12 February 1982	Lincoln	Ruston Gas Turbines
	Gainsborough	Worley Wallcoverings Ltd.
12 March 1982	Gateshead	NEI Power Engineering Ltd.
	Sunderland	Southwick
2 July 1982	Newtown Cwn Whitton	Tootal Menswear
	Cwn Whitton	Cwn Whitton Farm
16 July 1982	Wimborne	Flight Refuelling Ltd.
		Marden Edwards & Co.
2 September 1982	Forfar	Don Brothers, Buist &Co. Ltd.
19 November 1982	Redruth	Murdock & Trevithick Workshops for the Disabled

Date	Site	Name of Employer
	Truro	Truro Pottery, Chapel Hill
21 January 1983	Sowerby Bridge Halifax	Spring Bathrooms
	Halifax	Halifax Courier
	Keighley	Peter Black Holdings
28 January 1983	Glasgow	Glasgow Herald Offices
18 February 1983	Bamber Bridge, Preston	Dainichi-Sykes Galaxy (Mobile Units) Ltd.
	Salterforth	Silentnight Holdings Ltd.
	Bacup, Lancashire	Performance Plastics
11 March 1983	Felixstowe	Felixstowe Docks
	Mildenhall Industrial Estate	British Sugar Corporation Kohl and Son
	Peterborough	Therm-a-stor Ltd.'
15 April 1983	London SW6	Marsh Brothers Ltd.
	Roehampton	Hugh Steeper Ltd.
29 April 1983	Derby Nottingham	Bemrose plc Stag Furniture
1 September 1983	Beith	Future Technology Systems
	Kilbarchan	Smith and McLaurin
6 January 1984	Maidstone	TV South Royal British Legion Village
24 February 1984	Warwick University Science Park	Barclays Venture Centre
7 April 1984	Marazion	Community Centre Project
13 April 1984	London Docklands	Surrey Docks Tarmac Properties
	London Docklands	Limehouse Productions
	London Docklands	British Telecom
	London Docklands	Royal Docks
6 September 1984	Livingston Kinross	W. L. Gore Todd & Duncan Ltd.
21 September 1984	Hawarden	British Aerospace
2 October 1984	Liverpool	Wavertree Technology Park
11 January 1985	Wolsey	Courtaulds Knitwear
15 March 1985	Henley on Thames Witney	Videcom Ltd. H. R. Smith
26 April 1985	Deeside Industrial Park Mostyn Dock	Optical Fibres Warwick Chemicals Ltd.
	St. Asaph	Pilkington PE Ltd.
5 August 1985	Farnham	Tindle Newspapers Ltd.
	Whitehill	Tindle Enterprise Centre
5 September 1985	Prestwick Airport	British Aerospace

Date	Site	Name of Employer
6 September 1985	Knockando, near Dufftown	Knockando Distillery
9 September 1985	Blairgowrie	West Haugh Fruit Farm
	Dundee	D. C Thomson Ltd.
	Glenberrie, near Stonehaven	Macphie & Co. Ltd.
	Aberdeen	Aberdeen Journals Ltd.
10 September 1985	Bradford	Allied Colloids plc
11 September 1985	Tyneside	Press Production Systems
	Stockton	Parkfield
	Darlington	Darlington & Simpson rolling mills
1 October 1985	Didcot	Rutherford Appleton
1 November 1985	Capenhurst	BNFL
	Springfields	BNFL
	Sellafield	BNFL
	Heysham	CEGB
22 November 1985	Chessington	Plessey Radar Co.
17 January 1986	Luton Hemel Hempstead	H Plan Furniture Crosfield Electronics
29 January 1986	Derby	Rolls Royce Crown Derby
14 February 1986	Cricklewood	Remploy

In addition to this list, I have of course visited many other places of work, such as hospitals, police stations, armed forces establishments, educational establishments and offices, which it would be impracticable to detail here.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 18 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, including one with the Prime Minister of Turkey.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what representations he has received in relation to the Property Advisory Group's proposals for changes in planning controls in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

A sub-group of the Property Advisory Group has reviewed the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) Order 1972 (SI 1972 No. 1385) and has made recommendations for changes. Consultations about these recommendations as they affect Wales have been undertaken by the Welsh Office and 14 organisations have responded.The effect of the use classes order is that if an occupier of land wishes to change the use of that land from one use to another within the same use class, he does not need planning permission to make that change.The sub-group recommends, among other things, a new general business use class, to bring together the present use classes for offices and light industry, and a new residential use class which would include use of a building as a residence and for any other activity (other than a shop) compatible with that use subject to amenity and traffic safeguards and to the proviso that no more than five people engaged in any business activity are present in the building at any one time. The new residential use class would also include the provision of permanent housing accommodation for not more than 10 people.The responses to the consultations are being considered by my right hon. Friend in conjunction with the consideration being given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to the responses to similar consultations in England.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the level of education spending by his Department for each of the last five years expressed as a proportion of the gross domestic product.

The figures relating to Voted expenditure by the Department are as follows:

	Percentage
1980–81	0·0018
1981–82	0·0021
1982–83	0·0023
1983–84	0·0024
1984–85	0·0025

	Membership of the Board of the Wales Advisory Body
Organisation	Nominee(s)
Committee of Directors of Polytenics	Dr. J. D. Davies OBE
	Director Polytechnic of Wales
Standing Conference of Principals and Directors of Colleges and Institutes of Higher Education	Dr. E. J. Brent
	Principal South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education
Association of Principals of Colleges	Dr. G. Stockdale, Principal, West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education
National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education	Mr. Don Dale-Jones Regional Officer

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will report progress on the creation of the Menai Straits marine nature reserve; and what proposals have been made for local participation in decision making.

The Nature Conservancy Council has carried out informal consultations with interested parties and is now preparing a formal consultation document which it intends to circulate during the spring. This will include proposals for the involvement of representatives of local interests in the management of the reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will hold an open, independent inquiry into the administration and running costs of the National museum of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

No. The council of the National museum of Wales has appointed a new director and has taken steps to strengthen its financial administration. It is also setting up a full independent inquiry into the conduct and management of the museum's department of art. I see no need for a further inquiry of the kind proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions his Department had with local education authorities in Wales concerning the level of grants payable to young people between the ages of 16 and 21 years going on from school to higher or further education.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what bodies have been asked to nominate members to the board of the Wales Advisory Board for Local Authority Higher Education; and if he will announce the new members.

The following bodies are invited to nominate members to the board of the Wales Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education. The names of the members appointed to serve on the board from 1 January 1986 are shown along side their nominating body.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures have been taken to seek to make education more relevant to the needs of industry.

A major aim of Government policy is to ensure that all parts of the education system contribute effectively to the preparation of pupils and students for their working lives, that non-advanced further education is more reponsive to the demands of employers and that higher education contributes more effectively to improving the performance of the national economy. These objectives and the many specific measures taken to encourage the partnership between education and industry and commerce are set out in the White Papers "Better Schools" (Cmnd. 9469), "Training for Jobs (Cmnd. 9135), "Education and Training for Young People" (Cmnd. 9482), and in the Green Paper "The Development of Higher Education into the 1990s" (Cmnd. 9524).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be in a position to announce what further additional financial assistance is planned to be available for students in further education who are in genuine need.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish an estimate of the additional costs incurred by universities involved in the Alvey programme;(2) if he intends to meet additional costs to universities involved in the Alvey programme; and if he will make a statement.

The Science and Engineering Research Council's grants provided under the Alvey programme cover expenditure in the following areas:

i. employment of additional temporary research, technical and other assistants;

ii. major capital faciliies and special scientific apparatus not customary for the institution itself to provide;

iii. essential materials and services on a scale which the institution is unable to supply;

iv visits by investigators to recognised centres abroad to study new techniques and research developments.

These areas are common to all the council's research grants. No estimate is available centrally for other costs which, under the dual support system, are borne by the university concerned from its UGC block grant. No further specific provision will be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the universities and other educational institutions currently involved in the Alvey programme.

The following universities and other educational institutions are currently involved in the Alvey programme:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what level the Inner London education authority would have to reduce its spending (a) to receive any rate support grant, and (b) to receive maximum rate support grant; and what that maximum grant would be.

On the basis of the rate support grant settlement announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in December, the Inner London education authority would receive block grant in 1986–87 if its spending were less than £521 million. The authority would receive the maximum block grant for which it could theoretically qualify if its total expenditure were £385 million, at that point its block grant would be equal to its expenditure.The objectives of the block grant system are to compensate for differences in needs and rateable resources between authorities. Achievement of these objectives requires that authorities with high rateable resources should receive less grant than authorities less favourably placed; the discouragement of high levels of spending also requires that in general authorities should face a loss of grant as they increase their expenditure. The level of expenditure at which the Inner London education authority would attract block grant is a reflection of its high rateable resources. There is no implication that the authority should spend at or below this level.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applications have been submitted for postgraduate teacher training courses in each academic year since 1978–79; and what proportion of these were granted a place.

Figures showing the number of applications for PGCE courses processed by the Graduate Teacher Training Registry and the number and percentage of those applicants who took up places on courses in each year between 1978 and 1985 are as follows. The figures do not include those applicants and entrants who applied direct to institutions.

Entry	Applications	Entrants	Column 3 as percentage Column 2
1978	15,061	9,363	58·3
1979	15,774	9,461	60·0
1980	17,160	10,721	62·5
1981	18,783	10,518	56·0
1982	19,020	8,845	46·5
1983	18,473	8,011	43·4
1984	18,760	8,123	43·5
1985	17,084	8,168	47·8

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science from which local authorities he has received representations, and what is the nature of their representations, concerning the introduction of the general certificate of secondary education in the current year.

Since my right hon. Friend announced the introduction of the GCSE in June 1984, the Department has received letters from some 50 local education authorities raising various issues about the GCSE. The main points raised have concerned: the timetable for the introduction of the new examinations, the special programme of GCSE in-service training, and the allocation of resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Government have come to any decision about the future of the Plant Breeding Institute and the National Seed Development Organisation.

The Agriculture Ministers and I have decided that a transfer of the National Seed Development Organisation and part of the Plant Breeding Institute to the private sector would be desirable provided that it can be achieved on satisfactory terms. We will now be consulting interested parties and will be seeking assistance from financial advisers. I shall make a further statement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library copies of any advice he receives from the Sports Council or any other organisation in receipt of public funding on the working of the present voluntary agreement between the tobacco companies and the governing bodies of sport.

Yes; I have today placed in the Library submissions from the Sports Council, the Health Education Council and the ASH group (Action on Smoking and Health).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the review of the thermal insulation standards of the building regulations is expected to be concluded; and if he will make a statement.

The requirements for the conservation of fuel and power are being looked at as part of a general review of the technical requirements of the regulations. A consultative document will be issued later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure for the total number of council house sales since 1979.

From April 1979 to September 1985, about 710,000 dwellings were sold by local authorities and new towns in England.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 10 February, Official Report, columns 333–34, if he will set out in the terms used in paragraphs B25–B29 of annex B of the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government", Cmnd. 9714, the means of calculation of the rate support grant for the metropolitan district of Stockport in 1985–86.

Paragraph B.27 of annex B to the Greeen Paper "Paying for Local Government" Cmnd. 9714 indicates that the formula in the subsequent paragraph refers to 1986–87. The additional cost for each pound of expenditure above GRE is shown as 1·1p; in 1985–86 it is 0·69p as shown in paragrah 4 of annex J to the "Rate Support Grant Report (England) 1985–86". The formula is, therefore:(Total Expenditure—GRE)GRP=GRP

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the acreage of vacant land in the Cheltenham district in each of the last five years.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will re-calculate the relationship of gross and net community charge to net household income as set out in figure F.4, and the relationship of rates and community charge, both gross and net, to net household income in each band of equivalent net income as set out in figure F.5 in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government", Cmnd. 9714, on the basis of existing conditions for the payment of rates.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has made any investigations into which countries use community charge or poll tax as a way of raising local revenue; and if he will list those that do together with any country where a poll tax has been used in this way but is no longer so used.

The arrangements for financing local government in other developed countries have been taken into account in preparing the proposals in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" (Cmnd. 9714). They are discussed in annex K. However, the Government's proposals for reform flow from our analysis of the problems with the existing arrangements in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the contribution to be paid by Government Departments in terms of paragraph G.37 of the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government", Cmnd. 9714, as a contribution in lieu of the community charge, will be based on a full payment for the average nightly population of adults staying in the Crown property concerned for the financial year in question.

Annex G, paragraph G.34 of the Green Paper indicates that we shall be consulting separately on the properties which should be liable for the collective community charge and how their liability should be assessed. Paragraph G.37 also promises separate consultation on the position of Crown property under the new system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the proposal for community charge for the occupancy of Crown property, outlined in paragraph G.37 of the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government", Cmnd. 9714, will apply to places occupied by the armed forces of other countries.

At present properties in Britain used by our NATO allies are treated as Crown property for rating purposes. The treatment of such property under the proposed system will be dealt with as part of the separate consultation on Crown property referred to in annex G, paragraph G.34 of the Green Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what information he has as to how many contracts have been awarded to private companies following competitive tendering for refuse collection services of local authorities for each of the past six years;

The Department does not collect systematic data on these subjects, but some useful information may be found in the annual surveys of contracting out which have appeared in Local Government Chronicle issues dated 17 June 1983, 22 June 1984, and 5 July 1985; and in the newsletter "Public Service Review" published by the Public Service Research Centre.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the number of dwellings disposed of by local authorities to private trusts or developers to date for refurbishment or redevelopment for sale (i) for England as a whole and (ii) for each local authority.

We are aware of 5,891 dwellings which English local authorities have sold empty to private developers for refurbishment for sale or for private renting, since the Government took office. The list is not necessarily exhaustive, as local authorities are not required to seek the Secretary of State's consent or to inform the Department when they are disposing of empty housing at the best price. In addition, with the Secretary of State's consent, 3,007 dwellings, the great majority of them tenanted, were disposed of by Knowsley to the Stockbridge village trust, and 35 tenanted dwellings by Oldham to William Irwin and Co. Ltd. in the redevelopment of 141 houses at Pennine Meadows, Oldham. Following a vote by residents, a trust is being formed to take over about 5,500 tenanted homes at Thamesmead, after the abolition of the Greater London council.

Number of empty council dwellings disposed of to the private sector
Local authority	Number
Birmingham	83
Burnley	111
Calderdale	96

Local authority	Number
Halton	38
Knowsley	198
Langbaurgh	177
Lichfield	128
Liverpool	344
Manchester	46
Newcastle	134
North Tyneside	150
Oldham	295
Preston	234
Salford	834
Sandwell	48
Sefton	600
Solihull	184
South Tyneside	150
Stoke on Trent	42
Sunderland	386
Thurrock	90
Tower Hamlets	158
Wandsworth	981
Westminster	10
Wigan	98
Wirral	269
Wolverhampton	7
Total	5,891

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the capital receipt per dwelling obtained by the local authority under each scheme where blocks of flats or housing estates have been disposed of to private companies for refurbishment or redevelopment for sale with the aid of an urban development grant

Lists of projects approved for urban development grant are placed regularly in the Library of the House. For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not the practice to disclose details of costs incurred by the developers carrying out individual projects supported by UDG Where such a project includes acquisition by the developer of land or buildings owned by a local authority, it is usual for the property to be acquired at its open market value in its existing condition. In approved UDG schemes for the refurbishment for sale of existing local authority housing, with or without an element of demolition or new build, prices have ranged from £270 per existing dwelling to £2,855, the average being £1,431.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements his Department has made to monitor the operation of the right-to-repair scheme introduced under the Housing and Building Control Act 1984.

The right-to-repair scheme is being monitored by means of an additional section in the quarterly housing activity form completed by local authorities. The new section covers the number of applications, the number which were refused and the reasons, the number of claims made under the default procedure and the extent to which contractors have been used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department expects to complete its current inquiries into the management and finances of the Stockbridge village trust; and when he intends to publish the findings of these inquiries.

In response to a request from the Stockbridge village trust for additional public sector assistance, we have appointed the accountants, Ernst and Whinney, to undertake a financial appraisal of the trust's position and long-term prospects. We expect them to complete their work shortly and will be discussing the findings with the trust. We do not intend to publish the appraisal.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he will make a statement about the discharge of radioactive material from the Sellafield site in the 1950s and the implications for the conclusions reached by the independent advisory group chaired by Sir Douglas Black which investigated possible increased incidence of cancer in West Cumbria.

New information became available when British Nuclear Fuels plc undertook last year a review of records of discharges which had taken place in the 1950s. This information was not available when the National Radiological Protection Board calculated doses of radiation received by the local population for the Independent Advisory Group (chairman: Sir Douglas Black) set up to investigate a possible increased incidence of cancer in west Cumbria. The NRPB has since revised its dose estimates in the light of this new information and its provisional findings have been passed to the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment.COMARE was established as a result of a recommendation in Sir Douglas Black's report. One of the committee's first tasks was to follow up that report and to consider the health implications of any research results or other information which became available. The committee met for the first time on 25 November 1985. It was told about the existence of this new information and was asked to undertake an assessment of its health significance. It started on this work at its meeting on 31 January 1986. It will complete its work as soon as possible, it is hoped within the next six months. Its report will be published.It is the role of COMARE to advise the Government on the health implications of this new information. It would not be appropriate for the Government to prejudge its findings. However, NRPB's provisional conclusions are that the new information does not suggest that there has been any increased health risk to people who lived or who are living in the area which would invalidate the conclusions reached by Sir Douglas Black's group.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the weekly rate of retirement pension on 1 December of each year since 1956, in actual and in real terms at current prices; and what proportion the figures represented each year of average industrial wages for adult men.

The available figures are contained in table 5.1 of the "Abstract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions", a copy of which may be found in the Library. The dates for which comparisons are shown are those on which retirement pensions were uprated, which is the most meaningful basis for real value comparisons.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the annual cost if the state retirement pension for single persons were increased from the present level to £56 per week, and for married couples from the present level to £84 per week.

The estimated annual additional cost of this proposal to public expenditure is £6,250 million in a full year, allowing for savings on supplementary benefit and housing benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table indicating his estimates of the additional annual cost to Government funds on areas within his responsibility if the retirement age for (a) men and (b) women were reduced in 12-month steps from their present level to a uniform retirement age of 55 years of age.

No figures are available to show the estimated additional cost of reducing the retirement age to below age 60 for men, nor are any figures available to show the estimated additional cost of reducing the retirement age for women to below the present retirement age of 60. The net estimated additional annual cost to public funds of reducing the retirement age for men from age 65 to age 60 is as follows:

Estimated additional annual cost (rounded) (1983–84 benefit rates)
Reduction in retirement age to:	£ million
64	400
63	900
62	1,400
61	1,900
60	2,600

These figures also take account of the increase in tax revenue which could result from a change.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what delays are occuring in the north-east section of the London ambulance service in respect of outpatient journeys; and what action he plans to take to seek to prevent their recurrence.

I regret that because of increased demands on the London ambulance service's non-emergency services, delays do sometimes occur. The South West Thames regional health authority, which manages the LAS, is considering how those services can be improved and the hon. Member may wish to make his views known to the regional chairman. Improvements in the emergency service are expected as a result of the introduction of new staff working rotas on 3 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy towards the role of the voluntary sector in providing care for orphans; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities have a duty to receive into care any child who has neither a parent nor guardian and it is a matter for them to decide on the most appropriate placement for the child. Placement with a voluntary agency is one of a number of valued options available to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the current average times for hip replacement operations in the northern region.

The estimated median interval between the date a patient was placed on the waiting list and the date of admission to a National Health Service hospital for total hip replacement and other arthroplasty of hip in the Northern regional health authority in 1983, the latest year for which figures are available centrally, was 30 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many abortions were carried out in National Health Service premises on women giving their ususal place of residence as Scotland in each year since 1968.

The full information requested can be provided only at disproportionate cost.However, the table shows available information on the number of legal abortions to residents of Scotland that were carried out in National Health Service premises in England and Wales from 1973 to 1984.

Expenditure on the National Health Service in England
£ million
	Cash expenditure	In cost terms (1984–85 price level)	In terms of National Health Service pay and prices (1984–85)
1979–80	7,630	11,622	12,678
1980–81	9,954	12,766	12,999
1981–82	11,162	13,016	13,356
1982–83	12,177	13,270	13,569
1983–84	12,887	13,440	13,683
1984–85	13,805	13,805	13,805
1985–86	14,607	13,911	*

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is yet ready to issue guidelines to doctors on the prescription of oral contraceptives to under-age girls; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 28 January, at column 496.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give figures for National Health Service expenditure in England for each of the years 1979–80 to 1984–85 and as estimated for 1985–86, in cash, cost., and volume terms making use of the deflator factors appropriate to the National Health Service in England, showing also the figures as indices with 1979–80 as a base year.

The tables provide the information which the right hon. Member requested. It is not possible to express expenditure on the National Health Service in 1985–86 in terms of National Health Service pay and prices, since the appropriate pay and price indices are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is the longest time a patient now waits for an orthopaedic operation in the West Surrey and North-East Hampshire district health authority area;(2) what is the average time patients have to wait for an orthopaedic operation in the West Surrey and North-East Hampshire district health authority area.

I am sorry that I cannot give the hon. Member the information he seeks. This is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the West Surrey and North East Hampshire district health authority for this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will consider index-linking the £10 Christmas bonus for pensioners.

We have no present plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much the separate retail price index showing the increase in the cost of living for pensioners has risen in each year since 1979; and by how much the retirement pension has risen in each year since 1979.

The information requested is in the table:

	Percentage increase
	RP* single	RP* couple	PPI† single	PPI† couple
November 1979 to November 1980	16·5	16·5	14·7	14·0
November 1980 to November 1981	9·0	9·0	10·7	11·5
November 1981 to November 1982	11·0	11·0	7·5	7·0

Sheffield
	North East	North West	South East	South West	Total
April 1982–83
Awards	5,691	6,370	4,755	3,290	20,106
Value (£)	346,698	322,683	225,539	167,644	1,062,564
April 1983–84
Awards	10,217	8,898	8,110	4,125	31,350
Value (£)	812,592	634,242	484,045	284,323	2,215,202
April 1984–85
Awards	16,628	13,546	11,785	7,812	49,771
Value (£)	1,318,922	911,872	663,665	495,334	3,389,793
April 1985 to 14 January 1986
Awards	20,851	18,167	15,366	11,594	65,978
Value (£)	1,505,493	1,213,091	799,359	895,547	4,413,490

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether (a) retirement pensions and (b) other social security benefits will be raised to cover the proposed minimum contribution to rates or the proposed community charge.

It would be inappropriate to raise retirement pensions for this reason, since around half of retirement pensioners do not now receive any help with their rates. So far as income-related benefits are concerned, my right hon. Friend has made it clear that the proposed social security structure will need to be developed in the light of discussions on the recent Green Paper on local government finance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what were the number and value of single payments of supplementary benefit in the four social security offices serving Sheffield taken together in each year since November 1980, showing separately figures for maternity expenses, funeral expenses and other single payments.