asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the amount of cash given by the Welsh Development Agency to specific tourist-related projects in Wales for each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Development Agency provides grant aid to tourist-related projects through its land reclamation and environmental improvement activities. The agency has approved the following expenditure on tourist-related land reclamation and environmental improvement projects since 1981:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the non-nuclear industrial sites in Wales making authorised discharges of uranium and other radioactive materials to the sea.

There are no non-nuclear industrial sites in Wales in possession of an authorisation to discharge radioactive wastes direct to the sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of students who have entered full-time undergraduate and postgraduate courses at universities or polytechnics in each academic year since 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any milk quota originally allocated to Wales will be transferred to England.

Milk quotas were allocated to individual producers within the England and Wales Milk Marketing Board area.Transfers of quota between producers are a matter for the parties concerned within the scope of the relevant regulations. There is no evidence of significant cross-border quota transfer between England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now publish the figures of the Welsh water authority for (a) the total planned capital expenditure for 1986–87 and (b) the projected internal financial resources available for capital expenditure for 1986–87; and if he will compare both these to corresponding figures for 1985–86.

The Welsh water authority's total planned capital expenditure for 1986–87, as published in the recent Government's public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9702), is £61 million; the projected internal resources are £45 million. The corresponding figures for 1985–86 were £53 million and £33 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has been involved in recent discussions aimed at setting up a Welsh bureau in Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has not been involved in these discussions. I am satisfied with the Government's arrangements for representing Welsh interests in the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the number of village schools that have been closed each year since 1979 in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.

The information requested is as follows:

First year student numbers on first degree and postgraduate courses in Great Britain were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in respect of the annual report to Parliament by holders of his office; and how many of these advocated discontinuance of the report.

I am not aware of any such representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of his annual report to Parliament in each of the last three years; and how many copies of the report were produced in each year.

The main cost to the Department arises from the time spent by officials in preparing the report and is estimated to amount to over £15,000 each year. The number of copies printed in each of the last three years is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence he has to indicate that higher education standards need to be raised, as stated in paragraph 1.7 of the Green Paper.

My right hon. Friend regards it as axiomatic that all educational institutions should at all times seek to pursue higher standards. Concern for the maintenance and enhancement of standards is reflected in various ways in the volumes published as part of the Leverhulme programme of study into the future of higher education, in the advice on future strategy for higher education published by the University Grants Committee and by the National Advisory Body for Local Authority Higher Education (now the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education) in September 1984, in the report "Academic Validation in Public Sector Higher Education" (Cmnd 9501) and in the work of the group established by the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on the maintenance and monitoring of academic quality and standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recommendations were submitted to him by the University Grants Committee in respect of links between higher education and employment before publication of the Green Paper.

The advice of the University Grants Committee to my right hon. Friend is set out in "A Strategy for Higher Education into the 1990s" published in September 1984, and in particular in section 3 of that report.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list the four schools which have been given dispensation from the 60 per cent. requirement for the assisted places scheme in academic year 1985–86.

The information is as follows:

• Epsom College
• Leeds Girls' High School
• St. Peter's School, York
• St. Swinthun's School, Winchester

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 25 February Official Report, columns 509–11, if he will state the figure taken as the Inner London education authority secondary education unit cost; and if he will state the basis of that figure.

The fee levels at assisted places schools were compared with an Inner London education authority secondary schools unit cost of £1,760 for 1983–84. This unit cost includes expenditure on the salaries and wages of all the staff employed in schools except on the preparation of school meals, and on most of the supplies and services provided to schools. It does not include the cost of school meals, central administration and inspection or debt charges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 25 February, Official Report, columns 509–11, if he will state the value in respect of each of the listed assisted places schools of (a) charitable status, (b) rate relief, (c) value added tax concessions on school fees and (d) uniform, travel and school meal allowances.

Information is not available as regards parts (a),(b) and (c). On (d), for the school year 1984–85, average payments per pupil were £65.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 25 February, Official Report, columns 509–11, what information is available to his Department as to the social and academic intakes of the assisted places schools and the Inner London education authority schools, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Information in respect of individual pupils taking part in the assisted places scheme is not collected by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 25 February, OfficialReport, columns 509–11, what information he has as to the level of parental contributions made to the assisted places schools and the Inner London education authority schools concerned, respectively; and if he will make a statement.

Detailed information on individual parental contributions is not available. The average parental contribution for the school year 1984–85 was £333. The fee levels in the cited answer took no account of any remission under the assisted places schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 25 February, Official Report, columns 509–11, how far the fee levels for the listed assisted places schools take into account charitable status and tax concessions on school fees; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will now take steps to collect information in respect of those local authorities where people under the age of 18 years are permitted full governor status on governing bodies of educational institutions; and whether he will make a statement.

There is no evident reason to collect information on present practice. In the Government's view, a school or college governorship is an office of public and pecuniary trust and thus may not be properly held by a minor. The Education Bill currently before Parliament proposes to put the matter beyond doubt.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if any research is currently being funded by his Department into the differences in school costs, intake and achievement of pupils in selective and non-selective secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is not currently funding research which considers the differences in these respects between selective and non-selective schools. However, as my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 14 November 1984, at column 697, he is considering a number of proposals for wider ranging research into the factors affecting performance in schools including the organisation of the schools, along with other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received recent representations from NEI Peebles Ltd about the electricity supply industry's ordering programme.

No. However I understand that this company and other transformer manufacturers have proposed in the NEDO heavy electrical machinery group, an accelerated transformer replacement programme to reduce electrical transmission losses in the public supply system. This proposal has been considered by the electricity supply industry not to be economically justified.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy at what stage the nuclear installations inspectorate is in preparing preconstruction licensing procedures for Land 2 disposal facilities.

The nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive is in the process of preparing preconstruction licensing procedures for shallow land facilities for the disposal of radioactive waste.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the nuclear installations inspectorate has set down requirements for the design, commissioning, safety and operation of Land 2 disposal facilities.

The requirements for setting up and operating waste disposal facilities will, as with other nuclear installations, be formulated in the conditions attached to the nuclear site licence. These conditions, which will be on the same lines as those attached to existing nuclear site licences are in the course of development within the NII.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, per kWh at January 1986 prices, the estimated cost of electricity to be purchased from Electricite de France, and that produced at Hinckley B advanced gas-cooled reactor.

Information for Hinkley B AGR was published in the Central Electricity Generating Board's booklet "Analysis of Generation Costs 1983–84 Update". This showed costs ranging between 1·5p/kWh and 2·64p/kWh depending on the method of calculation. I shall arrange for the CEGB to write to my hon. Friend giving figures adjusted to March 1986 price levels.Details of the CEGB's purchases of electricity from Electricite de France are commercially confidential but the board has stated that EdF will provide a commercial supply of electricity to the CEGB for two years at a cost of up to 25 per cent. cheaper than could be generated on average in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the oil production in million barrels per day for the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries in the years 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.

Production of oil by members of OPEC is estimated by British Petroleum to have been as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to how many barrels per day on average each individual Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries member country produced for the years 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.

Information about individual OPEC countries' oil production is available from a number of sources; one which is readily available is the 1985 "BP Statistical Review of World Energy", page 5. Further information about crude oil production—ie excluding NGL's and some condensates—can be obtained from the OPEC Annual Statistical Bulletin for 1984. Both publications are in the House of Commons Library. Data for 1985 is not yet published.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many barrels of oil were produced per day from the North sea for the years 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.

Average United Kingdom production of crude oil and NGL's for the years requested is shown below. The figures are taken from the Brown Book, coverted to millions of barrels per day. 1985 total is provisional:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what were the average prices of North sea crude oil for the years 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985.

Average price of North sea crude oil expressed as dollars per barrel:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to meet Sheikh Yamani, the Saudi Arabian Oil Minister, in the near future, to discuss oil prices and production levels; and if he will make a statement.

No; and no.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the representatives of oil producers in the United Kingdom to discuss oil prices and North sea oil production levels.

I frequently meet United Kingdom oil producers, both individually and as represented by the United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association and the Association of British Independent Exploration Companies to discuss matters of mutual interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much in total has been invested in North sea oil production since 1964.

Total investment in North sea oil and gas in the prices then ruling, together with exploration expenditure, between 1965 and 1985 inclusive was £36 billion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number of new oilfields which have been opened since 1978 in the North sea.

Since the end of 1978, 18 new oilfields have commenced production in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea. A further nine fields have been approved and are now being developed but are not yet in production.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many new oilfields are anticipated to be opened, annually, in the years 1986, 1987 and 1988.

There are six new offshore oilfields and one condensate field which have been approved and which are currently scheduled to begin production before the end of 1988. Of these, two should produce their first oil in 1987, and five in 1988. In addition, a number of other fields are expected to come forward for approval, but it is not possible to say at present whether any of these will be producing by the end of 1988.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has about the projected level of investments in North sea oil production for the years 1986, 1987 and 1988.

The latest forecast produced by the industry of investment in North sea oil and gas production in 1986, 1987 and 1988 was published in the 20th report of the Process Plant Economic Development Committee in August 1985. The figures are:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many workers are employed in North sea oil production (a) on rigs, (b) in refineries and (c) in module yards.

The latest estimates available are for September 1985, when some 29,000 people were employed on installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf, including construction workers and personnel on mobile drilling rigs, service vessels, support barges and survey teams; some 20,700 in the United Kingdom refining industry, and about 10,000 people in module yards.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the sterling value of oil exports for the years 1984, 1985 and the expected value for 1986.

The sterling value of oil exports for 1984 and 1985:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy on oil in the light of current and projected price trends; and what discussions he has held with oil companies about the price implications of this policy.

United Kingdom oil production levels are a matter for the producing companies, subject only to technical limits. United Kingdom prices are determined by the world market and the balance of supply and demand. I frequently meet the oil companies to discuss matters of mutual interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about gas imports and exports and the development of the gas resources of the United Kingdom continental shelf, following the privatisation of the British Gas Corporation.

Gas imports and exports can have a major effect on the rate and pattern of the development of UKCS resources, and hence on wider national interest. The Government intend to ensure that this interest is adequately protected and that continuing gas supplies are available to customers in this country. Substantial gas resources are available, or potentially available, both from the UKCS and from overseas sources to enable the new company to meet the needs of its customers for many years ahead. The company will be able to import gas subject to the normal consent requirement for the laying of pipelines across the UKCS and, in appropriate cases, the conclusion of intergovernmental treaties. In addition, Sir Denis Rooke has assured me that the new gas company will consult the Government regarding its import plans as these develop.There are at present only limited opportunities to sell new gas into Continental markets and access to these markets may add little in the short term to the boost which the Government's policies have already given to UKCS exploration and development. The Government are prepared, nonetheless, to consider applications for waivers on the landing requirement on a case-by-case basis. In doing this, it will take into account considerations relating to the security of the UK's gas supplies without any presumption that exports should not take place in present circumstances.The Government remain firmly committed to maintaining the pace of UKCS development and intend to ensure, as they have since 1979, that adequate market incentives exist for the exploration, appraisal and development of new gas. There will be no question of the new company discriminating against indigenous gas supplies; or of UKCS gas producers putting at risk this country's security of supply. The Government will keep close watch on terms of trade between suppliers and the new company and will stand ready to act as necessary.

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor is to divest himself of his interest as a name at Lloyd's before the Financial Services Bill reaches the House of Lords for consideration.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will initiate a prosecution of Mr. Mohen Nikbakht of Greater Manchester for having intercourse with a girl under the age of 16 years, namely, Elham Bahrami; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Greater Manchester police are making inquiries into the matter to which the hon. Member refers and will be submitting a report to the Director of Public Prosecutions. The question of criminal proceedings will be considered at that stage.

asked the Prime Minister when the European Council last discussed the resources devoted from Common Market funds to the export of cheap food to the Soviet Union and east Europe; and if she will make a statement.

The European Council has not discussed this as a specific topic, at least in recent years.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her reply of 18 December, Official Report, column 160, she will clarify the role of Mr. Gallagher Daggitt of the Department of Education and Science in the strategic defence initiative participation office.

Mr. Gallagher Daggitt, who has been seconded to the strategic defence initiative participation office in the Ministry of Defence, has special responsibilities within the office for explaining to higher education institutions and the research councils the opportunities for their participation in the United States strategic defence initiative research programme; and for liaising between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Education and Science on strategic defence initiative matters.

asked the Prime Minister how the activities of the Treasury and the Department of Health and Social Security are being co-ordinated to help families.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr. Wells) on 24 February at column 409. As he will see, the examples of co-ordination between the Government's fiscal and social security policies listed there are of particular relevance to families.

asked the Prime Minister what steps she intends to take to seek to reverse the decline in the British merchant fleet.

Many of the factors that have led to the reduction in the British merchant fleet over the last decade are outside the control of either the industry or the Government. We are, of course, doing all that we can in international negotiations to create conditions that will give opportunities to British ships and encourage United Kingdom ownership of vessels, preferably under the British flag. At home we are working to reduce the burden of costs and marine regulations.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the main achievements of her Government in social policy.

This Government have ensured the continued development and improvement of the National Health Service. We have increased spending on the NHS by 21 per cent. in real terms, and taken steps to ensure better value for money from the resources available. More emphasis has been placed on the prevention of health and social problems.As a result there have been considerable increases in services to patients. In England alone, comparing 1984 and 1978, there were:

asked the Prime Minister what has been the average yearly salary increase to teachers, police and the armed forces since June 1979.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if the definition of the status of Ministers of State in relation to the respective departmental Ministers, as given by the hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker), Official Report, 13 December, column 1210, applies to all Ministers of State.

What my hon. Friend said on 13 December did not and was not intended to imply any change in the status of a Minister of State.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's relations with the new Government of President Aquino of the Philippines.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 5 March, at column 174, and to the statement on the Philippines by my hon. Friend on 26 February at column 945. Her Majesty's ambassador in Manila, Mr. McLaren, called on Mrs. Aquino on 27 February to convey my congratulations on her becoming President.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 6 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 6 March.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and 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 National Pensioners Convention.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will give details of the latest proposals for financing the Liverpool philharmonic hall and Royal Liverpool philharmonic orchestra through the Arts Council and Arts and Libraries Office.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 25 February 1986, at column 479. The additional grant of £137,500 which the Arts Council will make available to the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Society will come from the £25 million in post-abolition funding which the Government are providing for the council.

asked the Minister for the Arts, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich on 24 February, Official Report, column 413, what would be the cost of sending a letter to each of the library authorities in England requiring them under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964 to provide information as to the imposition of a ban on News International newspapers in their public libraries.

It appears that only a small minority of library authorities are applying a ban. To circulate all authorities would be a disproportionate response at this stage. I hope that the authorities concerned will take account of the views which both the Government and the Library Association have expressed, and end the ban quickly.

asked the Minister for the Arts whether the total amount of tax satisfied referred to in his answer of 26 February, Official Report, column 593, included the outstanding balance of £167,786 in respect of the Geoffrey Keynes collection.

The previous answer of 26 February referred to objects and property accepted since 2 April 1985. It did not, therefore, include the balance relating to the Geoffrey Keynes collection. This has, however, been paid from the sums available in the current financial year as indicated in the answer given to the hon. Member on 2 April 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the total amount of rates paid through housing benefit on each district in Northern Ireland in each of the past two years.

A breakdown of expenditure by district is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, the total amounts (rounded) of rates rebates paid under the housing benefits scheme in 1984–85 was £20,086,000 and the estimated expenditure for 1985–86 is £22,665,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the number claiming supplementary benefit at each social security office in Northern Ireland; and what further figures are available to indicate the total number of dependants on those claimants.

The numbers claiming supplementary benefit at each social security office in Northern Ireland at 19 November 1985, the latest available date, are as set out. Information is not available to indicate the total numbers of dependants on those claimants.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the numbers claiming unemployment benefit, but not also receiving supplementary benefit, at each social security office in Northern Ireland; and what further figures are available to indicate the total number of dependants on those claimants.

The numbers claiming unemployment benefit, but not also receiving supplementary benefit, at each social security office in Northern Ireland, at 9 May 1985, this being the latest available date, and the total number of dependants on those claimants, are as set out:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the numbers of supplementary benefit claimants in each social security office in Northern Ireland who are not available for work on the grounds of incapacity or age.

The numbers of supplementary benefit claimants in each social security office in Northern Ireland who are not available for work on the grounds of incapacity or age, at 19 November 1985, the latest available date, are as set out:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the total number of people receiving housing benefit or housing benefit supplement in each district in Northern Ireland; and what further figures are available to indicate the number of these who receive supplementary benefit, family income supplement, unemployment benefit, and so on.

The numbers of people receiving housing benefit and supplementary benefit, including housing benefit supplement, in each district council area in Northern Ireland at 7 February 1986 are shown in the table. Information about the numbers of housing benefit recipients who receive family income supplement, unemployment benefit or other benefits is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the total numbers of single payments under supplementary benefit regulations made by each social security office in Northern Ireland in 1985; and what information is available to indicate the categories of these payments.

The total numbers of single payments under supplementary benefit regulations made by each social security office in Northern Ireland in 1985 are as set out. The additional information requested regarding the categories of these payments is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total value of the single payments made by each social security office in Northern Ireland in 1985; and what information is available to indicate the amount of money spent on each category of single payment.

The total value of the single payments under supplementary benefit regulations made by each social security office in Northern Ireland in 1985 is as set out. The additional information requested regarding the amount of money spent on each category of single payment is not readly available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of appeals in 1985 relating to single payments under supplementary benefit regulations in each social security office in Northern Ireland; and what information is available to indicate how many appeals succeeded at review stage, at tribunal or at the commissioner.

Social security benefit appeals are heard at 21 centres throughout Northern Ireland, not at each social security office. The total number of appeals in 1985 relating to single payments under supplementary benefit regulations and the numbers of these which were successful at review stage and at tribunal are as set out:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the number of claimants who had representation at appeal tribunals in each social security office area in Northern Ireland in 1985.

Security appeal tribunals sit at 21 centres throughout Northern Ireland, not at each social security office. The numbers of claimants who had representation at appeal tribunals in Northern Ireland in 1985 are as set out:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will give a monthly breakdown of strip searches conducted at Maze prison during 1985 and January 1986 according to reason for search and giving for each month the total number of strip searches and the total number of inmates searched.

The information requested could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will give a monthly breakdown of strip searches conducted at Armagh prison during 1985 and January 1986 according to reason for search and giving for each month the total number of strip searches and the total number of inmates searched.

For the month of January 1986, I refer the right hon. and learned Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, North (Mr. McNamara) on 25 February, at column 495. The following table sets out the details of the searches conducted at Armagh prison during 1985:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there are any differences in substance or detail as between men and women prisoners in the procedures used in practice for strip searching in Northern Ireland.