asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement detailing what Government grant-aid was given in repect of the producer-dyed acrylic fibre spinning machine which Monsanto introduced to the plant in Coleraine now owned by Montefibre and explaining what had happened to this machine.

I am unable to provide details of grant assistance paid to Monsanto plc prior to October 1980 as this information is confidential under the terms of the agreement entered into with the company. Such assistance has, however, now passed outside the control period during which grant may be reclaimed in the event of disposal. The possibility of reclaiming grant related to subsequent refurbishment of this machinery is being examined. It is understood that the machinery in question is now located at a Montefibre plant in Spain.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement detailing what Government grant-aid was given in respect of the Seydel converter installed by Monsanto in the Coleraine plant now owned by Montefibre and explaining what has happened to this machine.

I am unable to provide the detailed information requested as agreements to provide selective financial assistance were subject to a confidentiality condition prior to October 1980. The Seydel converter was, however, grant-aided in 1972 and remained in use at Coleraine for well beyond the mandatory control period of three years. It is understood that this machinery is now located in Spain.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement detailing how much grant aid was given in respect of plant installed by Monsanto in the Coleraine plant now owned by Montefibre and which is now packed for shipment to India.

I am unable to provide details of grants paid to Monsanto plc prior to October 1980 as this information is confidential under the terms of the agreement entered into with the company. However, the last grant was paid in 1978 and the assets aided are therefore outside the period of three years in which the Government have an interest in their disposal.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what regard was paid to the changes in oil prices in the Department of Economic Development's assessment of the profitability of the Montefibre plant.

The Industrial Development Board has not undertaken a separate assessment of the profitability of the Montefibre plant. It is satisfied that the management of the company has taken into account all the relevant factors in arriving at its decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the development at Montefibre, Coleraine, of a new optic fibre; and where Montefibre now intends to produce this product.

In 1984 the company undertook at Coleraine a research and development programme to develop a new optic fibre. As this product was being developed specifically for the United Kingdom market the company has informed the industrial Development Board that it has no plans to produce it elsewhere within the group.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the development of the new non-recrimped staple at Montefibre, Coleraine; and where Montefibre now intends to produce this.

The development of the non-recrimped staple represented the introduction to Coleraine of the most modern processing technology that was available within the group. Montefibre had successfully developped this in its other European plants and logically extended the benefits of this work to Coleraine during 1984–85 after adapting the process to the particular equipment in Coleraine.As the company first developed this processing technology in Italy and Spain, it will continue to use it in these plants.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement indicating what grant-aid was given in respect of the development of the three new products at Montefibre, Coleraine.

The company had applied to the Industrial Development Board for support on the development of plastic reinforced fibre; on the development of a new optic fibre and on the development of non-recrimped staple. However, the programme for the development of these new products at Coleraine was not complete in respect of any of the products at the time the closure was announced.The following table gives the financial details:

	Expenditure approved by the group £	Grant support approved by IDB £	Grants paid by IDB £
Plastic reinforced fibre	912,700	350,405	240,906
New optic fibre	691,980	278,970	59,399
Non-recrimped staple	120,000	41,740	20,490

As the company has announced the closure of the Coleraine plant it is liable to repay grants which were received for research and development projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement outlining what figures are available to indicate the return Montefibre earned on its investment in the Coleraine plant.

The audited results for the 30 months ended 31 December 1985 show an accumulated loss of £92,000 was sustained by Montefibre on its Coleraine operations. For the 12-month period to 31 December 1985 the audited results show a loss of £858,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his policy on the provision of renal services with particular reference to the question of satellite dialysis units in Northern Ireland.

The Government wish to see renal services in Northern Ireland improved and I was pleased recently to be able to announce the allocation of additional funds for 1986–87 which will enable the expansion of dialysis and transplant services. I intend to announce shortly specific targets for the development of services for patients suffering from end stage renal failure including plans for the provision of a satellite dialysis unit in the area of the Western health and social services board.

asked the Prime Minister what is her intention with regard to contact with Palestinians and visits to the occupied territories during her visit to Israel.

Arrangements are not yet firm. I hope to meet leading Palestinians as well as Israelis during my visit.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what amount of the science budget is used for the purpose of defraying (a) superannuation payments, (b) costs of restructuring research councils and (c) for meeting variations in the exchange rate on international subscriptions.

The information requested is given for 1985–86:

£ million
Science Budget 1985–86	583·9
Amount of Science Budget used for:
(a) Superannuation payments	19·9
(b) Restructuring costs	11·0
(c) Meeting variations (subsequent to the submission of Estimates) in the exchange rate on international subscriptions	1·15

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the grants made in association with his Department or a research council by the Health Promotion Research Trust.

The Medical Research Council's epidemiology unit is currently receiving grant support of nearly £65,000 from the Health Promotion Research Trust for a project involving the study of the relationship between beliefs, values, behaviour and ischaemic heart disease. No grants are made jointly by the trust and the Department, or the trust and any research council.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is yet in a position to respond to the request submitted by the general secretary of the Workers Educational Association for additional financial assistance; and if he will make a statement.

I have written today on behalf of my right hon. Friend to inform the WEA that we have agreed to make available a further £55,500 in the current financial year specifically to assist WEA districts with the financial adjustments necessary to enable them to move towards greater cost-effectiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the present criteria for weeding the criminal names index of the police national computer and records of criminal convictions held by the national identification bureau; and if he will make a statement.

The weeding criteria have recently been changed so as to reduce substantially the number of criminal records held centrally without significantly impairing police effectiveness.The previous criteria which were given in detail in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 28 June 1985, at columns 523–24, required records of those who had committed a single minor offence to be kept until the offender was 40 years old and records for those who had committed more than one offence to be kept until they were 70 years old. Under the new criteria these age limits are removed and records will be weeded where offenders have not come to notice for 20 years since the last conviction, whatever the number of convictions before that. This will result in the deletion of a large number of names and records of people who have committed more than one offence in their youth, who have not re-offended for 20 years but whose records would otherwise have been kept until they were 70 years old. Records will not be deleted, however, if they include evidence of mental illness or indecency, custodial sentences of more than six months, or offences of homicide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the level of violent attacks upon transport staff in London.

We have received one letter about attacks on public transport staff in London; since 1982 nine letters have been received not confined to the position in London. My right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Brittan) the then Home Secretary, met a delegation of the Transport and General Workers Union in October 1984 to discuss this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date Mr. Muhammad Idrish, Home Office reference J137550/44, was asked to submit his passport to immigration authorities for the endorsement of his right to remain in the United Kingdom.

On 25 November 1985, when I wrote to the hon. Member for West Bromwich, East (Mr. Snape), who had taken up the case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to commission an interim report from the Data Protection Registrar on the effect of the operation of the Data Protection Act on business, particularly small firms, pending the 1987 review; and if he will make a statement.

The Data Protection Registrar has been asked to make a report after the Act has come fully into force in November 1987. He has said that he will report earlier if that seems practical and helpful.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many immigration cases were referred to him by right hon. and hon. Members in the last quarter of 1985 and so far in 1986; and of that number, how many have been kept in detention;(2) how many immigration cases were referred to him by right hon. and hon. Members in 1983, 1984 and 1985; and, of that number, how many were kept in detention in each of those years.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 February, c. 47]: The available information relates to the number of immigration files* created following representations by right hon. and hon. Members, and is as follows:

	Number
1983	11,456
1984	13,164
1985	16,024

From October 1985 to 21 February 1986, 7,259 such files were created.No figures are available of the number of people who were held in detention when the representations were received.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the scale of the proposed cut in public funding for the advisory services of the Scottish agricultural colleges in 1986–87.

No reduction in the public funding of the advisory services provided by the Scottish agricultural colleges is planned for 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on his policy towards the proposal that the three Scottish agricultural colleges should be combined within a unified structure, with particular reference to the financial arrangements if any one of the colleges were to remain outside the proposed new structure.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 March 1986, c. 550]: As indicated in the consultation paper on the agricultural advisory services in Scotland, issued by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, Ministers support the proposal by the Council of Scottish Agricultural Colleges to form a new company which would have overall responsibility for the management of all the services provided by the three Scottish agricultural colleges.The colleges have yet to finalise on the proposal; it is premature therefore to speculate on how the detailed arrangements, including those relating to funding, might apply in different circumstances, whatever these may be.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a breakdown of the numbers of young people aged 16 to 18 years (a) in full-time education, (b) in employment, (c) unemployed and (d) on a YTS.

Figures indicating the number of young people aged 16 to 18 in each of the categories for which information is requested are not available on a comparable basis. The figures for Scotland given in the table below, which are the latest available in each case, come from different sources and relate to different points in time. There is therefore an inevitable and unquantifiable element of double counting For example, many of the young people in full-time education in 1984 also feature in the numbers shown as unemployed or in YTS in early 1986.

	(1) Full-time Education	(2) Employment	(3) Unemployed	(4) YTS
Age 16	55,673	32,000	12,780	31,746
Age 17	28,974	45,000	17,645
Age 18	18,905	49,000	19,098
Total	103,552	126,000	49,523	31,746

Col. (1) Figures as at September 1984 (schools and colleges) and 31 December 1984 (universities).Col. (2) Figures are extracted from the 1984 Labour Force Survey and are estimates.Col. (3) Position as at 9 January 1986, the latest date for which age band figures are available.Col. (4) Position at end of February 1986. An age breakdown is not currently available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many local authority dwellings are served by district heating.

This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Government will make additional resources available for teachers' pay in Scotland.

As I announced last week I will set up an independent inquiry into teachers' pay and other matters. The inquiry will be free to make whatever recommendations it sees fit, having heard the evidence put to it. Meantime the Government have given no new commitment to make additional resources available; when the inquiry has reported its recommendations will be considered in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what factors he took into account in deciding not to order a public inquiry into the recent railway accident in Barnetby, South Humberside.

There was no loss of life or injury; the situation created by the derailment was quickly and correctly contained by the emergency services and British Railways; there was confidence that the cause of the accident could be established; and that local people could have full information about the accident and about measures to prevent a recurrence by means other than a full public inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what factors he took into account in deciding to order a public inquiry into the recent railway accident in Derbyshire.

The accident on 9 March at Chinley in Derbyshire was attended by loss of life and serious injury. There have been other accidents involving passenger trains in the area during recent years. In the circumstances, and in view of early information available to the Railway Inspectorate as to the possible cause of this latest accident, a public inquiry was deemed appropriate and necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance he has issued to second tier authorities about the effect of the Transport Act 1985 on their provision of bus passes for pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

My Department, acting jointly with the Departments of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, will very shortly be publishing guidance on the provision of concessionary fare schemes under the Transport Act 1985 addressed to all authorities with public transport responsibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many incidents affecting sea birds have been referred to the wildlife incidents units in each of the last five years.

My Department receives reports of oil pollution at sea and those which mention oiled sea birds are referred to the Nature Conservancy Council. During 1985 my Department received 102 reports of oil pollution at sea, of which only one was so referred. Figures for previous years are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the present percentage of polyurethane foam that is allowed to be used in furniture and textile manufacture; and what plans he has to seek to reduce its use.

There are no regulations concerning the percentage or amount of polyurethane foam allowed to be used in the manufacture of domestic furniture and furnishings. The Upholstered Furniture (Safety) Regulations require furniture to resist ignition by a smouldering cigarette and, if labelled resistant, ignition by a match flame. I have no plans as such for reduction in the use of polyurethane foam as a filling material in upholstered furniture and there are as yet no entirely satisfactory replacement materials. However, I am aware of the widespread concern about the behaviour of this material in fires. The Government have funded research aimed at improving the fire resistance of furniture including investigation into alternative filling materials and treatments to reduce the emission of toxic fumes. But it would be wrong to imagine that replacement of polyurethane foam with materials which produce less smoke and fumes when burning would solve the whole problem of fires involving furniture. Resistance to ignition and reduction of the rate of flame spread are equally if not more important; I am at present considering making new or revised regulations or approved standards for resistance to ignition of both upholstered furniture and beds and mattresses.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many letters he has received concerning the proposed closure of the Export Credits Guarantee Department's comprehensive bank guarantee facilities; and if he will give full details of the losses and the reasons why they have been incurred.

Seventy exporters or their representatives have written about the proposed closure of ECGD's comprehensive bank guarantee. Some have written more than one letter. It is not possible to put a precise figure on the Department's final losses on the facility because ECGD does not become aware of the final loss under its guarantee often for several years, when the extent of any subsequent recoveries becomes known. The cumulative cash deficit at the end of 1985 was over £70 million. Loss under the facility occurs when an exporter fails to repay the finance advanced by his bank which has been guaranteed by ECGD, and ECGD is unable to recover its payment to the bank because, for instance, the exporter has become insolvent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the normal date for publication of English Estates' annual report and accounts; and why the report and accounts for 1984–85 have not yet been published.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the latest progress on privatising the interests of British Shipbuilders.

The Secretary of State has given his consent to British Shipbuilders for the sale of Hall Russell Ltd. to Aberdeen Shipbuilders Ltd. The terms of sale, net of purchase consideration and other aspects of the transaction, represent a cost to British Shipbuilders of not more than £1·6 million. British Shipbuilders has also accepted a limited contingent liability in the event of redundancies. This is considerably less than the cost of closing the yard.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer on 6 February, Official Report, column 332, which Community countries made representations at official level against the United Kingdom leaving the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

France and Germany.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will estimate the level of expenditure per annum by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation in the United Kingdom, and the extent to which it is likely to be reduced by the decision to withdraw from that organisation.

Details provided by UNESCO show that total purchases in 1985 amounted to about $2·8 million. It is up to UNESCO itself to decide how much to spend in the future. There is nothing in UNESCO's constitution or regulations which prevents it from purchasing in a nonmember state.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidelines exist governing the involvement in the management or direction of United Kingdom companies of foreign diplomats based in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Article 42 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations states that a diplomat shall not in the receiving state practise for personal profit any professional or commercial activity. We expect diplomats here to comply with this article.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the answer of 10 March, Official Report, column 362, if he will now give the information originally requested for each of the last 10 years relating to the number of diplomatic personnel who receive assistance under his Department's scheme for help with defraying the costs of private education for their children; and if he will now also give the breakdown originally requested in relation to the same staff.

The total cost to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of providing boarding school allowance for the financial years 1975–76 to 1984–85 was as follows:

	£
1975–76	3,135,401
1976–77	3,512,229
1977–78	3,358,337
1978–79	3,790,371
1979–80	4,011,280
1980–81	4,962,267
1981–82	5,663,088
1982–83	7,465,177
1983–84	5,940,981
1984–85	6,239,908

The reply given to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist), on 28 October 1985, at column

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish the total number of people in employment in each non-metropolitan county, metropolitan county and the Greater London area in April of each year from 1975 to 1985, showing the percentage change from year to year, and the overall percentage change from 1975 to 1985.

The available information is as follows and relates to June each year from 1975 to 1978, when censuses of employment were taken. For the Greater London area, figures for periods since 1981 are derived from employment estimates based on small-scale sample inquiries which do not produce reliable results for smaller areas. More up to date employment estimates for the other

Employees in employment
	Numbers (thousands)					Percentage change
	June	June	June	June	September
	1975	1976	1977	1978	1981	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–81	1975–81
Non-metropolitan counties
Avon	387·1	380·7	386·5	389·0	376·8	-1·7	+1·5	+0·6	-3·1	-2·7
Bedfordshire	193·4	195·0	198·0	202·9	192·7	+0·9	+1·5	+2·5	-5·0	-0·4
Berkshire	296·0	301·3	304·0	312·1	311·5	+1·8	+0·9	+2·7	-0·2	+5·3
Buckinghamshire	175·1	176·5	182·5	188·6	197·7	+0·8	+3·4	+3·3	+4·8	+12·9
Cambridgeshire	208·4	210·1	211·2	212·2	214·5	+0·8	+0·5	+0·5	+1·1	+2·9
Cheshire	352·1	349·8	358·2	356·2	341·9	-0·7	+2·4	-0·5	-4·0	-2·9
Cleveland	251·7	250·4	246·8	241·9	211·2	-0·5	-1·5	-2·0	-12·7	-16·1
Cornwall	120·7	120·7	122·8	125·3	118·0	—	+1·8	+2·0	-5·8	-2·2
Cumbria	185·0	182·7	183·7	181·5	175·5	-1·3	+0·6	-1·2	-3·3	-5·2
Derbyshire	360·8	360·2	359·6	366·6	347·4	-0·1	-0·2	+1·9	-5·2	-3·7
Devon	310·2	309·7	310·4	313·1	311·1	-0·2	+0·2	+0·9	-0·7	+0·3
Dorset	187·2	187·7	194·6	199·0	198·3	+0·3	+3·7	+2·3	-0·4	+5·9
Durham	218·0	213·3	219·0	216·0	191·0	-2·2	+2·7	-1·4	-11·6	-12·3
East Sussex	192·6	195·5	196·5	200·1	206·4	+1·5	+0·5	+1·8	+3·2	+7·2
Essex	466·5	464·3	462·8	468·1	445·8	-0·5	-0·3	+1·1	-4·8	-4·4
Gloucestershire	192·3	191·8	195·6	201·1	200·3	-0·3	+2·0	+2·8	-0·4	+4·2
Hampshire	525·6	530·9	536·2	539·9	555·3	+1·0	+1·0	+0·7	+2·9	+5·6
Hereford & Worcester	216·4	217·2	219·0	220·7	216·2	+0·3	+0·8	+0·8	-2·0	-0·1
Hertfordshire	406·2	397·9	407·1	408·9	412·4	-2·0	+2·3	+0·4	+0·9	+1·5
Humberside	331·2	327·6	329·8	327·5	290·8	-1·1	+0·7	-0·7	-11·2	-12·2
Isle of Wight	38·0	38·7	39·4	39·7	38·3	+1·9	+1·7	+1·0	-3·7	+0·7
Kent	496·4	499·4	508·4	513·6	499·8	+0·6	+1·8	+1·0	-2·7	+0·7
Lancashire	513·2	510·9	516·7	520·6	491·9	-0·4	+1·1	+0·8	-5·5	-4·2
Leicestershire	345·8	345·4	347·6	357·6	337·8	-0·1	+0·6	+2·9	-5·5	-2·3
Lincolnshire	178·2	184·1	189·0	187·5	180·0	+3·3	+2·7	-0·8	-4·0	+1·0
Norfolk	248·0	246·0	249·0	250·6	242·7	-0·8	+1·2	+0·6	-3·2	-2·1
Northamptonshire	197·0	197·8	201·3	205·5	189·1	+0·4	+1·8	+2·1	-7·9	-4·0
Northumberland	90·0	90·5	92·7	92·5	88·9	+0·6	+2·4	-0·3	-3·8	-1·1
North Yorkshire	216·0	221·3	224·4	230·2	227·1	+2·4	+1·4	+2·6	-1·4	+5·1
Nottinghamshire	403·8	409·2	419·5	416·1	396·4	+1·3	+2·5	-0·8	-4·7	-1·8
Oxfordshire	194·6	196·1	195·0	198·5	200·0	+0·8	-0·6	+1·8	+0·7	+2·8
Salop	123·2	122·7	124·7	128·0	120·9	-0·4	+1·6	+2·6	-5·5	-1·8
Somerset	144·0	142·0	144·0	143·4	140·9	-1·4	+1·4	+0·4	-1·8	-2·2
Staffordshire	372·3	372·7	377·1	372·5	346·6	+0·1	+1·2	-1·2	-7·0	-6·9
Suffolk	214·6	213·3	216·7	217·5	213·2	-0·6	+1·6	+0·4	-2·0	-0·7
Surrey	319·7	317·8	317·5	320·8	333·8	-0·6	-0·1	+1·0	+4·1	+4·4
Warwickshire	139·8	135·5	137·5	149·8	146·7	-3·1	+1·5	+9·0	-2·1	+4·9
West Sussex	221·7	223·7	227·2	231·7	238·4	+0·9	+1·5	+2·0	+2·9	+7·5
Wiltshire	181·1	181·0	189·5	191·9	190·6	-0·1	+4·7	+1·3	-0·7	+5·2
Clwyd	115·2	115·9	118·1	127·8	112·9	+0·6	+1·9	+8·2	-11·7	-2·0
Dyfed	102·0	102·3	102·6	105·4	99·3	+0·3	+0·3	+2·8	-5·8	-2·7
Gwent	173·5	168·5	168·3	167·0	150·2	-2·9	-0·1	-0·8	-10·0	-13·4
Gwynedd	62·2	67·7	69·3	70·7	67·1	+8·9	+2·4	+2·0	-5·0	+7·9
Mid-Glamorgan	181·1	179·6	181·8	186·2	162·9	-0·8	+1·2	+2·4	-12·5	-10·0
Powys	32·0	30·6	26·4	32·8	32·0	-4·6	-13·6	+24·2	-2·2	+0·1
South Glamorgan	174·7	172·8	171·8	168·7	162·0	-1·1	-0·6	-1·8	-3·9	-7·3
West Glamorgan	156·9	158·0	159·6	156·8	140·8	+0·7	+1·0	-1·7	-10·3	-10·3
Metropolitan counties
Greater Manchester	1,158·1	1,146·5	1,150·2	1,147·5	1,040·6	-1·0	+0·3	-0·2	-9·3	-10·2
Merseyside	650·8	630·5	620·8	615·9	555·4	-3·1	-1·5	+0·8	-9·8	-14·7
South Yorkshire	555·7	549·6	556·8	552·4	504·0	—1·1	+1·3	-0·8	-8·8	-9·3
Tyne & Wear	521·0	517·8	514·2	508·6	447·3	-0·6	-0·7	-1·1	-12·1	-14·1
West Midlands	1,360·3	1,338·0	1,344·2	1,339·1	1,181·7	-1·6	+0·5	-0·4	-11·8	-13·1
West Yorkshire	882·6	869·1	873·2	870·7	800·9	-1·5	+0·5	-0·3	-8·0	-9·3

asked the Paymaster General how many people in Batley and Spen have been employed for (a) more than six months, (b) more than one year and (c) more than two years.

On 9 January 1986, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available, the numbers of claimants in the Batley and Spen parliamentary constituency who had been unemployed for more than six months, one year, and two years were 3,134, 2,188 and 1,335 respectively. This information is in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the dates and nature of the changes in eligibility rules for the community programme since its inception and the effect on the number of people eligible immediately prior to and subsequent to these changes.

Since the inception of the community programme in October 1982 there have been two main changes of relevance. In November 1982 priority for entry was given to those aged 18 to 24 who have been unemployed for six of the last nine months and those aged 25 or over who have been unemployed for 12 of the last 15 months. In addition, all applicants must have been unemployed continuously for two months prior to entering the programme. From October 1984 those qualifying for priority entry were also required to be in personal or indirect receipt of an appropriate state benefit.It is not possible to state the precise effect of these changes on numbers.

asked the Paymaster General what has been the level of the community programme allowance in each year since it began; what percentage rises these represent year-on-year; and what have been the corresponding rises in the retail prices index and in average earnings.

The community programme was introduced on 1 October 1982 and replaced the community enterprise programme. Under the programme, workers are paid the locally agreed hourly rate for the job, not an allowance. The reimbursable wages of workers (except managers and supervisors) were subject to a maximum average of £60 per week until the end of September 1984. From October 1984 the average has been £63 per week, which represents an increase of 5 per cent.The corresponding percentage rises in the retail prices index, and in average earnings since the introduction of the community programme in October 1982 were as follows:

asked the Paymaster General how many places have been available in each year since the community programme began; how many of these have been filled; and what has been (a) the gross cost and (b) the net cost after benefit savings of the programme, at constant prices, based on its first year of operation.

The community programme was introduced on 1 October 1982 and replaced the community enterprise programme.Initially funds were made available to provide for 130,000 filled places. In March 1985 the programme was expanded by a further 100,000 places, and the target figure now stands at 230,000 filled places to be achieved by the end of May 1986.The number of filled places at the end of each year since 1982 are as follows:

March	Filled places
1983	39,100
1984	134,400
1985	161,400

The gross cost and net cost after benefit savings of the programme, at constant 1982–83 prices, its first year of operation are as follows:

	Gross costs	Net cost (after benefit savings)
	£ million	£ million
1982–83*	177	†115
1983–84	381	250
1984–85	486	330
1985–86‡	605	405
* Includes expenditure on community enterprise programme.
† Not calculated separately, but assumed to be equivalent to 65 per cent, of gross costs as in 1983–84.
‡ Forecast.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the number of people recorded as in training on the YTS for each month since its inception showing separately for each month the contemporary figure available immediately, as provided in the progress report for the Youth Training Board, and the latest available figure as revised by the Spectrum system, indicating which figures are now definitive.

The figures requested are given in the table. The figures in the right-hand column are definitive for 1983–84 and are the latest available from April 1984.The contemporary monthly figures are subject to revision as late notifications are received of young people joining and leaving YTS. As delays in notifying leavers tend to be greater than delays in notifying entrants, the contemporary monthly figures are generally higher than the revised numbers.

Number of young people recorded as in training on the youth training scheme on the last day of each month
Number in training on the last day of:	The contemporary* figure as reported to the Youth Training Board	The definitive figure
1983
April	†2,590	11,095
May	†7,138	15,245
June	+21,325	34,168
July	†46,392	57,238
August	†86,503	107,409
September	†172,503	202,386
October	†230,482	246,869
November	250,183	257,942
December	256,533	254,797
1984
January	260,118	257,498
February	259,282	252,737
March	251,516	240,121
April	246,055	233,569
May	238,083	229,418
June	235,227	244,631
July	283,151	277,048
August	292,048	277,661
September	307,179	287,758
October	316,131	291,714
November	311,344	287,485
December	301,896	279,767
1985
January	293,140	276,296
February	283,363	268,015
March	271,059	252,247
April	259,482	247,556
May	248,523	232,772
June	1261,216	236,340
July	291,583	273,112
August	291,007	247,934
September	†317,143	295,597
October	311,285	292,992
November	301,424	284,638
December	293,268	279,908
1986
January	285,184	277,893
February	277,548	277,548
* The contemporary figures for April 1983 to April 1984 inclusive were taken from a manual count of the numbers in training. The figures for May 1984 onwards were the most up-to-date available from the Spectrum computerised management system at the time.
† These contemporary figures were not provided in the progress report to the Youth Training Board.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the likely total gross increase in public expenditure and in the public sector borrowing requirement of the proposals contained in the document "Giving More Help Where the Need is Greatest", published by the Tory Reform Group, together with his estimate of the likely additional jobs created.

I have made no such estimates.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out for 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1984, respectively, and estimate for 1985, the budget for 1986 and estimated outturn for 1986 both in cash and real terms (a) total community expenditure, (b) community expenditure excluding rebates and administrative and institutional costs, (c) agricultural expenditure and (d)(c) as a percentage of (b).

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the percentage change in income tax liability for each income range in 1985–86 compared with the 1978–79 tax regime adjusted for price movements over the period.

The table shows the percentage reductions in tax liability calculated for the 1985–86 tax regime compared with the 1978–79 regime indexed to 1985–86 levels by reference to the statutory formula. The estimates have been calculated on the 1985–86 tax base.

Range of total income in 1985–86* £	Tax reduction as percentage of liability under 1978–79 indexed regime per cent.
under 5,000	15
5,000–10,000	12
10,000–15,000	12
15,000–20,000	12
20,000–30,000	13
over 30,000	21
All taxpayers	14
* All information is in terms of tax units—that is, married couples are counted as one and their incomes combined.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Council of Economic and Finance Ministers.

The EC Economic and Finance Council met in Brussels on 10 March. I represented the United Kingdom.The Council considered a report by the European Court of Auditors on the 1984 Community budget, which was introduced by the president of the court. I underlined the need for continued vigilance to ensure effective implementation of Community spending and prevention of fraud.The Council had a preliminary discussion of the application of budgetary discipline to the 1987 Community budget. It is intended to set the formal reference framework at the Council's meeting on 28 April.The Council reviewed the economic situation in the Community.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the proportion of Government revenue raised by (a) direct and (b) indirect taxes for each of the past 20 years.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1986, c. 390]: The proportion of Government revenue raised by direct and indirect taxes is as follows:

	Direct taxes including royalties	Of which personal taxes	Indirect taxes
1965–66	49	31	51
1966–67	48	30	52
1967–68	48	30	52
1968–69	49	30	51
1969–70	49	30	51
1970–71	49	32	51
1971–72	50	32	50
1972–73	49	31	51
1973–74	50	30	50
1974–75	53	34	47
1975–76	52	38	48
1976–77	52	37	48
1977–78	49	33	51
1978–79	49	32	51
1979–80	46	29	54
1980–81	47	29	53
1981–82	48	28	52
1982–83	49	27	51
1983–84	49	26	51
1984–85	50	25	50

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will make a further statement about the present arrangements for loans from national museums and galleries for which he is responsible to local collections.

Six of the nine national collections which regularly lend works of art for exhibition are continuing to do so without requiring commercial insurance by the borrower.A fresh formula has now been devised which I hope will overcome the anxieties of the other three national collections. Discussions are now proceeding on the new formula with the Tate gallery and others and I hope to reach an early solution.

asked the Minister for the Arts whether he will list, giving the relevant references in the Official Report, those occasions on which the amounts of estate duty or capital transfer tax satisfied by the acceptance of objects or land in respect of individual cases have been specified in written answers during the period between the financial year 1976–77 and 1984–85.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1986. c.359]: The Minister for the Arts assumed responsibility for acceptances in lieu of tax with the passing of the National Heritage Act 1980. Prior to this responsibility rested with the Treasury.Announcements of such acceptances in the periods April 1980 to March 1985, indicating the estate duty or capital transfer tax satisfied, were made on the followmg dates:

asked the Minister for the Arts what steps he took to verify the accuracy of the information in relation to the dates of recommendations by the Museums and Galleries Commission for acceptances in satisfaction of tax on which his answer of 26 February, Official Report, column 593, was based, and if he now has anything to add to that answer.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1986, c. 359–60]: The dates were correctly given on the basis of information provided by the Museums and Galleries Commission.In the case of the Kedleston photographs the recommendation from the commission related to a condition of acceptance that the photographs be kept in the India Office library. Ownership was transferred to the British Library for the India Office library in May 1985 and the allocation was announced in answer to the hon. Member's question of 4 July 1985.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will specify, giving the relevant references in the Official Report, the occasions on which it has been stated to the House since 1979 and prior to his answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East of 26 February, Official Report, c. 593, that the amounts of estate duty or capital transfer tax satisfied by the acceptance of objects or land is confidential in respect of individual cases.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1986, c.360]: The answer to the hon. Member's question on 26 February was the first occasion on which it was stated in the House that the amounts of estate duty or capital transfer tax satisfied by acceptance of objects or land were confidential in individual cases.

asked the Minister for the Arts why, in the light of his answers of 13 February, Official Report, column 502, and 26 February, Official Report, column 593, indicating that £505,650 had been accounted for out of a total original provision of £2 million in respect of items of heritage quality accepted in lieu of tax, it was necessary to increase the cash limit on class V, vote 10 in relation to expenditure under subhead C2; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1986, c. 360]: The cash limit on class V, vote 10 was increased as the consequence of a call on the public expenditure reserve in accordance with Lord Gowrie's statement of 26 July 1985. This was to enable the Government to accept certain offers in lieu of tax about which I hope to make an announcement shortly when arrangements between the parties have been completed.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will state for each year since 1979 the length of time which elapsed between the end of the year to which successive reports of the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art related and the publications of the relevant reports to what factors he attributes the length of these periods and the trend shown by them; and what steps he is taking to reduce the time taken to publish these reports.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 March 1986, c. 360]: The reports of the reviewing committee refer to the year running from 1 July to 30 June. Recent publication dates are as follows:

Reporting year	Date of publication	Time from end of reporting year
1979–80	May 1981	11 months
1980–81	March 1982	9 months
1981–82	March 1983	9 months
1982–83	March 1984	9 months
1983–84	June 1985	12 months

These figures do not illustrate any particular trend, but the case load of the reviewing committee has in that time increased substantially, although its staffing has not. I am conscious of the desirability of prompt publication, notwithstanding other pressures, and the secretariat is continuing to do its best to reduce the publication time despite its increased workload.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the volume and potential of known Russian and Soviet bloc nuclear weapons; how this compares with that of the West; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 11 March, at column 424.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the number of cases in the last five years of which he is aware in which disciplinary proceedings against a member of the armed forces led, wholly or partially, to the deprivation of pension rights.

Separate statistics are not maintained. However, I am aware of 11 cases in the period 1981 to 1985 inclusive in which pensions due for immediate payment have been forfeited or reduced below the rates applicable to normal or premature retirement.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions water cannons have been present at Greenham common air base; under whose authority; for what purposes; and if he will make a statement.

At no time have water cannons been deployed at RAF Greenham common.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if BL was invited to bid for all replacements of cars and trucks required by Her Majesty's forces in the financial years 1982–83 to date; and if he will make a statement.

I can confirm that British Leyland has had full opportunity to compete for the services' foreseen requirements for new cars and trucks over the period mentioned. Orders have additionally gone to the appropriate manufacturers to replace existing vehicles which have been disposed of on grounds of age and mileage. Land Rover has, of course, been the sole source of supply for the services' extensive fleet in the ½ tonne and ¾ tonne range: and other BL products in the fleet include Metros (saloon and van) and the Sherpa utility. The company is currently competing actively for the services' requirements for a new 4-tonne truck as well as other specialised logistic vehicles. The Department will be considering appropriate BL models later this year for its grade A and B staff car requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the extent of the error made by the Property Services Agency in the July 1985 estimate given to his Department of the value of Kneller Hall, Twickenham; and if he will now publish in the Official Report the correct figures in tabular form.

In estimating the disposal value of Kneller Hall the Property Services Agency overstated the value by £2·3 million because it had included the disposal value of the associated married quarters and mistakenly told the Ministry of Defence that the new figure was for the Kneller Hall site excluding married quarters.The disposal value of Kneller Hall is currently being reassessed as part of the wider reappraisal of the options for training service musicians announced by my noble Friend the Minister of State for Defence Support in another place on 12 February 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether Mr. Clarance Robinson and his team of United States consultants sought clearance from his Department to discuss the classification of strategic defence initiative-related research with United Kingdom companies; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 6 March 1986, at column 266.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current level of company interest in the Government's plans for the future management of the royal dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth.

Responses to the pre-qualification questionnaire issued by my Department to companies interested in the Government's plans to introduce commercial management into the royal dockyards at Devonport and Rosyth have now been received and evaluated. We shall be inviting the consortium of Trafalgar House, Plessey and A and P Appledore and the management-led company Devonport Dockyard Limited to tender for the contract to manage and operate Devonport dockyard. Invitations to tender for the Rosyth contract will be sent to the Babcock International-Thorn-EMI consortium, the Balfour Beatty-Weir Group consortium, Press Offshore and Northern Engineering Industries.A number of other companies — Foster Wheeler, Vickers SEL , Taylor Woodrow, Tyne Shiprepair, MEL and Cossor — retain an interest in bidding for the contracts, but have indicated that they would need to form partnerships for this purpose. Any consortia formed from these companies will be required to pre-qualify, as will any new companies which come forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans health authorities have for developing services to patients in the coming year.

As part of our arrangements for management of the National Health Service, we now require health authorities every year to draw up short-term programmes. These programmes set out their plans for developing services in the coming year. I have now approved these plans for 1986–87. They show that health authorities are planning significant expansion in services. They will treat more patients, make available more advanced forms of treatment and continue the progress already being made towards caring for people in the community.The plans are further evidence of the Government's commitment to the National Health Service and build on the progress made in recent years. Since 1978–79 an extra 17·5 per cent. in real terms has already been provided for hospital and community health services. In the coming year an extra £650 million (6·7 per cent.) is being provided against forecast general inflation of 4·5 per cent.In addition, the steps we have taken to improve management are now beginning to pay off. Health authorities are planning to generate cash savings of £150 million through a wide variety of value-for-money measures. The measures include energy conservation, better management of supplies and competitive tendering for support services. All the £150 million saved will be retained by health authorities.Health authorities will also be making better use of manpower. Overall numbers are unlikely to change much, but there will be an increase in staff working directly with patients, and most of these will be nurses.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what factors he attributes the relatively greater increase in life expectancy for females as compared with males at age 15 years over the period 1953 to 1983.

Examination of age-specific mortality rates for males and females for 1953 and 1983 at ages 15 and over shows that there is a major difference in ischaemic heart disease mortality for the two sexes. Particularly at ages 40 to 44 and 65 to 69 inclusive, the rates rose appreciably for males over the 30-year period, while they fell for females (or rose to a small extent for three of the age-groups).Because of the major contribution that ischaemic heart disease makes to all cause mortality, the difference in trend in death rates from this condition is reflected in the relatively greater increase in the expectation of life for females compared with males.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing separately for (i) hospital and community health services, (ii) family practitioner services and (iii) social services, actual and planned expenditure in England for the years 1978–79 to 1988–1989 in (a) cash prices, (b) cost terms and (c) volume terms, showing the percentage increases over 1978–79, on a basis consistent with Table 2.12 of Cmnd. 9702–II.

The following tables contain the information that the hon. Member requested. Since expenditure is given net of patient charges in table 2.12 of Cmnd. 9702–II, the expenditure figures are given on a net basis. Actual expenditure figures may differ from planned as a result of transfers between revenue and capital expenditure. The expenditure figures also exclude current and capital expenditure on central health and miscellaneous services. Pay and price indices specific to health and personal social services expenditure programmes are not available for 1985–86, nor for the public expenditure planning period.

Table (i)—Net Expenditure (Current and Capital) on Hospital and Community Health Services (England)
	(a)	(b)	(c)
Year	Cash expenditure	Real (cost) terms (1984–85 prices)	HCHS pay and price terms (1984–85 pay and prices)
1978–79	4,728	8,417	9,236
1979–80	5,633	8,580	9,139
1980–81	7,449	9,554	9,447
1981–82	8,266	9,639	9,713
1982–83	8,850	9,644	9,802
1983–84	9,274	9,672	9,797
1984–85	9,836	9,836	9,836
1985–86	10,374	9,880	—
1986–87	11,045	10,066	—
1987–88	11,540	10,162	—
1988–89	12,000	10,259	—
Percentage increase over period shown	+153·8	+21·9	+6·5
(—) Not yet calculable.

Table (ii) Net Expenditure (Current and Capital) on Family Practitioner Services (England)
Year	(a) Cash expenditure	(b) Real (cost) terms (1984–85 prices)	(c) FPS pay and price terms (1984–85 pay and prices)
1978–79	1,374	2,446	2,897
1979–80	1,600	2,437	2,883
1980–81	1,985	2,546	2,852
1981–82	2,275	2,653	2,889
1982–83	2,618	2,853	2,977
1983–84	2,808	2,928	3,030
1984–85	3,090	3,090	3,090
1985–86	3,296	3,139	—
1986–87	3,528	3,215	—
1987–88	3,740	3,293	—
1988–89	3,950	3,377	—
Percentage increase over period shown	+187·5	+38·1	+6·7
(—)Not yet available.

Table (iii)—Net Expenditure (Current and Capital) on Personal Social Services (England)
Year	(a) Cash expenditure	(b) Real (cost) terms (1984–85 prices)	(c) PSS pay and price term (1984–85 pay and prices
1978–79	1,115	1,985	2,077
1979–80	1,370	2,087	2,168
1980–81	1,698	2,178	2,230
1981–82	1,873	2,184	2,198
1982–83	2,044	2,227	2,240
1983–84	2,218	2,313	2,320
1984–85	2,349	2,349	2,349
1985–86	2,504	2,385	—
1986–87	2,614	2,382	—
1987–88	2,610	2,298	—
1988–89	2,610	2,231	—

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all specific type grants paid by his Department to local authorities, showing the size of each grant, which were hypothecated to any individual service or services or where local authorities had to bid for specific grants.

The following grants were paid by the Department in 1984–85:

a. to reimburse local authorities' administration and benefit expenditure under the housing benefits scheme. For administration expenditure the grant is 60 per cent. of total reasonable costs for authorities in England (65 per cent. in Scotland, 70 per cent. in Wales). Payments to authorities amounted to £78 million. For benefit costs the grant is 100·6 per cent. of expenditure on certificated benefit and 90 per cent. of expenditure on standard benefit. Authorities received £4 billion. These sums are subject to adjustment on final audit;

b. to cover the cost of approved projects to provide secure accommodation for children in care in England (£1 million).

In addition, payments are made where local authorities undertake work for the Department on an agency basis. The largest of these are for the accommodation of children who have been convicted of serious crimes (£1·5 million), and for the provision of milk to children attending day nurseries or playgroups (this is paid to local authorities and other organisations, total payments were £3 million).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are his policies and priorities regarding support for research on tobacco-related diseases; what recent representations he has received on this subject; and if he will make a statement.

We support research which will assist in reducing the ill effects of tobacco usage on the health of the nation. A priority is to establish methods of assisting people not to smoke or to smoke less dangerously. Studies include investigations of why children smoke, methods of smoking cessation, the role of smoking in heart disease, respiratory disorders and pregnancy, and investigations of the effects on health of changes in the tar, nicotine, and carbon monoxide yields of cigarettes. Research in this field is co-ordinated by the Independent Scientific Committee on Smoking and Health, the Department's Committee into Behavioural Aspects of Smoking and Health, the Health Education Council and Action on Smoking and Health. In addition, the Medical Research Council has recently formed a smoking research review committee. Representations on this subject have recently been received from a number of bodies including the Royal College of Physicians and the British Medical Association.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, as part of his new agreement with the tobacco industries, if he will make it his policy to seek the continuance of the Health Promotion Research Trust; and if he will make a statement.

The Health Promotion Research Trust does not figure in the discussions leading to a new voluntary agreement on the advertising and promotion of tobacco products.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many meetings he has now had with tobacco companies to discuss health warnings; which specific companies he has met; and what agreements have been reached.

Eight meetings with the tobaccoindustry, represented by the Tobacco Advisory Council, have been held at ministerial or official level to discuss the voluntary agreement on advertising, promotion and health warnings in respect of tobacco products. We hope to announce the outcome shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the number of trainee or student nurses who have in the last year not been offered a nursing job within four weeks of the conclusion of their nurses' training; if he will name the district health authorities involved; and if he will give the equivalent figures for each of the last five years.

I regret that this information is not collected centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many nursing adviser posts have been terminated in each regional health authority since the implementation of the proposals of the Griffiths report.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 13 March at column 567. With the introduction of the general management function every health authority is required to appoint a chief nursing adviser to advise the authority and its managers on professional nursing matters; and also to monitor professional nursing standards within the authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many personnel officer posts have been created in each regional health authority since the implementation of the proposals of the Griffiths report.

The post of personnel officer was common throughout the Health Service before the implementation of the Griffiths report proposals. I regret that information about the number of personnel officer posts created since implementation of the Griffiths report proposals is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what discussions he has had with representatives of private charities about the effect on young people under 26 of limits on board and lodgings allowances; and if he will make a statement.

We have met a number of interested voluntary bodies to discuss the boarder changes affecting younger claimants since proposals were first brought forward in November 1984 and we shall continue to maintain this contact.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he intends to discuss with representatives of health authorities sharing with local authorities the cost of accommodating elderly people in local authority homes or in local authority-financed places in private homes.

People in residential care homes should not normally require a more intensive degree of health care than that which is already provided in such homes by primary health care teams, and a health authority contribution to accommodation costs would not therefore be appropriate. If, however, the hon. Member has a particular proposal in mind, perhaps she would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of people known to be suffering from ageusic-anosmic condition; and whether he will detail current research into it assisted by funds from his Department.

I regret that we have no reliable estimates of the number of people who are ageusic and anosmic, that is who suffer from a loss of the senses of taste and smell. On research, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) 11 March, at column 442.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will introduce legislation to allow volunteer development workers to become entitled to unemployment benefit when they return to the United Kingdom after a period of service abroad.

I am pleased to announce that I have today laid before the House the Social Security (Contributions) Amendment Regulations 1986 which introduce a special voluntary national insurance contribution which can be paid by volunteer development workers. I have also laid before the House the Social Security Benefit (Persons Abroad) Amendment Regulations 1986 which will allow the special volunteer development workers contribution to be included when unemployment benefit entitlement is being calculated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many responses he has had to his Department's consultation paper on the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Bill from organisations of and for disabled people; if he will list the organisations concerned; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 7 March 1986, c. 321]: Forty four responses have been received from organisations of and for disabled people, which are listed as follows. These comments together with those received from other bodies, including professional organisations and the local authority associations are now being considered.

• Access Committee for England
• Action for Disability Kensington and Chelsea
• Advocacy Alliance
• Age Concern
• ALPHA (Association Linking Parents and Handicapped Children)
• Alzheimer's Disease Society
• Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
• Association of Carers
• Brent Association for Disabled People
• British Council of Organisations of Disabled People
• British Deaf Association
• Campaign for People with Mental Handicaps
• Centre on Environment for the Handicapped
• Disabled Living Foundation
• Greater London Association for Disabled People
• Institute of Social Welfare
• Islington Access Project
• Lady Hoare Trust
• Lincolnshire Society for the Physically Handicapped
• MENCAP
• Mental After Care Association
• Mental Heath Act Commission
• MIND
• Multiple Sclerosis Society
• National Council for Voluntary Organisations
• National Association of Voluntary Hostels
• National Deaf Childrens Society
• National League of the Blind and Disabled
• National Schizophrenia Fellowship
• National Society for Epilepsy
• Network for the Handicapped
• PACT (Parents and Children Together) Levenmouth
• Psychiatric Rehabilitation Association
• Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for the Disabled
• Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation
• Rehabilitation—Great Britain
• Royal National Institute for the Blind
• Royal National Institute for the Deaf
• SENSE
• Shaftesbury Society
• Sheffield Advocacy Project
• Spastic Society
• Telford Community Council
• VOCAL

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how often the carpets within the House and surrounding working areas are sprayed to prevent the excessive build-up of static electricity.

The carpets are sprayed with antistatic fluid as and when the problem occurs, and also on request. During the recent sustained spell of dry and cold weather which has lowered the humidity in the House nearly 1,000 sq m have been treated throughout the Palace. The advent of warmer, damper weather should reduce the problem.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to seek to cure the problem of excess static electricity within the bounds of the House.

There are no easy or cheap solutions. Certain areas within the House, including the Chamber, have humidity control which mitigates the build-up of static electricity. The cost of providing permanent or temporary humidity control in all the other carpeted areas would be prohibitively expensive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those water supply zones in which the maximum admissible concentration for aluminium of 0·2 milligrams per litre is exceeded on the basis of a three-monthly average.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Sutton and Cheam (Mr. Macfarlane) on 10 June 1985, at columns 319–20.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of the geographical areas covered by those water supplies in respect of which applications for derogation from the maximum admissible concentrations have been made by the Thames water authority and the Welsh water authority; and if he will indicate which of these applications for derogations have been refused.

Applications for derogation have been made by Thames water authority for the following water supply zones:

Putney-Fulham, Maiden Lane-Kentish Town, Streatham Hill, High Beech, Woodford-Canning Town, Chessington, and Finsbury Park-Mile End in London for the nitrite parameter; Banbury and Abingdon in Oxfordshire for the parameter which includes chlorinated trihalomethanes.

None of these applications has been refused as there is no public health risk.That part of the question relating to the Welsh water authority is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any research projects he is funding, has funded or intends to fund on the potential for increased environmental hazard from vehicle emissions with respect to traffic flow changes expected on the opening of the Channel tunnel.