asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985 in the Greater Manchester passenger transport executive area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985 in the West Midlands passenger transport executive area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985 in the South Yorkshire passenger transport executive area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985 in the Tyne and Wear passenger transport executive area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985 in the Merseyside passenger transport executive area.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered by the National Bus Company with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many route miles have been registered with the traffic commissioners in accordance with the requirements of the Transport Act 1985 in the West Yorkshire passenger transport executive area.

Information on the routes of all services registered during January and February 1986 has now been published by each of the traffic commissioners, and the relevant issues of notices and proceedings will be placed in the House of Commons Library. However, operators were not required to provide information about route miles.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, further to his meeting with representatives of the North of England Regional Consortium, he has referred to British Rail for investigation the suggestions made to him in relation to improvements in the rail network in the regions leading to the proposed Channel fixed link, to the introduction of a single-fare zone for freight and to the provision of immigration and customs facilities in each of the three regions in the north of England; and when he expects to receive the views of British Rail for further discussion with the consortium.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Transport, wrote to British Rail on 14 March about the suggestions made to him by the North of England Regional Consortium at its recent meeting. He hopes to receive British Rail's views on those suggestions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the scope of discussion of the consultative committee between the Government and local authorities, referred to in paragraph 48 of the White Paper on the Channel fixed link, Cmnd. 9735, will include the option of a road tunnel.

No. As defined by article 1 of the Channel fixed link treaty, the link is to be a

"twin bored tunnel rail link, with associated service tunnel".

The terms of reference of the joint consultative committee are:

"To consider all matters of concern to Kent in relation to the Channel Tunnel project with a view to minimising adverse impacts and turning to best advantage its potential to make a positive contribution for the benefit of the County".

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the locations of land, owned by his Department, occupied by gipsies and the number of acres per site.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it is his policy not to clear land owned by his Department of gipsies unless an authorised site is established in the area to which they can be moved.

We follow a general policy of toleration where eviction would merely transfer the problem elsewhere in the absence of an authorised site. For non-highway land, we do evict if we require the use of the land. For trunk roads, we remove encampments where they are likely to endanger road users or themselves. Where such encampments are isolated and are not a nuisance, we tolerate them until other arrangements are made. If there are complaints of nuisance, we discuss alternatives with the local authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he took to make his Department's report on the inquiry into liner shipping freight rates available to hon. Members; and how many copies he placed in the Library.

I answered a parliamentary question from my right hon. Friend the Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) on 24 March. A total of seven copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses, in accordance with the normal procedures. I should, of course, be happy to send a copy to any Member who expresses a particular interest, and I am arranging for one to be sent to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why his response to the main recommendations of the report of the House of Commons Transport Committee on marine pilotage has not been printed as a Command Paper; and what steps he took to ensure that an adequate number of copies were deposited in the Library.

I did not consider the response to be a matter of sufficiently general interest to warrant printing in the form of a Command Paper. The number of deposit copies placed in the Library was in accordance with standard practice. Additional copies were placed in the Vote Office as soon as it was known that there was a demand among hon. Members for personal copies.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration his Department has given to the establishment of a Solent estuary port authority; and what have been his conclusions.

None. I see no need for any change in the existing situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take to provide for the security of passengers at seaports; what discussions he has had with cruise liner owners and operators on this subject; what measures they will be encouraged to take to protect passengers; and if he will make a statement.

Advice to British shipowners and operators on the protection of shipping from terrorist attacks was first issued in 1979. It is reviewed at intervals, most recently following the Achille Lauro incident. Owners and operators, with whom responsibility for ship security rests, are able to draw on it when formulating their overall contingency plans and plans for individual vessels. It would not be in the best interest of shipowners or passengers to give details.At its meeting in January this year the maritime safety committee of the International Maritime Organisation considered anti-terrorist measures applicable to shipping, and will shortly be consulting member Governments on its proposals. Her Majesty's Government will be examining those proposals in consultation with ship and port owners and operators.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the noise reduction works on the M25 at Byfleet and West Byfleet to be completed.

I expect the additional noise fencing in the Byfleet area to be completed by the end of June this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in the light of the facts that, in the circumstances as they were thought to be at the conclusion of proceedings in the Joint Committee on the Okehampton bypass special procedure orders, the Committee did not have the power to award costs, and that further exchange land as sought by the petitioners was identified by his Department only subsequent to the conclusion of the Committee's proceedings, he will assess whether the petitioners were unreasonably or vexatiously subjected to expense in defending their rights before the Joint Committee; and if he will make a statement.

It is not considered that petitioners were unreasonably or vexatiously subjected to expense in defending their rights before the Joint Committee. There is no change to the views which my right hon. Friend and I have previously expressed in replies to my hon. Friend on 17 February, at column 92, and on 5, 10 and 20 March, at columns 167, 365, 249.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what recent delays have occurred in supplying forms to MoT test centres; and if he will make a statement.

I apologise for the delays.The average time taken to handle requests for test certificates increased from two to six working days. Extra staff have now been put on the work. The service will soon be back to normal.Authorised examiners who have run out of test certificates can obtain supplies from the district offices of the Department's vehicle inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many Libyan nationals are currently training at (1) Heathrow airport and (2) the Oxford air training school, Kidlington, Oxford.

My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is responsible for the admission of foreign nationals to this country and any controls on their activities while here. My responsibility is for the aviation security programme, which does not apply to airfields such as Kidlington. I cannot therefore supply details of the number of Libyan nationals being trained by the Oxford air training school; but there are currently 157 Libyan nationals undergoing training courses which involve them spending some time at Heathrow.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 April.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 April.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, including one with the President of Kiribati. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be presiding at a dinner for the President of the Republic of Korea.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received from the British Korean Veterans Association asking her to visit the graves of Kings Shropshire Light Infantrymen buried in the Pusan military cemetery, South Korea.

To date I have received none.

asked the Prime Minister what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have received about the suppression of trade union and civil rights in South Korea; and if she will make a statement about the visit to Britain by the President of South Korea, Chun Du Hwan.

Representations have recently been received from Amnesty International about human rights issues in the Republic of Korea.The visit by President Chun Du Hwan is the first by a Head of State of the Republic of Korea and provides a welcome opportunity to exchange views on a wide range of topics.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if she will advise Her Majesty the Queen to appoint a Royal Commission on the honours system:(2) if she will review the operation of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if she will refer to the Security Commission the circumstances surrounding the alleged plan to intimidate, kidnap or murder Mr. Gerry Gable of Searchlight magazine.

No.

asked the Prime Minister what has been the cost of running No. 10 Downing street each year since 1979, both in current and constant prices; what has been the percentage increase annually in real terms; and what has been the annual cost since 1979 in foreign visits, entertainment, and allowances for accommodation.

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

asked the Prime Minister whether she will consider transferring lead responsibility for policy concerning the legal deposit of books and other printed publications with certain libraries from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Office of Arts and Libraries.

I have decided to transfer responsibility for legal deposit policy from the Department of Trade and Industry to the Office of Arts and Libraries. The office has general co-ordinating responsibility for library matters and it is anomalous that, for historical reasons which are no longer valid, policy for legal deposit comes within the copyright responsibilities of the Department of Trade and Industry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest available estimate of the probable total population of grey and common seals in British waters in five and 10 years' time, respectively.

Estimates of the future size of the grey and common seal populations are not available but at present there is no reason to anticipate any major changes over the next five to 10 years. Results of the most recent aerial surveys in 1985 are still being analysed, and when these are published it may be possible to make some predictions about the number of seals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons currently remanded in custody have spent (a) more than 90 days on remand and (b) more than 120 days on remand.

Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. It is estimated that on 31 January 1986, in prison department establishments in England and Wales there were about 2,600 untried and more than 400 convicted unsentenced prisoners whose date of initial remand into custody was more than 90 days earlier. Of these, about 1,800 untried and more than 300 convicted unsentenced prisoners had been initially remanded into custody more than 120 days earlier. These periods include any time spent on bail after the initial remand in custody and exclude any time spent on bail before the initial remand in custody.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department during the last year for which figures are available how many persons subsequently aquitted or not proceeded against spent (a) more than 90 days on remand and (b) more than 120 days on remand, in each case giving the total cost of keeping such persons in custody for periods in excess of that number of days.

Information in the form requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, of the untried prisoners first remanded in custody in prison department establishments in England and Wales in 1984 and known to have been subsequently found not guilty or not proceeded against, about 940 had been first remanded in custody over 90 days earlier and, of these, about 740 over 120 days earlier. Because these periods include any time which was spent on bail following the initial remand in custody, the cost information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the average weekly net operating cost of keeping an inmate in the year ended 31 March 1985, as shown in the "Report on the Work of the Prison Department 1984/85" (Cmnd. 9699), was £241 in male local prisons and adult remand centres and £363 in female establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to make regulations under section 22 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.

Our field trials to prepare for statutory time limits in criminal proceedings will run to the end of June. When we have evaluated the results, we shall consider making regulations to apply limits in the four trial areas only, in order to conduct a more realistic test before extending them throughout England and Wales. We shall want to see the results of the first stage before deciding when to move on to the second.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the level of co-operation received from the police by court-appointed guardians ad litem in care proceedings in protecting the interests of their charges.

We have received no representations about this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the award of certain experimental community radio licences when a decision on them is reached, in advance of an announcement of those about which no decision has been reached at that time.

We are still considering the recommendations of the Advisory Panel on Community Radio; and I cannot anticipate any announcement about the award of experimental licences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals for the amendment of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 to include employment as a security guard in the list of employments exempted from the provisions of the Act; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received representations for the amendment of the Act; particular attention has been focused on ensuring that its provisions allow the fullest protection to be afforded to the most vulnerable groups in society, such as children. A number of wide issues are raised and he has no plans at present for changes, but the position as a whole is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reach a decision about the case of Nasreddin Hajjaj on Home Office reference No. H259456.

I hope that a decision will be reached fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will seek powers to discharge women beyond the age of 60 years and men beyond the age of 65 years from jury service;(2) if he will seek powers to discharge mothers with children below school age from jury service.

Section 9 of the Juries Act 1974 already permits the summoning officer to excuse any person from jury service if there is good reason; or the court itself may do so. We have no plans for further legislation in this direction.At present persons above the age of 65 are ineligible for jury service. Following representations that this is too restrictive, the White Paper "Criminal Justice: Plans for Legislation" (Cmnd. 9658) invites comment on whether those between 65 and 70 should be eligible, but not obliged, to serve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if any decision has been made concerning endorsement of passports whose holders have the status of British National (Overseas) for visits from Hong Kong to the United Kingdom;(2) when he expects to reach a final decision on the future citizenship of ex-British service men in Hong Kong;(3) if a decision has yet been reached on the future citizenship status of the 10,000 non-ethnic Chinese in Hong Kong; and if he will make a statement.

We have not yet reached decisions on these matters, but we hope to take and announce the decisions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions in each of the last 10 years prisoners have taken legal action against prison medical officers in relation to medical treatment given in prison; what was the outcome in each case; and in how many instances the treatment concerned was administered by a hospital officer.

Such information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review entry arrangements for all Libyan nationals.

We have no present proposals for change in the arrangements, but the operation of the controls on Libyan nationals announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Home Secretary on 1 May 1984 at columns 197–98 is already kept under constant review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis Libyan nationals under training at Heathrow and at the Oxford Air Training School were allowed entry clearance; and how long their visas are for.

They will have been admitted as students in accordance with the immigration rules and having regard to the immigration restrictions on Libyan nationals announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Home Secretary on 1 May 1984 at columns 197–98. In accordance with that statement, Libyan students are not normally given permission to stay for more than one term at a time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland on 19 December 1985.

The hon. Member asked my right hon. Friend to consider some fairly complex proposals for legislation. We are doing so, and hope to be in a position to write to him shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were serving sentences of over 10 years on 30 June 1984.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 1986, c. 544]: It is estimated that about 2,300 persons in prison department establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1984 were serving sentences of over 10 years.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions those concerned in the programme "Conversation Piece" broadcast by Radio 4 at 18.35 hours on 15 March, in view of the overt approval expressed for the support by Noraid of illegal activities.

I am considering the matter raised by the right hon. Member and will write to him as soon as practicable.

asked the Attorney-General if the Director of Public Prosecutions has initiated an investigation with a view to prosecution under section 1(i) of the Honours (Prevention of Abuses) Act 1925 into allegations made by Mr. Alan Bristow in respect of the Westland shareholders' meetings.

Yes.

asked the Attorney-General what are the criteria for eligibility for legal aid in respect of matrimonial cases in terms of the citizenship held by either of the parties concerned; whether such aid is confined to British citizens of small or moderate means; and whether it is available when one partner to a marriage is of another nationality.

Civil legal aid in England and Wales is available to anyone, regardless of nationality, who wishes to take or defend proceedings before the courts in England and Wales, subject to the applicant qualifying on the usual means and merits grounds.

asked the Attorney-General what is the current annual gross expenditure on legal aid in respect of matrimonial cases for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available; and what are the comparable figures in real terms for the same period five and 10 years ago, respectively.

Gross expenditure on civil legal aid in matrimonial cases for the financial year 1984–85, which is the latest period for which figures are available, was £69·3 million. In 1980–81 it was £30·2 million. Since 1980, domestic proceedings in the magistrates court have been dealt with under assistance by way of representation (ABWOR) rather than legal aid. Expenditure on that was £11·2 million in 1984–85 and £2·6 million in 1980–81. In 1975–76, gross expenditure on all matrimonial proceedings, including those now covered by ABWOR, was £16·4 million. This figure is, however, not fully comparable with those for 1980–81 and 1984–85 because it includes expenditure on decree proceedings in undefended divorce from which legal aid was withdrawn in 1977.If the movement in the RPI since 1975 is used to deflate the above figures they become:

	£ million
1975–76	16·4
1980–81	*15·4
1984–85	†26·3
* Legal aid plus £1·3 million (ABWOR).
† Legal aid plus £4·3 million (ABWOR).

The figures given do not include the cost of advice and assistance on matrimonial matters given under the green form scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the reaction of the Wales Council for the Disabled to the Government's consultation document on the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Bill; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement on the council's reaction.

All comments received in response to the Government's consultation paper have been carefully considered. Account was taken of all the points made during the consultation exercise before my right hon. Friend the Minister for Health tabled the Government's amendments to the Bill prior to the Easter recess.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will make a statement on further development of the technical and vocational education initiative.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply on 26 November at columns 537–8. Since then negotiations on the 28 proposals are, in most cases, leading towards starting in 1986, although in a number of cases a 1987 start has been considered more appropriate.

asked the Paymaster General, pursuant to his reply of 18 March Official Report, column 145, if he will give details of the compensation agreed in the case of James McCormack.

The Manpower Services Commission, under its industrial injuries scheme, has made payments totalling some £5,700 to either James McCormack or his parents by way of injury and disablement benefits and special hardship allowance.As the Commission was not a party to any claim for damages made against James's training provider, it does not have details of any compensation awarded.

asked the Paymaster General what was the demographic inbalance for the years 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982, respectively, between those seeking to enter the labour market and those retiring from it.

The table gives estimates of the numbers of entries to, and exits from, the Great Britain population of working age.

Youth Opportunities Programme 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1983
Period‡	Average number in training	Accidents
		Fatalities	†Major	*Minor
1 April 1980 to 31 March 1981	127,500	4	176	1,539
1 April 1981 to 31 March 1982	188,300	║6	271	2,974
1 April 1982 to 31 March 1983	241,700	¶7	188	3,688

(i) The exact number of in-training figures for the youth opportunities programme for the period 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1983 are not available. The figures quoted are rounded to the nearest hundred.

Youth Opportunities Programme 1 April 1983 to 31 March 1984
Period	Average number in training	Accidents
		Fatalities	†Major	*Minor
1 April 1983 to 30 June 1983	183,838	1	42	440
1 July 1983 to 30 September 1983	98,979	•1	29	250
1 October 1983 to 31 December 1983	33,698	Nil	10	109
1 January 1984 to 31 March 1984	8,644	Nil	2	20

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report a consolidated list of the numbers of accidents to trainees on the YTS and the Youth Opportunities Programme for each quarter from the start of the youth opportunities programme to the latest available date (a) showing separately accidents which caused fatal, major and minor injuries, (b) giving details of the changes in the definitions used and (c) showing for each quarter the average number of trainees in training.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. Tabled are details of youth opportunities programme accident and in-training figures from 1 April 1980 to 31 March 1983 by year and youth opportunities programme and YTS accident and in-training figures by quarter from 1 April 1983 to 31 December 1985, the latest available date. Quarterly figures for youth opportunities programme accidents prior to 1 April 1983 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.Major injuries are defined according to the severity criteria laid down in the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1980 (NADOR).

asked the Paymaster General how many trainees on the youth opportunities programme or the YTS were injured and received compensation under the scheme analogous to the industrial injuries scheme for each quarter since the start of the youth opportunities programme; and what was the average amount of that compensation.

I regret that the information is not available in the precise form requested and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The earliest date for which information is available centrally is 1 April 1981.The number of trainees eligible to receive benefits from the commission's analogous industrial injuries scheme and the total amounts paid since then is shown in the table.

Period	Number of trainees who received benefits	Total amount paid £
April 1981 to March 1982	976	154,295
April 1982 to March 1983	1,038	165,705
April 1983 to March 1984	824	229,428
April 1984 to March 1985	669	313,611
April 1985 to February 1986	597	389,692

Youth Opportunities Programme
Period	Number of fatalities	Sex	Age	Cause of death	Circumstances	Amount of Industrial Death Benefit paid
1 October 1980 to 31 December 1980	2	Male	16	Fractured skull	Road traffic accident	*
		Male	17	Burns to body	Clothing caught fire	*

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the age, sex, and, if possible, name of the young people who died on the youth opportunities programme or the YTS for each quarter since the start of the youth opportunities programme showing in each case the cause of their death and the circumstances leading to it and the amount of compensation, if any, paid to their parents.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. Tabled are details of the fatalities of young people on the youth opportunities programme and YTS. Their names have not been supplied as publication could cause unnecessary distress to the relatives concerned. The Manpower Services Commission does not pay compensation; payments of industrial death benefit may be made to the parents of deceased trainees under the MSC's analogous industrial injuries scheme.

asked the Paymaster General if he will break down the figures of £100 million given in table 1 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" as the cost of the counselling initiative and the jobstart allowance between the two different elements of the scheme.

During 1986–87, the cost of the counselling initiative and the jobstart allowance is planned to be £85 million and £15 million respectively.

asked the Paymaster General by how many staff Her Majesty's agricultural inspectorate is to be increased to cope with additional enforcement work required by the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985; what percentage increase this represents; when these staff will be recruited; and if the inspectorate's budget for 1986 includes provision for this increase.

There are no plans at present to increase the number of agricultural inspectors above the level of 162 planned for 1 April 1986.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the redundancies which occurred in Coventry of which his Department was notified from April 1983 to the latest date for which information is available.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any work is being or has been undertaken for his Department by Dr. K. Featherstone of Stirling university.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment to report on the statistics relating to clusters of leukaemia around Dounreay; how the report will be published; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the committee, which is independent, to decide when and how it should publish its conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what further studies on the incidence of leukaemia amongst young people in the west of Scotland and links with radioactive emissions he has received in the past six months; what action is being taken on them; when he expects to publish the raw material and an analysis of the studies; and if he will make a statement;(2) pursuant to the answers of 24 February,

No studies have been received. An exercise has been under way for some time now to validate statistics relating to the incidence of leukaemia in the 0 to 24 year age group in Scotland as recommended by the independent advisory group chaired by Sir Douglas Black which examined the incidence of cancer in west Cumbria. That work has not yet been completed, but I am expecting the final results shortly. When they are received, they will be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what criteria he applies in determining the capital consent for coast protection work for each islands or regional council authority;(2) if he will state

No separate capital consent is given for coast protection work. Consent is given each year for a programme which covers water supply, sewerage and sewage treatment, flood prevention and coast protection, on the basis of financial plans submitted by the regional and islands councils and their relative needs. The councils themselves are responsible for setting priorities and for determining what to spend on coast protection. The consents for 1985–86 were:

	£ million
Borders	2·00
Central	4·63
Dumfries and Galloway	3·16
Fife	5·50
Grampian	17·10
Highland	4·70
Lothian	11·86
Strathclyde	30·00
Tayside	10·30
Orkney	0·52
Shetland	0·70
Western Isles	1·05

Lengths of coastline assessed for coastal planning purposes (which do not include every area affected by the tidal regime or inlets less than 0·4 kilometres wide) are:

	Kilometres
Borders	32
Central	26
Dumfries and Galloway	351
Fife	170
Grampian	295
Highland (including islands)	2,724
Lothian	99
Strathclyde (including islands)	2,281
Tayside	89
Orkney	944
Shetland	1,370
Western Isles	1,813

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps his Department takes to seek to prevent fishing in the spoil ground off Cloch lighthouse in the Firth of Clyde; and what steps it takes to ensure that material dumped there does not migrate away from the designated spoil ground.

The disposal site off the Cloch lighthouse is a recognised dumping ground which is regularly used for dredged spoil. It is charted and well known to fishermen, who normally avoid that area.Experience has shown that dredged spoil sinks to the seabed in this comparatively deep water dump site and marine scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland are satisfied that provided the operation is properly controlled, dumped material will not spread beyond the designated area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the cost to the taxpayer for each job supported in BL plc over the last year.

BL employs 80,000 people worldwide. There has been no direct Government funding to the company in the current financial year, although it received a total of £2·2 billion in the period 1975–83. In addition, the Government have said that they will ensure that the obligations of BL are met. These obligations amounted to about £1·6 billion at the end of 1985.The BL board made it clear in its 1984 annual report that in future BL's funding needs will be met from a combination of operating cashflow, the proceeds of a progressive return of the constituent businesses of the BL group to private ownership and from private borrowings.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will estimate the effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments in the years 1983–84 and 1984–85 of the agreement between the European Community and Japan on video cassette recorders.

Such effects are complex and cannot be reliably quantified.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has considered any application for an exhibition relating to the Federation of Multiple DIY Retailers to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for an exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 8 April to 11 April 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the percentage of cases in which the Restrictive Practices Court has found for the defendant company and the number of instances in which successful prosecutions led to contempt proceedings owing to subsequent breaches of the terms of the Act, and of the court's judgment.

The Restrictive Practices Court has held in favour of the defendants in 1·5 per cent. of the cases which have come before it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many cases relating to restrictive trade practices were brought by the Office of Fair Trading to the Restrictive Practices Court in the years 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985; how many trade agreements are now registered with the Office of Fair Trading under the terms of the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976; and if he will indicate the number of unresolved cases still before the court.

The number of cases referred to the Restrictive Practices Court were as follows:

	Number
1982	nil
1983	4
1984	3
1985	188

At the end of 1985, 5,495 agreements were registered on the Register of Restrictive Trading Agreements.202 unresolved cases were before the court at the end of 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the percentage of successful prosecutions under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 which dealt with small companies defined as having less than 200 employees; and if he will state the average length of time between the first serving of a notice under the Restrictive Trade Practices Act 1976 and the handing down of a judgment by the court.

No information is available about the size of companies party to proceedings before the Restrictive Practices Court.The average time between reference to the court and the court's judgment is 1 year 5 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has directed his officials to discourage United Kingdom suppliers from dealing with United Kingdom persons or companies named in the United States export denials list; and if he will make a statement.

Officials in this Department have not been given any such directions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions in each of the years 1983, 1984 and 1985 his Department has assisted in the procurement of United States re-export licences for United Kingdom exports of high technology; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is as follows:

	Number
1983	2
1984	2
1985	1

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will now issue to United Kingdom exporters export licences for the shipment to the Eastern bloc of ion beam implanters, advanced 16 and 32 bit micro computers and mainframe computers; and if he will make a statement.

My Department will consider all applications for licences for exports to the Eastern bloc on their individual merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will place in the Library a copy of his final proposals to General Motors concerning its proposed takeover of Freight Rover and Leyland Trucks.

As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the House on 25 March at column 796, in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton. South-West (Mr. Budgen), various proposals were put orally to GM, but for reasons of commercial confidentiality it would not be appropriate to disclose details of the negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will restate all aspects of the Government's industrial strategy.

The heart of the Government's policies towards industry and commerce is the continued reduction of inflation as a basis for sustained economic growth, and the creation of an economic and social climate conducive to enterprise and wealth-creating activity. Our aims are to increase the national production of wealth; to promote and enhance the vitality and competitiveness of British trade, industry and commerce within a proper regulatory framework and to increase the United Kingdom's share of world trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 12 March, Official Report, column 934, what consideration he has given to the options open to him on the leading edge developmental work, such as light-powered computers, involved in the strategic defence initiative programme; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Information Technology recently held a one-day, private seminar for 30 to 40 industrialists. This was to seek their views on the prospects of civil developments arising from United Kingdom participation in the strategic defence initiative research programme. Several areas of technology, including optical computing, were considered. However, it is still too early to form any impression of how much civil benefit will arise from this and other advanced technologies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made in the Land Rover-Leyland privatisation discussions since his statement to the House on 25 March.

As foreshadowed by my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 25 March 1986, the BL board has been giving further study to the alternative ways forward for all the businesses concerned, including the various expressions of interest in Land Rover and Freight Rover which had already been announced. Aveling Barford Ltd. was told on 27 March 1986 that the BL board did not intend to pursue its proposal, which was for Land Rover only (excluding Range Rover). Discussions between the BL board and its advisors and the other potential bidders for Land Rover—which now include J. C. Bamford—are continuing with a view to confirmed or revised proposals being made to the board by 15 April. The BL board intends to make a decision as soon as possible after that date, although it may be necessary to hold further discussions with prospective purchasers before a recommendation can be made as to whether any of the proposals should be pursued. The Government and the BL board are agreed that a speedy conclusion to the negotiations is needed so that the present damaging uncertainty can be ended.On Leyland Bus, it is hoped that firm proposals from Aveling Barford Ltd. the Laird Group and the management buy-out group will be available for consideration by the BL board in April.In addition, meetings have been held between Lancashire Enterprises Ltd. and the management of Leyland Trucks and Leyland Bus to enable them to examine further any possible role for Lancashire Enterprises in the future of either or both of those companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has received about the relationship between Systime plc and the Digital Equipment Corporation since the Adjournment debate on 25 February, Official Report, column 916; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of none.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action was taken following the receipt by his Department and the BTG of the revised minutes of the board meeting of Systime plc on 19 January 1983.

As I indicated in my earlier answer of 27 March 1986 at column 612, Department of Industry officials attended a number of meetings and discussions in the early months of 1983 which were aimed at finding a resolution to the serious financial difficulties which Systime faced at that time. The Department and BTG were sent copies of the Systime minutes of the 19 January meeting as a matter of record. No new acton arose specifically on their receipt.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will seek to introduce procedures within Spain's accession treaty to the European Economic Community for urgent rectification of anomalies, for reduction of duties harmful to existing trade, and for emergency review of problems.

My Department will continue to give all help possible to companies facing problems in their trade with Spain, but I see no scope to introduce new procedures into the treaty of accession.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to draw the attention of exporters to Spain to the increase in duties on frozen vegetables; what warning was given to the industry via the British Overseas Trade Board; and what effect he estimates it will have on such exports to Spain.

The BOTB has issued a notice through the export intelligence service drawing attention to this information. No estimate is yet possible of any effect the tariff changes might have on our exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry why the pamphlet put out by the British Overseas Trade Board on "Basic Facts on Spain's Accession to the European Community" (May 1985) does not refer to the tariff on frozen food and vegetable exports.

This was because the pamphlet was sent for printing before the tariff arrangements on manufactured goods had been finalised. The negotiations in this field were being undertaken by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set up an inquiry into the activities of the Bellew, Parry and Raven agency at Lloyds and the interests of its directors in overseas re-insurance companies with which their syndicates did business.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will itemise (a) the total number of prosecutions brought and (b) the total number of convictions secured for offences involving unathorised possession and use of citizens band radio equipment in each of the last six years; and if he will further categorise these by the type of offence charged.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 1986, c. 613]: It is an offence under section 1 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 to use radio equipment except under and in accordance with a licence granted by the Secretary of State. The list shows the number of persons prosecutred and convicted for offences related to citizens band radio for the years 1980 to 1985. No central record of the particular circumstances of offences was kept until recently. Prior to 2 November 1981 it was an offence to use any form of CB radio equipment in the United Kingdom.It is not at present an offence to possess CB radio equipment which cannot legally be used in the United Kingdom. Powers under the Telecommunications Act 1984 will enable us to restrict the sale and possession of AM and FM CB equipment of this nature, and we expect to lay an order before Parliament with this effect later this year. Following is the information:

Year	Persons prosecuted	Persons convicted
1980	471	457
1981	879	855
1982	2,335	2,299
1983	1,470	1,445
1984	1,170	1,160
1985	940	932

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any work is being or has been undertaken for his Department by Dr. K. Featherstone of Stirling university.

My Department has no record of such work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance the British Waterways Board will be required to give in levelling off the mound of dredgings in furtherance of the Firhill basin summer project.

Liaison with the Firhill basin community project is a matter of day-to-day management by the British Waterways Board. I understand that its officials are already in contact with the project coordinators through local discussion and correspondence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the directions he has given in relation to radioactive discharges from Sellafield since 13 December 1983.

My right hon. Friend has issued no such directions. However, the authorisation under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 issued to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd on 19 March 1971 by the Secretary of State for the Environment and on 26 March 1971 by the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food that permits the company to discharge liquid radioactive waste from the Sellafield site was varied on 4 July 1980, 16 February 1985 and 28 December 1984.No consolidated version of the authorisation has been issued but the text published in the sixth annual report of the Radioactive Wastd Management Advisory Committee constitutes the current state of the authorisation as varied.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the latest report of the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee to be published.

In July, this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations his Department has received in relation to improving facilities in the community, under the urban programme, in the Benchill area of Manchester; what reply he has sent or will be sending; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any specific representation of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to increase the penalties for illegal trading in endangered birds; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to introduce legislation to increase the penalties imposed by section 21 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, section 4 of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976, and regulation 3 of the Control of Trade in Endangered Species (Enforcement) Regulations 1985 for the illegal sale of endangered birds. The level of fines was increased in 1984.