asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the number, location and course types of polytechnic and college places which the National Advisory Body has recommended be removed from the public sector provision of higher education.

No. NAB itself has made no recommendations. The NAB secretariat has made proposals on its own authority as a basis for consultations with institutions and with a view to preparing draft advice to the Secretary of State for consideration by the NAB board and committee later this year. Decisions are taken by the Secretary of State.The NAB secretariat's proposals are issued on a confidential basis for consultation to institutions, their maintaining local education authorities and a limited range of other bodies with a direct interest, such as those responsible for the validation of courses at particular colleges. Copies have been made available to my Department and to Her Majesty's Inspectorate on a similar basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the proposed closure of the Medical Research Council's unit in King's buildings, Edinburgh university.

The unit in question is the Medical Research Council's mammalian genome unit. Decisions on whether to close its establishments are a matter for the council. I understand that the council has been unable to identify a new director for this unit and has therefore decided, in principle, that the unit should close.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to how academic salaries in the United Kingdom compare with those in other Council of Europe countries.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those education authorities which have still not submitted acceptable schemes for lunchtime supervision for 1986–87; and if he proposes to extend the present deadline for submission of such schemes.

The following LEAs have submitted schemes for midday supervision for 1986–87 which are still under consideration:

• Barnet
• Enfield
• Hillingdon
• Kingston
• Merton
• Coventry
• Wolverhampton
• Wakefield
• North Tyneside
• Cambridgeshire
• Hertfordshire
• Humberside
• North Yorkshire
• Oxfordshire
• Shropshire
• Suffolk
• Cumbria
• Newcastle
• Cheshire
• Hounslow
• Sandwell
• Gateshead

The following LEAs have submitted no schemes for 1986–87 but some of them are understood to be submitting proposals to their education committees shortly:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what information he has as to how many (a) secondary, (b) primary and (c) special schools had parent-teachers' associations or parents' guilds in (d) 1974, (e) 1979, (f) 1982 and in the last year for which statistics are available;

This information is not collected centrally.

asked the Paymaster General whether he is satisfied that the regional organisation of the Manpower Services Commission is able to cope effectively with the demands on it; and if he will make a statement.

The Government and the commission have recently been reviewing the commission's priorities over the next three years. We have agreed that the commission will have a central role to play in two distinct but related areas, vocational education and training, and employment and enterprise. Within each area we are steadily developing the Government's policies. We have therefore asked the commission to assist in the development of a training and vocational education system which will provide rapidly and flexibly the skills employers and individuals will need. We have also asked it to promote enterprise and employment so that we accelerate the growth of new jobs and also provide specific measures to help long-term unemployed people get back into the labour market.To ensure that it is in a position to meet these challenges we have agreed that the commission should make some changes to its organisation. Two major linked operational groups matching the two broad priority areas will be created. Each group will have a regional network. For convenience, in each English region the regional employment and enterprise director will be the MSC and DE spokesman in each region. In Wales the employment director will act as prime representative of the commission and my Department on general issues and in Scotland the vocational education and training director.An important feature of the proposals is the creation of a new east midlands and eastern division of the MSC. The proposed coverage of each MSC region is set out below.We aim to establish the new regional arrangements from 1 July this year. We are confident that they will enable the commission to tackle effectively the urgent and demanding tasks ahead.

asked the Paymaster General if he will take steps to improve training and retraining for tourist-related employment.

My Department is already heavily committed through the Manpower Services Commission to the provision of training and retraining for tourist-related jobs. In December 1985 more than 11,000 YTS places were available in tourism-related industries. Adult training and retraining for the sector is also being assisted under MSC programmes such as training for enterprise, open-tech and the job training scheme. The commission has identified the development of training initiatives in the tourism sector as having a high priority.

asked the Paymaster General whether he has plans to review the working of the Mines and Quarries Act in respect of safety, having regard to modern technological advances.

Yes. The Health and Safety Commission is reviewing the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 and associated legislation. The review will take account of modern technological advances as well as other matters. The commission has issued consultative documents on three subjects and will be putting forward proposals to me in the light of the response.

asked the Paymaster General what progress has been made in combating innercity unemployment by city action teams.

The main aim of the city action teams is to promote joint working between Departments so that their spending in the inner city areas they cover is more effective in terms of employment, industry and environment. I am satisfied that there has been significant progress over the past year through jobs created, training provided, industry assisted and urban areas improved.

asked the Paymaster General whether he has any plans to sponsor retraining schemes in the textile industry; and if he will make a statement.

Employers are primarily responsible for meeting their own training needs. However, the Government via the Manpower Services Commission provide support, principally through the job training scheme for unemployed people and local training grants to employers, for existing workers and new recruits. The commission's area offices will consider all applications for local training grants from employers including, of course, those in the textile industry. Funds are also available for retraining through industry training organisations, including those in the textile sector.

asked the Paymaster General if he will estimate the shortfall in computer skilled trainees for employment in the computer industry; and if he plans to close this gap.

The Government are aware of a growing demand for skilled computer staff, from the computer industry itself, and more widely.The Government are contributing to the alleviation of skills shortages in a number of ways. In March 1985, £43 million was allocated over three years to provide 5,000 extra engineering and technology places in higher education. Manpower Services Commission schemes, including the job training scheme, the threshold scheme and YTS training in information technology centres provide training in computing skills. Some 20 per cent. of local grant expenditure under the adult training programme is spent on helping firms to purchase training in information technology skills.As well as using direct funding, it is a key aim of the adult training strategy to improve the working of the training market so that, among other things, firms and training providers take action earlier to perceive and tackle incipient skill shortages. The Government also welcome the establishment of the information technology skills agency which seeks to co-ordinate efforts by industry, education and the Government to overcome computing skills shortages.

asked the Paymaster General in what circumstances he would be prepared to waive the regulations governing the two-year rule between full-time education and school leaving age for retraining courses organised by the job creation scheme under the Manpower Services Commission; and if he will make a statement.

I believe that the hon. Member is referring to the rule under the job training scheme which requires applicants to have spent a total of at least two years away from full-time education since the minimum school-leaving age. The purpose of this rule is to ensure that, with the limited support available, the scheme does not duplicate or replace other forms of initial training. This rule may be waived exceptionally where a national skill shortage would be alleviated by providing applicants normally ineligible under this rule with short courses designed to sharpen the relevance of their education to employment. In addition, the rule is waived for unemployed disabled applicants.The Government and the Manpower Services Commission keep the rules of this and other training schemes under careful review.

asked the Paymaster General if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Institute of Careers Officers to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Yes. The proposal for this exhibition has our full support.

asked the Paymaster General when the results of the 1985 labour force survey are to be published.

Work is in hand to produce a range of preliminary results from the 1985 labour force survey similar to those for 1984 which appeared in Employment Gazette in May 1985. In the absence of an Employment Gazette in April, and to avoid undue delay, we intend to issue the preliminary results of the 1985 survey in a press release on 23 April: they will also appear in an article in the May Employment Gazette in the usual way.The Department announced on 19 February that its employment estimates were to be revised in the light of the 1985 labour force survey and the 1984 census of employment. However, the census timetable has been delayed because of operational difficulties and results are not now expected before the late summer. It has therefore been decided to revise the employment estimates in light of the 1985 labour force survey results without waiting for the census of employment results. These revised estimates were published in the labour market press notice which was released earlier today. Subsequent revision may be necessary when the census results become available later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the number and area of special protection areas now notified to the European Commission under directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds; how many further sites identified as meeting the criteria for listing remain; and how many of these have been notified as sites of special scientific interest under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

Eighteen special protection areas have so far been notified by the United Kingdom to the European Commission under EC directive 79/409 on wild birds. The total area involved is 40,720 hectares.The Nature Conservancy Council has identified a further 135 sites which, in its opinion, are eligible for designation. The Nature Conservancy Council could not, except at disproportionate cost, identify which areas of these have so far been notified as sites of special scientific interest.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set a date for the review of the formula for the calculation of rates by electricity boards; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make it his policy to ensure that the review of the formula for calculation of rates payable by electricity boards will reduce the proportion of the payments falling on the London Electricity Board; and if he will make a statement.

A review of all statutory rating formula, including that for the electricity supply industry, will be starting shortly. Consideration will of course be given to the relative proportion of the rate burden borne by the CEGB and each of the area electricity boards, but I cannot prejudge the outcome. It is intended that the review should be completed in time to be implemented with the revaluation of non-domestic property planned for 1 April 1990.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next proposes to meet the trade unions to discuss conditions of employment and protection of pension rights of employees consequent on the privatisation of water authorities.

I have no plans to meet the water industry trade unions to discuss these matters at present, though I met NALGO on 14 February at a seminar on privatising the water authorities, at which pensions were discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department requested the advice of the Sports Council on tobacco and sports sponsorship; and if he will publish any exchanges of relevant correspondence with the chairman of the Sports Council and place them in the Library.

My Department sought the advice of the Sports Council on 31 December 1985. I have placed a copy of the relevant exchange of correspondence in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what he estimates to be the additional travelling costs for Property Services Agency staff involved in the proposal to relocate the Property Services Agency area tier from Shrewsbury to Birmingham;(2) if he will state the estimated savings of the proposed closure of the area tier of the Property Services Agency.

An exercise is currently being undertaken to assess the likely costs, including travel costs, and savings of the proposed regional reorganisation of PSA, and reliable estimates cannot yet be given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the number of people involved in the present area tiers of the Property Services Agency and the numbers estimated in the group management unit's proposals.

At 1 March 1986 the number of staff in area offices (excluding London) was 1,668. Proposals for staffing in group manager commands are currently being prepared and reliable estimates cannot yet be given. When available, these numbers will not be comparable with the area numbers quoted because group managers will undertake a different range of functions to the present area offices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the number of people employed on an administrative and manual basis by the Property Services Agency in (a) Shrewsbury and (b) Shropshire.

At 1 March 1986 the number of people employed was as follows:

	Non-industrial	Industrial
(a) Shrewsbury*	67	12
(b) Shropshire	126	125
* Included in (b).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the number of local authorities which make a service charge for warden and other services over and above rents for council flats and houses.

According to information provided by local authorities, 335 authorities received income from charges for heating, services and other amenities in 1984–85. No breakdown of this income is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to provide for a statutory time limit within which compliance with an enforcement notice issued by a local authority would be compulsory; and if he will make a statement.

Section 87(13) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 already provides for an enforcement notice to take effect on a date to be specified in the notice by the local planning authority; and section 87(8) of the Act requires the planning authority to specify the period or periods within which any remedial steps required by the notice must be taken. Once any notice has taken effect, it is a criminal offence, open to prosecution under section 89 of the Act, not to comply with its requirements. My right hon. Friend has no proposals for amending these provisions at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now in a position to publish the results of his review of planning compensation.

My noble Friend the Minister of State has today made the following reply in another place:

"A consultation paper on the compensation provisions of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 is being sent to interested bodies today and copies are being placed in the Library.

During the passage of the Town and Country Planning (Compensation) Act 1985, the Government undertook to review these provisions. The consultation paper concludes that there should be no change to the basic framework of the existing law of planning compensation, but proposes amendment of a number of the provisions.

A similar consultation paper on the compensation provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1972 is being sent to interested bodies in Scotland and copies are also being placed in the Library."

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the rating reform proposals in the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government", and what steps he has taken to bring his proposals to the attention of the general public.

To date I have received 201 responses on this aspect of our proposals. The consultation period ends on 31 October. My Department has prepared a summary of the proposals in booklet form. Copies are available on request from my Department.I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library and in the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the effluent discharges standard at each sewage treatment plant in the Thames water authority.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 April 1986, c. 166]: Records are held by this Department of consents issued to water authorities by my right hon. Friend under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. The detail is held separately for each discharge and is not readily collatable to form a complete listing. However, full information on all sewage treatment works operated by the Thames water authority is available from the public register maintained by that authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision he proposes to make in the water industry privatisation legislation in relation to pension arrangements (a) during the period when the water services public limited companies are owned by the Government and (b) when they are sold to the private sector.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1986, c. 302]: The rights of existing and deferred pensioners and rights accrued by existing employees under the local government superannuation scheme are unaffected by privatisation. The industry is now considering the position of new employees and of existing employees in respect of future service. When I have received and considered their proposals I shall make clear the Government's position.

asked the Attorney-General what are the establishment numbers of staff for each Crown prosecution area in England and Wales tabulated by grade and position; and how many of each grade or position have been appointed by the last date information was available.

The information requested by the hon. Member is being collated. It will be made available as soon as practicable.

asked the Solicitor-General if, pursuant to his answers of 21 November 1985, Official Report, column 266 and 19 Decernber 1985, Official Report, column 252, concerning the alleged sexual assault on Ms. Adebola Makenjuola, the Director of Public Prosecutions has completed his consideration of the police report; and if he will make a statement.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has completed his consideration of the police report concerning the alleged sexual assault on Ms. Adebola Makenjuola, and he has decided not to institute proceedings in this case.

asked the Attorney-General (1) if he will prosecute Control Risks Ltd. for soliciting or inviting other persons, in discussions in the United Kingdom, to give money to an organisation involved in terrorism, contrary to section 10 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will prosecute Control Risks Ltd. And Cassidy Davies Ltd., insurers for conspiring, in discussions held in London, to contravene sections 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are aware of the concern about kidnap ransom insurance and my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has the position under consideration. However, I am satisfied that such insurance may be lawfully effected under English law. Those who advise the families of kidnapped persons must do so in a manner which complies with the requirements of sections 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984. No evidence has ever been placed before me of the commission by Control Risks Ltd. or Cassidy Davies Ltd. of either substantive offences under sections 10 or 11 of the 1984 Act or conspiracy to contravene those provisions.

asked the Attorney-General what representations he has received from the Government of the Irish Republic regarding his policy towards prosecutions in kidnap cases under sections 10 and 11 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

None.

asked the Prime Minister how many Libyan nationals were receiving military training in the United Kingdom in (a) 1983, (b) 1984 and (c) 1985; how many are receiving such training at the present time; and if she will make a statement.

A number of Libyan armed forces personnel underwent training at defence establishments in the United Kingdom in 1983 and up to the end of April 1984. Immediately following the incident at the Libyan People's Bureau, in which WPC Fletcher was killed, all Libyan personnel on courses at defence establishments in the United Kingdom were sent home. We have not provided any training since this time.

asked the Prime Minister if she will consider imposing trade sanctions upon Libya; and if she will make a statement.

Trade sanctions could be effective only if strictly observed by each and every nation. No universal agreement to impose them has ever been reached.

asked the Prime Minister if it is proposed that 23 July, the day of the wedding of His Royal Highness Prince Andrew to Miss Sarah Ferguson, should be a public holiday.

Establishment	Population on 31 December		Prison Officer class staff in post 1 January
	1978	1985	1979	1986
Acklington	315	459	134	159
Albany	298	358	278	321
Aldington	98	97	34	36
Appleton Thorn	280	—	44	—
Ashford	264	420	218	197
Ashwell	360	346	61	65

In accordance with the relevant precedents there are no plans that 23 July should be a public holiday.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list all development projects carried out in tropical moist forests since 1980 which have been wholly or partly funded through bilateral aid programmes of the Overseas Development Administration or the Commonwealth Development Corporation; and whether he will list the cost and type of aid contributed by the United Kingdom and the area of forest affected by each project.

Comprehensive information is not kept centrally in the form requested, and to collect it would incur disproportionate cost. ODA has procedures to ensure that in the consideration of all bilateral aid projects full account is taken of their environmental consequences, particularly for such important and fragile environments as the tropical rain forest. I am happy to approve aid projects designed to help developing countries in the sustainable management of this important natural resource. We have, for example, financed, or are financing, forest inventories in Ghana, Grenada and the Bangladesh Sundarabans.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have any plans to provide further aid to Gibraltar; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have offered to the Government of Gibraltar an additional grant of £2·4 million as a final contribution to the conversion of Gibraltar's naval dockyard into a commercial ship repair yard and up to £6 million for certain priority projects in Gibraltar's 1986–90 development plan.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were detained in each of Her Majesty's prisons or detention centres or other institutions on (a) 1 january 1979 and (b) 1 January 1986; and how many prison officers were in post at each institution on these dates.

The readily available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis stating what went wrong in the undercover operation at the home of Mr. Kenneth Noye which cost PC John Fordham his life; whether there has been any revision of police procedures in such cases as a result; and if he will make a statement.

As I explained in my reply to a question from the hon. Member on 21 January, at columns 171–72, PC John Fordham was acting in accordance with operational instructions. Given that only PC Fordham would have been able to provide further information as to precise events at Mr. Noye's home, the Commissioner does not consider that additional inquiries or a revision of operational procedures are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now make a statement on the outcome of the inquiry into the misuse of the police national computer announced on 19 June 1985, Official Report, column 138; and what measures are proposed to endeavour to avoid such misuse in future.

The Police Complaints Authority announced on 24 March 1986 that the investigation carried out by the assistant chief constable of Sussex under its supervision had been completed. It had revealed a number of incidents of misuse of the police national computer in respect of vehicle registration marks selected as winning numbers in the BP and national car registration number competition. No evidence was found that police officers had received money from such misuse, nor was any evidence found of the commission of a criminal offence. Twenty-five police officers are to face or have already faced disciplinary proceedings as a consequence of the investigation. In addition, three police officers resigned from their forces in the course of the investigation.The authority indicated that the investigation revealed discrepancies between police forces in the way in which local force orders regulated access to the police national computer. They are to submit to my right hon. Friend a report containing their recommendations for the avoidance of future misuse of the computer. My right hon. Friend will consider what action is necessary when he has received the report, which he is required to lay before Parliament and to publish.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the likely date that he will issue an explanatory statement on the refusal to revoke the deportation order of Mr. Karabardak, of Swansea.

The explanatory statement was dispatched to the appellate authorities on 10 April 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, pursuant to his answer of 17 March, Official Report, column 11, a decision has yet been taken as to whether to bring charges against the driver of the lorry which drove into a meeting at Wapping on 12 March at which right hon. and hon. Members were present, and several people were injured.

I understand from the Commissioner that inquiries into this incident have not yet been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from each chief constable giving details of the number of traffic wardens in each force area.

The information for England and Wales is as follows:

Number of Traffic Wardens on 31 December 1985
	Number
Avon and Somerset	142
Bedfordshire	31
Cambridgeshire	45
Cheshire	44
Cleveland	25
Cumbria	24
Derbyshire	82
Devon and Cornwall	117
Dorset	70
Durham	21
Dyfed Powys	23
Essex	112
Gloucestershire	33
Greater Manchester	194
Gwent	21
Hampshire	89
Hertfordshire	85
Humberside	66
Kent	117
Lancashire	91
Leicestershire	95
Lincolnshire	20
Merseyside	150
Norfolk	38
Northamptonshire	32
Northumbria	140
North Wales	30
North Yorkshire	22
Nottinghamshire	77
South Wales	95
South Yorkshire	61
Staffordshire	40

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will propose the introduction of measures specifying a minimum cage size of 600 sq cm for battery hens within the European Econornic Community.

The Council directive adopted last month is based on a minimum space allowance of 450 sq cm for battery hens. The Government have already made clear their view that the directive did not go far enough to protect the welfare of battery hens, but that it represented the best that was negotiable at the present time. I see little point in trying to reopen the discussions now.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what measures are being taken to improve conditions in Edinburgh prison;(2) what representations he has received about overcrowding in Edinburgh prison;(3) if he will make a statement on conditions in Edinburgh prison.

As a result of a substantial rise in the inmate population, numbers in Edinburgh prison are currently just over 700, as compared with the design capacity of 547, but have recently exceeded 800. At this level of overcrowding, inmates in certain halls have to be housed two, and in some instances three, to a cell. Representations have been received from my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, West (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton) and from the prison visiting committee.In order to provide relief, the south wing at Polmont young offenders institution is being operated as an annexe of Edinburgh prison holding some 50 under-21 remand prisoners. As soon as necessary security measures currently in hand are completed, and subject to it being possible to provide sufficient accommodation for convicted young offenders, north wing at Polmont will be used for this purpose instead of south wing, allowing 30 additional under-21 remand prisoners from Edinburgh prison to be accommodated. No substantial reduction in overcrowding is, however, likely to be possible until phase II of Shotts prison becomes available for occupation early in 1987. Within the constraints imposed by overcrowding, everything possible is done to maintain a full and varied regime.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy in regard to fitting hard shoulders as distinct from hard verges on trunk roads.

It is not my right hon. and learned Friend's policy to provide hard shoulders on trunk roads other than motorways. It is becoming standard practice, however, to provide 1 m wide hard strips along the edges of new and improved single and dual carriageway trunk roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the provisional total number of salmon and grilse caught by rod and line in Scotland during 1985; and if he will list these figures in the Official Report.

The reported catches of salmon and grilse during 1985, indicated by returns received up to the end of February 1986, caught by rod and line in Scottish rivers are 58,323 salmon and 17,614 grilse. Final catch statistics are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, in respect of each police force area in Scotland in 1985, the total number of (a) offences notified to the police, (b) offences of violence against the person, (c) burglaries, (d) thefts, (e) offences of fraud and forgery and (f) offences of criminal damage.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has made of the impact of the new Customs and Excise levies on supplies to Eastern bloc fish processing vessels on the sale of British fish; and if he will make a statement.

Until the scale and scope of these levies have been agreed, my right hon. and learned Friend is not in a position to estimate their effect on the sales of fish.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list all the health authorities which do not provide the service of routine, not solely on medical grounds, pregnancy testing; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not available centrally. Health authorities are aware of the importance of routine pregnancy testing facilities being readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about decisions reached following the joint seminar sponsored by his Department and the Department of the Environment on 5 March to discuss the various services which can help elderly people to stay in their own homes.

This seminar, organised jointly by the Department of the Environment and the Department of Health and Social Security, was part of the follow up to a report by Dr. Anthea Tinker, a principal research officer with the Department of the Environment, entitled "Staying at Home—Helping the Elderly People." At the seminar the findings of the report and their implications for local authorities and for central Government were discussed with representatives of local and health authorities, professional organisations and voluntary bodies. Both Departments are now considering whether further guidance should be issued to authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he expects to acknowledge receipt of the following letters from West Essex and district community health council (a) 25 February 1986, ref. AA/MK/SK/CHC.11/PLA.9D, (b) 23 January 1986, ref. AA/MK/SK/CHC.11/PLA.9D, (c) 11 December 1985, ref. AA/MK/SK/IS5/33A and (d) 29 October 1985, ref. AA/MK/SK/IS5.33A.

The community health council's letter of 25 October requested a meeting to discuss the proposed closure of Forest hospital. The 11 December letter was a reminder letter. My response to both these letters was the meeting I held with the community health council on 17 December.The letter of 23 January, together with a further letter of 25 February, was replied to on 24 March.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether any United States or other overseas pharmaceutical companies in the United Kingdom have to his Department's knowledge announced substantial redundancies in existing or planned investment since the introduction of the selected list.

A number of American pharmaceutical companies have recently announced changes in their investment plans in the United Kingdom. The introduction of the selected list has been given as one of many factors for the siting of production or research facilities elsewhere in Europe or other parts of the world.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he last met representatives of United States pharmaceutical companies operating in the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement.

I met representatives of the United States Pharmaceutical Manufacturers' Association on 1 October 1985. Both I and my ministerial colleagues have met representatives of individual companies on several other occasions and are well aware of their interests and concerns.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the progress and effectiveness so far of the Government's campaign to discourage smoking amongst teenagers.

This test campaign, which began in December, is being closely monitored. It would be premature to attempt to measure changes in behaviour, but the advertising was the subject of qualitive research over the period 21 February to 14 March. This has suggested ways of strengthening the advertising, which will be modified accordingly.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to whom the Crown's interest in the St. George's hospital site has now been sold; and at what price.

St. George's hospital, Hyde park corner, has been empty since 1980 and protracted negotiations have been taking place since then with the trustees of the Grosvenor estate which owns the remainder of the site. The DHSS had previously agreed in principle to sell the Crown's interest in the site to the trustees, but despite lengthy negotiations it did not prove possible to reach agreement on the terms of the proposed sale. The Government have now accepted an offer of £10·75 million from HPC Trustees Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Arbuthnot Properties Ltd. The offer now accepted was substantially more advantageous, by some £2·75 million, than the trustees' final offer which was made on Maundy Thursday. An agreement was then reached with the new owners who will be making their own press announcement. The proceeds of the sale will pass to the South-West Thames regional health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will indicate, for each of the last five years for which figures are available, the total number of applications that have been made for mobility allowance, and the number of such claims that have been granted, for each year; and if he has any plans to modify his Department's procedures insofar as they relate to the award of mobility allowance to claimants.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 27 March at column 569. Decisions on eligibility are for the independent adjudicating authorities, but procedures for the processing and payment of claims are kept under review to ensure that they are as quick and effective as possible. We have no present plans for extending the scope of the allowance.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the first-year and full-year cost of extending the long-term rate of supplementary benefit to the long-term unemployed in 1985–86 and 1986–87 (a) net of the cost of indexation and (b) net of the cost of indexation and savings in other benefits as a direct result of this measure.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 February 1986, c. 611.]: The information requested is as follows:

Period	Cost (£ million)*
November 1985—April 1986	190
April 1986—April 1987	530
* To nearest £10 million

There should be no savings in other benefits. Our proposals in the Social Security Bill currently before Parliament would replace the present supplementary benefit scheme structure, including the distinction between ordinary and long-term rates, by income support based on personal allowances and premiums.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Northern Ireland how many members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve have resigned since 15 November 1985.

Seventy four members of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve have resigned during the period 15 November 1985 to 6 April 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of providing security for the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference held at Stormont on 11 March.

Precise details are not readily available. However, the cost of policing this event has been estimated at £60,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many neighbourhood watch schemes are operating in Northern Ireland;(2) if he will take steps to encourage the development of neighbourhood watch schemes in Northern Ireland.

I have no plans to introduce such schemes in Northern Ireland at present.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Northern Ireland why the publication of the Enniskillen town centre plan has been delayed; and whan he now expects it to be published.

The preparation of the plan has taken longer than expected due to the need to progress a number of town centre plans simultaneously. It is scheduled for publication in June 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many strip searches were made of female prisoners in Her Majesty's prison, Armagh, in March; if he will give the number of persons involved and the number of times each person was searched; whether any prison contraband, smuggled item or illegal correspondence was discovered in any search, indicating which items; in how many cases prisoners refused to be searched and had to be restrained while the search was being conducted; and if he will indicate the reasons for the search, namely, making an appearance at Armagh courthouse on remand, attending trial, inter-prison visit or other reasons.

On 18 March Her Majesty's prison Armagh closed and the prisoners were transferred to Her Majesty's prison Maghaberry (female).In respect of both establishments, during March 1986 a total of 36 searches were carried out on 22 prisoners; 10 prisoners were searched once, 10 were searched twice and two prisoners were searched on three occasions. No prohibited article was found during these searches, and no prisoner refused to be searched. Searches were carried out in the following circumstances:

	Numbers
First admission on remand or whilst awaiting trail	8
First admission on sentence or on final discharge	10
Attending Armagh remand court	nil
Attending other remand courts	7
Attending trial	1
Bail Court appearances	7
Going on, or returning from, home leave	3
Total	36

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will make a statement on the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Peterborough (Dr. Mawhinney), and representatives of Belfast community organisations on Monday 14 April;(2) what information he has on the number of community groups which have closed down in Belfast, the number of jobs which have been lost and the types of facilities and services which have ceased due to the Belfast city council adjournment policy.

Community group representatives advised me at the meeting that to date some 31 staff have been laid off, affecting a wide range of services provided by seven community councils, community resource centres and advice centres, which have been forced to close.The group representatives were assured that the Government are keeping the situation under close review.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much money currently lies in the Department of Education's budget whose payment to Belfast city council's community services programme has been obstructed by that council's adjournment policy;(2) what consideration he has given to exercising the Department of Education's powers under the Recreation and Youth Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1973 and the Community Relations (Amendment) (Northern Ireland) Order 1975 directly to grant aid those community organisations in Belfast which have, or are being, forced to close because of Belfast city council's adjournment policy.

Just under £300,000 in respect of the 1986–87 financial year. While the situation is being kept under review, the Government presently have no proposals for making direct payments to the groups involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many legally held firearms were stolen in Northern Ireland during 1985 from the Special Constabulary, giving a breakdown of weapons stolen.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 April 1986, c. 243]: During 1985 only one weapon, a pistol, was stolen from a member of the Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve. It was taken during the attack on Ballygawley Royal Ulster Constabulary station on 7 December last year, in which two policemen died.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the figures for 1985 of the number of persons proceeded against for scheduled offences in Northern Ireland; how many persons pleaded guilty to the principal offence; and how many persons in such contested cases were found not guilty of the principal offence.