asked the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence is available to his Department about Singapore Airlines receiving subsidies from the Singapore Government to promote the activities of Singapore Airlines in competition with British carriers.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from national road user organisations calling for the abolition of tolls on estuarial crossings following the recommendation of the Transport Committee.

The Freight Transport Association, also representing the Automobile Association, the Bus and Coach Council, the Road Haulage Association, the Royal Automobile Club and the Royal Scottish Automobile Club, has asked to discuss the Select Committee's report with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. He is prepared to do so once he has responded to the Chairman of the Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy on the current phasing of motorway repair work.

Most motorway major repairs are carried out in the Spring and Summer months when conditions are favourable to the handling of bituminous materials. The longer daylight hours also permit shorter contract times, thus reducing the overall delays to motorway users.In programming the works, we require them wherever possible to be spaced out over the system in order to reduce congestion. We also normally restrict working lengths to about 2½ miles at major repair sites and about 1¼ miles at smaller scale sites.Useful reductions in contract times have been obtained by the use of lane rental contracts which give contractors an incentive to finish schemes early.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why two stretches of lane closures have been allowed to take place concurrently at or near junction 15 and 16 of the M1 motorway.

The two sets of lane closures were part of a major maintenance contract involving resurfacing and installation of lighting. One contractor was responsible for these works which were carried out simultaneously to save time and reduce delays for the public. The road closures and associated contraflow conformed to the Department's required standards for minimum spacing between roadworks.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he received the report on stage 2b of the North Devon link road inquiry; and by what date he expects to be able to announce a decision.

My right hon. Friends received the inspector's report last August. Their decision will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer of 17 April, Official Report Volume 95, column 479, he will make a statement on the ratification by the United Kingdom of Annexes III and V of the MARPOL Convention on the carriage of harmful substances in packaged forms and the disposal of garbage from ships.

The Government have now decided that the United Kingdom should ratify annexes III and V of the MARPOL Convention. Annex III is concerned with the packaging, labelling, stowage and documentation of packaged harmful substances carried at sea, and the effect of the provisions is to minimise the risk of pollution at sea and on shore through the loss of such packages. Annex V prohibits the discharge of certain types of garbage within specified distances from the coast. It also imposes a total prohibition on the discharge of plastics anywhere at sea.The provisions of the annexes do not come into force until they have been ratified by a certain proportion of maritime nations. With ratification by the United Kingdom that proportion should soon be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the level of staff available to the Health and Safety Executive to enforce the regulations governing the transportation of hazardous materials; and if he will make a statement on the consequent level of protection of the public in the event of an accident.

I have been asked to reply.Responsibility for enforcing the regulations governing the transport by road of dangerous substances is currently shared between the Health and Safety Executive, local authorities and the police. Figures for the number of staff involved in this work are not available. I am satisfied that these arrangements provide an adequate level of enforcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet in a position to respond to the requests made by the Legislative Council of Hong Kong concerning the draft Hong Kong (British Nationality) Order in Council.

The Government have carefully considered the requests made by the Legislative Council and have held detailed discussions with the Hong Kong Government. We have also taken fully into account the views expressed in the debates in Parliament in January and in the Legislative Council, a well as representations put to us by organisations and individuals in Hong Kong.The Council's first request was that we should provide an endorsement in the British National (Overseas) passport making it clear that the holder did not require a visa or entry certificate to visit the United Kingdom. The Government will meet this request. As we have made clear on many occasions, visitors from Hong Kong are welcome to come to the United Kingdom. British Dependent Territories citizens do not have to obtain a visa in advance to visit the United Kingdom. This is the position under the current immigration rules and this Government have no intention of introducing any visa requirement for such visitors. This is understandably a matter of great importance to people in Hong Kong. In response to their wishes, therefore, the Government have agreed that an endorsement reflecting this position should be placed in the new British National (Overseas) passports. The endorsement will read:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average turnout of the electorate in local government elections over the last five years.

Information of this kind is not collected by central Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers are currently employed in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement on recent talks on their pay and conditions of service.

The number of staff in post in the prison officer class in England and Wales on 1 April 1986 was 18,890 full-time and 24½ part-time.The second part of the hon. Member's question is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions strip-searching of women in Brixton prison has led to the discovery of any prohibited materials.

The justification for strip searching (which is a routine security measure to which all prisoners—male and female—are subject) lies not only in the fact that staff do discover items (such as drugs, syringes, plastic knives sharpened into daggers, and scissors) which they would not otherwise find, but also in the deterrent effect which such searching undoubtedly has. As regards the three women prisoners who are on remand in Brixton, on no occasion, up to and including Friday, 18 April, has a strip search led to the discovery of prohibited articles.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to simplify and clarify the statement stamped on the passports of foreign visa holders by his immigration department, namely: "This will apply unless superseded to any subsequent leave the holder may obtain after an absence from the United Kingdom within the period limited as above".

The purpose of the endorsement is to enable the holder of the passport to be readmitted on the same conditions after a trip abroad. In order to achieve this result the endorsement follows the wording of section 3(3)(b) of the Immigration Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for criminal injuries compensation are now in front of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board; what is the average length of time it now takes to deal with them; and what steps he is taking to expedite the processing of those less complicated cases presented by injured police officers.

The number of applications before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board at the end of March 1986 was about 51,000. Information is not available about the average time taken to deal with applications. As stated in the board's last annual report (Cmnd. 9684, paragraph 5), three quarters of the cases resolved in the 1984–85 financial year were resolved within a year of receipt. Less complicated cases, which require fewer inquiries to be made, will usually be resolved more quickly than others, but all applications, whether or not from police officers, and whether complicated or straightforward, are dealt with as expeditiously as possible given the resources available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent requests he has received for increasing police establishments citing as one ground an increased requirement for policing inner city areas.

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Mature students (000's)	179	184	193	195	202	206
Mature students as a percentage of all home students	39·7	39·5	39·5	38·7	39·0	39·3

The proportion of mature students in the total students population is expected to rise by one or two percentage points in the next five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what percentage of the educational budget is spent on adult education;(2) how much is spent each year on

The information is as follows:

	Estimated expenditure in 1984–85 £ million	As a percentage of total expenditure on education percentage
Maintained adult education centres*	96	0·71
University extra-mural departments†	5	0·04

The new police authorities for Merseyside, Northumbria and South Yorkshire, which took over responsibility on 1 April 1986, included proposals for increases in their police establishments in their manpower plans for the financial year 1986–87. The additional posts were intended for a range of purposes, including in some instances deployment in inner city areas. My right hon. Friend approved 72 additional police posts for Merseyside and nine for South Yorkshire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for the immediate deportation of all Libyans now resident in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his question yesterday, at column 173.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish for each year from 1979 the numbers of mature students in higher education, the proportion they formed of total student numbers and his estimates of the proportion they will form over the next five years.

Information for full-time and sandwich home students in Great Britain higher education is as follows:

	Estimated expenditure in 1984–85 £ million	As a percentage of total expenditure on education percentage
Other bodies‡	8	0·06
Total	109	0·81
* Does not include expenditure on adult and continuing education provided in polytechnics and other maintained further education establishments.
† Does not include expenditure on adult and continuing education provided within other university departments or in the Open University.
‡ Includes expenditure by the Workers' Education Associaton, long-term residential colleges and national associations involved in the promotion or provision of adult education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the scope and objectives of his Department's circular 1/85 "Youth Service".

Replies from 76 local education authorities have so far been received. Steps are being taken to assemble the remaining responses and to obtain any further information necessary to a proper study of the matters raised in circular 1/85. I shall write further to my hon. Friend about this in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities have yet to respond to his Department's circular 1/85 "Youth Service".

Twenty-two local education authorities have not yet replied substantively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps are being taken to ensure that all local education authorities respond to his Department's circular 1/85 "Youth Service".

TABLE 1
Allocations of local education authority prescribed expenditure
	Cash		Constant* 1984–85 prices
	Bid†(£000's)	Allocation (£000's)	Bid† (£000's)	Allocation (£000's)
1981–82	•	11,912	•	13,891
1982–83	•	8,428	•	9,184
1983–84	•	7,676	•	8,005
1984–85	15,277	10,691	15,277	10,691
1985–86	13,621	9,717	12,972	9,254
1986–87	17,485	9,313	15,935	8,488

asked the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will accept tenders for the computerisation of his Department and the United Kingdom judicial system for companies which seek to impose United States extraterritorial controls on their United Kingdom staff, or on United Kingdom exports, or on United Kingdom non-Government customers; and if he will make a statement.

Acquisitions of computer equipment will be made by the Central Computer and

The majority of all authorities have now responded to this circular and others are being asked to respond in the near future. Some responses have been delayed pending local reviews of youth service arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the Staffordshire education capital expenditure allocation at outturn and constant prices in each year from 1981–82 to 1986–87; and what was the original bid received by his Department for each year.

The information is as follows:Telecommunications Agency, whose policy was set out in the answer given by the Minister of State, Treasury, in response to a question from the hon. Member on 8 April, at column 95.

asked the Attorney-General what is his policy on the acquisition for the use of his Department of computers and equipment supplied by companies which seek to impose extraterritorial United States controls on their United Kingdom staff or on non-Government United Kingdom customers or on exports from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Acquisitions of computers for my Department are made by the CCTA, whose policy was set out in the answer given by the Minister of State, Treasury in response to a question from the hon. Member on 8 April, at column 95. My policy in respect of any high technology equipment purchased directly by my Department would be the same.

asked the Attorney-General when the hon. Member for Yeovil can expect a reply to his letters of 7 and 26 February.

As I told the hon. Member in my letter of 4 March, his letters touched on matters which went beyond the responsibilities of my Department and had to be looked into. This has now been done and I have replied.

asked the Prime Minister how many representations the Government have now received for and against the United Kingdom's support for the American bombing of Libya.

Up to and including Tuesday 22 April the Government have received about 9,750 representations against, and about 3,130 representations for the United Kingdom's support of the United States action.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government of the United States of America have provided her with any information to substantiate their claim that the civil aircraft destroyed on the ground at Tripoli airport had been used to ferry terrorists and terrorist materials to their objectives; and if she will make a statement.

As far as we are aware no civil aircraft were destroyed in the United States attack on Tripoli military airport.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the responsibilities of each of the deputy secretaries in his Department and the number and ranks of staff reporting to each.

The information at 1 April 1986 is as follows:

asked the Paymaster General if he will give details of the numbers employed in each of the following offices in Norfolk (a) unemployment benefit offices and (b) jobcentres.

At 1 April 1986 in Norfolk there were (a) 299 staff employed in unemployment benefit offices and (b)112·5 staff employed in jobcentres.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give details of the numbers employed in the unemployment benefit office and in the jobcentre in (a) Cromer, (b) North Walsham and (c) Fakenham.

At 1 April 1986 the following numbers of staff were employed:

(a) Cromer unemployment benefit office 23 (including staff at the linked part-time office at North Walsham), Cromer jobcentre 3; (b) North Walsham jobcentre 1·5; (c) Fakenham unemployment benefit office 9, Fakenham jobcentre 2.

asked the Paymaster General if he will provide figures showing the total number of jobs covered by the young workers scheme and the annual costs of the scheme in each year since it was first started; how many jobs are currently covered by the scheme and what is its cost; and if he will estimate the net job creation effect of the scheme.

There have been over 436,000 approved applications since the schemes inception at an annual cost of:

£ million
1982–83 Outturn	1983–84 Outturn	1984–85 Outturn	1985–86 Total	1986–87 Supply estimate
41	58	41	*32	19
* Provisional.

The coverage at the end of February 1986 was 55,000. it is estimated that the net job creation effect of the scheme is 27 per cent.

asked the Paymaster General whether he is considering appointing representatives from the managerial, professional and staff liaison group to group II of the Economic and Social Committee of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a nomination from the managerial, professional and staff liaison group for membership of Economic and Social Committee. The nomination will be considered, together with other nominations, in due course.

asked the Paymaster General what is the distribution of incomes among the 457,000 new jobs that have been created since March 1983 that are classified as self-employed.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1986, c. 28]: I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give his most recent assessment of the priority objectives for food aid and its distribution in the drought-affected countries of Sub-Saharan Africa.

We hold firmly to the view that famine relief should be given priority in determining the use of food aid.Following abundant rains in many parts of Africa last year the need for emergency food aid is greatly reduced, but there is still a number of countries needing assistance. Together with other donors we are concentrating our bilateral food aid on those that remain most seriously affected, and on ensuring that it is distributed to the people who need it.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations his Department has received from the Surgical Dressings Manufacturers' Association on the multi-fibre arrangement, and, in particular, on the exclusion of gauze dressings from the European Economic Community's current classification for multi-fibre arrangement purposes; and if he will make a statement.

	1982		1983		1984		1985*
	kg	£	kg	£	kg	£	kg	£
India	29,380	134,509	4,179	18,932	26,378	148,098	13,627	65,905
China	30,560	131,010	26,879	105,732	55,965	253,728	81,605	424,946
Malaysia	—	—	—	—	22	293	—	—
Hong Kong	—	—	—	—	—	—	359	2,693
Taiwan	—	—	87	974	—	—	485	3,702
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the latest available figures for the numbers of single social security payments in Northern Ireland per annum to (a) pensioner couples, (b) single pensioners, (c) unemployed people with children, (d) unemployed people without children, (e) lone parents, (f)sick and disabled people and (g) the remaining categories of people, including in each category the average size of payment, and the regulations under which payments were made.

The Surgical Dressings Manufacturers Association has made a number of representations about the treatment of gauze dressings. The classification of these products within the pharmaceuticals chapter of the tariff means they are not included in the bilateral agreements negotiated by the European Community under the multi-fibre arrangement. China, the main exporter of these products, agreed (outside its bilateral agreement) to restrain its exports of these products for the period 1984 to 1988.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is satisfied with the observance by the Chinese authorities of the voluntary restraint arrangement applying to exports of gauze dressings to the United Kingdom and other European Economic Community countries; and if he will make a statement.

China has agreed, outside the scope of its bilateral MFA agreement with the Community, to limit its exports of gauze dressings for the period 1984–88. The agreement is being monitored closely by the Community. In 1985 there appear to have been some overshipment to the United Kingdom, but the quantity concerned is relatively small. The matter has been raised with the Chinese authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing United Kingdom imports from 1982 to 1985 of gauze dressings under tariff heading 30.04.3100 from China and other countries with which the European Economic Community has agreements under the multi-fibre arrangement.

The information is as follows:

Information in the precise form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The latest available information is as follows:

TABLE 1
Single payments awarded during 1985*
	Estimated Numbers	Average payment £
Pensioners	36,400	109·59
Unemployed	148,900	116·27
Others	91,500	117·17

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many additional consultants have been appointed to the National Health Service in Wales since 1979; in what specialties; and what effect this has had on the respective waiting lists.

	Consultants at 30 September (whole-time equivalents)		Change in number of patients on waiting lists 30 September 1979 to 30 September 1985		Change in annual throughput (number) 1979 to 1984
Specialties	1979	1985	Inpatients	Outpatients	Inpatient discharges and deaths	New outpatient attendances
Accident & Emergency	8·2	10·2	n/a	n/a	n/a	+79,307
Cardiology	4·5	4·2	+65	+264	+630	+280
Cardio-thoracic surgery	2·1	3·1	+79	+12	+284	-103
Dental specialties*	19·5	27·1	+662	+2,315	+1,671	+4,675
Dermatology	10·1	10·7	-2	+7,477	+89	+1,918
Ear, Nose & Throat†	20·0	21·6	+50	+6,156	+3,881	+4,559
General Medicine‡	54·3	66·2	+25	+1,137	+6,711	+1,100
General Surgery║	61·2	64·2	+996	+3,905	+9,806	+6,441
Genito-Urinary Medicine	5·3	4·0	n/a	n/a	n/a	+3,165
Geriatric Medicine	24·0	33·2	-184	+24	+11,086	+1,113
Haematology	10·7	19·3	-22	+26	+1,053	+645
Mental Handicap	10·0	8·5	-49	Nil	+464	-50
Neurology	4·2	6·1	+24	+281	+46	+1,213
Neurosurgery	4·6	4·3	+55	+269	+342	+77
Obstetrics & Gynaecology	39·7	41·8	-322	+3,281	+9,419	+3,007
Ophthalmology	20·0	25·0	+228	-376	+1,187	+8,464
Paediatrics¶	28·8	34·9	+67	+438	+2,499	+1,645
Plastic Surgery	3·2	3·9	-480	+198	+966	+1,018
Psychiatric Specialties•	61·3	80·7	-38	+268	+1,719	+491
Radiotherapy	8·6	11·3	+20	+26	+1,537	+649
Rheumatology	8·0	11·5	+85	-510	+561	+1,439
Thoracic Medicine	18·1	6·6	-12	+25	-315	-8,495
Traumatic & Orthopaedic Surgery	32·5	34·6	+1,278	+2,643	+4,540	+11,584
Other Acute Specialties	n/a	n/a	+211	+205	+4,995	+6,269
Support Specialties■	174·7	209·1	n/a	n/a	n/a	n/a
Total	633·6	742·1	+2,736	+28,064	+63,171	+130,339

The table gives, by speciality, the numbers of hospital consultants employed by the National Health Service in Wales, in terms of whole-time equivalents at 30 September 1979 and 30 September 1985. Information is also provided on the change in inpatient and outpatient waiting lists over this period and on changes in the throughput of inpatient and outpatient cases between 1979 and 1984.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in (a) Dyfed, (b) Powys and (c) Gwynedd are unable to converse in Welsh; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers of Agricultural Development and Advisory Service advisers who do not speak Welsh in Dyfed, Powys and Gwynedd respectively are 43, 28 and 11. These figures do not include veterinary investigation centres and headquarters specialist staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many employees of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service in (a) Ceredigion, (b) Pembroke, (c) Carmarthen, (d) Meirion, (e) Arfon and (f) Ynys Môn speak Welsh; and if he will make a statement.

Agricultural Development and Advisory Service advisors' areas do not coincide with local authority districts. The number of Welsh speaking advisors in Dyfed, which includes the districts of Ceredigion, Pembroke and Carmarthen, is 27. The number of Welsh speaking advisors in Gwynedd, which includes the districts of Meirion, Arfon and Ynys Môn, is 23. These figures do not include veterinary investigation centres and headquarters specialist staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has come to an agreement with the Farmers Union of Wales and the National Farmers Union on the milk outgoers scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Discussions on the proposed EC outgoers' scheme have taken place with all interested parties, including the Farmers Union of Wales and the National Farmers Union in Wales.We have noted their views and will take account of these in the further negotiations on the current CAP price-fixing proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any further plans to help the Milk Marketing Board and dairy farmers in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Dairy farmers in Wales continue to benefit from the England and Wales arrangements of the Milk Marketing Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce legislation to provide for grants to be available towards the cost of laying private sewers where a local authority has served a notice requiring execution of works of drainage and so on in existing buildings under section 59 of the Building Act 1984 on the grounds that existing on-site drainage is inadequate; and if he will make a statement.

The provision and maintenance of private sewers is currently a matter for the owners of the properties concerned. The Government have no plans at present to provide grants to deal with cases which arise under section 59 of the Building Act 1984. The Government have recently issued a consultation paper on the review of water and sewerage law in which it is proposed that all private sewers should be taken into the ownership of water service public limited companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current size of the waiting list for treatment of all kinds in Welsh hospitals; and how this figure compares with those for April 1983 and April 1979.

Waiting list figures are not available for the months requested, but the following table gives the nearest equivalent figures:

	In-patient	Out-patient
31 March 1979	37,955	56,540
31 March 1983	38,735	64,079
30 September 1985	41,212	88,608

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospitals have been closed in Wales in each year since 1975; and if he will name them.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 15 April 1986, at column 348.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the ratio of National Health Service beds to population in Wales; and how this compares with the figures for April 1983 and April 1979.

The information is not available for the months requested. For the nearest equivalent dates the figures are as follows:

Ratio of staffed beds allocated per 1,000 population, Wales (all specialties)
	Ratio
31 March 1979	8·4
31 March 1983	8·1
30 September 1985	7·9

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions there have been with European Economic Community counterparts concerning reform of budgetary procedure.

The Foreign Affairs Council had a general discussion of the Community's budgetary situation on 21 April. My right hon. and learned Friend and I have had a number of bilateral discussions with our EC colleagues. Budget issues are on the agenda of the Council of Finance Ministers on 28 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will issue guidelines to local authorities on the criteria for selection of foreign cities or countries as partners in twinning arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom's twinning agency is the Joint Twinning Committee of Local Authority Associations of Great Britain and Northern Ireland (the JTC), whose secretariat is staffed and housed by the British Council. The JTC gives guidance and practical assistance to British localities which are seeking a partner.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he has refused permission for a senior police officer and an expert witness to travel to northern Cyprus to give evidence in a case concerning many stolen British cars which have been taken to that island and then sold illegally.

No such request has been made, but I understand that the two police forces are in touch about the best way to proceed. We are naturally concerned that those responsible for these thefts should be brought to justice.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria he exercises and what advice he gives when material witnesses of British nationality are asked to give evidence in court cases in countries which the United Kingdom does not recognise officially at the present time.

We regard the situation where a British national is asked to give evidence in a court in a foreign country as a matter between that person and the relevant foreign authority. If my hon. Friend would like to write with specific details of any particular case we will be happy to look into the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what quantities of beef, butter and wheat have been exported to Libya in the current year under the EEC programme for assistance to the Third world; what has been the cost; from what fund the subsidy is met; what consideration has been given to halting this trade; whether he will now introduce an embargo on all trade with Libya; and if he will make a statement.

Libya is not one of the authorised recipient countries qualifying for European Community food aid and has received no such aid. My right hon. and learned Friend has raised with his EC colleagues the urgent need to examine what uncovenanted benefits Libya may have received from the Community's management of agricultural markets. The possibility of a trade embargo has been considered on a number of occasions; we have always concluded that it would be inappropriate and ineffective.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what social benefits are available to visitors to the United Kingdom or to those granted leave to enter for a definite period.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to social security benefits. People granted limited leave to enter or remain, which includes visitors to the United Kingdom, would not be able to fulfil the various residence and contribution tests, or other specific tests, which are attached to most social security benefits. Such people have to show that they can be maintained and accommodated without recourse to public funds. In some circumstances, where a person has been given limited leave and the Home Office has his status under consideration, supplementary benefit—which has no residence or contribution tests—may be paid on an urgent needs basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what resources and assistance the Health Education Council is making available to Action on Alcohol Abuse.

The Health Education Council is making no resources or assistance available to Action on Alcohol Abuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which Ministers from his Department, and which civil servants, have visited Hungary since 1979 to study conductive education; at what cost; for how long the visit lasted; what was the itinerary of the visit; what were the findings; if he will place details of the outcome of the visit in the Library; and what discussions took place subsequent to the visit with (a) the Spastics Society or (b) any other body on the findings.

During an official visit to Hungary in November 1984, at the invitation of the Hungarian Minister of Health, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Rushcliffe (Mr. Clarke), the then Minister for Health, visited the Peto Educational and Training Institute for children with motor disorders in Budapest as part of a programme of visits to various health establishments in Hungary. He was very impressed by the training programmes being undertaken to help motor and neurologically impaired children. No officials from this Department have visited Hungary since 1979 to study conductive education. Since my right hon. and learned Friend's visit however officials have had discussions with the Spastics Society and the Parkinsons Disease Society about conductive education. They have also met the district physiotherapist of Barnet health authority and a member of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists, who gave details of their visits to the Peto Institute. Officials from this Department and the Department of Education and Science will shortly be discussing with the Spastics Society its application for funding in respect of a study of current provision and an evaluation of the implications of wider development of the system in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about the patient to prosthetist ratio in the countries visited by members of the McColl committee on artificial limbs and appliances.

The McColl committee did not collect this information for countries outside the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to publish his considered response to the McColl report on artificial limbs and appliances.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hillsborough (Mr. Flannery) on 25 March, at column 451.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to reduce the national shortage of qualified intensive care unit nurses.

It is for health authorities to decide, in the light of local needs and priorities and the resources available to them, how many nurses they should employ who have received training in intensive care and how many trainees they should second to meet those needs. Most regional health authorities have been asked to refine the manpower planning and training components of their strategic plans and in considering these particular attention will be paid to proposals for staff groups who may be in short supply.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting on 21 and 22 April.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what sales of food have been concluded to date by the EC under regulation 765/86; and if he will give details of the countries to which such sales have been concluded and, in each case, the amount of food and the price of sale expressed in terms of pence per pound;(2) to which countries the EC was authorised to export food at special prices under regulation 765/86; and if any sales to Libya have been contracted under this regulation;(3) if he will propose at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers that no further export rebates should be paid by the EC in respect of exports of food to Libya; and if he will make a statement;(4) if the EC is authorised under the meeting of the protocol committee of 1 May 1985 to sell butter to Libya at prices below the minimum specified by the general agreement on tariffs and trade; and if any such sales have been contracted for;(5) what sales of butter to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics have been completed under regulations 765/86.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will take steps to cease the shipment of beef and other commodities from Scotland to Libya; and if he will make a statement;(2) what was the total cost to the taxpayer for the half value of the 700 tonnes of beef which was shipped to Libya from Troon in Aryshire on 19 April; and what further liabilities will be borne by the British taxpayer in planned future dispatches;(3) why Her Majesty's Government paid half the cost of shipment of 700 tonnes of beef despatched from Troon, Scotland, on 19 April consigned to Libya; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what amount of food has been exported by the EEC to Libya over the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; what were the comparable figures in each of the previous four years; and what was the total of export rebates provided in respect of each year's sales, respectively.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each agricultural product the amount of export refunds per tonne granted to British exporters at the most recent available date and the total spent by way of such refunds in 1985.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the local authority associations to discuss the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government".

I am next due to meet the associations at the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 7 July.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many submissions he had received by 18 April in response to the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government".

Over 400.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will extend the consultation period in respect of the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government".

Following representations from the local authority associations, I announced on 19 March that the consultation period would be extended to 31 October. I see no justification for any further extension.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has so far received to the Green Paper, "Paying for Local Government".

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which my right hon. Friend gave today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average increase in domestic rates and non-domestic rates in (a) London and (b) the remainder of England in April 1986.

On average, in London, domestic rates fell by 3·9 per cent. and non-domestic rates by 2·3 per cent.; in the rest of England there were rises of 18·3 per cent. and 16·4 per cent. respectively. The average increase for domestic rates in the whole of England is 13½ per cent., and for non-domestic rates 10·4 per cent., but these figures of course conceal wide variations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average increase in domestic and non-domestic rates in England in April 1986.

Domestic and non-domestic rates in England rose by 13·5 and 10·4 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give a figure for the losses to local authorities in London due to the late setting of rates in 1985; and if he will make a statement.

It is for the independent district auditor to decide whether or not losses arose and, if so, to what extent, in those authorities which delayed setting a rate for 1985–86.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to remove the power of district auditors to initiate further proceedings against councillors for delays in setting a rate; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to seek to amend the legislation governing the role of district auditors; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans to introduce legislation to change the role and powers of auditors appointed by the Audit Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on progress to resolve the problems associated with houses in multiple occupancy.

My Department is undertaking a major research project on houses in multiple occupation. The results of the first stage were announced in February; those of the main survey are expected later this year. I wish to see the outcome of this research before deciding whether further measures are necessary to deal with problems associated with houses in multiple occupation. In the meantime, I hope to publish in May a new circular on houses in multiple occupation about the wide-ranging powers already available to local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has further proposals to increase the provision of assured tenancies.

I tabled amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill on 18 March to extend the assured tenancy scheme. These will allow approved landlords to let existing property on assured tenancy terms provided the property has first been substantially improved or repaired or has been converted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will take steps to seek to relax the operation of the Rent Acts in relation to private tenancies; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have no proposals for any major reform of the Rent Acts in this Parliament. However, it remains our wish to encourage the supply for more homes to let in the private rented sector. In order to provide greater scope for responsible landlords approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to invest in rented accommodation, I tabled on 18 March amendments to the Housing and Planning Bill to extend the assured tenancy scheme to improved property.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many listed buildings were demolished in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what proportion of the total this represents.

In the 12-month period ending on 31 December 1985 consent was granted for the demolition of 204 listed buildings and the partial demolition of a further 2,372. These figures represent 0·06 per cent. and 0·7 per cent. respectively of the 338,079 buildings on the statutory list at the start of that period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure available of council house sales under the legislation granting tenants the right to buy their rented accommodation.

A total of 520,000 local authority and new town houses and flats had been sold in England under the right-to-buy legislation by the end of December 1985. Over the period 1979 to 1985 there have been a further 167,000 sales by agreement to sitting tenants, on terms comparable with the right to buy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to define and confine the role and competence of local government.

I have no plans to do so at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet representatives of the football authorities to discuss crowd behaviour.

No formal meeting is currently planned, but we continue to co-operate closely and informally with the football authorities. In particular, we are taking forward arrangements for the Mexico World Cup.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans to hold talks with the organising body of motor sport in the United Kingdom, the Royal Automobile Club, on the safety of spectators during car rally events; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to do so.Rallies are authorised by the Royal Automobile Club Motor Sports Association Ltd. on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport under the Road Traffic Act 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is yet in a position to announce the establishment of the first marine nature reserve.

The Nature Conservancy Council expects to commence formal consultations on detailed proposals for at least one site next month. If there are no unforeseen difficulties, the council is expected to put formal proposals to my right hon. Friend later in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes meeting representatives of voluntary organisations to discuss the arrangements made in London and the metropolitan areas for continued funding of voluntary organisations.

I refer to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Park).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to publish a White Paper on the privatisation of local government services.

We have no plans to publish a White Paper on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the latest figures for the level of sponsorship of sport by tobacco companies; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 10 April to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher), at column 169.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions have taken place between the Minister with responsibility for sport and representatives of the tobacco industry regarding the sponsorship of sport.

I met representatives of the tobacco industry on 19 March formally to open the renegotiation of the voluntary agreement on sports sponsorship.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to consider the introduction of regional government in England.

My right hon. Friend has no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many submissions he has received in response to the White Paper on water privatisation published in February.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has received to the White paper "Privatisation of the Water Authorities in England and Wales", published in February 1986.

My Department has received 112 letters from organisations and others interested following publication of the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends meeting representatives of the water authorities to discuss the White Paper on privatisation of the water authorities in England and Wales.

I expect to have a meeting with the water authority chairmen within the next few weeks, at which privatisation will not doubt be discussed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to extend single-tier local government to areas outside the metropolitan areas; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike) on 17 April, at column 475.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects an approved repair scheme to be available for Reema PRC homes.

A method of repair for Reema hollow panel houses is now being appraised by PRC Homes Ltd. I understand that this will involve repairing one house as a prototype and will therefore take some weeks yet. I cannot of course say what the outcome of PRC Homes' appraisal will be.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate the number of houses repaired to date under the Housing Defects Act.