asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what steps he is taking to introduce training for physical education teachersin schools for instructing girls in self-defence;(2) what steps he is taking to introduce self-defence education, as part of physical education, for girls in schools.

It is for each local education authority to consider the in-service training needs of its teachers in the context of curricular policies and objectives. While the White Paper "Better Schools" published in March 1985 (Cmnd. 9469) makes clear the Government's view that physical education is an important component of the curriculum for all children in secondary schools, decisions about the detailed content of what is taught, such as whether it includes instruction in physical skills which can be used in self-defence, are properly matters for the schools themselves and the local education authorities by which they are maintained.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the current staffing arrangements under the Burnham further education regulations are adequate to provide education for students with special educational needs; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no reason to believe that the arrangements are inadequate. The allocation of teachers to particular categories of student is a matter for local discretion. The percentage of posts on each grade in a college is determined under the Burnham arrangements on the basis of the academic level of teaching. LEAs have discretion within fixed limits to increase the proportion of lecturers grade II where requisite for the recruitment and retention of teachers in shortage subjects.The grading of courses system is under review as part of further education reform talks. The Government's view is that the structure should be flexible and responsive to the needs of customers and students.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations have been received by his Department in respect of the Burnham further education regulations as they affect provision for students with special educational needs.

The Department received on 20 January a paper from the National Bureau for Handicapped Students about this matter. A reply issued on 31 January noting that the paper had also been submitted to the joint secretaries of the Burnham Further Education Committee and that it was a matter for negotiation in that committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to publish Her Majesty's inspector's report on Wigan's education system.

The report will be published at the end of May.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will lay aside moneys for a special programme to support technical schools;(2) what is his policy towards technical schools.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Holt) on 4 March, at column 114.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy not to approve any further extension of comprehensive schools.

The initiative for proposing changes in the pattern of secondary school provision rests with local education authorities. My right hon. Friend considers all proposals on their individual merits, taking account of all the relevant circumstances, including the educational interest of all the pupils involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what systematic monitoring for acid pollution is carried out in rivers in Wales.

The Welsh water authority regularly checks the level of acidity in river waters as part of the national harmonised monitoring scheme and in its assessment of river water quality. The Department is jointly funding with the Department of the Environment the study of acidification being jointly carried out by the Welsh water authority, the Natural Environment Research Council, the Forestry Commission and the university colleges of Wales, in the catchment areas feeding the Llyn Brianne reservoir.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating for each of the past three years the expenditure of each local housing authority in Wales on improvement grants and the number of applicants to which these grants were paid and the number of applications which were outstanding for each district for house improvement grants at 1 April; how many of these were made before 31 March 1984; and what is the estimated cost of the outstanding applications.

The available information is given in the following table. Information is not held centrally on the dates on which outstanding applications were made.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the National Health Service hospitals in Wales which dispense spectacles to hospital eye patients on-site.

The following hospitals dispensed spectacles on-site in 1984, the latest year for which statistics are available: Bridgend General, Maesgwyn, Glanrhyd, Parc, Hensol, Llwynypia, Porth, Ystrad Mynach, South Pembrokeshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that health authorities in Wales introduce in-hospital dispensing of glasses in all cases where it does not take place now; and if he will make a statement.

The proposals for the future dispensing of glasses in the hospital eye service have been the subject of a consultation exercise. The response is still being considered and it is too early to confirm the detailed arrangements which will be made for dispensing.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to set voucher values in Wales at such a level that no additional payment has to be made by in-patients in hospital currently entitled to free glasses; and if he will make a statement.

Long-stay patients in hospitals will continue to be entitled to basic glasses to meet their clinical need free of charge when the voucher system is introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many persons (a) aged 19 years or under and (b) over 19 years of age were (i) discharged from each of the long-stay mental handicap hospitals in Wales during 1985 and (ii) admitted into such long-stay hospitals.

The information requested is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the numbers of practice nurses employed by family practitioners' practices in each of the family practices committee areas in Wales; what is the estimated total annual cost; and what was the percentage annual increase in the number of nurses employed over the past five years.

The numbers of practice nurses employed by family practitioner practices in each of the family practitioner committee areas in Wales are given in the following table:

	Practice Nurses (WTE) employed at 1 July 1985
Clwyd	3·0
Dyfed	20·6
Gwent	25·1
Gwynedd	13·4
Mid Glamorgan	18·7
Powys	2·2
South Glamorgan	9·5
West Glamorgan	16·8

The total whole-time equivalent of nurses has increased from 54·0 at 1 July 1980 to 109·3 at 1 July 1985, representing an average annual increase of 15·2 per cent.No information is available centrally on the total annual cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cash budget of the Welsh Development Agency in each of the years from 1979 to 1986–87; what was the increase in real terms in the budget of the Welsh Development Agency from 1979 to (a) 1981–82, (b) 1982–83, (c) 1984–85 and (d) 1986–87; and what was the increase in staff in the Welsh Development Agency from 1979 to 1986–87.

The Welsh Development Agency's gross budget in cash terms in each year since 1979–80 is given below:

	£ million
1979–80	61·1
1980–81	83·4
1981–82	96·3

	£ million
1982–83	77·9
1983–84	67·8
1984–85	70·0
1985–86*	63·1
*(provisional).

The agency's estimated budget in cash terms in 1986–87 is £76·8 million. Using the Treasury's latest GDP deflator which takes the 1984–85 financial year as a base, the change in the WDA's gross budget in real terms from 1979–80 to the years specified was as follows:

	£ million
a. 1981–82	+11·7
b. 1982–83	-15·6
c. 1984–85	-30·4
d. 1986–87*	-30·6
* (estimated).

The reduction in the agency's budget in real terms in recent years follows the ending of special allocations of funds for the steel closure programmes.At 31 march 1979 the agency employed 499 staff. At 31 March 1986 the number was 421·5

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what systematic monitoring for acid pollution is carried out in rivers in Scotland.

The control of river quality in Scotland rests with the river purification authorities (river purification boards and islands councils). They routinely monitor the quality, including acidity, of the rivers within their areas. In recent years a number of site-specific monitoring exercises have been established by individual authorities to assess the effects of acid deposition. In addition, the Government have recently commissioned the river purification boards to carry out jointly a systematic three-year study into the effects of acid deposition on a total of 150 catchments in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will (a) state his reasons and (b) cite the statutory authority for the calculation of housing support grant on a figure of notional rate fund contribution per head; what factors are taken into account in determining the notional per head contribution; and if he will publish the names of those local authorities whose statutory rate fund contribution in the 1986–87 housing support grant settlement was lower than per head notional amount.

The Housing (Financial Provisions) Scotland Act 1978 provides the statutory authority for determining the aggregate amount of housing support grant. As required by section 1(2)(c) of that Act, my right hon. and learned Friend consults the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities before estimating the aggregate amount of relevant income which might be expected to accrue to local authorities' housing revenue accounts in the grant year. My right hon. and learned Friend, with the agreement of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, has continued the practice adopted since the inception of housing support grant in 1979 of using a notional per head income amount in estimating the aggregate amount of relevant income. Factors taken into account in recent years in determining this notional amount have been the figure used in the previous year's Housing Support Grant (Scotland) Order and the rate of inflation. My right hon. and learned Friend has now undertaken to review this approach during discussions with the convention leading to the 1987–88 settlement.In 1986–87, the overall level of housing support grant payable to Scottish local authorities will be some £4 million higher than would have been the case had statutory rate fund contribution limits replaced notional per head income amounts, determined as above, in the grant calculations. Seven of the 24 authorities receiving housing support grant in 1986–87 benefit, some substantially, from the calculation method employed. The remaining 17 authorities, in the following list have statutory rate fund contribution limits below the per head notional income amounts included in the relevant income calculations.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that health boards in Scotland introduce in-hospital dispensing of glasses in all cases where it does not take place now; and if he will make a statement.

Tonnage of merchant ships completed
Country	Units*	1972	1981	1982	1983	†1984	1985
United Kingdom	Th.cgt	920	254	418	349	288	262
Belgium	Th.cgt	289	96	85	153	81	102
Denmark	Th.cgt	591	363	356	397	365	475
France	Th.cgt	839	302	310	376	339	157
West Germany	Th.cgt	1,965	922	764	926	704	782
Italy	Th.cgt	613	284	177	143	193	109
Netherlands	Th.cgt	635	255	364	381	295	283
Spain	Th.cgt	736	485	549	465	444	248
Greece	Th.gt	74	1	81	38	36	37
Irish Republic	Th.gt	28	7	0	40	0	0
Portugal	Th.gt	16	1	18	312	8	41
* Th.cgt=thousand compensated gross tonnes.
Th.gt =thousand gross tonnes.
† In 1984, a new basis of measuring the tonnage of vessels was introduced so that figures thereafter are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

The Scottish Home and Health Department is presently consulting about new arrangements for patients in the hospital eye service to obtain their glasses or contact lenses. These arrangements do not affect the facilities for in-hospital dispensing of glasses which operate within a few health boards. I would not expect any increase in such facilities as a result of the changes proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to set voucher values in Scotland at such a level that no additional payment has to be made by in-patients in hospital currently entitled to free glasses; and if he will make a statement.

Government policy is to continue existing arrangements, whereby patients resident in hospital are supplied with free glasses.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland against which authorities he proposes to take action on the grounds of excessive and unreasonable expenditure.

I have decided to initiate action in terms of section 5 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 in respect of the city of Edinburgh district council on the ground that its planned expenditure for 1986–87 is excessive and unreasonable. A letter has today been sent to the council proposing a rate reduction of 2·7p and inviting it to make representations about the proposed reduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the tonnage of ships produced in each EEC country in each of the past five years together with the corresponding figures for 1972.

The following is the information requested, expressed in terms of compensated gross tonnage where available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing output in United Kingdom and German shipbuilding yards in each year since 1976.

In terms of merchant shipbuilding, output for which comparable figures are readily available, the information is as follows:

Tonnage of merchant ships completed (thousand compensated gross tonnes)
	United Kingdom	West Germany
1976	824	1,630
1977*	693	1,299
1978	709	1,059
1979	584	617
1980	513	618
1981	254	922
1982	418	764
1983	349	926
1984*	288	704
1985	262	782
* Because of revisions in 1977 and again in 1984 affecting the calculation of compensated gross tonnage, figures in these and subsequent periods are not directly comparable with those for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the number of holders in the United Kingdom of with-profit endowment life assurance policies.

It is estimated that at the end of 1984 insurance companies had between 25 million and 30 million with-profit endowment policies in force in the United Kingdom. It is not practicable to estimate the number of individuals holding those policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he plans to take about the conflict between EEC directive 82–499 on main governors on electric fences and BS2632–1980 and BS800–1983; and if he will make a statement.

There is no direct conflict. I understand that manufacturers in the United Kingdom have raised a problem about the suitability of the radio interference requirement for high energy mains governors on electric fences contained in BS800–1983. They have been advised to raise the problem in the appropriate BSI technical committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect on British trade with the Eastern bloc of United Kingdom involvement in the strategic defence initiative research programme, and in particular of American concern to limit the transfer of technology.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any legislative changes are proposed to bring the British system of export administration into line with the Anglo-American memorandum of understanding on technology transfer, produced as a result of British involvement in strategic defence initiative research; and if he will make a statement.

No legislative changes to United Kingdom export administration are proposed as a result of the Anglo-United States memorandum of understanding.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the first three months of 1986 at an annual rate compared with the same three months in 1985 and the year 1970 (a) imports and exports of manufactures between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community and other countries, and (b) imports and exports less crude oil between the United Kingdom and the European Economic Community and from other countries; and if he will make a statement about the decline in exports of manufactures in the first, quarter of the current year compared with 1985 and the reasons therefor.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he has had, and with which organisations, on a new general prohibition on misleading price indications and on a supporting statutory code of practice; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has consulted a wide range of trade, consumer and enforcement interests, with helpful and encouraging results. Over 500 copies of the report of the interdepartmental working party on the review of legislation on this subject were circulated in 1984. In the light of comments received in response from approximately 150 sources, the Government's decision to go ahead with new legislation, providing a general prohibition on misleading price indications with a supporting statutory code of practice, was announced in March 1985. A first draft of the proposed code of practice was sent out in July 1985 to some 200 organisations, of whom about 75 responded. In the light of their comments a second draft of the code of practice was sent out in January this year to 240 organisations, of which 60 have responded with their comments. At each stage my officials have held discussions with a number of respondents who wished to expand on their submissions. The draft code is currently being further revised taking those comments into account and I then expect it to be in a form ready to accompany proposals to Parliament for the relevant legislation which will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the effect which the increase of 35 per cent. in the real rate of exchange between sterling and the deutschmark had on United Kingdom imports from and exports to West Germany between the first quarter of 1979 and the third quarter of 1985; what were the nominal rates of exchange in each period; what is the present rate of exchange; and what is his estimate of the difference in the rate of inflation between the United Kingdom and West Germany since the third quarter of 1985.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish in the Official Report his estimate of the increase in United Kingdom relative export prices compared with those of West Germany since the first quarter of 1979 together with the change in the balance of trade in manufactures between the two countries.

The United Kingdom's export prices for manufactures are estimated to have increased by about 28 per cent. compared with those of the Federal Republic of Germany between the first quarter of 1979 and the fourth quarter of 1985. The crude deficit on our trade in manufactures with Germany increased from £0·6 billion to £1·4 billion over this period.

asked the Prime Minister what movements took place on 10 and 11 April of cruise missiles from their base at Greenham common.

A routine cruise missile training exercise began on 11 April. As we have made clear previously, neither warheads nor fuel for the missiles are carried on these exercises. We do not give details of the training exercises conducted by nuclear missile units.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government intend to make military bands available for any events in London in July.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on how the outcome of the Fontainebleau agreement among Heads of EEC Governments has fulfilled the Government's expectations.

The Fontainebleau abatement arrangement has been working as agreed. We have received the 1,000 mecu (£605 million) we were promised in respect of 1984. The 1986 Community budget already contains provision for our abatement in respect of 1985 of 1,400 mecu (£900 million), from which we are benefiting through reduced VAT contributions at the rate of £75 million a month. The Commission and the Council have undertaken to uprate this abatement through a supplementary budget this year in the light of the latest information about our contributions to and receipts from the Community budget in 1985.

asked the Prime Minister whether she expects other member states to seek agreement to an increase in the value added tax contribution in the foreseeable future.

I expect the other member states to honour the Fontainebleau agreement. I made the United Kingdom's position clear in my response to the hon. Member for Grimsby's previous question on 21 April, at column 1.

asked the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received from the management of shipyards concerning the exchange rate.

No such representations have been received.

asked the Prime Minister who will be responsible for administering the security requirements placed by the United States Government as a condition of participation upon British companies or institutes involved in the strategic defence initiative research programme; and what will be the general nature of these requirements and the penalties for their transgression.

As the Government have stated on a number of occasions recently, the detailed terms and conditions related to British participation in the SDI research programme are confidential. Responsibility for administering these arrangements from the United Kingdom point of view will rest with the Ministry of Defence, consulting other Government Departments as necessary.

asked the Prime Minister for what purpose she attended the Bilderberg conference.

The Bilderberg conferences are privately organised international gatherings. I was invited to attend this year's conference on this basis and was pleased to accept.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 1 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 1 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 1 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 1 May.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be leaving for Korea and the economic summit in Tokyo.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list all terrorist incidents which have taken place in Great Britain since 4 May 1979 with, for each, the numbers of those killed and injured, together with details and cost of damage caused.

May-December
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Shooting incidents	—	3	—	1	—	3	2
Bombing incidents
exploded	7	8	9	3	4	6	2
neutralised	11	2	1	2	1	4	4
Arson attacks	—	—	—	—	—	—	1
Kidnappings	—	—	1	—	—	1	—
Finds of weapons and/or explosives	1	3	—	2	2	6	4
Hijacking of aircraft	—	—	—	1	—	—	—
Deaths and injuries resulting from the attacks in the table above were:
Deaths	—	10	5	11	6	8	1
Injuries	2	7	44	61	102	74	2

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to count Libyans in the United Kingdom.

It is estimated from immigration records that there are about 7,000 Libyan nationals in the United Kingdom subject to immigration control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Libyan nationals have been deported to date; how many further Libyan nationals are likely to be removed; how many Libyan nationals remain in the United Kingdom; and if he will detail the specific purposes for those nationals being granted temporary residence.

Since 1 January 1984, 41 Libyan nationals have been deported on the ground that their deportation was conducive to the public good in the interests of national security, relations with another country or for other reasons of a political nature. We cannot predict whether any further Libyans will be deported on similar grounds because every case must be considered individually in the light of information before us at the time, but my right hon. Friend will not hesitate to use to the full his powers under the Immigration Act 1971. It is estimated that there are about 7,000 Libyan nationals currently in the United Kingdom subject to immigration control and their basis of stay will vary widely. It is not possible to provide the specific detail requested except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases representations originally made by telephone by right hon. and hon. Members in immigration cases were not subsequently pursued in writing, in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to her reply, 22 April 1986, c. 122]: Statistics of terrorist incidents which have taken place in Great Britain since 4 May 1979 are as follows. These do not include incidents apparently caused by extremist nationalist or anarchist groups based in Great Britain, or by extremist animal rights activists. I regret details of the nature and cost of the damage are not available.

The available information relates to representations in cases of passengers initially refused entry at ports. In the period from 17 April 1985 to 16 April 1986 there were about 380 cases in which letters to right hon. or hon. Members were prepared following stops which had been imposed but not followed up within at least four weeks by written representations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire as to how many young people from the ethnic minorities he was proposing to recruit as cadets in the current year; why he did not support the proposal for a cadet force; and if he is satisfied with the proportion of officers from the ethnic minorities in the West Yorkshire metropolitan police;(2) if he will reconsider his decision to set the cadet establishment of the West Yorkshire metropolitan police at nil; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the West Yorkshire police authority is maintaining a police cadet corps of 33 and proposes to appoint a further 54 cadets in the current financial year. Two of the present number are from ethnic minorities, and the police authority has been encouraging further applications from ethnic minorities.My right hon. Friend has received a request recently from the police authority for him to make a variation in the establishment scheme for that authority for 1986–87 by including 87 cadet posts. He is giving this careful consideration, in the light of further advice from Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary. In reaching his earlier decision to omit cadets from the establishment scheme, he took into account the force's ability to obtain well-qualified candidates by direct recruitment and the relatively high cost of maintaining a cadet corps.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any further plans to reinforce public safety on trains in addition to football specials carrying fans to and from soccer matches; and if he will make a statement.

No; but if my hon. Friend has a particular point in mind my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department will be glad to consider it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to reply to the letters to him dated 27 January and 24 March from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton with regard to Mr. J. C. Galbraith of 5a Norman Road, Rusholme, Manchester.

I am writing to the right hon. Member today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in respect of each police force area in England and Wales, what is the percentage change between 1978 and 1985 in (a) total crimes, (b) crimes of violence against the person, (c) burglaries, (d) offences of theft or handling stolen goods, (e) offences of fraud or forgery and (f) offences of criminal damage, taking account, where necessary, of changes in recording practice.

Numbers of notifiable offences recorded by each police force for each of the offence groups requested are published annually in the Command Papers on "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" and most recently in a Home Office Statistical Bulletin for 1985 (table 6 of issue number 4/86). Because of changes in the counting rules which were introduced in 1980 to secure greater uniformity of recording, it is not possible to make precise comparisons between 1978 and 1985. The three offence groups thought to be most affected by these changes were theft and handling stolen goods (where the overall numbers may have been increased), fraud and forgery (where the numbers were probably reduced) and criminal damage (where the numbers may have been reduced); the other offence groups are thought to have been affected to a lesser extent. However, the effects probably differed from one police force area to another.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take action to ensure that evidence collected by the Police Complaints Authority is published in full.

We have no plans to change the position described in my reply on 27 February to the hon. Member for Burnley (Mr. Pike), at columns 654–55.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider his decision to allow the continued presence of Mr. Ben Rabha in the United Kingdom, in the light of recent terrorist activities by other Libyan nationals.

There are no grounds on present information on which we would be justified in seeking to deport Mr. Ben Rabha.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how the publicity budget of the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive for 1986–87 is divided between the constituent parts of the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive; what is the extent of his Department's contribution; and what are the procedures for auditing this expenditure.

I have written to the chairman of United Kingdom NIREX Ltd., asking him to provide this information. My Department makes no direct contribution to the company's publicity budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 21 April, if he will give a breakdown of the publicity budget of the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive between the four areas shortlisted for dumps, the different media employed, meetings and staff.

This is a matter for the board of United Kingdom NIREX Ltd. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number, pay and previous experience of the directors of the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive.

I have asked the chairman of United Kingdom NIREX Ltd. to write to the hon. Member with this information.

asked the Sectetary of State for Energy whether his Department supervises the accuracy of publicity and information material issued by the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive; and if he will make a statement.

No. This is a matter for the board of United Kingdom NIREX Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether any (a) plutonium, (b) enriched uranium or (c) other special nuclear materials in the United Kingdom have ever been withdrawn from EEC ownership under the Euratom treaty, article 86, and re-designated non-civil.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 March 1986, c. 557]: Nuclear material has on occasion been withdrawn from Euratom safeguards for national security reasons in accordance with the provisions of the UK-Euratom-IAEA safeguards agreement.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will estimate the number of people who are currently working on Sundays.

Preliminary results from the 1985 Labour force survey indicate that, in the spring of 1985, around 5·5 million people worked on one or more of the preceding four Sundays.On a different basis, the Institute for Fiscal Studies has estimated that 4·1 million people worked regularly on Sundays and another 4·7 million worked occasionally on Sundays in 1984.

asked the Paymaster General how much expenditure there has been on the training element for recipients of enterprise allowances since the scheme's inception.

Applicants for the enterprise allowance scheme are encouraged to take advantage of the training available through the Manpower Service's Commission training for enterprise programme and the counselling services of the small firms service. However funds are not separately allocated for EAS applicants to undertake training.

asked the Paymaster General how much money is allocated for the training provision for recipients of enterprise allowance in 1986–87.

People on the enterprise allowance scheme can take advantage of both public and private sector training including the provision made available through the Manpower Services Commission's training for enterprise programme. In addition the commission has introduced a revised system of induction and follow up of enterprise allowance participants. This new system will include a one day self employment awareness session to replace the present two hour information session attended by all applicants to the scheme. One of the main purposes of the revised system is to highlight the importance of enterprise training and its benefits to the participants' businesses as well as providing an introduction to basic business concepts. Follow up monitoring by MSC staff will be enhanced to reinforce the emphasis on training and business counselling for participants. A total of £1·8 million has been provided in 1986–87 specifically to fund these enhanced arrangements.

asked the Paymaster General how much money has been spent on the training component of the community programme since its inception, over and above that taken for operating costs and wages.

From July 1984 to the end of March 1986 some £4·4 million has been spent on additional training for community programme participants to that already provided from the programmes operating and other costs.

asked the Paymaster General what sums are being allocated for the training component of the community programme for 1986–87 over and above that allowed for operating costs and wages.

In 1986–87 £5·5 million will be spent on additional training to that already provided from the programmes operating and other costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions on which all members of the European Economic Community did not vote together at the United Nations General Assembly, since January 1985.

The Twelve members of the Community were divided on 114 of the resolutions, amendments and paragraphs put to the vote in the United Nations General Assembly in 1985. This compares with 278 occasions on which the Twelve joined consensus or voted together. A list will be placed in the Library of the House of Commons as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those occasions at the United Nations General Assembly during the past year in which the United Kingdom and the United States of America voted together in a way different from the rest of the European Economic Community countries.

The United. Kingdom voted in the same way as the United States of America and in a different way from other members of the Community on the following six resolutions during the 40th Session of the United Nations General Assembly:On each of these resolutions the vote of Community countries was split between voting for, voting against and abstaining.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will detail in the Official Report the exact advice recently given to British citizens currently residing and working in Libya.

A letter was sent to members of the British community by the head of the British interests section of the Italian embassy in Tripoli on 27 April. Its text was as follows:

"Although no incident of harassment of British citizens has been reported to me, I have to advise you that if you or your spouse and children have no urgent need to remain in this country, you or they should leave it as soon as possible. It is wise to do so while normal scheduled flights are available as there is no certainty that it will be possible to improvise an evacuation by other means if the Airports close.

British companies operating here should ensure that they have no excess staff. It is, of course, your responsibility to decide whether or not to act on this advice and you should take into account that Colonel Qadhafi has said that foreign workers, including British and US citizens, are welcome to stay. However you decide, would you please let me know your decision?

If you intend to stay and have not registered with the British Interests Section, you should do so immediately by telephone. The number is 31191. The information you give is treated as strictly confidential and may not be passed on even to other Government Departments. You may use the same number to obtain further information."

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now recommend to all British citizens currently residing and working in Libya that they should leave the country; and if he will make a statement.

We have made it clear since the break in relations in April 1984 that British citizens choosing to live and work in Libya do so on their own responsibility and that our ability to provide consular assistance and protection is limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the timing of fresh elections to the Northern Ireland Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the future of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bell) a few moments ago.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to protect human rights and prevent discrimination in Northern Ireland within the framework of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

Under article 5(a) the Intergovernmental Conference can take an interest in measures to protect human rights and to prevent discrimination. However, it remains for the British Government to take decisions on these matters insofar as they relate to Northern Ireland. In doing so we take account of many different views, including any expressed by the Irish Government. The joint statements issued after each meeting of the Conference which note those issues which have been discussed there have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what specific action he proposes to take regarding experiments in integrated education.

None. However, it remains the Government's policy to encourage integrated education in Northern Ireland where there is a clearly identified local wish for it.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what impact he envisages the provisions of the Wages Bill will have on employment in Northern Ireland.

The wages Bill extends to Northern Ireland only insofar as it contains an enabling provision which would permit provisions corresponding to Part III of the Bill relating to redundancy rebates in Northern Ireland by Order-in-Council subject to the negative resolution procedure. It is not envisaged that this provision will have any impact on employment in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when it is proposed to convene the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

It is not our practice to announce meetings of the Intergovernmental Conference in advance.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in securing acceptance in the Province of the Anglo-Irish agreement.

My ministerial colleagues and I have taken and will continue to take every opportunity to explain the true nature and advantages of the agreement for all sections of the community in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider calling a conference on the implementation of the Anglo-Irish agreement, involving the British Governmentt, the Irish Government and the relevant political parties of Northern Ireland.

I have no such plans. I believe that the way forward now is for the elected representatives of the constitutional political parties to discuss their concerns with the United Kingdom Government. I hope the Unionist leaders, in particular, will agree to resume our dialogue.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to try to ensure that the terms of the Anglo-Irish agreement are more fully understood in the Province.

My ministerial colleagues and I have taken and will continue to take every opportunity to explain the true nature and advantages of the Agreement for all sections of the community in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he expects to arrange discussions with Unionist politicians and others about the implementation of the Anglo-Irish agreement; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and I want discussions to be renewed with Unionist politicians about a range of matters affecting Northern Ireland. We hope that it will be possible shortly to start exploratory talks.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made by the Industrial Development Board in developing the potential of the food processing industry.

During the past two years the Industrial Development Board has offered financial aid totalling £39 million to processing companies against investment of £124 million. That support has helped to create 1,650 new jobs and maintain employment of some 3,700 people in the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if there are any plans to discontinue the use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

No. We look with an open mind at any new ideas for controlling the vicious public disorder that occurs from time to time in Northern Ireland. But unless an equally effective method is found it would be wrong to suspend the use of plastic baton rounds.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements the Government are making to facilitate the retraining of workers in Northern Ireland to meet the needs of technological change.

I have recently announced the introduction, from June 1986, of a new manpower training scheme. This pilot scheme will provide enhanced support for major training projects in businesses which trade in external markets. We have set aside £2 million to fund it this year. Its aim is to improve training for new and developing skills, particularly those imposed by technological change.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what measures he is taking to seek to retain serving officers in the Royal Ulster Constabulary and Royal Ulster Constabulary Reserve; and if he will make a statement.

No measures are necessary to retain police officers in the Royal Ulster Constabulary. The Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Royal Ulster Constabulary full-time reserve reached full established strength in December 1985 and in the period 1 January-31 March 1986 the numbers leaving the force have shown a substantial reduction on the same period last year. Applications to join the Royal Ulster Constabulary have maintained a high level. During 1985 some 4,600 applications were received for the Royal Ulster Constabulary together with some 3,500 applications for the full-time reserve. In the period 1 December-18 April, some 1,700 applications were received for the Royal Ulster Constabulary and some 1,000 for the Royal Ulster Constabulary full-time reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many marriages there have been in each of the past five years in Northern Ireland; and how many marriages there were in the first quarter of 1986.

The following is the information:

Year	Number of marriages
1981	9,636
1982	9,913

Year	Number of marriages
1983	9,990
1984	10,358
1985	10,425

First quarter of 1986 not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to gather information on the number of suspected (a) Republican and (b) other members of paramilitary organisations in receipt of unemployment and other social benefits.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ensure that health hoards in Northern Ireland introduce in-hospital dispensing of glasses in all cases where it does not take place now; and if he will make a statement.

No changes in the current dispensing arrangements are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to set voucher values in Northern Ireland at such a level that no additional payment has to be made by in-patients in hospital currently entitled to free glasses; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to change the present arrangements whereby patients resident in hospital are supplied with free glasses.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland will respond to the request made by Community Technical Aid for funding for 1986–87; and whether the Department will give an indication as to the size of the grant it is prepared to give in 1986–87 and in future years.

Community technical aid will be advised as soon as possible on its application for a further period of funding from the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the 1986–87 running cost limit for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments.

The 1986 Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 9702) set out at Table 3.18.49 the targeted provision for departmental running costs of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO) and Northern Ireland Departments for the period from 1986–87 to 1988–89. Following final review of the projected expenditure requirements for 1986–87, which revealed higher prison costs than had been projected previously, and also taking account of the enterprise and employment measures announced at the time of the Budget last month, I have decided to set a running costs limit of £446 million for the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments, £6 million higher than the target shown in Cmnd. 9702. Further details of provision for individual departments are set out in the appropriate Estimates volumes.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the effect on the rate of long-term supplementary benefits received by claimants in Great Britain who move to Northern Ireland.

Claimants aged 60 or over who move to Northern Ireland from Great Britain would continue to qualify for the long term supplementary benefit rate. Other eligible claimants would receive the long term rate after they had been on supplementary benefit or a long-term incapacity benefit for 52 weeks.