asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many leakages of radiation have occurred since 1979 in the transport of nuclear waste to the disposal site.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents involving pollution have occurred since 1979 during the transfer of Japanese spent fuel via Barrow and Immingham; if his Department has been monitoring pollution as a result of transporting foreign radioactive material through the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

There have been no accidents involving escape of radioactivity during the transport of spent fuel. The only accidental radioactivity recorded since 1979 was transported by the wind last week from Chernobyl. Monitoring of fuel consignments from Japan is carried out during each voyage, on arrival in the United Kingdom and on receipt at Sellafield. Any abnormal condition is reported to my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the objections registered by the United Kingdom road transport unions against the introduction of the new European Economic Community regulations relating to lorry drivers' hours and rest periods at the meeting of 30 April; what were his replies; and if he will make a statement.

When my hon. Friend the Minister with responsibility for roads and traffic met officials of the Transport and General Workers Union on 30 April they expressed their concern that the greater flexibility incorporated in the new regulations, and the proposals to amend the provisions of the Transport Act 1968, would make enforcement more difficult and might lead to increased driver fatigue. My hon. Friend pointed out that the regulations provide for less driving time, longer rest and break periods, and greater scope for drivers to arrange their work schedules to suit their own needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason, and on what basis, a document has been drawn up by his Department purporting to lay out a timetable for the consideration by the House of the Channel Tunnel Bill; what criteria were used and what assumptions made in the choice of dates contained in the document, with particular reference to the duration of the proceedings of any Select Committee to which the Bill may be committed; to whom this document has been issued; if he will place a copy in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

The document referred to is entitled "Channel Tunnel Bill: Possible Timetable". It was prepared as an internal working document for planning purposes on the basis outlined in the Channel fixed link White Paper (Cmnd. 9735) that the Bill would he introduced in the spring with the aim of obtaining Royal Assent in the early summer of 1987. The dates included in the document are guesses. The actual timetable will, of course, be determined by Parliament. The document was made available to assist the Kent Channel Tunnel Joint Consultative Committee in planning its work. I am placing a copy in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what further consideration has been given to lighting those parts of the M1 and M6 motorways at present unlit.

The night time accident rate on all motorways is kept under review and lighting is considered whenever a serious accident problem develops. Lighting is being installed at present on the M1 in Northamptonshire south of junction 16 to south of junction 15 and work will commence on the section north from Newport Pagnell service area to south of junction 15 later this year. The installation of lighting on the M6 between junction 29 and 32 is currently being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what further consideration has been given to lighting those parts of the motorways at present unlit in the north-west region.

Detailed examination is currently being given to the provision of lighting on the M6 between junctions 29 and 32 at Preston. The situation in the region is constantly monitored.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what were the conclusions of the search and rescue services committee which met on 29 April regarding the helicopter rescue service operated from HMS Daedalus at Lee-on-Solent.

The United Kingdom search and rescue committee concluded that a strong operational case exists for maintaining a helicopter capabiliy to operate from a location in the Solent area for civil search and rescue.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how he proposes to meet the cost of urgent bills for expenses of the sale of National Bus Company operations.

Parliamentary approval for this expenditure has been sought in the Main Supply Estimates (Class VIII, Vote 8). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimates at £300,000, will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how he proposes to meet the cost of urgent bills for preliminary expenses of the sale of shares in the British Airports Authority.

Parliamentary approval of this expenditure has been sought in the Main Supply Estimates (Class VIII, Vote 7). Pending approval of the Estimate, urgent expenditure estimated at £350,000 will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many plastic bullets were fired by the Royal Ulster Constabulary in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984 and 1985, respectively.

Separate records of the number of plastic baton rounds fired by the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Army were not maintained until 1 March 1981. From that date the annual figures for the Royal Ulster Constabulary are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much of the £9·5 million, approximately, which will become available from the new European regional development fund special measure for the border areas, will be made available to each of the qualifying district council areas in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

A programme for the implementation of the measure is being prepared by the Department of Economic Development for submission to the European Commission for its approval. This programme will include projects suggested by district councils, which will participate in their implementation. The Department will seek to ensure that each of the 25 eligible councils is given an oppportunity to participate.

-Davison 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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 May 1986, c. 466]: No. Information obtained from claimants to unemployment benefit and other social security benefits is restricted to that necessary to enable the Department of Health and Social Services to consider entitlement to the benefit claimed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which version of the Anglo-Irish agreement was lodged with the United Nations.

I have been asked to reply.Both the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland texts of the Anglo-Irish agreement were registered at the United Nations on 20 December 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much money is allocated by his Department this year for joint care funding; and how this compares with expenditure over each of the past three years.

I shall make an announcement about the level of funds available shortly.

asked the Secretary for Wales how many patients are to be sent home from the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, as a result of recent money-saving proposals.

No proposals have been implemented by South Glamorgan health authority at the University Hospital of Wales which have affected patient attendances.

asked the Secretary for Wales if he will publish figures showing the incidence of bovine tuberculosis in each of the Welsh counties for each year since 1981; and if he will make a statement.

The number of new herds with bovine tuberculosis in each Welsh county for each year from 1981 to 1985 is shown in the table.

asked the Secretary for Wales if he will publish figures showing how many cases of farmer's lung were reported in east Dyfed during 1985–86; and if he will publish the corresponding figures for each year since 1981.

The information is not available centrally in the form requested. The following table shows, for each of the years 1982 to 1985, the numbers of discharges of cases treated for farmer's lung at hospitals in east Dyfed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will initiate measures to enhance the specialist medical care for sufferers of farmer's lung by establishing a regional centre for such care in each part of Wales.

Responsibility for the provision of facilities for the treatment of respiratory diseases, including farmer's lung, other than those requiring the special care of the regional service provision in respect of radiotherapy and thoracic surgery, lies with the district health authorities. We do not propose to initiate any changes, since the Department has not received any requests from the health authorities for the redesignation of the service offered to people suffering from farmer's lung.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines his Department offers to local education authorities in the event of mergers of bilingual schools with English-medium schools.

Guidance on Welsh-medium provision is offered in "Welsh in Schools" published in 1981. Welsh Office circular 26/80 states that a change in the linguistic character of a maintained school would generally be regarded as significant. Where such a change was contemplated it would require publication of proposals under section 12 of the Education Act 1980 (section 13 in the case of a voluntary school).

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the privatisation of the Welsh water authority will affect charges made for bulk supplies to other water undertakings.

The Water Services plc's will be free to negotiate for bulk supplies at a commercial rate. While having regard to the general principle that charges should be cost related and should not be discrimatory, undertakers who are unable to agree terms will have the right to appeal to the Director General of Water Services; and in determining such appeals the Director General will take account of all relevant factors. The Government would expect the Director General to allow Welsh Water, like any other exporting water company, to earn a reasonable profit from the sale of bulk supplies. Equally, the Director General would be expected to ensure that monopoly situations will not be abused.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce legislation to exempt residential homes for elderly people from liability to rates; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each European Economic Community country the percentage rate of unemployment in May 1979 and at the latest available date in each case, the numbers employed in manufacturing and the number of full-time adult male workers.

The available information on unemployment rates is given in the following table. The figures are based on national definitions and are not fully comparable.

asked the Paymaster General how many people were employed in 1980 in Coventry in the manufacture of machine tools; and how many were employed in the last 12 months.

Employment statistics for local areas are available only for those dates when censuses of employment are taken. No census was taken in 1980, but in 1981, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 3,800 employees employed in the Coventry jobcentre area in the manufacture of metal-working machine tools (activity heading 3221 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980).

asked the Paymaster General what has been the rise in the rate of unemployment in the Coventry, North-East constituency in the last 18 months; and what is the level of unfilled vacancies.

The following information is in the Library. Unemployment rates are not calculated for areas smaller than travel-to-work areas. However, on 13 September 1984 there were 9,180 unemployed claimants in the Coventry, North-East constituency. The corresponding number for 6 March 1986 was 8,559, a fall over the last 18 months of 621. Comparisons over the period are affected by seasonal factors and the change in the basis of the count in March 1986. Information on the number of unfilled vacancies in the Coventry, North-East constituency is not available. However, on 7 March 1986 there were 692 unfilled vacancies at the Coventry jobcentre and 39 unfilled vacancies at the Coventry careers office.

asked the Paymaster General what percentage of economically active women between the ages of 16 and 60 years are in work, full-time and part-time, in the Coventry, North-East constituency.

The available information comes from the 1981 census of population and is contained in "Parliamentary Constituency Monitor" reference CEN 81 PCM 22, published on 19 May 1983, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General how many of the vacancies registered at jobcentres at the latest available date were for part-time employment.

On 7 March 1986 there were 45,229 unfilled vacancies at jobcentres in Great Britain which involved work for less than 30 hours per week, out of a total of 158,263.

asked the Paymaster General what consultation took place with the training providers prior to launching the restart scheme.

Restart courses were piloted earlier this year in nine areas by 30 providers who were consulted in the design of the revised course for the national restart programme.

asked the Paymaster General what additional funds have been made available to training providers in order that they can meet the extra demand for training stimulated by the restart scheme and the action for jobs campaign.

An additional £50 million has been made available to the Manpower Services Commission in 1986–87 to enable the commission to fund short training courses through local training providers.

asked the Paymaster General what percentage of funds for training under the restart scheme is targeted to meeting the needs of the unemployed ethnic minorities.

Since all registered long-term unemployed people will be eligible for the new restart courses, ethnic minorities will benefit. No specific additional funds have been made available for ethnic minorities, under the restart programme.

asked the Paymaster General how much has been paid to Scottish Gospel Outreach by the Manpower Services Commission for employment projects in respect of (a) use of premises and facilities and (b) telephone and other administrative costs.

Scottish Gospel Outreach has two community programme projects funded by the Manpower Services Commission. The Manpower Services Commission has made no payments for use of premises and since April 1985 has paid respectively £1,079·55 and £1,136·00 to each project in respect of administration and other overheads costs including telephone.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the names of the supervisors of the employment projects run by Scottish Gospel Outreach on behalf of the Manpower Services Commission.

The Scottish Gospel Outreach sponsors two community programme projects, the Helping Hands project and the Dennistoun Lunch Club project. Each of these projects has a supervisor. I shall write to the hon. Member separately on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions have been held in the European Economic Community Foreign Affairs Council concerning the general agreement on tariffs and trade negotiations; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave on 9 April to the hon. Member for Knowsley, North (Mr. Kilroy-Silk). Discussions are expected at both this month's and next month's meetings of the EC Foreign Affairs Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will estimate the cost to United Kingdom industry of the new United States export control régime in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

It is not possible to estimate the cost of complying with the new United States distribution licence regulations, which depends on how often, if at all, United Kingdom companies comply. Such compliance is unlikely unless United Kingdom companies see commercial justification for doing so.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing such information as is available to him for Spain and Portugal relating to the average price paid for basic foodstuffs imported from (a) the United States of America and (b) the European Economic Community in 1985 compared with the price paid for United Kingdom imports from the European Economic Community.

The available information is in the table. These countries import different types of food both in total and from each of the sources. Given the wide range of foodstuffs prices, averages of differing mixtures are likely to show substantial differences.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the European Economic Community percentage share of the United Kingdom market in 1975, the second quarter of 1979 and the latest available quarter in the case of man-made fibres, agricultural machinery, cotton textiles, motor vehicles, engineering, wool textiles, carpets, motor cars, chemicals and textiles generally.

Estimates of the European Community import share of the United Kingdom market in 1975, 1979 and 1984 for the industrial sectors required are given in the table. This information is not readily available on a quarterly basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of imports of timber to the United Kingdom for each of the past five years;(2) what proportion of the total timber imported into the United Kingdom over the past five years is of a type which is grown commercially in the United Kingdom; arid if he will make a statement.

Information on the value of timber imports is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the expenditure on regional development grant and regional selective assistance in each region of England, Scotland and Wales for each financial year from 1981–82 to 1985–86.

The information requested is given by economic planning regions in the following tables:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the amount of net official development assistance provided by Britain to developing countries in 1985 as a percentage of gross national product.

Provisional figures indicate that in 1985 Britain provided net official development assistance equivalent to 0·33 per cent. of GNP.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further financial aid has been granted, or is proposed to be granted, to the dependent territory of Gibraltar in the present financial year; and for what purpose this aid is to be provided.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, South (Mr. Bright) on 16 April at column 394.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters were discussed when his chief education adviser visited South Africa last month.

The Overseas Development Administration's chief education adviser had discussions with non-governmental organisations in South Africa about the provision of scholarships and other assistance for disadvantaged South Africans.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients have been discharged from mental illness hospitals in Scotland in each of the past six years, broken down by length of stay, age and sex.

The information is as follows: