asked the Prime Minister whether, prior to her decision to approve the use of bases in the United Kingdom for the air attack on Libya, President Reagan provided her with any estimate of the scale and type of the additional casualties which he judged would result from the non-use of United Kingdom-based F1–11 aircraft in the operation; and if she will make a statement.

I have nothing further to add to my statement to the House on 15 April.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will take action to ensure that no part of the call-out payments made to the men who man the lifeboats around Britain's shores should rank for tax, but at all times be treated for taxation purposes as a proper and legitimate payment of expenses.

As my right hon. Friend the Financial Secretary made clear in his written reply on 15 April, at column 354, the Inland Revenue has not proposed any change in the tax treatment of these payments to voluntary' lifeboatmen, which can continue to be made without deduction of tax under PAYE.

asked the Prime Minister if, in the course of her visit to Korea, she was able to press the Government to liberalise the market foi- Scotch whisky bottled in Scotland; and what was the response.

I pressed the Korean Government to open their market in general, and they have undertaken to consider a timetable for the liberalisation of bottled Scotch whisky. They have already agreed not to implement the threatened ban on the import of bulk whisky.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the responsibilities discharged by the Department of Energy in support of the United Kingdom's nuclear weapons programme.

The Department of Energy has no direct responsibilities in support of the United Kingdom weapons programme. It does, however, sponsor British Nuclear Fuels plc., which is a defence contractor.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on co-ordination between the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the increase in duties on foreign vegetables arising out of Spain's accession to the European Economic Community.

Throughout the Spanish accession negotiations there was continuous close coordination between the Government Departments concerned, including the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. This level of co-operation has continued since the application of the common agricultural policy to Spain on 1 March. We have pressed vigorously for a reduction in the present Spanish tariff on frozen peas imported from the Ten.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 13 May.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 13 May.

This morning I 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 hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the failure of the Common Market Commission to provide to the Council monthly reports on the trend of agricultural spending as provided by the Council agreement of 4 December 1984; and if she will make a statement.

I would not expect this issue to be discussed at the European Council. The Commission regularly informs the member states on the trend in agricultural spending, but we will continue to press the Commission to provide information in the appropriate forum in accordance with its undertakings in the budget discipline agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is yet able to publish the report of the study of prison officers' complementing and shift systems, to which he referred in his speech to the House on 6 May, Official Report, columns 44–45; and if he will make a statement.

A study of complementing and shift systems undertaken by a joint team of Prison Department officials and management consultants was set in hand by my predecessor, my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Brittan) last September. I have now had an opportunity to study the report and have decided that it should be published. I shall be placing copies of the report in the Library. I shall be making the report available to the prison service generally and to the Prison Officers' Association.The report presents a telling indictment of the present shift and complementing systems in the prison service and the working practices which surround them. It is critical of the systems, not of those who operate them. It makes recommendations for new systems which would release large amounts of now unproductive capacity which ought to be used for other purposes: the report suggests that wasted capacity amounts to 15 to 20 per cent. The professional advice which I have had suggests that the recommended new systems are soundly based and practical and I have asked that proposals for change based on them be worked up as quickly as possible by Prison Department management. As part of this process, account will be taken of the findings of a scrutiny led by the central efficiency unit of the escorting to court of prisoners held in prison service establishments as well as of an internal review of the management structure of prisons.Taken together, the recommendations of these studies represent a major programme of reform for the prison service and as such they will obviously need to be discussed with those who represent the staff of the service; including the Prison Officers' Association. One of prison officers' principal concerns will clearly be the effect which these prospective changes will have on how prison officers are paid. As part of the overall package for reform which we shall be developing, therefore, we shall also be looking at what needs to be done to modernise pay systems. The package which we shall be proposing will seek to provide the changes which are necessary to enable the service to be organised more effectively and pay systems which will give staff and management a fair deal.The prison service has to be reshaped in relation to the way it organises itself to do the work required of it. Recent events have amply proved that. The work of modernisation needs to be carried forward urgently. I think it would be reasonable, given the circumstances, to set a target date of April 1987 for the new systems. I trust that all those who will be involved in examining and discussing the scope for change will recognise the importance of the task which faces them and will approach it with good sense and understanding.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to give effect to the conventions of Chicago, Tokyo, The Hague and Montreal to permit the extradition of terrorists involved in the hijacking of aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

The Tokyo Convention Act 1967 gave effect to that convention in United Kingdom law. The Hague and Montreal conventions were implemented respectively through the Hijacking Act 1971 and the Protection of Aircraft act 1973, both of which have since been repealed and their provisions consolidated into the Aviation Security Act 1982. Orders have been made under these Acts and under the Extradition Act 1870 making the offences referred to in the conventions extraditable in respect of the contracting parties to the conventions. The Chicago convention, which the United Kingdom ratified in 1947, contains no provision for extradition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Glamorgan about the action he is taking to combat the increase in the crime rate: and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable that the crime rate in the South Wales force area rose by 1·28 per cent. during 1985 and that reported crime in the Cardiff, West area fell by 10·3 per cent. The chief constable is taking a number of steps to encourage public participation in crime prevention measures and beleives that these figure, which compare favourably with a national average increase of 3 per cent. in reported crime, are an indication of the success which is being achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in view of the nuclear disaster in the Ukraine, if he is satisfied that civil defence in the United Kingdom is sufficiently staffed and is able to respond to emergencies, in cases of nuclear fallout; and if he will make a statement;(2) in view of the nuclear disaster at Chernobyl in the Ukraine, if he will consider increasing the grants for civil defence purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Civil defence resources in this country can often be used to advantage against peacetime emergencies, but there has been no significant role for them in the response to the effects of the explosion at Chernobyl. We are separately examining the resources available to local authorities as a part of the assessment of their civil defence preparedness.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total capital grant given to South Glamorgan county council for civil defence purposes; how the money is being used, from the latest available information; and if he will make a statement.

In the financial year 1984–85, the most recent year for which final figures are available, South Glamorgan county council received £61,518·86 civil defence grant on net audited expenditure of £79,863·56. The main elements were the county emergency planning team, the provision and equipping of emergency centres, staff training in civil defence, and the rental of emergency communications equipment.In common with all other county level authorities in England and Wales South Glamorgan county council was asked on 21 January 1985 to complete its plans under the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983 and to send copies to us by 15 January 1986. In the absence of any response from South Glamorgan, officials wrote to the council on 25 February to say that my right hon. Friend required copies of the plans and to draw attention to regulation 6(

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the change in Cardiff in the number of crimes involving the use of objects with intent to harm since 1983; and if he will make a statement.

Numbers of recorded offences of violence against the person by police force area are published annually in chapter 2 of the Command Paper on "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", and most recently in a Home Office "Statistical Bulletin" (table 6 of Issue Number 4/86). The only information which is collected centrally on the use of weapons relates to notifiable offences in which firearms were reported to have been used. In 1984 there were 205 such offences recorded by the South Wales police, which was 7 per cent. less than the number recorded in 1983. These figures are published annually in "Criminal Statistics, Supplementary Tables", volume 3 (table S.3.1(A) of the issue for 1984). Figures for 1985 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the change in the number of prison officers employed at each of the London prisons during the last 12 months.

The number of staff of the prison officer class in post at each of the London prisons on 1 April 1986 and on the corresponding date last year is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions over the past five years the Merseyside police authority has requested an increase in its force establishment; how many additional posts have been agreed to; and if he will make a statement.

There has been one such application. The new Merseyside police authority, which took over responsibility on 1 April 1986, included a proposal for an increase in the police establishment of the force in its manpower plans for the financial year 1986–87. My right hon. Friend approved 72 additional police posts for the force on 26 March 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the developments in the last two years of the mini-computer and word-processing equipment market, he will reconsider the relevance of the Data Protection Act and provision for greater exemptions from its provisions.

The Act is not yet fully in force and it is too soon to consider whether any changes are required.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide an estimate of the cost of litigation and the services of the courts for which his Department is making contingency plans as a result of the implementation and enforcement of the Data Protection Act;(2) if he will estimate how many additional lawyers are going to be needed, within the relevant Government Departments, as a result of and the enforcement of the Data Protection Act.

No. We do not believe that it is possible to make estimates of the type the hon. Gentleman suggests with enough precision to be of any value.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants have been appointed to staff the office of the Registrar of Data Protection; what increase is anticipated over the next three years; and what will be the gross cost per annum to the Exchequer arising from all aspects of the implementation of the Data Protection Act.

The registrar has at present 44 permanent and 36 temporary staff, of which only one is a civil servant. The Registrar is currently reviewing his long-term staffing requirements and it is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the eventual complement he will require.It is intended that the cost of the registrar's operations under the Act will be covered by registration fees received from data users. Some Government Departments are likely to incur costs in meeting the subject access provisions of the Act and in other compliance costs, some estimates of which were included in the explanatory' and financial memorandum to the Data Protection Bill in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be able to publish the total of those who have registered under the Data Protection Act 1984 and to estimate the number of users who have not done so.

The Data Protection Registrar estimates that by 10 May he had received approximately 110,000 applications for registration. Applications are continuing to be received in considerable numbers and it will be some time before he will be able to make any estimate of the number of data users who may not have registered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were detained in the Armley (Leeds) and Wakefield prisons on 30 March; and how many prisoners these prisons are meant to hold.

Figures for 3(1 March are not recorded centrally. On 31 March the population and certified normal accommodation of Her Majesty's prison Leeds and Her Majesty's prison Wakefield were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Liverpool.

I have not visited Liverpool recently, although I shall do so on 16 May. My hon. Friend the Minister of State visited Merseyside on 22 April. He had discussions about policing matters with the chief constable and other police officers, with members of the police authority, and with members of the Police Superintendents' Association and the Police Federation. He then visited the Albert dock and opened Granada Television's news centre there.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his answer of 6 May, Official Report, columns 21–22, if he will call for a further report from the chief constable of Lincolnshire as to the whereabouts of diaries, a birth certificate, and papers relating to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise which were

I understand that all five birth certificates and some Customs and Excise documents seized by the police were returned to Mrs. Stapleton either direct on 26 February or through her solicitor on 19 and 21 March. The remainder of the Customs and Excise documents are being held by the police at the request of the liquidator. The diaries are being retained by the police as evidence in forthcoming criminal proceedings; representatives for the defence have been informed as to their availability for examination.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the name, date of death, circumstances of death, and inquest verdict in respect of each prisoner of 20 years old or less who has died in penal institutions since 1 January 1980; and if he will make a statement.

The readily available information about the date and circumstances of death and the inquest verdicts in respect of prisoners aged under 21 who have died in Prison Department custody (including outside hospitals) in England and Wales since 1 January 1980 is as follows.It is not the practice to publish the names of such prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any evidence of arrangements between any oil companies designed to maintain high petrol prices in different parts of the United Kingdom.

I have no evidence of any such arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 27 March,Official Report, column 556, how many departmental civil servants are currently employed in negotiations with the European Commission on safeguards arrangements; and how many meetings, and on what dates, have been held between the United Kingdom and the European Commission on the safeguarding of the joint civil-military material balance area at Sellafield.

The Department of Energy safeguards office includes four scientific civil servants who carry out the detailed negotiations with the European Commission on safeguards matters, in consultation with others as appropriate. The number of meetings held has been numerous, but over the period April 1985 to April 1986 20 meetings took place in London, Sellafield and Luxembourg on the subject of the civil-military interface at BNF Sellafield.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will review the powers of entry to private property by gas boards; and if he will make a statement.

The gas industry's rights of entry for disconnection purposes have been thoroughly reviewed and will be carried forward into the Gas Bill. They maintain the safeguards contained in the Rights of Entry' (Gas and Electricity) Boards Act 1954.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry by how much Japanese leather imports into the United Kingdom have increased in the past four years; and whether he attributes this rise to any particular factor.

Over the past four years Japanese leather imports have increased by £2·7 million a value of £25·6 million in 1985. Over the same period import penetration of leather and leather goods into the United Kingdom has remained around 45 per cent.: the Japanese share of this amounts to 0·5 per cent. This indicates that although Japan's imports have increased in value terms, its share of the United Kingdom market has remained stable. The rise can largely be attributed to the increase in the world price of leather.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to set up a development agency for the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

No. I have no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the appointment to the South-Western Electricity Council for a vacant seat, following the resignation of a member front the Isles of Scilly, will be made.

An appointment will be made very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will grant intermediate status to the Castleford travel-to-work area; and if he will make a statement.

No. While I am always willing to consider representations on assisted area coverage, it would require a very strong case indeed to convince me of the need to alter the assisted area map so soon after the last change.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what quantity of wool is imported annually from Australia; and what percentage of the wool used in the United Kingdom is represented by these imports.

Imports of wool from Australia between 1981 and 1984 averaged approximately 10,000 tonnes per annum, but rose to 24,000 tonnes in 1985. However, these figures are not directly comparable with those of United Kingdom consumption, owing to differences of defination. It is estimated that imports of Australian wool accounted for approximately 20 per cent. of the United Kingdom industry consumption in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the take-up of cheap credit facilities for trade with China and give details of its allocation to date.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the deficit in all trade and trade in manufactures, respectively, with the current membership of the EEC in the first quarters of (a) 1983, (b)1984, (c) 1985 and (d) 1986, respectively.

The information is in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the percentage of the United Kingdom's exports of all goods and manufactured goods, respectively, which went to the current membership of the EEC in (a) 1983, (b) 1984, (c) 1985 and (d) the first quarter of 1986, respectively.

The information is in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the reasons for the decline in exports to the EEC and the increase in imports from the EEC in the first quarter of 1986.

There were falls in the value of exports of oil, machinery and transport equipment to France, Netherlands, FR Germany and Italy. Imports from the Community countries were little changed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when, in March 1983, the Export Credits Guarantee Department converted bank guarantees into convertible preference shares in Massey-Ferguson Holdings, what proportion of those guarantees related to open account dealings; and when the financing banks received payment from Massey-Ferguson debtors in respect of those guarantees.

ECGD bank guarantees were not converted into shareholdings in Massey-Ferguson Holdings. In March 1983, ECGD agreed to acquire shares in the company as part of an international financial support arrangement, designed to enable the company to continue meeting its obligations to lending banks, some of which were guaranteed by ECGD.None of the ECGD bank guarantees concerned related to open account dealings. Subsequent payments due from Massey-Ferguson debtors have all been received without significant delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received from people with package tours booked to the Soviet Union about the terms of cancellation of tours and the eligibility for refunds, in the light of the Government's advice to avoid travelling to certain areas of the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will initiate urgent discussions with tour companies with a view to ensuring that they observe a common practice in repayment of deposits to travellers cancelling visits to the Soviet Union on the basis of Her Majesty's Government's advice in the light of the recent nuclear accident at Chernobyl; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the outcome of the studies into the possibility of decontaminating Gruinard Island; and if he will make a statement.

In the last few years the Ministry of Defence has been investigating the possibility of developing a technique for decontaminating Gruinard Island. which is situated off the north-west coast of Scotland, and which was contaminated with anthrax in field trials in 1942 and 1943. The island has remained closed to the public since that time.A technique has now been devised which involves treating the infected area with a solution of formaldehyde in seawater. This method has been scrutinised by an independent advisory group of eminent specialists and has been confirmed to be satisfactory. We have therefore decided that work aimed at decontamination should proceed forthwith and a contractor has been selected for the task. It is hoped that work will begin early this summer.The success of the operation will be assessed by the Ministry of Defence, with further advice from the independent advisory group, before any decision is taken about returning the island to civil ownership.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints were received concerning low-flying military aircraft during the first four months of 1986.

The total number of inquiries and complaints received between 1 January and 30 April about low flying was 935.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying exercises in United Kingdom airspace in 1985 involved United States Air Force F111 aircraft.

United States Air Force F111 aircraft were involved in seven low-flying exercises in the United Kingdom during 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of orders to date won by United Kingdom firms to participate in the strategic defence initiative.

Seven.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the meeting of the Defence Planning Committee on 28 April.

There was no such meeting. There was, however a meeting of the Defence Review Committee, a subordinate committee, which considered a package of NATO force goals addressed to the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received in the last year critical of circular NDHD 11–82; and if he will make a statement.

The Ministry of Defence Staff Association has made a number of representations requesting the withdrawal or substantial revision of the MOD circular notice to directors and heads of divisions (NDHD 11–82). This NDHD was issued as guidance to MOD managers in dealing with correspondence and representations from MODSA. It is shortly to be revised to reflect the MODSA recognition in respect of Royal Observer Corps and mooring, salvage and boom officer grades.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the report submitted to him by the Armed Forces pay review board.

My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has received the report of the Review Body on Armed Forces Pay and hopes to announce shortly the Government's decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government are satisfied with security around Royal Air Force facilities being used by the United States of America.

Security at these bases and facilities is kept under constant review in the light of the assessed threat.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the tendering arrangements for type 23 frigates.

I have nothing to add to the letter I sent to the hon. Member for Dunfermline, West (Mr. Douglas) on 7 May 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce the placing of orders for type 23 frigates; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the statement I made to the House at column 529 during the Navy debate on 6 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek to negotiate with the United States Secretary of Defence separate arrangements for the approval of the use of United States bases in the United Kingdom for conventional and for nuclear purposes.

No. Appropriate arrangements already exist to cover both conventional and nuclear forces.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the assessment of conventionally armed long-range stand-off missiles or complementary systems to manned aircraft are complete; and if he will make a statement.

A collaborative study into the feasibility of conventionally armed long-range stand-off missiles is continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to make an announcement concerning the upgrading of battlefield nuclear weapons.

I cannot add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Central (Mr. Caborn) on 20 January, at columns 90–91, and to the communiqué issued at the NATO nuclear planning group's meeting in March. a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied that the Eurofighter will meet the in-service date requirement of the Royal Air Force.

The European fighter aircraft programme is expected to meet the in-service date requirement of the Royal Air Force. The current project definition activities will lead to a detailed timetable for the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about United Kingdom membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation.

My Department receives a considerable number of inquiries each year on many aspects of the United Kingdom's membership of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation. We have not been able to identify any recent representations specifically on whether or not the United Kingdom should remain a member of NATO, but I feel sure that the overwhelming majority of British people would want the United Kingdom's membership to continue.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what role in the recent United States attack on Libya was undertaken by Nimrod Royal Air Force reconnaissance planes.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on exercise Lean Look.

We are on course towards achieving the service manpower savings planned in the support areas in Lean Look.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what conclusions he has arrived at regarding section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1947 in the light of the representations made to him by the deputation of hon. Members, ex-service personnel and their relatives.

The Secretary of State has taken careful note of all the representations he has received concerning

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration is being given to fitting the anti-ship Sea Eagle missile to the EH 101 helicopter.

The primary role planned for the EH 101 is as an anti-submarine warfare helicopter for the Royal Navy. As such it is not currently designed to carry anti-ship missiles. However, studies are being undertaken into possibilities for extending the EH 101's capability to include the carriage of missiles such as Sea Eagle, although no decision has yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the contracts given by his Ministry in the years 1980 to 1985 in relation to tyres for defence equipment; whether these tyres were for road vehicles, aircraft or for other purposes; and if he will specify the country of manufacture of the tyres purchased and outline the criteria for tender which may give advantage to British tyre production.

The companies awarded contracts by my Ministry in relation to tyres for defence equipment are listed below. Records are not readily available for 1980 but the 1986 contracts have already been placed and these are therefore included.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when the next meeting of North Atlantic Treaty Organisation ambassadors is due to take place.

There are regular meetings of both the North Atlantic Council and Defence Planning Committee in permanent session planned for later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total value to date of the subcontracts placed with British firms for the United States Trident D5 weapon system.

The latest figure available shows the total value of awards on United Kingdom companies for the United States Trident D5 weapon system as around $43 million. This figure represents some 185 contracts let to over 50 companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses owned by his Department are now vacant in the neighbourhood of the Ministry's establishement in Shoeburyness; and what plans he has for these properties.

There are 48 married quarters currently vacant at Shoeburyness which are held pending the outcome of studies of the future of Horseshoe barracks. We would welcome any formal approach regarding leasing by Southend council.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the potential benefits of the experimental aircraft projects programme.

The experimental aircraft programme is a technology demonstrator programme which will give practical experience in the integration of the wide range of new technologies required for new, sophisticated combat aircraft, including manufacture of large structural components in composite material, fly-by-wire technology and advanced avionics. The lessons learned from the programme will have application to many aspects of modern combat aircraft, including the European fighter aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the state of repair of the water tank, the property of his Department, at Walker drive, South Queensferry; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1986, column 262]: The water tank in question was sold by my Department along with other land in 1978 to the Lothian regional council. Its current condition is therefore a matter for that council or its successors.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the losses in revenue from commercial rates suffered by councils covering the Cardiff, West constituency in 1975, 1980 and 1985.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much derelict land has been reclaimed by county area in Wales for each year from 1975 to 1985; how much funding was available for each year; and if in any year the sum was underspent.

Land reclamation schemes often involve works in more than one year. The following information is therefore provided on the basis of schemes approved to start in the years in question.Since the Welsh Development Agency was given responsibility for the administration of land reclamation work on 1 January 1976, the agency has approved schemes to reclaim the following amounts of derelict land:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action is being taken by his Department to encourage district councils to make greater use of building society funds to supplement renovation grants.

We are actively considering ways of encouraging agency services to assist and advise homeowners as to the repair and maintenance of their homes, making full use of funds from building societies where appropriate. In particular we are financing a feasibility study for an agency project in the Cynon Valley which would be a collaborative venture between the local authority and a number of building societies. We shall also publish shortly a leaflet on block repair which encourages both homeowners and district councils to liaise with individual building societies or banks as potential sources of funding to supplement renovation grants.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what are the latest projections by age for the numbers of heads of households in Wales in (a) 1986, (b) 1991, (c) 1996 and (d) 2001; and what is the estimate for 1983 in the age groups (i) 15 to 29 years, (ii) 30 to 44 years, (iii) 45 to 64 years and (iv) 65 years and over;(2) what are the latest household projections for Wales by type for 1991, and 2001; and what were the estimates for 1983.

The information is published in the "1983 Based Household Projections for Counties of Wales", a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many homeless persons there are in each local authority area in Wales.

Information on the number currently homeless is not held centrally. However, the number of persons accepted as homeless in each local authority during 1985 is given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are on waiting lists for council accommodation in each of the local authority areas in Wales.

Edwards: This information is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many council-owned houses have been sold by each local authority in Wales in each year since 1980.

The number of council-owned houses sold by each local authority in Wales in each year since 1980 is shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses are owned by each local authority in Wales.

The number of houses owned by each local authority in Wales at 1 April 1985, is given in the following table: