asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) of prisoners serving sentences eligible for parole in each of the years 1983, 1984 and 1985, what proportion or what percentage served (a) less than 25 per cent., (b) less than 30 per cent., (c) less than 40 per cent., (d) less than 50 per cent., (e) less than 60 per cent. and (f) less than two-thirds of their sentence;(2) what proportion of prisoners sentenced were eligible for parole in each of the years 1983, 1984 and 1985.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many officials for whom he has responsibility currently have the power to enter and search premises subject to statutory conditions; and, in each case, if he will indicate the statutory authority under which power is exercised.

Up-to-date information is not readily available. Information which is available from a survey in 1981 indicates that officials for whom I have responsibility have the power to enter premises under the following legislative provisions:

• Civil Defence Act 1948
• Conservation of Seals Act 1970
• Cruelty to Animals Act 1876
• Gaming Act 1968
• Immigration Act 1971
• Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972
• Misuse of Drugs Act 1971
• Peforming of Animals (Regulation) Act 1925
• Poisons Act 1972
• Prevention of Terrorism (Supplemental Temporary Provisions) Order 1984
• Prisons Act 1952
• Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975

In practice, exercise of the powers is confined to cruelty to animals inspectors, drugs branch inspectors, immigration officers, or prison officers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 23 May, Official Report, column 334, if he will list the number of people entering the United Kingdom in the past 12 months with (i) an entry clearance letter or (ii) a work permit.

From the statistics collected of passengers entering the United Kingdom it is not possible to distinguish the total number admitted with prior entry clearance. However, 606,000 entry clearances to the United Kingdom were issued worldwide in 1985. A total of 19,560 work permit holders and their dependants were admitted during 1985; figures for the first quarter of 1986 will be published on 12 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many stops on the removal of persons from the United Kingdom were made by hon. Members for the period 1 May to 31 May 1986; and what were the figures for the equivalent period for 1985, 1984 and 1983, respectively.

Six hundred and ninety two covering deportation, illegal entry, and port refusal cases. For May 1985, information is available in respect of port refusal cases only when there were 441 such stops. The equivalent is not available for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) during the period 1 May to 31 May, how many hon. Members, having placed a stop on the removal of a person from the United Kingdom, (a) asked for more than 12 working days to make representations, (b) were granted extra time to make representations and (c) did not follow up their original request for a stop;(2) how many representations made by hon. Members in immigration cases were received too late for consideration by his office in the period 1 May to 31 May 1986.

Complete information for the period in question is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hon. Members were permitted to make secondary representations on removals from the United Kingdom during May 1986; and what were the equivalent numbers for 1985, 1984 and 1983, respectively.

Seventeen Members made secondary representations in 23 deportation, illegal entry and port refusal cases. For May 1985 information is available for port refusal cases only, when there were 34 secondary representations. The equivalent information is not available for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations made by hon. Members by (a) telephone and (b) letter were refused between 1 May and 31 May 1986 due to the case involving a non-constituent.

Information on the number of cases in which representations were not accepted for consideration on the grounds that they involved a non-constituent is not centrally recorded. We have no record of any representations being considered and refused during the period on the ground specified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of representations on immigration matters from hon. Members, received by his office for the period 1 May to 31 May 1986; and what were the equivalent figures for 1985, 1984 and 1983, respectively.

The available information relates to the number of immigration files^* created following representations by right hon. and hon. Members, and is as follows:

1–31May	Number
1983	910
1984	1,007
1985	1,260
1986	1,202

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received (a) in respect of London and (b) for the rest of the country, about police posts suitable for the direct employment of civilian staff or transfer to other agencies; and if he will make a statement about whether he proposes to take any action on this matter.

Chief officers of police have, with our encouragement, developed and implemented many proposals for making better use of their manpower by these means. Significant progress has been made in releasing officers for operational duty.In the Metropolitan police, over 300 officers were released for operational duty in 1984–85 and 1985–86 through the civilianisation of posts not requiring police powers, skills or training; and the increase of up to 600 in the civil staff ceiling over the next four years which my right hon. Friend announced on 20 May should lead to the release of a further 400. A comprehensive review of the Metropolitan police's commitment to a wide range of peripheral duties has also produced savings in police time, the most significant being a reduction in the force's involvement in court duties.In the provinces, civilianisation released about 900 officers for operational duty in 1983–84 and 1984–85. In addition, all forces keep the tasks performed by police officers under review with a view to relieving them of duties which might more efficiently be carried out by other means.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many registrations his Department has made under the Data Protection Act; how many people are involved with implementing the legislation in his Department as a significant part of their job description; and how much he estimates it will cost to conform with the eight, data protection principles.

The Department has made 84 applications for registration under the Data Protection Act; across the Department 12 members of staff work on data protection matters as a significant part of their duties.Entitlement to access by data subjects as required under the seventh data protection principle will become effective from 11 November 1987 and access will normally be subject to payment of a fee. It is as yet too early to say what the grant of access might cost the Department. Conforming with the other data protection principles is not of itself considered likely to incur the Department in any costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many certificates he has signed under section 27 of the Data Protection Act; and if he will describe briefly the subject matter of each.

Certificates under section 27 of the Data Protection Act relate to exemption from the provisions of part II and sections 21 to 24 of part IV of the Act, for the purpose of safeguarding national security. Disclosing details of such certificates would itself not be in the interest of national security.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to his statement on 17 April, Official Report, column 1150, concerning compensation for victims of the Brighton bombing on 12 October 1984, whether in view of the stage the current trial at the Old Bailey has now reached, the seven claimants whose claims are ready for settlement by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, have now been paid; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the board has been keeping in touch with the progress of the trial, but has not yet sent offers to those applicants (now eight in number) whose cases have been held up.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the scrutiny given by Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate to the 1986–87 London Fire and Civil Defence Authority establishment scheme for the London Fire Brigade; and if he will publish the criteria used by Her Majesty's inspectorate in determining the feasibility of the proposed loss of specialist fire appliances and fire fighters' posts contained in the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority scheme.

In considering the establishment scheme of the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority for 1986–87 Her Majesty's Fire Service Inspectorate were concerned to ensure that it would provide adequate protection from fire in line with nationally agreed and recommended standards, consistent with the need for economy. efficiency and effectiveness. In addition to scrutinising the detail of the scheme, the inspectorate's judgments took into account the outcome of consultations with representatives of the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority and the London Fire Brigade.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in which police areas in large towns or cities adequate arrangements have been made under section 106 (1) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 without a police consultative committee being set up; and what information he has on alternative arrangements in such areas for obtaining the views of the community on policing;(2) if he is satisfied that all police areas have adequate arrangements for obtaining the views of people in their area about matters concerning the policing of the area and for obtaining their co-operation with the police in preventing crime in their area.

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member on 3 June 1986, at column 516, reports we receive from Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary indicate that consultative committees have been set up in most large towns and cities, although in some areas the police authority has preferred to develop other existing arrangements, such as crime prevention panels and established links between the police and community organisations. Consultative committees are in the process of establishment in all London boroughs, although in some cases the final arrangements have not yet been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much Government money has been allocated through his Department under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for the general education budget for the ethnic minorities in each of the past nine years and to date; if he will give the corresponding figures for Leicestershire; and if he will make a statement.

Grant under section 11 is paid to local authorities only in respect of staff employed to meet the special needs of Commonwealth immigrants. Applications for grant must meet the criteria set Out from time to time in circulars issued by the Department.The table shows the total amount paid under section 11 to local authorities in England and Wales in respect of education posts for the years 1976–77 to 1983–84, with corresponding figures for Leicestershire county council. For 1984–85 the figures show the amount of grant claimed by local authorities for that year. The total amounts shown as paid to the county council in 1980–81 and 1981–82 exclude expenditure of £117,830 and £131,036 respectively on certain non-teaching posts; and for 1983–84 exclude a retrospective payment of £71,571 which in part relates to years earlier than those for which t he information has been requested. These excluded sums were all included in the information provided in the reply given to my hon. Friend on 25 April 1985, at column 512.

Expenditure on Education Posts under Section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966
	Local Authorities in England and Wales £	Leicestershire County Council £
1976–77	24,549,043	1,398,976
1977–78	27,702,803	1,512,613
1978–79	32,660,564	1,515,082

Date	Number of persons arrested	Number of persons charged	Offences with which charged	Number of persons released without charge	Longest period in custody before release*
6 May	0	—	—	—	—
12 May	19	0	—	19	3 hours 27 minutes
19 May	18	1	†	17	3 hours 21 minutes
28 May	0	—	—	—	—
2 June	17	—	—	‡17	6 hours 20 minutes
9 June	16	0	—	‡16	4 hours 40 minutes
* Relates to the last person released without charge. Others were released at earlier stages.
† Obstruction of the highway and obstructing a police officer.
‡ Released on police bail.

	Local Authorities in England and Wales £	Leicestershire County Council £
1979–80	40,300,536	1,566,186
1980–81	52,766,750	1,863,595
1981–82	61,174,270	2,029,890
1982–83	68,456,613	2,269,149
1983–84	74,862,171	2,410,404
1984–85	80,399,293	2,509,702

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any research has been carried out or commissioned by his Department, or is known to his Department, into the effect on the recent trend in the number of cases recorded in the official crime statistics as homicides, and, in particular, murders, of the application of improved life-saving medical procedures and technologies to the victims of serious assaults; and if he will make a statement.

I am not aware of any such research in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation to permit peaceful demonstrations outside the Old Bailey during the trial of criminal offences.

No such legislation is required. People are free to participate in demonstrations, provided that they do so within the law.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of the City of London police as to the number of arrests that have been made by the police of pickets outside the Old Bailey on 6 May and successive Mondays in connection with the trial of persons accused of conspiring to cause explosions; how many were arrested on each day; how many were charged, and for what offences; how many were released without charge; and what was the length of time they were held in custody before being so released.

The information requested in respect of each day on which a demonstration has been held is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons have sought asylum in the United Kingdom from Iran, Iraq and Syria in each year since 1982 and this year to date; how many have been granted asylum for each case; how many persons who applied have been granted temporary leave to remain in the United Kingdom; and how many have been removed;(2) how many applications for asylum from Syrian nationals have been

Information on the number of nationals of Iran, Iraq and Syria who have applied for asylum, been granted refugee status or leave to remain on exceptional grounds for the years 1980 to 1985 is given in tables 1 and 5B to 5F of Home Office Statistical Bulletin "Refugee Statistics, United Kingdom 1985" (issue 12/86). Corresponding provisional information for the first quarter of 1986 is given in the table. Decisions made in a particular period do not necessarily relate to applications received in that period.

Applications received from Iranians, Iraqis and Syrians for refugee status and asylum, and grants of refugee status and leave to remain on exceptional grounds, in the United Kingdom, first quarter 1986
Number*
		Decisions
Nationality	Applications received	Granted refugee status	Refused asylum but granted leave to remain on exceptional grounds
Iran	158	40	83
Iraq	36	8	39
Syria	5	—	2
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many offences of rape, incest, indecent assault, gross indecency, and indecency with children, respectively, were notified to the police in the most recent 12-month period for which statistics are available.

A detailed breakdown of numbers of notifiable sexual offences recorded by the police in 1985 was published on 13 March in table 5 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin, issue 4/86.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the police codes of practice introduced on 1 January under sections 66 and 67 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 have been adopted by the immigration service.

Section 67(9) of the Act provides that persons other than police officers charged with the duty of investigating offences or charging offenders shall have regard to any relevant provisions in the police codes. Immigration officers are not so charged, but I have decided that the immigration service will apply relevant aspects of the police codes in the investigation of offences. To this end, two codes of practice have been introduced; one covers search, seizure, interview, treatment of persons, and the other, minimum standards for immigration detention centres. As indicated in the reply given to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 19 May, at column 14, it was our intention to publish the codes and I have now placed a copy of each in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the total amount paid in rates for school buildings in the borough of Barrow-in-Furness for each of the past eight years, expressed at constant prices; and what was the percentage increase in each year.

Separate information about the expenditure by areas within local education authorities and expenditure prior to 1978–79 is not available centrally. The information for Cumbria, however, is set out in the table:

Expenditure on rates
	Real terms (£000s)	Index
1978–79	1,891	100
1979–80	1,896	100
1980–81	1,893	100
1981–82	2,061	109
1982–83	2,138	113
1983–84	2,098	111
1984–85	2,019	107

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to reply to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Crawley on 18 February concerning Mr. Lex Smith and his complaint against the Inner London education authority; and for what reason there has been a delay.

I regret this delay, which was the result of a heavy volume of correspondence in recent weeks. I have now written to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether aid was given by Her Majesty's Government to countries suffering from the effects of radiation as a result of the Chernobyl disaster.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on Tuesday 10 June at column 109.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what contribution the United Kingdom has made towards the plutonium in the fuel core of the French Superphénix fast reactor.

During the period of this Administration, the only plutonium exported from the United Kingdom for use in Superphénix has been derived from the reprocessing by BNFL of overseas spent nuclear fuel. This was transferred to France at the owner's request. The material was subject to international safeguards, which provide for plutonium to be used for peaceful purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the internal barriers to trade within the EEC affecting those industries and trades for whose interests his Department has responsibility.

I refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Trade on 10 June 1986, at columns 132–33. The barriers listed therein affect the industries for which my Department is responsible, hut not generally to a significant extent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what recent discussions he has had with the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board about the level of electricity prices; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave on 5 June, at column 606, to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannan).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will now set a more precise target date for the winding up of the Peterborough development corporation.

On 4 February 1981 my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for the Environment indicated that the target date for winding up Peterborough development corporation, together with certain other English new town development corporations, should he the late 1980s.The physical programme of infrastructure and related works required to achieve the expansion of Peterborough as a new town has now largely be completed and the

	1978–79 £000	1984–85 £000	1985–86 £000
(a) Housing grunts und subsidies*
(i)Housing subsidy	682	28	—
(ii)Rent rebates†	317	—	—
(iii)Rent allowances†	40	—	—
(iv)Slum clearance	115	380	474
(v)Homes insulation	—	62	73
(vi)Improvement contributions	821	1,396	1,564
	—	—	—
Sub totals	1,975	1,866	2,111
(b) Other grants
(i)Urban programme	—	88	101
(ii)Derelict land	7	40	172
(iii)Rate rebates†	164	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the continuing operation of the Gleneagles agreement.

Her Majesty's Government remain committed to the Gleneagles agreement. We discourage sporting contacts with South Africa and, should any take place, ensure that no public funds are used in their support. We recognise, however, that it must be for the governing bodies of sport and individual sportsmen and women to decide whether or not to participate in any such contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of resources committed by his Department to Hyndburn, excluding the rate support grant, for the years 1978–79, 1984–85 and 1985–86.

The resources committed to Hyndburn district council by my Department, excluding rate support grant, consist of the following subsidies and grants:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his written answer on 3 June, on how many occasions in the last 12 months he has not called in for his determination a planning application which involved the proposed building of more than 100 houses, residential development on land extending to more than 3·5 hectares, or significant Green Belt development; and what was his reason, in each case, for leaving the determination of the appeal to an inspector.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to prohibit the charging of disabled people for the use of public toilets; and if he will make a statement.

No. Special arrangements are made in respect of toilets for the disabled under the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation's national key scheme, for which there is normally no charge.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to inform people about the natural levels of radiation occurring in the British Isles in so far as they relate to levels of radiation occurring in the United Kingdom following the Chernobyl incident.

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 9 May, at column 308.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to alter the green belt policy as it affects Cambridgeshire.

The Department's policy on green belt is set out in DOE circular 14/84. It applies in Cambridgeshire as in any other area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the enforcement of the legislation relating to the use of organotin compounds in the anti-fouling paints applied to yachts and other small craft.

The Control of Pollution (Anti-fouling Paint) Regulations 1985 apply to anti-fouling paints sold by retail which represent the bulk of those used on yachts and other small craft. These regulations set maximum levels for the content of organotin compounds in such paints. The effectiveness of the regulations is monitored by trading standards officers of the local authorities and, to aid them in their duties, a list of complying formulations was attached to the circular on the regulations issued to the local authorities. This list has been revised and amended to include additional formulations and to correct some inaccuracies in the paint names given in the original list and in the Official Report on 27 February 1986, at columns 673–75.The revised list has been sent to the trading standards officers and is as follows.On the basis of the evidence available to me I am satisfied that both trading standards officers and retailers are fully aware of the provisions of the regulations and that the level of compliance is high. There is no evidence that the errors in the orginal list of complying paints caused problems in enforcing the regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much in total has been spent by his Department on parking fines on behalf of vehicles used by Government Departments in each year since 1973.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1986, c. 19]: The details of parking fines paid in London by the Department of the Environment for GCS vehicles used by all Departments between 1975 and 1979 were provided to my hon. Friend the Member for Falmouth and Camborne (Mr. Mudd) on 23 June 1980, at column 71, as follows:

	£
1975	302·00
1976	600·00
1977	414·00
1978	498·00
1979	408·00

Department records for the period covered by that reply and for the earlier period 1973–74 are no longer available.The sums paid in respect of Government car service vehicles in each of the years between 1980 and 1985 are as follows:

	£
1980	608·00
1981	2,140·00
1982	1,906·00
1983	4,699·00
1984	6,600·00
1985	4,334·50

In March 1982 the standard parking fine was increased from £6 to £10.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold by (a) Norwich county council and (b) Broadland district council in the constituency of Norwich, North and what percentage these are of the total council housing stock.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1986, c. 130]: I regret that this information is not available for parliamentary constituencies, since each local authority reports only aggregate sales in the whole of its area.Norwich city council sold 2,284 houses and flats between 1 April 1979 and 30 September 1985, which amounted to 8·8 per cent. of its total housing stock. In the same period, Broadland district council sold 379 houses and flats (8·6 per cent. of its total stock).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those measures introduced by his Department within the past year and intended to be of benefit to small businesses.

My Department always tries to be sensitive to the needs of small businesses. The recently published White Paper "Building Businesses…Not Barriers" (Cmnd. 9794) lists measures taken since July 1985 to benefit businesses both large and small. Some measures, such as the procedure introduced by the companies registration offices in September to remind companies, six weeks in advance, of their filing obligations will be of particular value to hard-pressed small business men.In addition, the following measures specifically to help small firms have been announced in the course of the past year. An advisory service ("Support for Marketing") is being set up to assist and encourage small and medium sized firms to develop or improve their marketing strategies. Funds will be made available to subsidise the use of outside consultants.A new competition with £1·25 million available to finance highly innovative ideas in instrumentation and biotechnology has been launched. The scheme is called the small firms merit awards for research and technology (SMART) and is aimed at small firms and start-up companies.A package of schemes, along the lines of the existing business improvement services designed to help small businesses starting up in steel, shipbuilding and textiles closure areas, was introduced in March 1986 in the declining fisheries areas (Blackpool, Hull and Grimsby travel-to-work areas). Subject to EC approval, a further package of schemes will be introduced in the Penzance and St. Ives travel-to-work areas in the wake of the close of the Geevor tin mine.Additionally, last autumn the British Overseas Trade Board set up a small firms committee which will be considering new initiatives aimed at encouraging small firms to export. It has recently commissioned some research into the reasons why smaller firms often fail to export to their full potential or, indeed, at all.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the proposed takeover of Allied Lyons by Elders XL; and if he will make a statement.

No. It was announced on 29 May that my right hon. Friend had decided, following representations from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, that the reporting period should be extended to 4 September 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has about the approximate rent per sq ft per year paid by firms to rent office space in the City of London, the City of Westminster, and in the Whitehall-Trafalgar Square area of London.

I have been asked to reply.Statistics on United Kingdom office rents are not maintained by my Department.Information on office supply, availability and take-up, including rental levels, is published regularly by leading firms of surveyors and property market analysts. They are best equipped to monitor property market information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much seed and beans are imported into the United Kingdom for the purposes of processing into vegetable fats and oils.

I have been asked to reply.Provisional estimates indicate that the vegetable oil and fat processing industry crushed 640,000 tonnes of rape seed in 1985. Although the United Kingdom is a substantial net exporter, trade statistics indicate that 60,000 tonnes of rape seed were imported in 1985. The industry also crushed a further 564,000 tonnes of other seeds and beans, all of which were imported. The corresponding figures for 1984 were 614,000 tonnes of rape seed crushed, with 69,000 tonnes imported, and 574,000 tonnes of other seeds and beans crushed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of total regional development fund money for each year since 1979 for (a) Wales and (b) England; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1986, 133]: The allocations from the European regional development fund to Wales and England in each year since 1979 are shown in the following table:

	Wales
	Support Measures Section	Specific Community Measures	England Support Measures Section	£ million Specific Community Measures
1979	21·7	—	76·2
1980	32·5		75
1981	24·8		71·9
1982	47·3	10·6	113·8	7·8
1983	45·1		105·2
1984	63·0	7·3	182·1	58·3
1985	54·9		193·0

Allocations under the support measures section were made by the European Commission in the light of the provisions of the main ERDF regulation. Allocations in respect of specific Community measures were made in the light of the contents of programmes approved under the subsidiary regulations relating to the individual specific measures.

asked the Prime Minister if she will detail the exact help and advice that has been given to the Soviet Union by Her Majesty's Government following the Chernobyl disaster; and if she will make a statement.

Her Majesty's Government have offered whatever help and assistance they can provide to the Soviet Union following the Chernobyl accident. The United Kingdom has sent 74 heat-resistant suits and 105 breathing sets together with a compressor and decontamination unit. All other possible assistance has also been offered, but the Soviet authorities have not indicated that they require any further assistance.

asked the Prime Minister if she will raise the issue of the effectiveness of the strict budgetary controls of the European Economic Community's spending at the next meeting of the European Council.

Budgetary questions are due to be discussed by the next ECOFIN Council on 16 June. They will also be on the agenda of the European Council on 25–26 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the question of progress made in achieving the strict budgetary controls agreed at the Fontainebleau Council.

Budgetary questions will be on the agenda of the European Council on 25–26 June.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply of 7 May, Official Report, column 139, he will list the sites of development land in Kent which are the subject of speculative inquiries.

The inquiries related to the possible availability of MOD sites generally in Kent.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether a solution has been found to the problem of detecting and clearing Argentine mines in the Falklands.

Immediately after the conflict our forces in the Falkland Islands set in hand an extensive programme of identifying, marking and, to the extent possible, clearing the minefields left behind by the Argentines. It has not proved possible with existing technology to detect the whole range of mines laid by the Argentines, in particular the plastic anti-personnel mines. In order to avoid further casualties among service personnel involved in mine clearance, work on clearing the mines was suspended in August 1983.Meanwhile, my Department instituted a programme of research to find a safe and effective means of detecting and clearing mines in the difficult terrain of the Falklands. I regret to say that, despite considerable progress in this challenging field of technology, there would still be a long way to go in terms of time and money before a practical solution could be placed in the Army's hands which would be sufficiently reliable and suitable for use in peacetime. Funding of the present research programme will therefore cease.Should there be further technological developments with an application in this field, we remain ready to consider whether they could contribute to a solution to the problem. In the meantime, the current safety precautions will continue to be applied stringently and the Royal Engineers will keep the minefields securely fenced off and marked. There is no serious danger to the islanders outside these fenced-off areas and their safety will thus remain carefully protected.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish the preferred scheme for the improvement to the A 13 between Thames avenue and Wennington.

Some useful suggestions made during the public consultation last autumn are still being pursued. I hope that an announcement will be possible by the autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current average cost of constructing one mile of (a) dual two-lane motorway, (b) dual three-lane motorway, (c) dual two-lane urban motorway, (d) dual three-lane urban motorway, (e) all-purpose dual two-lane carriageway, (f) all-purpose dual three-lane carriageway and (g) single carriageway.

Information in this form was last published in March last year when the figures given were:

(a) £3 million

(b) £5 million

(c) £7 million

(d) £10 million

(e) £3 million

(f) No figures available

(g) £1 million

Construction costs of motorways and all-purpose carriageways vary substantially depending on factors such as location and the need for structures. In view of this, the Department has reviewed the value of producing information in the form of average cost per mile and has decided to discontinue its preparation.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those measures introduced by his Department within the past year and intended to be of benefit to small businesses.

In the past year my Department has introduced a number of measures to support business men. and particularly the small business men, involved in transport activities. Examples are:For bus, minibus and taxi operators:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list in the Official Report details of the changes in maximum lorry weights and speeds since 1964 and the dates those changes were made operative;(2) if there has been any change in his policy towards the introduction of the 40-tonne lorry;(3) what is his Department's policy towards the introduction of the 40-tonne lorry.

In 1964 heavy rigid and articulated lorries were restricted to 40 mph on all roads, including motorways. The limit was raised to 60 mph on motorways in 1971 and to 50 mph on dual carriageways in 1984.Heavy rigid lorries towing trailers (drawbar trailers) were limited to 30 mph on all roads including motorways in 1964. The limit was raised to 60 mph on motorways in 1971, and in 1984 to 50 mph on dual carriageways and to 40 mph on other roads.The maximum permitted weight for articulated lorries, 32·52 tonnes in 1964, was raised to 38 tonnes in 1983. The weight for rigid lorries was raised from the 1964 limit of 28·46 tonnes to 30·49 tonnes in 1972. Rigid lorries towing a trailer (drawbar trailers) remain at the 1964 limit of 32·52 tonnes.It remains our policy not to accept 40-tonne lorries in this country before our roads and bridges have been strengthened as necessary. Acceptance then would be subject to the approval of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if his Department has received copies of the police reports of the heavy goods vehicle accidents at Maidstone on 20 May, Manchester on 27 May and Cadmore End, Buckinghamshire on 24 May;(2) if his Department's inspectors have examined the heavy goods vehicles involved in the fatal accidents at Maidstone on 20 May, Manchester on 27 May and Cadmore End, Buckinghamshire on 24 May.

Vehicle examiners from the Department have carried out detailed examinations of the heavy goods vehicles involved in these accidents. Police reports have been requested and will be forwarded to the Department on completion.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will ensure that the vehicle excise fee for heavy goods vehicles will be paid at the time a heavy goods vehicle registration number is allocated;(2) what evidence he has of evasion of vehicle excise duty payments for heavy goods vehicles arising from his Department's current practice of allocating heavy goods vehicle registration numbers prior to any payment of road tax.

A registration number is assigned by the Department to a vehicle only when the appropriate excise duty has been paid. However, to allow new vehicles to be put on the road as quickly as possible certain accredited motor dealers receive advance notification of numbers for use in connection with the vehicles they sell. There is no evidence of any widespread evasion of vehicle excise duty as a result of this system, but if dealers misuse their advance allocation of numbers the facility is normally immediately withdrawn and other appropriate enforcement action taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will report on progress in his recent initiative to discourage drinking and driving during the summer months.

The publicity focus on drinking and driving will continue until the end of the month. It has been welcomed by the police and others as a significant step forward in increasing public awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving throughout the year. It is too soon to assess the full impact of the campaign, but the initial response is encouraging. Over 400,000 copies of our leaflet "The Facts about Drinking and Driving" have been distributed and our free telephone information service has so far received over 3,000 inquiries on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his budget for deterring people from drinking and driving during the summer months; and if he will break it down into newspaper advertising, television advertising and local radio advertising, respectively.

The Department's publicity budget for reminding people of the dangers and penalties of drinking and driving during the summer months totals £793,470.Of this, £473,000 is devoted to outdoor posters; £124,000 to press advertising and £131,000 to radio advertising. There is no expenditure on television advertising.The balance of the expenditure is devoted to complementary print material, the costs of a public telephone inquiry service and evaluation research.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if the effects on those aboard aircraft carrying plutonium from Liverpool to Dounreay have been monitored; what type of container is used and what are the materials used in its construction; what tests are carried out on the containers; and what would be the effect on the container of an air crash.

The radiation exposure to personnel is controlled according to the regulatory provisions which ensure that no person should receive a radiation dose greater than that permitted for members of the public. The design and construction of the steel and timber containers used for transport have been certified by my Department as complying with the stringent test requirements of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which are intended to ensure that they would successfully withstand the effects of a severe accident.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport over what period of time British Nuclear Fuels has been flying plutonium from Liverpool to Dounreay; which airline is transporting the plutonium; if the aircraft is also used to carry passengers; and what precautions are taken to protect those aboard against radiation hazards.

I am told that BNF has been flying plutonium from Liverpool to the Dounreay nuclear establishment since November 1979. Air services are currently provided by Dan Air Services, using cargo aircraft only. The required segregation distances are maintained between the packages and occupied areas in accordance with the national and international regulations.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport why plutonium is brought to Liverpool from Sellafield instead of going direct from site.

I understand that there is no airstrip at the site to permit flights direct from Sellafield.

Section	Junction numbers	Forecasts Original (000s)	Flows for 1987 Updated (1984) (000s)	Latest flows (000s)
A225–A2	1 to 2	55 to 75	61 to 80	—
A2–M20	2 to 3	55 to 70	61 to 74	—
M20–A21	3 to 4	50 to 60	56 to64	41
A21–M26/A21	4 to 5	50to60	56to64	51

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the flights and routes made by British Nuclear Fuels carrying plutonium or nuclear waste other than that from Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that no other flights take place at present, but flights have been made from other airports in the past.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take in the light of the report by the Accident Investigation Board into an incident at Aberdeen airport in February 1986; if he will have discussions on the matter with the appropriate authorities regarding safety on landing or take off by aircraft when runway lights are necessary; and if he will make a statement.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list his Department's forecasts of traffic flows, vehicles per day, in 1985 on the assumptions that the present planned Channel tunnel is open, and not open, respectively, for (a) M2 motorway, junctions 3 to 8, (b) M2 motorway, junctions 1 to 3, (c) M25 motorway, junctions 2 to 3, (d) M25 motorway, junctions 28 to 31 and (e) M25 motorway, junctions 27 to 28.

The Department has no forecast of traffic flows on M2 in 1995. The forecast flows per 16-hour average day for sections of the M25 in 1995 are:

	(000s)
Junctions 2 to 3	68–89
Junctions 28 to 31	39–50
Junctions 27 to 28	56–80

Completion of the Channel tunnel would be likely to lead to a reduction of up to 1,000 vehicles per day in the average daily flows on M2 and an increase of up to 1,000 on the sections of M25.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the latest traffic flows in vehicles per day on each opened section of the M25 motorway; and if he will compare these with the original departmental forecasts of flows.

The information requested is set out in the table. The latest flows shown are 16-hour average daily flows for April 1986. The original forecasts given are those presented at public inquiries during the 1970s for each section. Continuous traffic counts are not taken on all sections. Some further installations will be coming into operation by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the result of the investigation into the events leading to the shooting of Francis Bradley in County Derry on 18 February 1986; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received the eleventh annual report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights; and if he will make a statement.

The report has been published today, and copies have been laid before Parliament. It covers the period 1 November 1984 to 31 October 1985.The report deals with a wide range of matters which the commission has considered over the year under review. These include emergency legislation, police complaints procedure, divorce law and education in community relations; and comments on the United Nations Convention Against Torture and on aspects of the European Convention on Human Rights.Copies of my response to the commission's report have been placed in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those measures introduced by his Department within the past year and intended to be of benefit to small businesses.

All purchasing points within my Department have been issued with a guidance booklet entitled "Payment on Time" intended particularly to assist small suppliers.The agricultural improvement scheme introduced on 1 October 1985 extends grant-aid on a wide range of agricultural and horticultural investments to many farmers whose enterprises were not regarded as sufficiently large to qualify under previous farm capital grant schemes.In addition, I would draw the attention of the hon. Member to paragraphs 8.39 to 8.46 in the White Paper "Building Businesses … not Barriers" (Cmnd. 9794) which deal with measures taken or being taken in my Department to reduce burdens on businesses.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to resist any overhaul of the European Community's common fisheries policy, consequent upon the accession of Spain and Portugal to the Community, until any proposals for a review have been widely discussed and approved by the representatives of the fishing industry; and if he will make a statement.

The Government will continue to defend the common fisheries policy, which is a most successful part of the European Community and is in the interest of the British fishing industry. We shall continue to consult representatives of this industry as widely as possible.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made in the allocation of funds to the Sea Fish Industry Authority for the purpose of making grants to owners of fishing vessels for modernisation work to be carried out by the boatbuilding industry.

I am not aware of any general problems in the allocation of funds to the Sea Fish Industry Authority for the modernisation of fishing vessels, but I would be happy to look further at any particular issues my hon. Friend would wish to raise with me.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to prohibit the imports of ungutted fish of the salmon family, in view of the risk of the introduction of the virus disease known as virile haemorrhagic septicaemia and infectus haematophoetic necrosis; and if he will make a statement.

The Government recognise the concern about the serious fish diseases viral haemorrhagic septicaemia (VHS) and infectious haematophoetic necrosis (IHN). It is our intention to make an order under the Animal Health Act 1981 introducing appropriate controls over the import of ungutted salmonids and the necessary consultations with interested parties are now being carried out.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much rape seed is grown in the United Kingdom; what is the European Economic Community subsidy on its production; where it is processed; and how the economic cost of its production compares with the cost of imports into the United Kingdom for the same purpose.

United Kingdom rape seed production, which totalled about 891,000 tonnes in 1985, is mainly processed in oilseed crushing plants in Liverpool and elsewhere in the United Kingdom, although some is also exported. A crushing subsidy is paid to Community processors of rape seed when necessary to make Community-produced seed competitive with third country supplies which enter the Community at the world price. At present the subsidy is £172·88 tonnes and the world price is about £140 a tonne.

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish a table showing as a percentage of the (a) working population, (b) working age population and (c) total population, the number of workers, adjusted on a pro rata basis to take account of net exports/imports, employed in the satisfaction of United Kingdom demands for (i) primary fuel, (ii) energy as consumed, (iii) primary foodstuffs, (iv) health services, (v) education services, (vi) public transport services, (vii) entertainment, hotel and catering services, (viii) social services, (ix) steel and (x) motor vehicles for each of the last 10 years and at previous five-year intervals for the past 30 years.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. I shall write to my hon. Friend shortly.

asked the Paymaster General what representations he has received from women and men employed in sectors presently covered by the Hours of Work (Conventions) Act 1936, the Mines and Quarries Act 1954, the Baking Industry (Hours of Work) Act 1954 and part VI of the Factories Act 1961, requesting amendment or repeal of the above legislation.

The information requested on the detail of such representations is not readily available. There have, however, been a number of representations on this subject over the years, including the Equal Opportunities Commission's 1979 report, "Health and Safety Legislation: Should we distinguish men from women?".

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement outlining progress in each of the eight areas mentioned in his oral statement of 6 February, Official Report, column 446, on Government initiatives in the inner cities, giving numbers of jobs created and money spent and committed and the activities of his local staff.

Since the initiative was announced on 6 February, inner city task forces have been set up in each of the eight areas mentioned in my statement. The task forces are working closely with their local communities, local authorities, central Government Departments and agencies and the private sector to identify key issues and priorities for action. Progress is encouraging and work is well under way on drawing up programmes for action.So far some £250,000 of the additional resources set aside for the task forces has been committed for four projects; a personal services training scheme in Handsworth, a business action team to give advice to small and medium employers also in Handsworth, a scheme in Chapeltown to provide specialised training for local people in banks, building societies and other financial and commercial institutions and an enterprise workshop scheme in St. Pauls.The initiative has also had an influence on the spending patterns of a number of other Government programmes and schemes with extra attention being paid to the needs of the task force areas.

asked the Paymaster-General if he will publish a list of travel-to-work areas, indicating for each one which parliamentary constituencies form part of it and a list of parliamentary constituencies showing of which travel-to-work area or areas it forms a part. giving in each case the latest available unemployment rate figures, where available.

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

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the cost of providing copying paper for the photo-copying machines in the Palace of Westminster in each of the years 1980 to 1985: and what is the latest estimate for 1986.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1986, c. 10]: The cost of providing copying paper for the years in question are as follows:

Year	£
1980–81	22,247
1981–82	28,432
1982–83	25,724
1983–84	30,713
1984–85	33,916
1985–86	42,109
*1986–87	43,793
* Estimated.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will require the Arts Council to publish in full the recommendations of the Denning-Sadler review together with an indication of those which have been accepted; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Kensington, Official Report, 24 January 1985, column 502, showing receipts from income tax, national insurance contributions, by category, and advance corporation tax in 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86.

The table gives central Government revenue from the specified sources.

£ million
	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
Income tax	31,521	33,046	36,492
Employers NI Contributions	9,789	10,318	11,149
Employees NI Contributions	8,423	8,987	9,518
Employers NHS Contributions	759	802	895
Employees NHS Contributions	1,017	1,088	1,176
Employers Redundancy and Maternity Fund Contributions	248	263	293
Employees Redundancy and Maternity Fund Contributions	306	323	351
Self employed NI Contributions	487	545	700
Voluntary Class III Contributions	26	25	30
State Scheme premiums	281	250	289
Advance Corporation Tax	2,118	3,149	3,814

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of 17 April, Official Report, columns 483–84, when the last analysis of the likely impact on the least well-off of increases in public expenditure used in different ways was carried out; and what were the conclusions.

Where the relevant, analyses are carried out from time to time to inform policy towards particular areas of taxation or expenditure. No comparative analysis has been carried out of the particular set of expenditure listed in the hon. Member's previous question.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply of the hon. Member for Leicester, East of 3 June, Official Report, column 471, if any exemptions have been made for any categories of persons to the general rule regarding the taxation of mileage allowance paid for travel between home and work; and if he will make a statement.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received about his Department's oversight of the financial system and financial institutions.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a few letters relating to the prospective Banking Bill and a substantial number about the Building Societies Bill.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated annual costs of the capital gains tax retirement relief.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 June 1986, c. 77]: I regret that information is not available on which to base a satisfactory estimate.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply, 22 May, Official Report, columns 306–7, what information he has about the nature of the cargoes imported from Europe and the Eastern bloc for each of the ports of entry in Scotland.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 June 1986, c. 609]: Following is the information available:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many mortgagors there are at present in each rate hand of income tax; and how many there would be in the current year in each rate band of income tax if tax relief on owner-occupier's mortgage interest and interest or other loans for house purchase and improvement were withdrawn.

[pursuant to his reply, 10 June 1986, c. 169]: The latest estimates in respect of 1986–87 are as follows:

Marginal tax rate	Current mortgagors	Mortgagors if relief were withdrawn
percentage	(thousands)	(thousands)
0	500	500
29	7,100	6,900
40	240	300
45	160	240
50	100	140
55	40	50
60	60	70

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the increase in revenue at outturn prices which would accrue in the current year if tax relief on owner-occupiers' mortgage interest and interest on other loans for house purchase and improvement were withdrawn; and how much of this calculated revenue would be raised from those who would then be paying tax at the higher rates.