asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the external finance limit for British Shipbuilders for 1986–87.

The external financing limit for British Shipbuilders for 1986–87 is being increased by £57 million from £73 million to £130 million. This increase primarily reflects the additional costs to British Shipbuilders this year of its restructuring programme announced on 14 May at column 705, including the cost of establishing British Shipbuilders Enterprise Ltd. The increase also reflects the fact that significant payments for vessels under construction will not now be received until 1987–88. Provision for this additional funding in the form of public dividend capital is subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate. The increase in the EFL will be charged to the Reserve net of some offsetting savings on existing programmes. Therefore there is no increase in the public expenditure planning total.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total amount of regional aid given to the Calderdale metropolitan borough area as a result of assisted area status in each year from 1974–75 to 1982–83; and what other aid has been given to the area by his Department in each year from 1974–75 to 1985–86.

Amounts of regional selective assistance paid to companies in the Calderdale metropolitan borough area were as follows:

	£
1974–75	97,892
1975–76	246,656
1976–77	195,166
1977–78	221,449
1978–79	277,883
1979–80	648,403
1980–81	622,667
1981–82	475,245
1982–83	523,744

Details of other aid are not available in the form requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number of applications and amounts of those applications by each of the countries involved against the size of the ESPRIT budget.

Information of this nature is supplied to member states on a confidential basis and its disclosure is a matter for the Commission, under the ESPRIT regulations. I am therefore asking my officials to write to the Commission on my hon. Friend's behalf with his request.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many deaths have resulted from accidents involving inflatable dinghies and airbeds in the last five years.

The only information available at reasonable cost relating specifically to fatal accidents involving inflatable dinghies and airbeds is produced by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. It is based on drownings reported in the local press and may therefore miss some cases. The figures available for drownings involving an inflatable, which would exclude professional inflatable craft, are as follows:

	Numbers
1983	3
1984	7
1985	5
1986*	3
*To date.

The Royal Life Saving Society produced information on drownings in 1982 and 1983 based on police reports. These include a category called "playing on rafts and inflatables" for which they recorded the following numbers:

	Numbers
1982	7
1983	8

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received about the chemical industry's compliance with environmental controls.

None, but the chemical industry's record of compliance with environmental regulations is good. The industry devotes considerable resources to the protection of the environment.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to commission an up-to-date report on the future industrial base for the northern region; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans to commission such a report. My Department already keeps in close touch with the industrial situation in the regions through its regional offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes that changes should be made to the existing provisions of copyright law relating to commissioned works of art; and if he will make a statement.

As recently announced in the White Paper "Intellectual Property and Innovation"—Cmnd. 9712—the Government have concluded that it is unnecessary and undesirable to change either the basic ownership provision or the existing specific exceptions covering commissioned works of art in the Copyright Act 1956. However, since publication of the White Paper we have had further representations on the subject and we will look at the matter again in the light of these representations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what guidelines his Department gives to key British industries on the purchase of high technology products; what assessment he has made of the implications for the United Kingdom aero-engine industry of a decision to place abroad the orders for the new Boeing 747 replacement; and if he will make a statement.

The major industries in the public sector have expressed their support for the Government's public purchasing initiative. This encourages purchasers, as a matter of enlightened self-interest, to use their purchasing power in a positive way to help develop the design, technology and international competitiveness of their suppliers. It does not lessen the need for suppliers to win business on merit.My Department is in touch with Rolls-Royce about the engines which it is offering for the Boeing 747 aircraft. British Airways is evaluating the quotations it has received from the major aero-engine manufacturers, and when it has completed its evaluation it will put proposals to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy towards support for the A330 and the A340 projects; if his Department will take steps to seek to promote an active British participation for engines, airframe and avionics in these projects; and if he will make a statement.

My Department fully supports, in principle, the development of the Airbus family to cover a wider market range, and hopes that British airframe, aero-engine and avionics manufacturers will be able to participate in new Airbus projects that prove to have strong prospects of commercial viability. Airbus Industrie and the industrial partners are currently engaged in detailed studies of the A330/A340 projects and, until they have reached their own conclusions it is not possible for Governments to form a view on them. Any request for launch aid to meet the residual requirements for finance not met from the private sector would be carefully considered on its merits in the context of the financial constraints within which the Government must work.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about problems caused by the high level of demand for his Department's business and technical advisory services.

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

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

The Department has continued to encourage small businesses in Wales against the background of the very wide range of measures introduced by this Department including, for example, those about deregulation described in the White Paper "Building Businesses … Not Barriers", Cmnd. 9794, on 22 May 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the 10 contractors who have received the largest share of motorway and trunk road construction contracts in the past three years, giving for each contractor the total value of contracts received.

The information requested is as follows:

	Total value of contracts £
1. Cementation Construction Ltd.	*14,695,224
2. Thyssen (GB) Ltd.	†14,482,798
3. Taylor Woodrow Construction Ltd.	‡14,304,781
4. Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.	║13,649,999
5. Balfour Beatty Ltd.	10,674,913
6. A. Monk and Co. plc.	10,338,819
7. John Laing Construction Ltd.	9,810,216
8. Amey Roadstone Construction Ltd.	8,841,076
9. McTay Construction Ltd.	4,111,371
10. Christiani and Nielsen Ltd.	2,014,446
* Includes £13,649,999 in Joint Venture with Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.
† Includes £14,304,781 in Joint Venture with Taylor Woodrow

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all road construction contracts which his Department intends to award in 1986–87, showing in each case the total value of the contract and the expenditure likely to be incurred in that year.

Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, the completion of engineering design and the availability of resources we hope to let contracts for the following major schemes in 1986–87:

• A55 Glan Conwy to Conwy Morfa (Conwy Crossing);
• A483 Gresford-Pulford Bypass;
• A40 Haverfordwest Relief Roads; and
• A487 Pont Rhyd Llwyncelyn.

In addition, we expect to let some contracts for schemes costing less than £1 million. Schemes in this category are not programmed for a start in a specific year and the choice of project will depend on their state of preparedness and on the availability of resources.It is not possible to give the cost of the contracts or of the expenditure incurred in 1986–87 since this will depend on the value of the accepted tenders and the contractors' programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales 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.

I will write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of children entering secondary education in Wales have special educational needs; and if he will publish such figures for each local education authority.

Information in the form requested is not available. The latest available figures relating to special education are given in section 7 of "Statistics of Education in Wales", No. 10, 1985, a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales to what extent general managers have been appointed at district health authority and unit level in Wales.

District general managers have been appointed in all nine district health authorities in Wales and 29 of the proposed 32 unit general manager appointments have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will request the Museums and Galleries Commission to undertake a formal investigation into the administration of the National Museum of Wales and in particular the conservation of the Welsh national collection of works of art; and if he will make a statement.

No. Under the terms of the museum's royal charter, the council is responsible for the management of the museum. It has set up a full independent inquiry into the conduct and management of the department of art and a report is expected shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many letters he has received to date from (a) organisations and (b) individuals calling for a 12 month postponement in introducing the new General Certificate of Secondary Education examination in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for the Vale of Glamorgan (Sir R. Gower) on 9 June in column 73.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if the Cardigan School of Dancing Ltd. is an institution registered with his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The Department holds no information on this institution; it is not registered as an independent school within the provisions of section 70 of the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing by local authority and for all of Wales (a) the number of people employed in refuse collection in 1979–80 and the year for which the most recent figures are available and (b) the number of people employed in street cleansing in 1979–80 and the year for which the most recent figures are available.

Numbers of staff employed by Welsh local authorities on refuse collection and disposal are given below. Information relating to the more detailed service breakdown requested is not available centrally. Information for individual authorities are held only at all-service level.

Local authority staff employed in refuse collection and disposal (Wales)
	June 1979	June 1985
Full-time	2,382	1,860
Part-time	3	10
Total number (full-time) and part-time	2,385	1,870
Full-time equivalents	2,383	1,864

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the figures of the total paid out of the pension fund of the Federation of Central Africa public service each year since the dissolution of the federation, specifying that part devoted to the actual payment of pensions and that part devoted to administration expenses.

The figures are as follows:

	Pensions and other benefits Z$ '000	Administrative expenses Z$ '000
1964	2,691	5
1965	1,552	11
1966	1,172	14
1967	1,507	13
1968	1,361	23
1969	1,216	23
1970	2,448	51
1971	2,420	75
1972	2,380	52
1973	2,541	47
1974	2,886	55
1975	3,115	69
1976	3,260	96
1977	2,420	105
1978	2,375	121
1979	2,578	126
1980	2,726	127
1981	3,491	165
1982	3,251	234
1983	3,087	217
1984	2,709	244

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress made with the consolidation of widows and orphans pension funds relating to the Overseas Civil Service and the application of the proceeds from the sale of assets held by the separate funds.

Last year the assets of the four Indian family pension funds were realised and the proceeds paid over to the Exchequer in return for the guaranteed payment of all existing and future pensions. Similar arrangements are in preparation for the colonial widows and orphans pension funds for which the British Government have assumed responsibility under the pensions takeover programme. These arrangements will result in significant savings in administrative costs whilst preserving the pensioners' entitlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the territories in the Commonwealth whose pension obligations towards their former expatriate staff have been taken over by the United Kingdom and those for which similar arrangements have not yet been made; and if he will make a statement on progress made in this respect.

The Commonwealth countries whose pension obligations towards certain former expatriate staff have been taken over by the United Kingdom are:

Antigua	Gambia
Barbados	Ghana
Belize	Grenada
Botswana	Guyana
Cyprus	Jamaica
Dominica	Kenya
Fiji	Kiribati

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the actuarial valuation of the central African pension fund at the most recent date available: and if he will make a statement as to the Government's policy towards the fund.

The interim actuarial valuation of the central African pension fund as at 31 July 1983 showed the following:

	Zimbabwe dollars million
Assets	30·6
Liabilities	27·5
Estimated surplus	3·1

These figures were based on certain assumptions, including exchange rates. A full valuation is in the course of preparation.The British Government, in common with the three other guarantor Governments — Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe—are concerned to ensure that the fund has sufficient resources to enable it to meet its commitments. In particular, the British Government have undertaken to meet 25 per cent. of any deficit revealed by periodic actuarial valuations of the fund. We have contributed some £4 million since 1964 under this arrangement.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total value of British bilateral aid to sub-Saharan African countries in 1985; and what proportion of this was used for agriculture and related activities.

British bilateral aid directly allocable to sub-Saharan countries in 1985 totalled £285 million. Figures on the proportion of this used for agriculture and related activities are not yet available. In 1984 30 per cent. of our bilateral aid allocable by sector in sub-Saharan African countries was devoted to agriculture and related activities.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution is made by the United Kingdom to the international agricultural research centre for research in the semi-arid tropics; what assessment he makes of the research carried out there; and if he will make a statement.

The International Crop Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) plays an important part in the attack on the key problems of agricultural development in the semi-arid areas. We particularly welcome its growing focus on African problems. Since its foundation in 1972, Britain has committed a total of £6·777 million to ICRISAT. In 1986–87 our contribution will be £860,000. In addition, we are financing at British institutions sixteen research and development schemes, costing a total of £2·6 million, which support the ICRISAT research programme.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many legally qualified staff in the procurator fiscal's service have resigned their posts since January; and what plans he has to replace them.

Since 1 January 1986 seven legally qualified staff have resigned their posts. All have been replaced, or are in the process of being replaced.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish his planned policy statement on foreign language teaching in schools.

A new start is needed in foreign language teaching in schools. If we are to compete effectively in world markets and to communicate on equal terms with our European partners, we need to increase substantially the numbers of young people leaving school with a good grounding in at least one foreign language. To this end, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have today published a draft statement of policy on foreign languages in the school curriculum. It sets out a programme of vigorous action which is in our view essential to raise standards. We hope that these policy measures will be matched by a growing appreciation on the part of employers and parents of the value of foreign language skills.The draft policy statement is being sent for comment to a wide range of organisations in education and in industry and commerce. We intend to issue it substantively before the end of the year. Copies of the draft statement have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the background of each member of the University Grants Committee; and if he will list, where appropriate, the university with which they are associated.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he takes when appointing the University Grants Committee to seek to ensure that its membership is representative of all British universities.

There are currently 11 university members of the University Grants Committee, which advises on grants to 54 universities and colleges. Members of the committee are chosen by my right hon. Friend after consultation with the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland and having regard in particular to the need for the committee to be able to cover the main broad university subject areas. They are not appointed in a representative capacity, but because of the personal contribution they can make to the work of the committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he makes of the correlation between the availability of caning as a sanction in schools and the conduct of pupils.

In my view, this is an assessment which only a school itself can properly make.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report his best estimate of the amount spent per head in the United Kingdom by private schools and colleges at each level of education.

Information on which an estimate could be based is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of secondary schools in the United Kingdom are grammar schools; and how this compares with 1979, 1970 and 1960.

Grammar schools represented 3·9 per cent. of maintained secondary schools in England in January 1985. This compares with 5·4, 19·3 and 21·3 per cent. in 1979, 1970 and 1960 respectively. Statistics for schools in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Percentage funding changes in real terms
	1981–82 to 1982–83	1982–83 to 1983–84	1983–84 to 1984–85	1984–85 to 1985–86	1985–86 to 1986–87	1981–82 to 1986–87
University College of Wales, Aberystwyth	-3·4	-1·2	-1·5	+ 0·3	-3·9	-9·4
University College of North Wales, Bangor	-0·4	-0·5	-1·7	-1·2	-4·0	-7·5
University College, Cardiff	-2·3	-1·0	-2·1	-0·2	-4·2	-9·4
St. David's University College, Lampeter	0·0	+11·2	+0·6	-5·6	-2·0	+3·5
University College, Swansea	-3·7	-0·6	-1·1	+0·7	-3·4	-7·9
University of Wales Institute of Science and Technology	-1·1	-2·6	-5·7	0·0	-1·3	-8·3
University of Wales College of Medicine	-0·2	+3·3	-1·1	-1·1	-0·2	+0·7

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the change in the funding of unversities in real terms and taking account of fee compensation between 1980–81 and 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what effect the implementation of the University Grants Committee's financing recommendations are expected to have on the provision of Welsh-medium teaching in the University of Wales;(2) what effect the financing recommendations of the University Grants Committee are expected to have on research in each of the colleges of the University of Wales if they are implemented;(3) what he expects the effects will be in terms of jobs lost, in each of the constituent colleges of the University of Wales if the recommendations of the University Grants Committee are implemented.

The effect on the colleges of the University of Wales of the grant allocation for 1986–87 recently announced by the University Grants Committee will depend upon decisions by the colleges on the internal allocation of the resources available to them.In allocating grant, the UGC took account for each university of research staff and student numbers, contract research income and income from research councils and charitable bodies and its judgment of research quality.Provision for teaching and administration in the medium of Welsh was taken into account in the calculation of grant for the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, and the University College of North Wales, Bangor.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the effects will be in terms of financing, compared with the previous quinquennium, on the colleges of the University of Wales of the implementation of the University Grants Committee's present recommendations.

The percentage changes in real terms in funding of the colleges of the University of Wales by the University Grants Committee over the period 1981–82 to 1986–87 is shown in the following table. The figures represent changes in the colleges' basic recurrent and equipment grant excluding those amounts representing compensation for redundancy and early retirement, provision for capital in recurrent expenditure and local authority rates, which are also reimbursed by the UGC.

Between 1980–81 and 1986–87 academic years the universities' income from recurrent grant plus home student fees is estimated to have fallen by about 6 per cent. in real terms. This figure does not reflect the universities' true financial position because of the growth in income from other sources, including the payment of higher fees by overseas students following the withdrawal of the overseas student subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give, for each year for which statistics are available, and to the latest available date, such information that he has as to (a) the cost of the assisted places scheme, (b) the proportion of successful candidates who were already receiving their schooling in the independent section, or who had brothers and sisters receiving such education, (c) the average income of families who have used the assisted place scheme, and (d) what are the ages of transfer of the pupils who have moved from the state sector using the assisted places scheme.

I will reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in relation to teachers smoking in classrooms.

This is a matter for determination at local level, but I understand that most teachers refrain from smoking in the classroom.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will give the number of children in Hampshire who have taken the certificate of secondary education examination in the last five years, indicating the subjects taken;(2) if he will give the number of children who have taken O-levels in Hampshire and in what subjects; and how many have passed in the last five years;(3) how many children, expressed as percentage of the total number leaving at 16 years, leave school at 16

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, how many representations he has received in the past 10 days with regard to part-time courses at universities; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received some two dozen representations about the allocation of funds in relation to part-time students at Birkbeck college. I understand that the University Grants Committee has agreed to review this aspect of its allocation arrangements in the light of points made when the committee visited London university on 11 June and of further information to be provided by Birkbeck college.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which cities have a college or similar institution running initial teacher training courses.

institutions currently providing intial teacher training are located in or close to the following cities and towns in England:

	Number
Ambleside	(1)
Bath	(2)
Bedford	(1)
Birmingham	(3)
Bognor/Chichester	(1)
Bradford/Ilkley	(1)
Brentwood/Chelmsford	(1)
Brighton	(2)
Bristol	(2)
Cambridge	(2)
Canterbury	(1)
Cheltenham	(1)
Chester	(1)
Crewe/Alsager	(1)
Derby	(1)
Durham	(1)
Egham	(1)
Exeter	(1)
Exmouth	(1)
Hull	(2)
Keele	(1)
Lancaster	(1)
Leeds	(3)
Leicester	(2)
Lincoln	(1)
Liverpool	(3)
Greater London	(12)
Loughborough	(1)
Greater Manchester	(2)
Newcastle	(2)
Northampton	(1)
Norwich	(1)
Nottingham	(2)
Ormskirk	(1)
Oxford	(3)
Plymouth	(1)
Portsmouth	(1)
Reading	(2)
Ripon/York	(1)
Scarborough	(1)
Sheffield	(2)
Southampton	(2)
Sunderland	(1)
Wakefield	(1)
Warwick	(1)
Watford	(1)
Winchester	(1)
Wolverhampton	(1)
Worcester	(1)
York	(1)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place a set of new General Certificate of Secondary Education syllabuses in the Library.

The Department does not publish GCSE syllabuses. Each of the examining groups in England is responsible for the production of its own GCSE syllabuses. However, I am arranging for all available syllabuses to be placed in the Library as soon as possible. Further syllabuses will be added as they are approved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list (a) the institutes, (b) the associations and (c) the research bodies within universities which during 1985–86 are being funded, or part funded, by the Natural Environment Research Council; and if he will specify their location.

This information is as follows:Institutions

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is prepared to consider the introduction of the least cost resource principle to applications for building new power stations.

Minimum cost is already a key factor in the CEGB's decision to apply for my right hon. Friend's consent to construct particular power stations. My right hon. Friend will treat all such applications on their merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has plans to meet his counterpart in the French Government to discuss nuclear power.

I meet my French counterpart from time to time in a number of fora where nuclear matters form part of the discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is discussing with Euratom the granting of access to Great Britain's nuclear power stations.

Euratom safeguards inspectors have access to the United Kingdom's civil nuclear power stations to carry out their duties under the Euratom treaty to which the United Kingdom acceded on 1 January 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss the ordering of new coal-fired power stations.

My right hon. Friend meets the chairman from time to time and they discuss a wide range of issues. The CEGB has stated that it does not intend to order any more stations, either coal-fired or nuclear, until it receives my right hon. Friend's decision on its application to construct a PWR station at Sizewell.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to introduce a policy of total openness into the nuclear power industry.

The nuclear industry is already very open, and I am encouraging the maximum possible openness especially with regard to incidents with implications for the safety of the public or the work force.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the expected timetable of the phasing out of the older Magnox power stations; and when he expects their decommissioning.

I am advised by the operators that the Magnox power stations continue to meet stringent safety standards. No firm plans for the closure or decommissioning of any stations have yet been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether any safety reviews of Magnox power stations have been completed; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate makes it a condition of nuclear site licences that all reactors must be shut clown every two years for maintenance and inspection. A reactor is not permitted to start up again until the NII is satisfied that it is safe for it to do so. in addition, the inspectorate requires licensees to carry out a general safety review of Magnox power station following 20 years of operation to enable longer term safety issues to be addressed.The NII completed work in March 1983 on its assessment of BNFL's long term safety reviews for Calder Hall and Chapel Cross with the exception of a few issues which require further assessment and discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made on the lead city schemes for combined heat and power; and if he will make a statement.

I refer to the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Hickmet).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the jobs created and money to be saved in the first five years of combined heat and power in (a) Leicester, (b) Newcastle and (c) Edinburgh.

Estimates in Energy Paper No. 53 indicate that additional local employment of some 3,000 jobs might result over a 12 to 15 year period from installing the heat distribution systems and consumer connections in all nine cities studied. Leicester would account for approximately 175 extra jobs with some 300 extra jobs in both Newcastle and Edinburgh over the same timescale. Other employment would arise from the construction of new CHP plant and heat only boiler plant. A more precise estimate of employment prospects arising from CHP/DH schemes must await the outcome of the studies presently under way in those cities.Energy Paper No. 53 estimated the overall rates of return for each of the nine cities studied on an assumed 35-year life for all schemes. During the first five years of a CHP/DH development the cumulative cash flow may be negative as expenditure on plant and construction is likely to exceed income from sales. Again, more precise estimates must await the outcome of current studies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the potential savings in energy which can be obtained from improving the energy efficiency of commercial and industrial buildings; and if he will make a statement.

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens) today, improved energy efficiency in industrial and commercial buildings alone could save £800 million a year. Office buildings with poor energy efficiency are using four times as much fuel as similar well-managed buildings. It is essential that we put an end to this scandalous waste.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the value of United Kingdom oil production for each of the first four months of 1986.

This information is available only on a quarterly basis. The provisional figure for the first quarter of 1986 is £3·6 billion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the fall in oil prices has affected production in the North sea.

The fall in oil prices has not had any measurable effect on oil production in the North sea. Even at today's level the price is still substantially above the ongoing costs incurred in producing oil from existing fields. The latest forecast of oil production was given in the Secretary of State's recent report to Parliament on the development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom 1986, published on 29 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the effects of lower oil prices on North sea oil production.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have today given to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the saving to date to the electricity supply industry in fuel costs arising from the recent fall in the cost of oil.

The cost or fuel used in the first two months of the present financial year is estimated by the CEGB at about £60 million less than envisaged when the bulk supply tariff for the year was drawn up.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what consideration he is giving to the impact of the level of energy costs borne by industry in the United Kingdom, compared with those of other Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development countries in the past 12 months.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to him on this subject on 14 April this year at column 260. Energy prices in this country, as elsewhere, have continued to fall in response to world market conditions. For example, the recent conclusion of a commercial agreement with the coal industry has allowed the electricity supply industry to announce immediate reductions in electricity prices to monthly-billed industrial consumers of about 5 per cent., and of about 7 to 8 per cent. for larger consumers with load management arrangements. There have also been downward movements in gas prices to industry, reflecting competitive pressures from oil products.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received in the current year for the reform or abolition of standing charges on fuel bills.

I have received some representations this year on these issues, which are matters for the industries concerned. This and previous Governments, the industries' consumers' councils and the Council of the European Communities have shared the view that standing charges are the fairest and most appropriate way of recovering the fixed costs of supply. Standing charges for gas have decreased by 10 per cent. since 1982, a fall of around 24 per cent. in real terms; and those for electricity have risen by only 8 per cent. over that period, a fall of around 10 per cent. in real terms.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what increase in fuel consumption has occurred in oil-fired power stations in the past three months.

Figures for fuel used in the generation of electricity over the past three months will appear in future editions of "Energy Trends', which is published monthly.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss the transfer of electricity board plutonium to the military stockpile.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received requesting a delay in the eventual consideration of the report from the inspector considering the Central Electricity Generating Board's application for a pressurised water reactor at Sizewell, pending a full analysis of the implications of the Chernobyl disaster.

My right hon. Friend has received many and varied representations since the Chernobyl incident.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what assistance his Department is giving to neighbourhood energy action; and if he will make a statement.

My Department's grant to neighbourhood energy action for 1986–87 is £275,000. This compares with a grant of £186,764 in 1985–86. The increase is to enable NEA to expand the services that it provides to the voluntary insulation projects. The number of projects has increased from 114 in March last year to over 260 in May this year, and is expected to increase further to about 400 by the end of this year. NEA provides management advice, information and training to the projects. I regard NEA's services as a major contribution to the success achieved by the projects in insulating over 170,000 low-income households to date.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the productivity figures, expressed in output per manshift, for the coal industry in 1979 and at the latest available date.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the latest productivity figures in the coal industry.

Overall deep-mined revenue output per man shift for the week ending 24 May was 3·16 tonnes. This compares with average deep-mined revenue output per man shift in the financial year 1979–80 of 2·31 tonnes.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the total value of grants made by the Government to the coal industry since 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the extent of Government financial support for the coal industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the extent of the Government's support for the coal industry in 1985–86.

The total amount of deficit grant —including operating grant—and social grant accruing to British Coal in the financial years 1979–80 to 1984–85 is £5,162 million. In addition, payments under the Redundant Mineworkers' Payments Scheme during the period total £555 million. Provisional figures for 1985–86 are as follows:

	£ million
Deficit Grant	50
Social Grant	508
RMPS	567

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the National Coal Board to discuss coal prices.

My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Coal at regular intervals to discuss all aspects of the industry, including coal prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many information packs on Monergy have been issued by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

Over 140,000 information packs on Monergy have been issued by my Department so far during Energy Efficiency Year. In addition, some 2 million domestic and 400,000 industry publications have been distributed at seminars, exhibitions or sent out to meet requests from the public and industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will consider sponsoring additional research into improving the efficiency and environmental acceptability of coal as power station fuel.

The nationalised energy industries are already spending more than £40 million per year on research and development on clean use of coal in power generation. We believe this is the right level of effort.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he is having with the Norwegian Government on oil prices.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Coal concerning the results of the boring explorations off the north-east coast.

The chairman of British Coal has kept me informed about the boring explorations off the northeast coast, and I expect to discuss the results with him from time to time as the board's plans develop.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and what matters were discussed.

I meet the chairman of British Coal at regular intervals to discuss a wide variety of issues concerning the coal industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the progress made by the National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd.

I am very impressed by the progress being made by NCB (Enterprise) Ltd. Since its formation in October 1984 up to the end of May 1986 the company had contributed to a total of 7,200 job opportunities. A total of £11·4 million of NCB (Enterprise) funds has been committed, generating a total investment of £70 million. NCB (Enterprise) Ltd's target for 1986–87 is to double its activities nationally by helping in the creation of 10,000 new job opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when the National Coal Board (Enterprise) Ltd. intends to produce its corporate plan.

The company's annual review was published on 5 June. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he proposes to seek any detailed information from the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on the role of the civil protection authorities in the Chernobyl disaster; and if he will make a statement.

All the members of the IAEA, including the United Kingdom, have indicated their interest in having the fullest possible account of the origins and handling of the Chernobyl accident. The USSR has expressed its willingness to provide, as soon as it is available, information on the incident, to be discussed at a meeting of nuclear safety experts to be held under the aegis of the IAEA.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when the prospectus for the privatisation of British Gas will be published.

The prospectus will be published shortly before the application list for shares in British Gas is opened.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of Cornwall's geothermal project.

The project being carried out by the Camborne School of Mines at Rosemanowes quarry in Cornwall has been extended for a further two years starting in October 1986 at a cost of £5·85 million and will include work on the existing hot dry rock reservoir, measurement techniques, geophysics and heat flow. Other related work will cost a further £1 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list Government expenditure on alternative energy over the past five years compared with the previous five years; and if he will make a statement on Government policy and expenditure plans for alternative energy.

The Government have invested more than £81 million in R and D into renewable energy sources since 1979, and we have just announced fresh funding of £6·85 million for the hot dry rocks project based in Cornwall. Among other projects we are also funding development of the world's largest and most advanced aerogenerator, at Burgar Hill, Orkney.This clearly shows the Government's determination to develop and promote all the economic renewable energy technologies which have the potential to contribute to United Kingdom energy supply.Government expenditure on this programme was £14 million in 1984–85, and this strong support for renewable R and D will continue. We will also continue to encourage an increasing contribution from the private industry.Details of expenditure over the past 10 years, comparing the past five years with the previous five years, are as follows:

	£ million
1980–81	11·2
1981–82	17·3
1982–83	14·2
1983–84	11·3
1984–85	14·0
Total	68·0

	£ million
1975–76	*0·5
1976–77	*1·0
1977–78	*2·5
1978–79	3·6
1979–80	8·2
Total	15·8
* includes energy conservation research and development.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to complete his consultation round with appropriate authorities over the Town and Country Planning Use Classes Order; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 April, 1986, c. 337]: We are grateful to all those who commented on the proposals for the revision of the order which were made by the sub-group of the Property Advisory Group. We are publishing today a consultation paper which sets out our own proposals for the modernisation of the order, it takes full account of all the views expressed to us.Modernising the order will reduce the need for planning applications, but retain effective control over changes of use where that is needed, because of their environmental consequences or relationship with other uses.The major changes by which we propose to modernise the order will allow more flexible use of business premises. For example, they would create a new business class by merging the present light industrial use class with office uses other than those which provide professional and financial services to customers who visit the premises; this will help commercial and industrial activities which at present straddle the boundary between two classes. In addition we propose to amend the Housing and Planning Bill to make it clear that sub-division of non-domestic premises does not constitute a change of use and does not require planning permission. These changes will give greater freedom to industry to undertake development and create jobs without endangering amenity.We consider that we should keep the existing shops class and add to it certain similar uses which are at present excluded. We propose, however, to create two new classes, one would consist of shops selling hot food, restaurants, snack bars, cafes, public houses and similar establishments; the other would be for financial and professional services offered direct to the public visiting the premises. We propose to amend the General Development Order, to make it possible to shift use from either of these two new classes to the expanded shops class without getting specific planning permission. But permission would still be needed for shifting use in the other direction. This would enable local planning authorities to continue to protect the character of existing shopping areas.We have already clarified the quite wide circumstances in which under the present law people can work at home without any need to seek specific planning permission from the local planning authority. Guidance on this is given in our publication "A Step by Step Guide to Planning Permission for Small Businesses" published in March this year. We do not propose to make any amendment to the use classes order on this point.Full details of the proposals to modernise the order are in the consultation paper published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. Copies are also being sent today to the local authority associations and other interested bodies with the request that they should send to the Department by 15 September any comments which they may have on the proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the demand for home insulation grant schemes in the current year; and if he will make a statement on the future of the scheme.

The available information on the number of homes insulation scheme grants paid so far in the current year is for the first quarter of 1986, is provisional, and will be published in July in "Housing and Construction Statistics," part 2, no. 25. Copies of the publication will be available in the Library.The scheme is kept under continuing review, but there are no plans at present to change it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment by how much have the Government increased their spending in response to the recommendations of the joint UNEP/WMO/ICSU conference, convened in Villach, Austria, in October 1985, to assess the role of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in climatic changes, that governments and funding agencies should increase research support and focus efforts on crucial unsolved problems related to greenhouse gases and climate change; and what changes in Her Majesty's Government's policy has occurred in consequence of the conclusions and recommendations of the conference.

The main United Kingdom centre of expertise on the problem of effects of greenhouse gases on climate is the Meteorological Office, which has paid increasing attention to it in recent years. Research on these subjects formed a part of the office's total programme of £7·7 million in 1984–85, but cannot be costed separately. The office is participating actively in the world climate research programme and other relevant international activities.My Department keeps in close touch with scientific opinion on the problem of greenhouse gases and climate change, and policy is subject to constant review.The stratospheric ozone review group established by my Department is expected to report on the problem early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many acres of agricultural land have been lost to development during the most recent year for which records are available; and what percentage of those acres lie south of the line between the centres of Bristol and London.

Estimates of land transferred from agriculture to development are currently based on the MAFF agricultural census and are considered to be reliable as a five year average. The most recent estimate for the period from mid-1980 to mid-1985 for England is that about 4,400 hectares, equivalent to about 11,000 acres, was transferred from agriculture annually. No reliable estimate is possible for smaller areas.A new source of information on changes in land use has been developed, using information recorded by the Ordnance Survey in the course of map revision on the new and previous use of land. Returns for 1985 are currently being analysed, and statistics based on them are expected to be published shortly. I will write to my right hon. Friend further when this material is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation providing a right of appeal against any grant of planning permission by local authorities over land they own.

No. We consider that the present arrangements for decisions on this type of development proposal operate satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many homeless families were recorded in each of the district authorities in West Yorkshire for each quarter since 1983.

Information on homelessness in each local authority is published regularly in Local Housing Statistics, copies of which are available in the Library. For 1983 and 1984 the figures published are half yearly and for 1985 they are quarterly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, following the recent visit to the military nuclear facility at Barnwell in South Carolina by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) he will publish a comparative table of the volumes of low-level nuclear waste handled at Barnwell and at Drigg, and the access available at each site for low-level nuclear waste disposal.

British Nuclear Fuels accepts low-level radioactive waste for disposal at Drigg from its own establishments, nuclear power stations and premises such as hospitals, universities and non-nuclear industry. The volumes of waste disposed of are published in BNFL's annual report of radioactive discharges and monitoring of the environment. In 1984, 33,149 cubic metres were deposited at the site. The Barnwell waste disposal site accepts approximately 28,000 cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste per year from sources in the South East of the United States. It is not a military site, but is operated by Chem Nuclear Systems Inc, under licences named by the state of South Carolina.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of radiation detectors available in the United Kingdom.

About 7,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to ensure comprehensive advice is available to the population on what to do if the level of radiation rises above an acceptable level.

Notification to members of the public immediately affected by an accident at a United Kingdom nuclear site would be made by the police under the arrangements described in the booklet "Emergency Plans for Civil Nuclear Installations", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. In the event of the levels of radiation giving cause for concern over a wide area an announcement would be made as soon as possible via the media and a press, radio and television briefing centre would be set up to provide advice for the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the maximum level of radiation measured in the United Kingdom, and its location, in the aftermath of the Chernobyl disaster.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer which I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross) on 9 May at column 304.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Council of Environment Ministers' meeting on 12 June.

I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting. I was accompanied by my hon. Friend the Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold) Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment and my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Mellor), Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department.The Council agreed amendments to the major accident hazards directive (82/501/EEC) and to the decision (77/795/EEC) for a Community water information system, and reached general agreement on all the main points arising from a proposal for a directive on animal experimentation. The Council also discussed the sulphur content of gas oil, waste oils, and emissions from large combustion plants. The Commission briefly outlined its forthcoming proposals for diesel particulates and heavy vehicles.The Council discussed the accident at the nuclear plant at Chernobyl and expressed its concern for all those affected. It concluded that there was a need for improved international communication and co-operation in relation to all aspects of civil nuclear power.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing by local authority and for all England (a) the number of people employed in refuse collection in 1979–80 and the most recent available year and (b) the number of people employed in street cleansing in 1979–80 and the most recent available year.

Numbers of staff employed by English local authorities on refuse collection and disposal are given below. Information for individual authorities could only be given at disproportionate cost. Information concerning numbers of staff employed in street cleansing is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing by local authority and for all England (a) the most recent and penultimate grant-related expenditure assessment for refuse collection and the percentage change and (b) the most recent and penultimate grant-related expenditure assessment for street cleansing and the percentage change.

Grant-related expenditure assessments for refuse collection in 1985–86 and 1986–87 are shown in the table. There is no separate assessment for street cleansing, which, for grant related expenditure purposes, is treated as part of environmental health.

Refuse Collection—Grant-related Expenditure
Authority	1985–86	1986–87	Change
	£ million	£ million	per cent.
GREATER LONDON
City of London	2·049	2·035	-0·6
Camden	3·300	3·110	-5·8
Greenwich	2·312	2·170	-6·2
Hackney	2·708	2·351	-13·2
Hammersmith and Fulham	2·398	2·157	-10·1
Islington	2·727	2·451	-10·1
Kensington and Chelsea	2·506	2·447	-2·4
Lambeth	3·584	3·228	-9·9
Lewisham	2·634	2·454	-6·8
Southwark	3·370	3·102	-8·0
Tower Hamlets	2·142	1·954	-8·8
Wandsworth	3·275	2·939	-10·2
Westminster	5·653	5·490	-2·9
Barking and Dagenham	1·700	1·569	-7·7
Barnet	2·778	2·598	-6·5
Bexley	1·968	1·829	-7·1
Brent	2·900	2·567	-11·5
Bromley	2·641	2·525	-4·4
Croydon	3·285	3·015	-8·2
Ealing	3·008	2·727	-9·4
Enfield	2·602	2·392	-8·1
Haringey	2·392	2·150	-10·1
Harrow	1·890	1·737	-8·1
Havering	1·987	1·863	-6·2
Hillingdon	2·270	2·159	-4·9
Hounslow	2·243	2·118	-5·6
Kingston-upon-Thames	1·437	1·354	-5·8
Merton	1·770	1·652	-6·7
Newham	2·642	2·279	-13·7
Redbridge	2·174	1·985	-8·7
Richmond-upon-Thames	1·651	1·588	-3·8
Sutton	1·682	1·557	-7·4
Waltham Forest	2·336	2·114	-9·5
GREATER MANCHESTER
Bolton	2·243	2·141	-4·5
Bury	1·378	1·335	-3·1
Manchester	5·048	4·748	-5·9
Oldham	1·982	1·887	-4·8
Rochdale	1·671	1·616	-3·3
Salford	2·263	2·138	-5·5
Stockport	2·433	2·316	-4·8
Tameside	1·814	1·733	-4·5
Trafford	1·986	1·883	-5·2
Wigan	2·429	2·337	-3·8