asked the Paymaster General (1) what estimate he has of the numbers of (a) male and (b) female employees in employment in Great Britain who (i) work for firms with less than 20 employees and (ii) have been working for the same employer for between six months and two years;(2) what is the most recent estimate of the numbers of

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report the latest unemployment figures for the Leicester, East, Leicester, South and Leicester, West parliamentary constituencies, together, in each case, with the actual and percentage change over the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows the numbers of unemployed claimants in the Leicester, East, Leicester, South and Leicester, West parliamentary constituencies on 8 May 1986 and the absolute and percentage change since May 1985. Comparisons over the period and between the constituencies are affected by the change in the timing of compilation of unemployment statistics in March 1986.

The regularly published employees in employment series does not identify (i) number of hours worked per week, (ii) length of service in employment, or (iii) size of firm.The labour force survey (LFS) provides some relevant information on a different basis. The available information from the preliminary results of the LFS for the spring of 1985 is presented in the following tables.

	Unemployed claimants	Decrease since May 1985
		Number	per cent.
Leicester, East	5,547	221	4
Leicester, South	7,229	328	4
Leicester, West	6,922	362	5

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the largest 20 closures or redundancies in the north-west region since 1979, giving in each instance (a) the total jobs lost, (b) the date and (c) the company name.

Information given to the Department under the redundancy handling provisions of the Employment Protection Act is given in confidence. The publication of details of individual redundancies would require the prior approval of the employer concerned, and this could be done only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Paymaster General what is his estimate of the number of unemployed building workers in the north-west.

The results of the 1984 labour force survey indicate that in the north-west region in the spring of 1984 there about were 28,000 people without jobs and looking for work who had been employed at some time in the last three years with their last job in the construction industry.

asked the Paymaster General what has been the rate of redundancies per thousand employees in 1979 and each subsequent year in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) the north-west region.

The available information, relating to confirmed redundancies, is given in the following table:

Redundancies* confirmed as due to occur per thousand employees in employment†
Year	Great Britain	North West Region
1979	8	15
1980	22	35
1981	25	37
1982	19	28
1983	16	22
1984	11	16
1985	11	15
* Redundancies confirmed by the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur and are based on following up employers' notifications of redundancies involving ten or more workers under the Employment Protection Act 1975. Figures for 1985 are provisional.
† Late mid-year (June) estimates of employees in employment.

asked the Paymaster General how many redundancies have occurred in (a) manufacturing and (b) construction in the north-west region in each year since 1979; and what has been the percentage decline in each category.

The available information, relating to confirmed redundancies, is given in the following table:

Redundancies* confirmed as due to occur in the North West Region
Year	Manufacturing industries	Percentage change on previous year	Construction industries	Percentage change on previous year
1979	28,993	—	4,661	—
1980	73,900	+155	8,003	+72
1981	70,700	-4	8,281	+3
1982	50,583	-28	3,703	-55
1983	37,861	-25	2,941	-21
1984†	26,067	-31	3,498	+19
1985	23,235	-11	2,691	-23
* Redundancies confirmed by the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur and are based on following up employers' notifications of redundancies involving 10 or more workers under the Employment Protection Act 1975. Figures for 1985 are provisional.
† Because of changes in the standard industrial classification the series from 1984 onwards differ slightly in composition from earlier years.

asked the Paymaster General by what means he seeks to ensure that first-hand experience of being unemployed is promptly and continuously available within area manpower boards and the Manpower Services Commission.

Unemployed people are the main beneficiaries of the Manpower Services Commission's programmes and services, and their views are continuously monitored and researched. The results are made available to area manpower boards and more widely, and taken into account in the design and development of the Commission's programmes and services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, further to his answer of 13 May, Official Report, columns 433–4, he will publish in the Official Report a table showing how much of the expenditure in each case was contributed by (a) central and (b) local government.

Such information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received on the possible development of conductive education in the United Kingdom.

In July 1985 I had a meeting with Councillor Les Lawrence of Birmingham city council and Dr. Andrew Sutton concerning Dr. Sutton's proposed research project into conductive education. My right hon. Friend the Paymaster General wrote to me following his visit to the Peto institute in Budapest when he was Minister for Health. In the past 12 months, my right hon. Friend and I have answered 10 parliamentary questions and one has been answered in another place. We have received four letters from hon. Members on behalf of their constituents, and nine letters from members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what ministerial or other visits have been made from his Department during the past five years to the Institute for Motor Disorders in Budapest.

No such visits have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information his Department collects about the type of books and other written material used for the purposes of sex education in schools; what role is played by Her Majesty's inspector in relation to such matters; if any complaint has been received by his Department as to the suitability in this context for children aged 10 years and over of the booklet—"Growing-up—A Guide for Children and Parents", published by the Royal Society of Medicine; and if he will make a statement.

Individual schools and local education authorities are responsible for ensuring that the teaching materials which they use are educationally sound. Neither this Department nor Her Majesty's inspectorate collect information about the sex education materials used by schools. My right hon. Friend has received one letter about the recently published book "Growing-up — A Guide for Children and Parents". In deciding whether they wish to make use of this or other books, I would expect teachers to bear in mind the need both for sex education to be offered in a manner which pays due regard to moral considerations and which is supportive of family life, and for any materials used to be responsible, sensitive and appropriate to the maturity of the pupils concerned. My right hon. Friend has already announced his intention shortly to publish a draft circular giving guidance on sex education at school.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what information has been sought from his Department by the Council of Europe about the existence of bogus universities in the United Kingdom;(2) if he will introduce legislation to outlaw the operation of bogus universities in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The Government deplore the activities of those offering bogus qualifications for sale. Proposals for legislation to curtail such activities from my right hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Prentice) have been studied but there are substantial practical difficulties associated with them, not least in relation to European Community law. The Government therefore see little prospect of introducing early legislation in this area.The Council of Europe recently sought the Department's comments on its own compilation of unrecognised institutions of higher education in Europe, North America and elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will show for each local education authority in England (a) the percentage of all pupils in maintained schools in England educated by that local education authority and (b) the percentage of expenditure on schools in England incurred by that local education authority.

The information is as follows:

Maintained Nursery, Primary, Secondary* and Special Schools
	No. of Pupils as percentage of England total (January 1985)	Institutional† Expenditure as percentage of England total (1984–85)
Barking	0·34	0·37
Barnet	0·56	0·63
Bexley	0·46	0·46
Brent	0·48	0·65
Bromley	0·53	0·56
Croydon	0·61	0·67
Ealing	0·53	0·62
Enfield	0·54	0·56
Haringey	0·38	0·56
Harrow	0·37	0·39
Havering	0·52	0·56
Hillingdon	0·47	0·53
Hounslow	0·44	0·50
Kingston-upon-Thames	0·25	0·26
Merton	0·31	0·32
Newham	0·51	0·67
Redbridge	0·42	0·44
Richmond-upon-Thames	0·22	0·23
Sutton	0·31	0·31
Waltham Forest	0·45	0·59
ILEA	3·96	7·04
Birmingham	2·40	2·32
Coventry	0·71	0·79
Dudley	0·67	0·60
Sandwell	0·73	0·76
Solihuil	0·49	0·46
Walsall	0·70	0·70
Wolverhampton	0·62	0·68
Knowsley	0·41	0·46
Liverpool	1·15	‡—
St. Helens	0·46	0·44
Sefton	0·66	0·61
Wirral	0·75	0·71

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list for each shire education authority the increase in education spending in percentage terms budgeted for 1986–87 over that budgeted for 1985–86.

The information requested is as follows:

Increase percentage in budgeted expenditure between 1985–86 and 1986–87
	Percentage change
Avon	6·8
Bedfordshire	4·9
Berkshire	4·2
Buckinghamshire	8·7
Cambridgeshire	7·4
Cheshire	8·0
Cleveland	6·5
Cornwall	7·6
Cumbria	6·5
Derbyshire	7·1
Devon	7·8
Dorset	10·5
Durham	3·4
East Sussex	7·5
Essex	6·6
Gloucestershire	8·0
Hampshire	8·7
Hereford and Worcester	6·6
Hertfordshire	8·1
Humberside	6·0
Isle of Wight	7·1
Kent	4·7
Lancashire	7·2
Leicestershire	5·9
Lincolnshire	6·6
Norfolk	5·9
Northamptonshire	5·3
Northumberland	8·1
North Yorkshire	8·3
Nottinghamshire	-0·1
Oxfordshire	9·6
Shropshire	8·4
Somerset	11·4
Staffordshire	4·4
Suffolk	4·8
Surrey	8·9
Warwickshire	6·6
West Sussex	6·0
Wiltshire	10·5
Shire Counties England	6·7

These percentages represent the budgeted changes in cash expenditure from last year to this, on the basis of the outturn prices expected for each of the two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many grammar schools are provided by education authorities in England and Wales; and where they are located.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will initiate an inquiry into the reasons why secondary schoolchildren in England secure, on average, significantly less success in 0 and A-level examinations by comparison with children in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of secondary schoolchildren in England and Wales left school without any 0 or A-level passes in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were the comparable totals in each of the previous five years.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if it is his policy that all schoolchildren sitting the new GCSE exam will receive a certificate irrespective of performance; and if he will make a statement.

The GCSE will be open, in principle, to any pupil or student but not all pupils will be successful. Grades will be awarded, and recorded on certificates, only if the candidate's performance meets the standard required for the grade. Candidates who fail to reach the minimum standard required for grade G will be ungraded. The standards required of successful candidates will be no less exacting, grade for grade, than those required in existing 0-level and CSE examinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for providing new guidance to local education authorities on the security of school buildings against vandalism, burglary and arson; and if he will make a statement.

The security of school buildings and their contents is important. My Department has commissioned a research study on this subject. I expect it to lead to the publicaton of practical guidance before the end of 1987. Meanwhile, a discussion document on crime prevention in schools has been issued today by the Department. It describes crime prevention measures now being adopted. It is also designed to stimulate discussion about the cost-effectiveness of current practice. Copies are being sent to local education authorities and interested national bodies in England.I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement concerning the meeting of Ministers of the Council of the European Economic Community held on Monday 23 June relating to the establishment of the internal market.

The Council, which I attended, took note of the new Presidency programme, details of which I gave in my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South on 25 June, Official Report, column 178. Among individual measures discussed, the Council agreed in principle, subject to a United Kingdom parliamentary scrutiny reserve, a proposal for a Council directive on direct satellite television broadcasting. The Council agreed a resolution on a better seasonal and geographical distribution of tourism, and made progress on directives on spcific training in general medical practice and on the legal protection of topographies of semi-conductor products. It discussed proposals for directives coordinating member states' laws relating to commercial agents, on pharmaceutical products and high technology medicinal products, on technical standards for a number of industrial products including self-propelled industrial trucks and household appliances, on rights of residence and on the first stage of the gradual abolition of controls and formalities applicable to member states' nationals when crossing infra-Community borders. The Council also discussed a communication on Community patents and a Council recommendation on fire safety in hotels, and had an initial exchange of views on a Commission proposal relating to public contracts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress was made at the meeting of the Research Council of European Community Ministers on 10 June; and if he will make a statement.

The EC Research Council met in Luxembourg on 10 June. I represented the United Kingdom. Discussion followed on from the 8 April Research Council (Written Answer, column 527, 18 April) concentrating on the Commission's informal proposal for the Framework for European Community research and development 1987–91. There continued to be general agreement on the need for priority to be given to programmes aimed at promoting European industrial competitiveness. Some member states including the United Kingdom, expressed concern at the high level of finance proposed (10·35 billion ecu (£6·6 billion) over the five-year period) and suggested that the framwork programme should be at most half this size. The same states also stressed the need for more focussed proposals in areas with a genuine Community added value. The Commission's formal proposals will be submitted to Council in mid-July.The environment and materials programmes were adopted as 'A' points following the closure of the conciliation process with the Europan Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the cost has been for each of the iron and steel European readaptation benefits scheme/employment and income security agreement schemes for each year since their inception in real terms and in comparative terms using 1985 as a base year.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 June 1986, c. 612]: The cash costs of the iron and steel readaptation benefits scheme from its inception are as follows:

	Benefits paid to individuals £ thousands	Administration costs* £ thousands
1974–75	2,103	57
1975–76	1,689	84
1976–77	2,000	169
1977–78	2,693	157
1978–79	4,969	97

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his most recent estimate of how many people resident in South Africa have British passports with the right of residence in the United Kingdom.

Precise details are not available. We estimate that there are approximately 300,000 holders of British passports resident in South Africa with right of abode in the United Kingdom. It is estimated that a further 500,000 could be eligible to a British passport and right of abode.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the nature of the documents and the part he expects Ministers of Her Majesty's Government to play in their drafting which will convey the future common position of the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community when conveying their opinions on proposed legislation to the European Assembly.

The Council's common position will be determined by the member states in accordance with the relevant treaty article as amended by the Single European Act. The common position will be drafted following discussion in the Council. We shall, as now, play our full part in these discussions and in establishing the common position, which will be conveyed to the European Parliament by means of a Presidency communication containing the text of the common position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the expected dates, and nature of each meeting he expects to arrange in London, or elsewhere in the United Kingdom, in respect of political co-operation or gymnich meetings, in his capacity as President of the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community between July and December.

The President of the Council of Ministers of the EC is not responsible for political cooperation. As Foreign Minister of the country holding the Presidency, my right hon. and learned Friend will hold an informal 'Gymnich' meeting of EC Foreign Ministers on 6–7 September at which political co-operation subjects will be discussed, as well as a European political co-operation ministeral meeting on 10 November. The European Council on 5–6 December is also likely to discuss political co-operation subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out in the Official Report the functions, constitutions and responsibilities of each of the bodies listed in title III, paragraph 10, of the Single European Act.

The bodies listed in paragraph 10 of title III of the Single European Act have the following functions:The Presidency in European political co-operation is held by the country which holds the Presidency of the Council in the framework of the European Communities. Member States hold the Presidency for a period of six months in alphabetical rotation. The Presidency has overall responsibility for the management of political cooperation: this includes scheduling, convening, organising and chairing meetings. It is also responsible for initiating action, and for co-ordinating and representing the positions of the Twelve.The Political Committee is composed of the political directors (senior foreign ministry officials) of the Twelve; a representative of the Commission also attends. It was originally set up in 1970 as a result of the "Luxembourg report". Its functions are to give the necessary impetus to political co-operation activities, to maintain continuity, to prepare Ministers' discussions and to oversee the work of specialist working groups. It meets monthly and may meet more frequently if necessary.The European correspondants are foreign ministry officials who assist the political directors. The correspondants were first appointed as a result of the 1973 Copenhagen report. They provide a contact point through which the Presidency and other member states channel communication between the individual foreign ministries. They meet as a group before and after meetings of the Political Committee; a Commission official also attends. The European correspondants group is responsible, under the direction of the Political Committee, for monitoring the implementation of political co-operation and for studying general organisational problems.The working groups consists of experts from the Twelve foreign ministries; the Commission also attend. The existence of the groups dates from the 1970 Luxembourg report. They meet at the direction of the Political Committee. They prepare reports and recommendations for that Committee. Over the last 16 years, their work has covered most parts of the world as well as particular subjects such as consular affairs, CSCE or the United Nations.The participation of Commission officials in these bodies is on the basis that the Commission is "fully associated with the proceedings of political co-operation" (Single European Act, article 30, paragraph 3

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the names of organisations, bodies and committees, and of the individuals who have been appointed to them by him or jointly with other Ministers.

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 was the average cost for treatment per patient in the National Health Service in Wales in 1984–85 and in each of the health authorities.

To average patient costs in the form requested does not allow for meaningful comparisons to be made. I would however refer my hon. Friend to the publications "Welsh Costings Returns" and "Key Statistical Indicators for NHS Management in Wales", copies of which are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been allocated to the arts in Wales since 1979–80, in real terms and cash terms at 1985–86 levels.

Government support for the arts in Wales comes from our vote, principally in support of the National Library and the National Museum, and from the Arts Council, which is the primary channel for the support of the performing arts. Resources made available from these sources since 1979–80 have been as follows:

£ million
	Cash terms	Real terms*
1979–80	11·334	18·264
1980–81	12·687	17·215
1981–82	14·027	17·305
1982–83	15·456	17·821
1983–84	15·892	17·541
1984–85	16·997	18·017
1985–86	18·257	18·257
1986–87†	19·207	18·513
* At 1985–86 prices using the GDP deflator.
† provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total amount of money accrued from council house sales in each Welsh authority from 1979–80 to 1985–86 and for Wales as a whole since 1980–81.

The individual authority data requested is given in the following table. The amount of money accrued for Wales as a whole since 1980–81 is £202·2 million.

Amount of money accrued from council house sales from 1979–80 to 1985–86
	(£,000)
Alyn and Deeside	2,509
Colwyn	3,670
Delyn	3,427
Glyndwr	2,846
Rhuddlan	1,565
Wrexham Maelor	4,992
Carmarthen	6,022
Ceredigion	6,716
Dinefwr	2,104
Llanelli	6,702
Preseli	7,150
South Pembrokeshire	3,866
Blaenau Gwent	4,406
Islwyn	15,633
Monmouth	6,842
Newport	8,853
Torfaen	11,450
Aberconwy	3,973
Arfon	2,983
Dwyfor	1,590
Meirionnydd	2,855
Ynys Mon	3,542
Cynon Valley	2,877
Merthyr Tydfil	5,844
Ogwr	8,888
Rhondda	1,101
Rhymney Valley	8,518
Taff-Ely	6,521
Brecknock	5,150
Montgomeryshire	4,642
Radnor	2,523
Cardiff	14,754
Vale of Glamorgan	8,904
Port Talbot	6,587
Lliw Valley	3,723
Neath	4,060
Swansea	6,872

Local Authority Staff Employed on Refuse Collection and Disposal (Wales)
	March 1980	March 1981	March 1982	March 1983	March 1984	March 1985	March 1986*
Full-time	2,257	2,149	2,060	2,029	1,920	1,896	1,827
Part-time	3	2	5	8	10	11	7
Total number (full-time and part-time)	2,260	2,151	2,065	2,037	1,930	1,907	1,834
Full-time equivalents	2,258	2,150	2,062	2,032	1,924	1,901	1,830
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what action he will take to ensure that Welsh holiday beaches in (a) Gwent, (b) South Glamorgan, (c) Mid Glamorgan, (d) West Glamorgan and (e) Clwyd are brought up to internationally recognised levels of cleanliness and safety; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the "Government Response to the Committee on Welsh Affairs' Report on Coastal Sewage Pollution in Wales". A copy of which is in the Library, and in particular to paragraphs 2·2, 2·3 and 5·2 to 5·5 of that publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the rate support grant allocation to Wales in each of the last seven years in cash terms and real terms; and if he will make a statement.

The aggregate amount of rate support grants for Wales has been as follows:

£ million
	Cash terms	1986–87 prices
1980–81	693·4	976·0
1981–82	745·3	953·9
1982–83	797·8	954·3
1983–84	812·0	929·9
1984–85	811·3	892·2
1985–86	831·2	862·4
1986–87	875·8	875·8

While providing substantial grant in support of rate-borne expenditure, the Government remain determined to bring local authority spending within planned levels, to secure better value for money and to enhance local government accountability.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to how many people in Wales have been employed in refuse disposal for each of the last seven years.

Information on refuse disposal staff alone is not collected centrally. However, numbers of staff employed by Welsh local authorities on refuse collection and disposal are given in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, what is the amount of housing subsidy under the Housing Act 1980 that each Welsh housing authority is entitled to in 1986–87; and what is the all Wales total.

Based on returns made to the Welsh Office, the amount of main housing subsidy claimed by each housing authority in Wales during the current financial year is as follows:

	£
Aberconwy BC	—
Alyn and Deeside DC	—

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh housing authorities making non-statutory rate fund contributions to their housing revenue account in 1986–87, giving the amounts in each case.

Those local authorities which have budgeted to make non-statutory rate fund contributions to their housing revenue account in 1986–87 are shown in the following table, together with the amounts involved, valued at outturn prices.

	£'000
Alyn and Deeside	54
Wrexham Maelor	81
Carmarthen	150
Dinefwr	3
Islwyn	225
Monmouth	18
Torfaen	160
Arfon	31
Ynys Mon	215
Merthyr Tydfil	220
Rhondda	949
Taff Ely	255
Brecknock	137
Swansea	274

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the Welsh housing authorities transferring money from their housing revenue accounts to the general rate fund in 1986–87, giving the amount in each case.

Those local authorities which have budgeted to transfer money from their housing revenue account to the general rate fund in 1986–87 are shown in the following table, together with the amounts involved, valued at outturn prices.

	£'000
Meirionnydd	12
Cynon Valley	37
Ogwr	650

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the annual maintenance, general management and special management costs per council dwelling in each of the Welsh housing authorities in the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the amounts for Wales as a whole.

Based on returns made by local authorities to the Welsh Office, the information estimated to be as follows:

Average expenditure per council dwelling: 1985–86
£
		Supervision and management
Authority	Repair and Maintenance	General	Special
Aberconwy	381·10	167·56	32·79
Alyn and Deeside	219·62	80·14	52·64
Arfon	341·49	105·36	28·50
Blaenau Gwent	333·64	137·68	20·68
Brecknock	229·29	127·84	0·00
Cardiff	372·15	131·92	63·51
Carmarthen	336·38	88·18	76·25
Ceredigion	300·62	88·55	76·88
Colwyn	245·29	77·57	72·48
Cynon Valley	326·29	73·91	54·68
Delyn	262·61	64·35	201·09
Dinefwr	292·02	99·34	10·66
Dwyfor	273·50	85·62	10·64
Glyndwr	225·55	78·45	41·20
Islwyn	370·26	120·43	70·08
Llanelli	401·50	92·76	46·07
Lliw Valley	280·51	86·47	61·82
Meirionnydd	247·69	148·70	68·63
Merthyr Tydfil	303·68	90·65	44·01
Monmouth	411·38	82·77	133·51
Montgomeryshire	453·98	58·74	17·50
Neath	355·96	52·04	65·71
Newport	261·01	97·48	104·56
Ogwr	324·93	104·04	12·84
Port Talbot	460·06	62·58	31·55
Preseli	315·43	87·57	62·45
Radnor	211·16	185·52	0·00
Rhondda	381·10	129·28	61·27
Rhuddlan	233·49	75·79	71·74
Rhymney Valley	286·30	106·48	41·78
South Pembroke	295·67	77·25	36·25
Swansea	330·75	53·62	52·88
Taff Ely	332·76	84·70	62·33
Torfaen	239·04	84·54	134·88
Vale of Glamorgan	470·47	155·34	37·46
Wrexham Maelor	247·21	59·27	33·55
Ynys Môn	224·04	54·26	40·07
Total Wales	320·17	93·86	57·23

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the average council dwelling rent charged by each Welsh housing authority in 1986–87 and the average for Wales as a whole.

This information is not available centrally.

Average Local Authority Housing rent Increase over previous year
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
	£	£	£	£	£	£
Aberconwy	2·07	3·36	2·21	0·68	0·55	2·01
Alyn and Deeside	0·41	3·02	1·91	1·19	0·23	1·29
Arfon	1·36	3·93	1·49	0·33	0·97	1·62
Blaenau Gwent	2·47	4·31	3·76	-0·04	0·86	1·14
Brecknock	0·91	2·42	2·12	1·80	1·35	0·77
Cardiff	1·72	4·04	2·82	0·19	1·94	0·96
Carmarthen	1·71	3·07	2·32	0·85	0·58	0·87
Ceredigion	1·57	3·86	2·07	0·33	0·84	0·57
Colwyn	1·19	3·37	2·13	1·62	-0·16	1·52
Cynon Valley	1·74	2·86	2·37	1·34	1·59	0·81
Delyn	2·25	3·33	2·25	0·84	0·50	-0·03
Dinefwr	1·37	2·45	2·71	0·63	0·81	1·01
Dwyfor	1·15	3·59	1·70	0·88	0·32	0·08
Glyndwr	1·94	3·01	2·42	0·74	0·64	0·79
Islwyn	1·82	2·85	2·18	-0·23	0·90	0·95
Llanelli	1·55	2·88	2·55	1·11	0·20	0·68
Lliw Valley	1·53	3·78	2·50	0·82	1·02	1·06
Meirionnydd	1·69	3·39	2·04	1·47	·83	1·40
Merthyr Tydfil	1·85	3·32	2·91	0·89	1·34	1·25
Monmouth	1·62	2·34	1·24	1·69	-0·17	3·15
Montgomeryshire	1·85	3·98	2·03	0·31	·75	0·90
Neath	1·44	3·23	2·48	0·78	0·66	1·32
Newport	1·15	3·23	2·96	0·68	0·49	1·89
Ogwr	2·19	3·51	3·00	0·26	3·85	0·70
Port Talbot (Afan)	1·64	2·96	2·45	0·22	0·46	2·08
Preseli	1·77	3·26	1·79	0·56	0·14	0·93
Radnor	1·20	2·69	4·40	1·47	1·23	-0·09
Rhondda	3·38	2·07	2·42	1·20	1·35	1·19
Rhuddlan	0·94	3·35	1·48	0·04	0·27	0·50
Rhymney Valley	2·10	3·31	2·82	1·71	0·95	0·64
South Pembroke	2·12	3·23	2·68	0·91	0·22	1·00
Swansea	1·59	3·24	2·51	0·06	1·11	1·27
Taff Ely	1·85	3·11	2·62	0·81	1·10	1·65
Torfaen	2·38	3·20	2·57	1·87	1·45	-0·18
Vale of Glamorgan	1·75	3·50	2·80	-0·55	2·07	-0·28
Wrexham Maelor	1·07	2·97	0·33	-0·02	0·54	1·05
Ynys Mon	1·91	3·30	2·03	0·56	0·75	0·55

The net figure used in the calculation are those of estimated average weekly gross unrebated rents (excluding rates) during each of the relevant financial years.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied with the monitoring of radiation undertaken on behalf of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

There is a well-established programme of monitoring of radiation carried out on behalf of the Welsh Office. Nuclear site operators carry out both discharge and environmental monitoring as part of their authorisation. Her Majesty's radiochemical inspectorate carries out check monitoring of the discharges from these sites and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food undertakes a comprehensive programme of monitoring for radioactivity in the marine and terrestrial environments around nuclear installations. There are also sites in Wales monitored by AERE Harwell and the

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the average rent increase by each Welsh housing authority in each year since 1070–80.

Based on returns made by local authorities to the Welsh Office, the information is estimated to be as follows:—National Radiological Protection Board under their environmental programmes. All of these programmes are constantly being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what agencies have conducted radioactive monitoring on behalf of his Department in each year since it assumed responsibility for this function.

Her Majesty's radiochemical inspectorate, the DOE, fisheries radiological inspectorate and the food sciences division, both of MAFF, AERE Harwell, the National Radiological Protection Board, the two CEGB nuclear power stations at Trawsfynydd and Wylfa, and Amersham International, Cardiff, have carried out radioactive monitoring on behalf of the Welsh Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of all measurements of radiation taken on behalf of his Department since 2 May giving details of the materials sampled, the location and timing of each sample, and the results of each monitoring.

All the data that were collected following the Chernobyl accident and up to 16 May have already been made available to the public. Arrangements are being made for a compilation to be published by HMSO and a copy will be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the incidence of radiation found in Welsh lamb since the Chernobyl incident; and how frequent and extensive have been monitoring schedules.

The purpose of the intensive testing programme now being undertaken in north Wales is to test the radioactivity levels of lamb still on farms and not yet in the food chain. Altogether, 119 tests were carried out on or before 21 June. A list of the latest results is available in the Library of the House of Commons. Further lists will be published covering the current testing programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to introduce more regular and more rigorous monitoring of radiation levels in Welsh livestock; if he will give further details of compensatory provision for specific Welsh farmers for problems caused by unacceptable radiation levels in Welsh sheep; and if he will make a statement.

More intensive monitoring of radiation levels in Welsh lamb had already been instituted within the area designated in the Statutory Instrument 1986 No. 1027 laid before Parliament on 20 June. This will continue until I am satisfied that it is safe to stop. The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I announced on 20 June that if it should prove to be necessary the Government will be prepared to discuss cases of compensation for severe loss in particular circumstances to specific farmers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many fat lambs were sold at grading centres in mid and north Wales in May and early June of the current year.

In the period 28 April to 20 June 1986 inclusive, 95,311 fat lambs were certified and sold at liveweight grading centres in Gwynedd, Clwyd and Montgomery.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of the number of fat lambs which qualified for the standard of the European Community sheepmeat regime at each grading centre in Wales in each week of each year from 1982 to 1985.

This information is not readily available and could only he provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department uses the term mental health to include mental handicap; and if he will make a statement.

The terms mental illness and mental handicap are applied to separate and distinctive mental conditions. It is not the Department's usual practice to use the term mental health to cover mental handicap.

asked the Secretary of Wales if he will publish the definition of mental handicap which is used for the purpose of the all-Wales strategy for mentally handicapped persons; and on the basis of such definition if he will state how many mentally handicapped people live (a) in institutional care and (b) in the community in Wales.

The all-Wales strategy aims to ensure that the needs of people with a mental handicap are met on an individual basis. Consequently there is no all-embracing, definition of mental handicap, but the report of the all-Wales working party on services for mentally handicapped people, upon which the strategy was founded, estimated incidence by reference to the numbers of school children reported to be educationally subnormal. On this basis there were thought to be some 40,000 mildly mentally handicapped people and 10,000 severely handicapped people, with needs for special services concentrated on the latter group. At 31 December 1985, there were about 3,000 people in institutional care. Precise figures are not available for the numbers living in the community but county joint planning teams are currently collating information as part of the process of implementing the strategy in their areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has concluded his review of the central funding arrangements for local enterprise agencies in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

From 1 April 1987, new arrangements will be introduced in Wales for central funding of the core administrative costs of local enterprise agencies. The arrangements will provide for up to £25,000 a year to be made available to individual local enterprise agencies. The level of support for individual LEA's, which will gradually decline over a maximum period of five years, will be dependent on a pound for pound matching contribution from the private sector, and on the submission of an acceptable three year business plan and five-year financial strategy.The new arrangements will he administered by the Welsh Development Agency and the Development Board of Rural Wales (Mid-Wales Development) which will be acting as the agent of the WDA within its own area. To benefit from these arrangements, an agency will have to be approved by the Welsh Office under the terms of section 48 of the Finance Act 1982. In considering funding, the present level of central support and the presence of other agencies in the locality will also be taken into account.These new arrangements provide a simpler, clearer and more comprehensible system for channelling support to local enterprise agencies in Wales. This scheme is a key part of the development of a network of local advice and support through partnership between the central agencies, local governmental and the private sector which is essential to the development of a thriving small business sector in Wales. The success of this strategy and the success of LEA's depends crucially on the commitment of the private sector. I sincerly hope that the private sector will find these new arrangements an improvement on what was there before and will be encouraged to step up their support of local enterprise agencies in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 17 June, if he will now specify the nature of the information requested from British Rail on a purely ad hoc basis as available.

The information has been sought in a wide range of contexts; for example, for briefing and to pursue points raised in ministerial correspondence. Details could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has information regarding the number of badgers electrocuted on railway lines; and what measures are being taken to reduce the number of such deaths.

I do not have information for the BR network as a whole. I understand that badgers have been killed on the newly electrified Tonbridge-Hastings line where their runs cross the railway. I am pleased to say that, after consultation with the RSPCA, British Rail have cut gaps in the conductor rail to allow badgers to cross safely. I understand the board will consider similar measures elsewhere where lines are to be electrified if the need arises.

asked the Prime Minister if any special arrangements were made by her office for the treatment of correspondence from the Law Officers in relation to the Westlands affair; and if she will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.I have nothing to add to my right hon. Friend's statement on 23 January and her speech in the debate on 27 January.

asked the Prime Minister if she intends to pay an official visit to Bristol.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to pay an official visit to Baginton, near Kenilworth.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what reply she has received from the European Economic Community Commission in respect to her representations regarding its failure to submit monthly reports to the Council on trends in agricultural spending; and if she will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The Commission has recently forwarded a report on 1986 expenditure to the Council in pursuance of its undertaking in the budget discipline conclusions. We shall seek to ensure that they continue to make reports in accordance with this undertaking.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Scunthorpe.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to ban the imports of fish products from those countries which fail to comply with international conventions on whaling; and if she will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.No. I do not consider that a ban on the importation of fish and fish products would be an appropriate or effective action in these circumstances. I believe our purpose is better served by continuing to use our influence on the whaling nations through active participation in the International Whaling Commission.

asked the Prime Minister what were the terms of employment of (a) Mr. Victor Paige, when chairman of the National Health Service Board of Management and (b) Sir Ian MacGregor, chairman of the National Coal Board; and what was the total number of employees (i) of the National Health Service and (ii) the National Coal Board and the total annual turnover in each of these organisations at the time of appointment of each of these chairmen.

Mr. Paige was appointed chairman of the National Health Service Management Board with the rank of second permanent: secretary on a three-year contract beginning 2 January 1985. The total of whole time equivalent staff employed in the hospital and community health service in England, including agency, locum, and family practitioner committee staff at March 1985, the nearest date for which figures are available, was 812,500. Annual turnover for the hospital and community health service was £9.3 billion in 1984–85.Information regarding the emoluments of Sir Ian MacGregor, chairman of the National Coal Board, is set out in the National Coal Board report and accounts. 1984–85. 246,835 people were employed by the National Coal Board and their wholly owned subsidiaries at the end of September 1983. Annual turnover for the National Coal Board and its subsidiaries for 1983–84 was £4,660 million.

asked the Prime Minister if she will state the total number of people who are in receipt of housing benefit or mortgage interest relief; if she will break down the total into (a) rent rebate, (b) rate rebate, (c) rent allowance and (d) mortgage interest relief; and if she will also show the total as a percentage of the population this represents in 1979 and 1985.

	1979–80*		1985–86*
	Numbers (millions)	Percentage households	Numbers (millions)	Percentage households
Great Britain
Rent rebate†	2·6	13	3·9	19
Rate rebate	5·4	27	7·3	35
Rent allowance†	0·7	3	1·2	6
United Kingdom
Mortgage interest relief†	‡5·9	29	8·0	38
* Housing benefit information relating to 1979–80 comprises those receiving help under the former DOE rebate schemes and those receiving similar help through supplementary benefit. Housing benefit figures for 1985–86 are provisional.
† Recipients of rent rebates/allowances and recipients of mortgage interest relief may also receive rate rebates.
‡ Mortgage interest relief figures for 1979–80 exclude those for option mortgages which are not available.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 26 June.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend is attending the European Council in The Hague.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make representations to the Government of South Africa to seek to have the Union flag removed from the flag of South Africa; and if she will make a statement.

This is a matter for the South African Government.

asked the Prime Minister what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the South African authorities about the number of persons detained under the current emergency powers; and if she will make a statement.

Acting on behalf of the Twelve, the Netherlands Presidency made representations to the South African Government on 13 June about the imposition of the State of Emergency. The Presidency protested at the indiscriminate arrests of church, community and trades union leaders. We have subsequently made bilateral representations to the South African Government about detentions under the provisions of the state of emergency.

asked the Attorney-General what have been the identifiable costs to date of the investigations into the affairs of the Peter Cameron Webb syndicate and Alexander Howden referred to in his answer of 25 November, Official Report, column 362.

The information is not readily available in the precise form requested. However, separate figures are available for housing benefits and mortgage interest relief as follows:

The members of the fraud investigation group formed for the purpose of this investigation are, with the exception of counsel and the accountants, full-time salaried officers of the police service or the Department of the Director of Public Prosecutions. It is not possible to apportion their salaries between the work devoted to this investigation and their other responsibilities. So far as other costs are concerned, I can only inform the House as to the position of the Director of Public Prosecutions for whom I have ministerial responsibility. The costs incidental to this enquiry borne by his Department are, with the exception of costs incurred by counsel and his staff on travel abroad, absorbed within the overheads of the Department. The costs incurred on travel abroad amount to £6,000. It is the policy of the Director not to divulge the fees paid to counsel or other experts such as accountants in respect of individual cases.