asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is now in a position to make a statement about dredging in Faslane bay and the means by which he intends to dispose of the waste, and in particular that part of it which is contaminated with asbestos.

On behalf of the Ministry of Defence, the Property Services Agency is today letting a contract to dredge an area of Faslane bay in the vicinity of the proposed shiplift and finger jetty to enable submarines to dock there. The work entails the dredging of some 65,000 cubic metres of silt and transporting it by barge to the recognised underwater dumping ground in the Firth of Clyde between Cloch point and Strone point. Work is expected to start on site within the next few weeks.Although this is essentially a straightforward dredging operation, there is known to be asbestos on the sea bed in Faslane bay arising from the former civil shipbreaking activities there. The quantity of asbestos is estimated to be only a small proportion of the dredged material by weight overall.The Property Services Agency, employing specialist consultants Balfours, has taken great care to specify environmental constraints on dredging and disposal activities that will ensure the minimum of disturbance to the marine environment.Even though the asbestos levels are low, it has been decided in view of public concern about asbestos that the selected contractor will be licensed under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 and may only employ workers properly trained in the correct working and hygiene procedures. The Health and Safety Executive has been fully informed of the proposed working method and is satisfied that no risk to the health of those undertaking the work is involved. Masters of vessels engaged in the work will be provided with details of the correct requirements. Throughout the operation and for a period thereafter, there will be careful monitoring around the area of dredging and the dumping ground and in selected locations around the estuary. This will be carried out by specialist consultants on behalf of the Property Services Agency. Monitoring stations will be set up to measure levels of turbidity, suspended solids and dissolved oxygen as well as asbestos content. Stringent monitoring levels will be set. The Clyde river purification board will also carry out its routine monitoring of turbidity, suspended solids and dissolved oxygen around the dredging area.In resolving the best approach, the Property Services Agency has discussed in detail with the appropriate authorities the proposed working method and the most suitable method of disposal. From these discussions it is clear that the site between Cloch point and Strone point is the best solution on environmental and economic grounds. It is a regularly used dumping ground; it is well charted and known to fishermen as such. The material from the dredging operation will be discharged through opening the bottom of each vessel within a restricted area in a mean water depth of 59 in and marine scientists from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland are satisfied that if, as planned, the dumping is properly controlled, material will not spread beyond the designated area. Depositing the dredged material elsewhere in the Gareloch was ruled out because of the risk of adversely affecting the oxygen regime; the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland ruled out "The Hole" off Rosneath point for fishery reasons anti Birch point off Arran because of the important fishery grounds around the periphery of the dump site and to prevent interference with DAFS monitoring in the area.Although a Government Department does not require a dredging licence, the Property Services Agency has obtained one from the Clyde port authority. In addition, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, which would normally license deposits in the sea under Part II of the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, the Clyde river purification board and the Marine Directorate of the Department of Transport have confirmed that the agency's proposals are acceptable to them. Local fishing interests have also been consulted and have confirmed that they have no objections.None of the asbestos contaminated material bagged and stored on site last year at the Clyde submarine base, nor any onshore material, will be deposited under water. Entirely separate arrangements have been made to deal with that material, as announced last year, and work is already under way.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to ensure that all submissions to the Widdicombe committee are made available to the public.

The Widdicombe report explains that the written evidence submitted to the Inquiry has been placed on deposit at the Public Record Office where it is open to public inspection, with the exception of those submissions which were expressly made to the committee in confidence. In addition, several of the main submissions have been separately published by the authors themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an indication as to the likely date when the decision in respect of planning appeal number APP/A5270/A85/31065 (The Hampshire club, Winchester) heard on Wednesday 16 October 1985 is to be announced.

I wrote to my hon. Friend on 25 June informing him of the latest position on the appeal concerning the Hampshire club, Winchester.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Mid-Staffordshire of 30 April, Official Report, column 408, what further discussions he has had with the London residuary body about £76 million granted by the Greater London council to the firm Satman for housing repairs in the London boroughs.

The London residuary body has kept my Department informed of its actions in the matter. On the basis of its own legal advice, it has decided to seek judicial review of the GLC's decision in relation to part of the payment amounting to some £39 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions he expects to impose on any private company in respect of the ownership, maintenance and operation of the locks and weirs of the River Thames.

Navigation responsibilities, including duties relating to the ownership, maintenance and operation of locks and weirs in the Thames, are subject to the requirements of various local statutes. I intend that all existing obligations of Thames WA should be transferred to the successor PLC.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the names of statutory bodies, organisations and persons he has consulted in respect of his plans to transfer the ownership of the River Thames to a private limited company;(2) what consultations he has had with each London borough, respectively, concerning the future discharge of statutory duties on the tidal reaches of the River Thames currently exercised by the Thames water authority.(3) what consultations he has had with the council of the London borough of Richmond on Thames concerning his plans to transfer the ownership and management of the River Thames to a private limited company;(4) what consultations he has had or expects to have with the council of the Royal borough of Kingston on Thames concerning his plan to transfer the ownership of the River Thames to a private limited company;(5) what consultations he has had or expects to have with the corporation of the city of London in respect of future discharge of statutory responsibilities in the tidal reaches of the river Thames, currently the responsibility of the Thames Water Authority;(6) what consultations he has had or expects to have with the county councils of Surrey, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire, respectively, concerning the future ownership, control and management of the river Thames;(7) what consultations he has had or expects to have with the boroughs of Elmbridge, Runnymede, Windsor and Maidenhead, Reading, and Oxford, respectively, concerning his plans to transfer the ownership and management of the river Thames to a private limited company;(8) what consultations he has had or expects to have with the district councils of Spelthorne, Wokingham, Beaconsfield, Wycombe, South Oxfordshire, Newbury West, Oxfordshire, the Vale of Whitehorse, and Thamesdown, respectively, concerning transfer of the ownership and management of the river Thames to a private limited company.

The possibility of transferring the water authorities to the private sector was presented in our discussion paper issued last year. The Government's proposals were subsequently set out in the White Paper "Privatisation of the Water Authorities in England and Wales" (Cmnd. 9734) issued in February 1986. We have received comments from a wide variety of organisations and individuals, but it is for the originators of these comments to decide if they wish to make their views public. We have not initiated, and do not plan, consultation specifically on the future of the Thames water authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in respect of the statement made in respect of foreign capital and water services, 23 June, Official Report, column 37, he will state the nature of the safeguards he expects to seek to include in future legislation relating to such investment.

I do not expect that it will be necessary to insert safeguards in future legislation. PLC status will enable the Government to retain a golden share which may regulate the size of particular shareholdings. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission will also have a significant role to play in safeguarding the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, pursuant to the answers to the hon. Member for Bimingham, Perry Barr, (Mr. Rooker) Official Report, 17 June, columns 505–6, those factors which led to the Z score of 3·71 for Coventry; if he will give the figures for previous years for which data are available; and if he will make a statement.

The indicators and method used by my Department in its analysis of urban deprivation are set out in "Census Information Note No 2: Urban Deprivation" produced by the inner cities directorate. This publication is in the House of Commons Library.The indicators used in the combined index of deprivation (basic Z-Score), which are all taken from the 1981 census, are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many gipsy sites in England and Wales have partial designation; and in which counties they are.

Designation under section 12 of the Caravan Sites Act 1968 refers to local authority areas. A list of designated areas in England was included in my recent reply to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley), Official Report 18 June 1986 columns 549–550.A list of gipsy sites in England is in the Library. Questions on gipsy matters in Wales are for the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to use his powers under part II of the Rates Act 1984 in respect of rate limitation for the financial year 1987–88.

My right hon. Friend will be announcing his proposals for selective rate limitation in 1987–88 before the summer recess. As the hon. Member is aware, a proposal to introduce general rate limitation would require consultation with the local authority associations and be subject to the approval of both Houses of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department first received a letter from the solicitor of Liverpool city council concerning a planning appeal in relation to advertising panels on Lime street chambers; when a reply was sent; and if he will make a statement.

The Department received a letter dated 14 March from the Council, following a communication from the Department about an appeal against a discontinuance notice issued by the council. A substantive reply has not been sent; but the council has been told by telephone that the Department is considering the legal issues, and a reply will be sent shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the action he proposes to take on the representations from Liverpool city council for the removal of advertisment panels at Lime street chambers, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside.

The Department is considering the legal issue of whether the council's power to issue a discontinuance notice in respect of advertisement panels at Lime street chambers was properly exercised, and therefore whether there is a valid appeal against the notice. A reply will be sent to the council shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters his Department has received from the Liverpool city council's solicitor concerning a planning appeal in relation to advertisement panels on Lime street chambers.

One letter, dated 14 March, followed by two reminders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how long on average it takes his Department to reply to letters from local authorities.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was paid to the owners of Birlsbury Wood on the borders of Hampshire and Dorset under the provisions of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for not clearing the woodland; under which sections of the Act; and how much has been paid in total in similar payments made under the financial guidelines of this Act in the past 12 months.

[pursuant to her reply, 27 June 1986, c. 348–9]: I am advised by the Nature Conservancy Council that during 1985–86 it paid a total of £1,967,715 in respect of management agreements made under section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968. Approximately £300,000 of this total related to woodland agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report those items for which disregards have been requested for 1985–86 under section 8(4) of the Local Government Finance Act 1982.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 June 1986, c. 239]: I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the community radio experiment.

Last year my predecessor invited applications for 21 experimental community radio licences, explaining that in selecting the successful applicants he would have the benefit of advice from a panel of advisers under the chairmanship of Mr. Stephen O'Brien. I am most grateful to him and his colleagues for their careful work in sifting the large number of applications which were made.It had been hoped to start this two-year experiment several months ago. But various difficulties arose and anxieties were expressed about its exact form. There would have been no regulatory body, and yet the public would have expected certain minimum standards of objectivity and decency to be maintained. Even in an experiment in partial deregulation, some minimum would still be necessary, particularly when existing local radio stations are subject to the rules in the BBC charter and the 1981 Broadcasting Act. Home Office Ministers would in practice have been held directly responsible for the content of what was broadcast during the experiment. Their only method of control would have been to insert conditions in the licence, and their only sanction the withdrawal of the licence if the conditions had been breached—a sanction which might well have seemed arbitrary and open to challenge.As we sought a satisfactory answer to this problem, it became clear that the whole question needed to be looked at in the light of other problems and proposals now affecting radio. The Indpendent Broadcasting Authority wishes to proceed with an independent national radio. Some ILR stations are concerned about their commercial future under the existing system. Professor Peacock's committee has included some proposals on radio in his report to be published later this week.The Government have therefore decided to give up the idea of an immediate experiment in community radio, the exact form of which was still causing difficulty, and to look again at community radio among the matters to be covered in the forthcoming Green Paper on radio. As the timing has worked out, an experiment in community radio would have delayed the time when the whole future of radio could be coherently considered. The Green Paper will undertake that consideration.I am conscious of the disappointment which this statement will cause to some, and of the effort which many people have incurred. I would like to express my regret in particular to all those who made applications and to the advisory panel which considered them. Their efforts have shown that there is enthusiastic and constructive support for community radio and I hope that we shall be able to devise suitable arrangements for it to take its part in our radio system.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the results of the trial runs of the comprehensive community programme in Wandsworth, the Wirral, Bradford and Gateshead; and what was the total cost involved.

I understand that only two pilot projects under the comprehensive community programme were actually started—in Bradford and Gateshead—and that they became 'mainstream' projects under the urban programme when responsibility for urban deprivation was transferred from the Home Office to the Department of the Environment in June 1977. I regret that I have no information about the results of either of these projects and that it is not now possible to estimate their total cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the provisions for civil defence in Swindon; and if he will make a statement.

The Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983 make it a duty of county councils to make provision for civil defence in their areas. We are examining the civil defence plans prepared by Wiltshire county council under these regulations along with those of other county councils. We will report to the House in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning the recent disappearance of a handgun and ammunition from Gillingham police station and the consequent inquiry.

I understand from the chief constable of Kent constabulary that a routine check of firearms stored at Gillingham police station at the end of April revealed that a firearm and some ammunition were unaccounted for. The chief constable has ordered a full investigation of the matter as well as a review of force procedures for the storage and security of firearms. The chief constable will in due course forward a report to Her Majesty's Inspector of Constabulary who is aware of the incident and who will keep us informed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long there has been a dispute about shower facilities at Liverpool prison; if he has any plans to increase manning levels at the prison; and if he will make a statement.

The use of the showers on K wing, which was refurbished in 1982–83, involves the wider issue of the provision of association at Liverpool prison. We have no plans at present to increase manning levels there but it is expected that manning will be reviewed in the general follow-up to the recent study of shift and complementing systems.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have taken place at Wapping in connection with the printing dispute from 16 June to date.

Ninety six up to midnight on 29 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he expects to be able to provide a substantive reply to the question tabled by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, for priority written answer on 16 June relating to the police operation at Wapping;(2) what has been to date

[pursuant to his reply, 16 June 1986, c. 409]: I understand from the Commissioner that the additional costs of policing the News International dispute at Wapping up to 14 June are estimated to be about £1 million. The number of officers deployed varies from day to day and hour to hour according to the operational requirement: the maximum number of officers deployed on any one occasion has been 1870. Over 570,000 police man hours have been spent in connection with the dispute. As to the effect on other Metropolitan police operations, I would refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend for Hayes and Harlington (Mr. Dicks) on 8 May at column 207.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will withdraw Home Office circular No. 40–1986 (Plastic Baton Rounds/CS: Central Facilities); what action he is taking in response to a letter dated 19 June from the clerk to the Northumbria police authority concerning that circular; and if he will make a statement.

The letter referred to is being considered and a reply will be sent as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the police, the armed forces and other statutory bodies, including public utilities, will be asked to participate in the regional defence exercises in November;(2) whether the regional emergency committees will be participating in the civil defence exercises taking place in November;(3) whether the emergency communications network will be activated during the regional defence exercises;(4) what regional civil defence exercises are planned for November in the current year; what are the exact dates of these; and what is the purpose of each;(5) whether the county councils will be asked to activitate their emergency plans during the regional civil defence exercises in November;(6) whether the pilot study on the co-ordination of regional emergency planning being carried out in the north-west will be tested during the regional civil defence exercise in the region;(7) whether the regional civil defence exercises are intended as a pilot for a future national civil defence exercise;(8) what will be the scenario for the regional civil defence exercises in November.

Exercises are being planned in region 6 (south-east England) to take place from 24 to 26 November, and in region 10 (north-west England) on 27 and 28 November. The scenarios for both will cover a period of international tension prior to the onset of hostilities and in region 10 conventional war.The region 6 exercise will test the plans of the local authorities at county and in some cases at district level. The region 10 exercise will test the regional emergency committee arrangements; local authorities can participate if they wish. Final details on participation have not yet been settled, but in addition to the local authorities, it is hoped that all civil organisations with responsibilities in a war crisis will take part.The emergency communication network will not be used in region 10. No decision has yet been reached in region 6.The purpose of the pilot study in No. 10 region is to examine the requirement for co-ordination of regional home defence planning and how it might be met. The exercise may therefore inform the study, but the question of testing it does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what use the existing purpose-built replacement hospital block at Wormwood Scrubs prison is currently being put; how much has been spent on its construction; and if he will make a statement.

There is as yet no purpose-built replacement hospital block at Wormwood Scrubs prison, and the hospital is at present operating in temporary accommodation in B wing. As part of the original redevelopment plan for the prison, the old hospital building was to have been refurbished and improved. When that redevelopment scheme was abandoned in 1983, £762,000 had been spent on the provision of a new roof and limited structural alterations, but to have brought it up to an acceptable standard to meet health and safety and fire requirements would have involved much additional work and cost, which it was decided could not be justified.A very small part of the old hospital building is being used for storage, and part of its mechanical services are operational to provide a feeder service to the nearby visits building. It is otherwise not in use. At a later stage, however, it will play an essential part in the redevelopment programme by providing temporary accommodation for a number of individual units, including the farms and gardens unit, clothing exchange stores and works department, when their existing buildings have been demolished to make way for permanent replacement facilities.As part of the redevelopment we propose to provide a permanent hospital and operating theatre within a new building linking the four existing wings of the prison. Subject to the necessary financial and planning procedures, it is hoped that work on this new building will begin in 1988 and be completed in 1991.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to accept a request from the West Yorkshire police authority for him to sanction the continued employment of 33 police cadets, appointed in the financial year 1985–86, and to permit the direct recruitment of a further 54 police cadets, of whom 15 would be financed by the Manpower Services Commission through the YTS; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has now approved the inclusion of 87 police cadets in the establishment scheme on the understanding that the actual intake will not exceed 10 per cent. of the force's annual recruitment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment has been made as to whether current police motor cycles in use with the Metropolitan Police will be able to pass the noise during acceleration tests included in the most recent EEC directives on motor cycle noise.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis informs me that the Metropolitan police have not carried out any assessment of motor cycles currently in use because there is no requirement under existing or proposed EC directives for the operator as opposed to the manufacturer to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to withdraw British nationality from United Kingdom citizens who serve in the South African defence force or police.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to offer asylum to draft resisters and conscientious objectors from South Africa.

All applications for asylum are carefully considered on their individual merits in accordance with our obligations under the 1951 convention relating to the status of refugees. Unwillingness to perform military service is not generally regarded as of itself justifying refugee recognition.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be giving a substantive reply to the letter of 21 April sent by the hon. Member for Walsall, North regarding a constituent in Short Heath, Willenhall.

My office has recently informed the hon. Member that arrangements have been made for his constituent to be seen by an immigration officer on 2 July. I will write to him after that meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be in a position to reply to the letter of 24 April from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East, acknowledged by his Department in May, concerning Mr. Vilis Grinvalds of School House, Ravensdale road, Wyken, Coventry.

I wrote to the hon. Member on 26 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to be able to provide a substantive reply to the question tabled by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, for priority written answer on 16 June relating to the cost of breaking up the hippie convoy.

I understand from the chief constable of Hampshire than an accurate assessment of the costs of police operations relating to the convoy on 9 June should be available next week. I will then be able to let the right hon. Member have a substantive reply to his question of 16 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Merseyside on the recent rise in the incidence of urban criminal damage and thefts from motor vehicles on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable that changes in recording practices are largely responsible for the apparent rise in criminal damage offences on Merseyside. The rise in thefts from motor vehicles is not readily explicable; but the incidence of particular types of offence can vary considerably from year to year. Comparable figures for the whole of England and Wales are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much compensation has been (a) claimed and (b) paid in respect of damages from not in the Handsworth and Lozells areas of Birmingham; how many such claims were received; and how many remain outstanding.

The West Midlands police authority is the relevant compensation authority for outstanding claims under the Riot (Damages) Act 1886 arising from the Handsworth disorders in September 1985. The Home Office is not involved in the processing of claims.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to pay an official visit to the Duchy.

On 23 September this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what action Her Majesty's Government have taken in response to the decision of the Canadian Government to impose a 10 per cent. tariff on imports of British books;(2) if he plans to ask the European Community to take any action in response to the Canadian Government's imposition of a 10 per cent. tariff on British books;(3) what is the estimated loss to British exports resulting from the recent Canadian tariffs on imports of books from the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The Canadian Government have imposed a 10 per cent. tariff on imports of English language books. The loss to United Kingdom exports, which was some £22 million in 1985, will depend upon the extent to which the 10 per cent. tariff can be absorbed by United Kingdom exports; but is clearly a matter of concern. Her Majesty's Government have therefore raised the issue with the European Commission and has made bilateral representations to the Canadian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if Her Majesty's Government have made any representations to the Canadian Government on the possibility of Canada acceding to the Florence agreement prohibiting tariffs on the import of books.

No. However the question of the recent imposition of a 10 per cent. tariff on English language books has been taken up bilaterally with the Canadian Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on takeovers and mergers; and what recent representations he has received about this policy.

Our policy on takeovers and mergers is that references to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission should be made primarily on competition grounds. I believe that this policy has in general operated effectively. However, it has attracted attention in recent months as a result of the high level of merger activity; and my right hon. Friend announced on 5 June a review of law and policy on mergers and restrictive trade practices.My right hon. Friend and I receive regular representations on aspects of mergers policy. We are inviting representations in the context of the review, in the first instance no later than the end of July.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, using 1979 prices, he will publish in the Official Report the figures for investment in (a) manufacturing industry and (b) service industries for each year since 1978 to the latest convenient date.

The information requested is not available in terms of 1979 prices. The latest figures for investment, at 1980 prices, were published on pages 603 to 605 of British business on 27 June 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is now in a position to announce his Department's response to the recent official request by the overseas trade authorities of the People's Republic of China to open a quota for imported television sets from China to the United Kingdom.

A proposal to open an import quota for Chinese television sets has been submitted to the European Commission. An announcement will be made when the Community has reached a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what request his Department has made to BL for the repayment of open market borrowings with some of the receipts from the sale of Jaguar; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what part of the spares business is proposed to be sold off with Leyland Bus.

In order to achieve BL's aim of keeping the parts business intact, the company has proposed to sell to any eventual purchaser of Leyland Bus a significant minority equity interest in a separate Leyland parts company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the latest position on the future of Land Rover.

The position on Land Rover remains as outlined to the House in my right hon. Friend's statement on 24 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken to date and what action he proposes to take to secure investment at Brymbo steelworks.

When the formation of United Engineering Steels (the owners of Brymbo Steelworks) was announced, the Government stated that they had approved the provision of funds for BSC to subscribe £55 million for preference shares and loans stock in the new company, on the understanding that the company would undertake further investments. Decisions on the location of new investment projects at UES plants are of course matters for the UES board.

asked the Paymaster General, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 23 June, Official Report, column 14, if he will say why he did not provide a substantive reply to the first part of the hon. Member's question on the same basis as the answer given to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott) the same day, Official Report, column 15; and if he will make a statement.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Paymaster General what arrangements apply to disabled young people refusing an offer of a place on YTS with regard to their existing benefit payments or future claims for benefit.

Under the Social Security Act 1975, YTS has been designated as approved training, and any young person who unreasonably refuses such training may lose unemployment benefit for up to six weeks; supplementary benefit may also be reduced for this reason.Entitlement to benefit is decided by independent adjudicating authorities set up under the Social Security Act. They take into account the individual circumstances of each case, including a person's physical or mental ability to undertake the training offered, in deciding whether a refusal is unreasonable.

asked the Paymaster General how many disabled young people presently take part in YTS in Britain.

I regret this information is not available at the moment. The Manpower Services Commission's computerised management information system, from which YTS statistics are obtained, is currently being re-programmed and improved to meet the needs of two-year YTS. As a result of this work information about the participation of young disabled people on YTS will not be available until the end of this Summer.I shall write to the hon. Member with this information as soon as it becomes available.

asked the Paymaster General what figures he has to show the number of young people applying to take part in YTS each year.

I regret that I am unable to answer the question, as the Manpower Services Commission does not record numbers of young people applying for YTS.

asked the Paymaster General what figures he has to show the number of disabled young people refusing the offer of a place in YTS in each of the last three years.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Paymaster General (1) if he has evidence to indicate whether the level of payments under YTS are a disincentive to disabled young people in receipt of social security benefits for their disablement;(2) if he has any plans to vary the fixed rate of training allowance paid to YTS trainees to meet individual cases of need.

There is no evidence of any significant disincentive effect from the present system of allowances and we have no plans at present for any change. A balance has to be struck between a level of allowance sufficient to attract young people to YTS and the need to use as much as possible of the money available for the actual provision of training. I am satisfied that, in general, trainees' needs are being met adequately through the existing system of allowances, together with the provision for payments of supplementary benefit where this is appropriate.

asked the Paymaster General (1) why figures showing numbers of young people taking part in YTS are not published in the latest issue of Employment Gazette;(2) if he will ensure that figures showing numbers of young people taking part in YTS are published for the latest available date in every issue of

I regret that the necessary information was not available in the time for the regular article containing YTS statistics to appear in the June edition of the Employment Gazette. However, figures showing the number of young people in training on YTS at the end of May will appear in the next edition of the Employment Gazette, to be published on 3 July, and the latest available figures will be published in future editions.

asked the Paymaster General what is the population of disabled economically active 16 and 17-year-olds in Britain.

Information is not available in the exact for requested.Preliminary labour force survey results for the spring of 1985 estimate that there were about 47,000 economically active 16 and 17-year-olds in Great Britain who were limited in the kind of paid work they could do by a health problem or disability.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy in what form stocks of potassium iodide tablets, potassium iodate tablets and aqueous iodine Lugol's solution, are held; and what are the doses in which each of these forms are to be administered to adults and children in the event of excessive radiation exposure.

Stocks are held by operators mainly in the form of potassium iodate tablets and would be administered on their instruction in accordance with medical advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish details of the system by which stocks of iodine will be administered to the population in the event of an emergency; and whether it is proposed that such administration will be prior to or after people have been exposed to excessive levels of radioiodines.

The system is set out in the Health and Safetyh Executive's booklet "Emergency Plans for Civil Nuclear Installations".

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the current output per manshift in British Coal.

The deep mine overall revenue output per man shift for British Coal in the week ending 7 June was 3·23 tonnes, the highest weekly figure achieved so far.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of the National Coal Board regarding the funding of the industry.

My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of the National Coal Board regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry, including its funding. The NCB's recovery during 1985–86 put the board on a firmer foundation at the start of 1986–87, although lower oil prices have increased the competitive pressure on the industry. The NCB's external financing limit for 1986–87 has been set at £730 million, and its capital approval for that year at £650 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a further revised draft of the proposed authorisation to be given to British Gas under the Gas Bill.

I have today arranged for copies of the further revised draft authorisation, together with the draft of the directions to be given under clause 63 of the Bill, to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, the Printed Paper Office and the Vote Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, in what ways the plutonium with plutonium-240 content less than 15 per cent. produced by Hinkley Point A, Sizewell and Oldbury since 1 April 1969 has been disposed of.

[pursuant to the reply, 26 June 1986, c. 269–70]: It is the practice to co-process all fuel discharged from the generating board's Magnox reactors. The resulting plutonium is retained in the civil cycle.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if any product of South Africa is on sale in the Palace of Westminster.

I understand that there are no South African products on sale in the Refreshment Department of the House of Commons.

asked the Lord Privy Seal on how many occasions since 1970 the House has adjourned for the summer recess (a) before 23 July, (b) between 23 and 26 July, (c) between 27 and 31 July and (d) in August.

Since 1970, the House has adjourned on one occasion before 23 July; on three occasions between 23 and 26 July; on five occasions between 27 and 31 July; and on seven occasions in August.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current amount of overseas aid for Sri Lanka; if he will indicate what percentage has been allocated for military equipment; and if he will make a statement.

Expenditure for Sri Lanka from the overseas aid programme during the current financial year is expected to be about £5 million. None of this has been allocated for military equipment; aid programme resources are not made available for this purpose.

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 particulars showing which items of expenditure account for the difference between the United Kingdom and each of the other countries concerned at the secondary level, including salaries, school books and equipment, and maintenance of buildings.

The available information is shown in the following table based on my pursuant answer of 12 June, at column 278. No breakdown by level is available for the United States of America. The proportion of administrative and other educational expenditure unallocated to educational levels varies between the countries concerned affecting these comparisons.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the criteria for the extent of provision of playing fields at sixth form or tertiary colleges.

The statutory requirements for the provisions of playing fields at sixth form colleges are set out in regulation 6 and schedule 3 of the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 (S.I. 909). The regulations do not apply to tertiary colleges but my Department's building bulletin 28 "Playing Fields and Hard Surface Areas" (a copy of which is in the Library of the House) contains advice relevant to provision for the 16 to 19 age group.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on differentiated salaries to facilitate the recruitment in secondary, further and higher education on staff with scarce and marketable skills.

The Government believe that salary structures should be such as to attract, retain and motivate teachers, including those who have scarce and marketable skills. Structure reform talks are currently taking place in the schools, further education and university sectors. The Government have made clear their view that one outcome of those talks should be sufficent flexibility for employers to attract and retain staff whose skills are in short supply.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking to promote training for teachers in computer skills.

My right hon. Friend will be supporting through the in-service teacher training grants scheme from September this year 90 per cent. of the replacement costs of teachers attending approved courses on teaching computing and microelectronics and training in the uses of microelectronics across the curriculum. A wide range of other in-service training courses in computing is supported by our system for pooling local authority training costs. In addition we are providing £3 million this financial year to fund the microelectronics education support unit, which will assist with the training of teachers, provide a central resource of information and develop curriculum materials across the whole area of new technology in schools. This work builds upon the highly successful microelectronics education programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the information available to him on the replacement building programme for primary schools in north Devon; and if he will make a statement.

Our knowledge of local education authorities' building programmes is derived from their annual bids for capital allocations. In their bid for 1986–87, Devon LEA included the following references to primary schools in North Devon:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the number of illiterate people in the United Kingdom; and what steps he is taking to seek to eliminate illiteracy.

The national child development study survey of 1981 found that 10 per cent. of the 23 year olds asked said they had had reading problems since leaving school which had made things difficult for them in everyday life.The Government's policy for raising standards of literacy in schools are set out in the White Paper "Better Schools", published last year. The Department of Education and Science and the Welsh Office jointly fund the adult literacy and basic skills unit to help develop educational provision to overcome illiteracy amongst adults. Grant has been raised from £360,000 in 1979–80 to £2,170,000 in 1986–87; a sixfold increase.Policies to combat literacy problems in Scotland and Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals Her Majesty's Government are preparing to put forward at the Commonwealth Education Ministers conference in 1987.

On the basis of ideas discussed at a meeting of Commonwealth Education Ministers in Sofia in October 1985, in which my hon. Friend the Member for the City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Brooke) participated, the Commonwealth Secretariat hopes shortly to propose the theme for the 1987 conference in Nairobi. My right hon. Friend will then consider how best to make a positive and constructive contribution to the discussion of the theme in Nairobi and to any opportunities for useful, practical co-operation between Commonwealth countries which could arise from it.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list per capita spending in primary and in secondary schools on (a) books and (b) equipment at outturn and at real prices in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the change in the funding of universities in cash and constant 1985–86 prices between 1980–81 and 1986–87, excluding those amounts representing compensation for changes in home student fees, for redundancy and for early retirement, changes to take account of minor capital works from the recurrent grant, changes in local authority rates and additions made for the information technology and new blood programmes.

Between 1980–81 and 1986–87 public funding of universities has increased by 28·8 per cent. in cash terms, which is a fall of 6·3 per cent. in constant 1985–86 prices (using the GDP deflator). Excluding the funding elements selectively listed by the hon. Member, there was an increase over the same period of 13·1 per cent. in cash terms equivalent to a reduction of 17·8 per cent. in 1985–86 prices. Such exclusions are unrealistic; payment of items such as local authority rates and compensation for redundancies and early retirement are part and parcel of the cost of running large institutions. Since 1980–81, universities' income from private sources has increased substantially.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with the chairman of the Scottish tourist board about the number of visitors from North America expected in the current summer; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State met the Chairman of the Scottish Tourist Board at the opening of the British Travel Centre on 13 June. Later that day, he joined the Chairman at a special welcome for North American visitors at the Scottish Tourist Board office at 19 Cockspur street, London. The theme for the day was "Go for Scotland, America."There was evidence of some downturn in visitors from North America in April and May. The indications are that the situation is beginning to return to normal and that the North American trade is picking up again. There are a number of special factors this year which are having an impact. Firstly, 1984 and 1985 were exceptionally good years with considerable growth in the number of Americans visiting the United Kingdom. It would have been unrealistic to expect this rapid growth to have continued indefinitely. Exchange rates are not this year as favourable for the North American visitor, gasoline prices have fallen in America and their home market is being aggressively marketed with many competitive packages on offer. Also, we cannot ignore the special attraction this year of EXPO '86 in Vancouver.The British Tourist Authority and the Scottish Tourist Board have stepped up their marketing activities. Last year the Scottish Tourist Board launched a new scheme—AMNET—to promote Scotland and Scottish tourist products through the United States travel trade. The aim is to increase awareness of Scotland as a holiday destination and to build up a network of United States travel firms handling Scottish holidays. It is expected that this scheme will increase visits to Scotland but it is too early to assess its impact.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what improvements he proposes in the arrangements for regular monitoring of all levels of radioactivity throughout Scotland, in the light of the recent Chernobyl incident and representations from local inhabitants and others in southwest Scotland.

The regular monitoring of radioactivity in the environment in Scotland is already kept under review. The need for any extension to these arrangements, in the light of the Chernobyl incident and representations about monitoring in general, is currently being considered by my Department in conjunction with other agencies involved in this field, such as the National Radiological Protection Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are made by his Department for monitoring radioactivity among livestock; and he will make a statement.

A wide-ranging programme of testing of both grazing animals and animals in slaughterhouses has been put in hand and will be continued for as long as is necessary. The results of tests on animals in slaughterhouses have given rise to no cause for concern. Results are being published as and when they become available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the text of the letter of 2 June to him from the Director of the Clyde:river purification board on monitoring of radioactivity in the Clyde area and his reply; if he will give the information on which he based his statement that the board had undertaken monitoring of radioactivity in the Clyde estuary; and if he will make a statement.

I have arranged for copies of the letter of 2 June from the Director of the Clyde river purification board and the Scottish Development Department's reply of 19 June to be placed in the Library.The Scottish Development Department's letter did not state that the Clyde river purification board was undertaking monitoring of radioactivity but clarified earlier correspondence which appears to have led to this erroneous interpretation. The correct position is that long term research work on radioactivity in the Clyde estuary being undertaken by the department of chemistry of Glasgow university involved the analysis of water samples taken by the Clyde river purification board.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what indications were obtained from spectographic and other analysis of the radioactivity in lambs, and elsewhere in South West Scotland of the source or sources.

The ratio of the two caesium isotopes (Cs-134 and Cs-137) found in current tests on lambs is characteristic of Chernobyl fallout.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients in Scotland receive incontinence aids, including pads and pants, on prescription; what he estimates to be the annual cost of this service; and what estimate he has made of the cost if the service were provided through the health centres and district nurses.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department holds any information on the age and mileage of dual purpose ambulances in Scotland.

The Scottish Home and Health Department dots not hold this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make available the review of his Department's arrangements for dealing with environmental topics in Scotland; if he will outline the specific remits and areas of interest of the newly-established rural, environment and countryside division and of the environmental protection unit; and what are the annual budgets and numbers of staff at the disposal of each.

The organisational arrangements within the Scottish Development Department for discharging its responsibilities relating to the environment are kept under continuous review to ensure that appropriate action can be taken to meet current needs.The main responsibilities of the rural environment and nature conservation division of the Department are to carry forward the Government's policies in relation to environmental conservation in the countryside; to discharge the Secretary of State's sponsorship responsibilities for the Countryside Commission for Scotland; and to liaise with the Nature Conservancy Council and the Forestry Commission on countryside and conservation issues. It has a budget of £380,000 in 1986–87 and a staff of 15.The main responsibilities of the environmental protection division are to deal with policy and legislation on the maintenance and improvement of the aquatic, aerial and land enforcement, and on the supply of water and sewerage services. It has a budget of about £300,000 in 1986–87 and a staff of 14. In addition, the civil engineering and water services unit and Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate provide technical advice and services on environmental matters and supply the staff for the hazardous waste inspectorate in Scotland. The number of staff directly involved in the provision of these services is 10, with a budget of approximately £305,000 in 1986–87.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs have been lost, and how many have been created, in the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency since May 1979.

Comprehensive information on jobs created and jobs lost is not available. There were 3,419 redundancies affecting 10 or more employees notified to the Cumbernauld and Kilsyth jobcentres in the period since 1 May 1979: the area covered by these jobcentres is slightly larger than the constituency. In the period 1 May 1979 to 31 May 1986, 1,230 new jobs and 860 safeguarded jobs were associated with offers of regional selective assistance to businesses in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth constituency. In the period to 31 May 1986, 940 jobs were associated with offers of the new regional development grant. It should be noted that some projects receive both types of assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of people employed in Scotland in the microelectronics industry in each of the past five years.

Information in respect of the electronics industry in Scotland is set out in the table below. These estimates are based on information from the Regional Data System. Although estimates from RDS normally reflect the latest known classification of plants, these estimates are derived from a special exercise carried out by the Industry Department for Scotland in which plants have been given the classification appropriate to each year.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what numbers of people were employed in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry in Scotland in each year since 1974.

The estimated numbers of persons employed in the shipbuilding and ship repair industry (activity heading 3610 of the 1980 standard industrial classification) in Scotland for the years 1979 to 1983, the latest at present available, are set out below. Prior to 1979, only figures for the shipbuilding and marine engineering industry (minimum list heading 370 of the 1968 standard industrial classification) are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland were employed by the British Steel Corporation in each year since 1974.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland were employed by the National Coal Board in each year since 1974.

It is estimated that the numbers of people in Scotland employed by the National Coal Board in each year since 1974 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the net change in the number of employees in employment in Scotland in (a) manufacturing industry and (b) service industries in each year since 1980.

The estimated net changes in thousands, as compared with the previous year, in employees in employment in manufacturing and services are set out in the table for June of each year since 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish a table to show the average monthly count of persons registered as unemployed in Scotland, in each year since 1974 who were (a) school leavers and (b) aged 19 years and under;(2) what is the number of people in Scotland, at the latest date, who have not been in full-time employment since leaving school; and how many of them are school leavers from

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of wholly oil-related jobs in Scotland in each of the past five years.

Total employment in firms in Scotland identified by the Manpower Services Commission as being wholly related to North sea oil and gas activity is estimated to have been around 63,700 in December 1985. This is the most recent estimate available. The estimates for June of the years 1981 to 1985 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the current programme of improvement to the A74 to be completed.

The 1986 programme of carriageway reconstruction and resurfacing work on the A74 is expected to be completed by mid-July. The M74 Draffan to Millbank extension is planned to be completed in the spring of 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many staff and practitioners in terms of whole-time equivalents there were in the National Health Service in Scotland at 30 September in each year since 1978.

The number of NHS staff expressed as whole-time equivalents and the number of general medical and dental practitioners at 30 September is shown below:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many housing action areas for improvement were approved during 1974 to 1985 (a) within the statutory 28 days, (b) in more than 28 days but within 84 days and (c) in more than 84 days; how many were approved in 1986 (i) within the statutory 28 days, (ii) in more than 28 days but less than 84 days and (iii) in more than 84 days; and how many are now outstanding (1) 28 days or less, (2) more than 28 days and (3) more than 84 days, respectively.

The function exercised by my right hon. and learned Friend in regard to housing action area draft resolutions is to consider whether or not he should direct the local authority concerned to rescind their resolution. He may at his discretion notify the local authority that he requires a longer period than 28 days from his acknowledgement of the draft resolution in which to do so. From 1974 to 1985 the Secretary of State considered 1,167 draft housing action area resolutions for improvement or for demolition and improvement, of which he directed nine to be rescinded. The other information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the names of all housing action areas for improvement now awaiting his approval, showing the local authority which submitted them, and the date on which they were submitted.

The names of the draft housing action area resolutions for improvement on which my right hon. and learned Friend has yet to come to a decision are given below together with the dates on which they were received by the Scottish Development Department:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has of the area of land covered by bracken in Scotland.

The area of land in Scotland at present covered by bracken is estimated to be around 200,000 hectares.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate he has of the probable area of land covered by bracken in Scotland, at present rates of encroachment, by the year 2000.

The rate at which bracken spreads is variable: encroachment of heathlands and moorland is negligible while the rate rises to approximately 3 per cent. on underused grassland. The overall rate of encroachment is further affected by factors such as livestock numbers and the level of afforestation. It is not therefore possible to give a realistic figure for the year 2000.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many grants were paid for the purpose of bracken control in Scotland; and what was their total value in each of the last five years.

The information is set out in the table below: