asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which are the 20 new prisons that are currently planned to be built.

Three new prisons built by the Property Services Agency as part of the prison building programme have already been opened; at Wayland in Norfolk, Stocken in Leicestershire and Thorn Cross in Cheshire. Following work by the Home Office directorate of works, two further prisons were opened in 1985 to relieve acute pressure on the prison system. These were at Lindholme, near Doncaster, and at Morton Hall, in Lincolnshire.The programme of new PSA prison building further consists of the following 13 establishments which are in construction, in design or planned:

Establishment	Location
Full Sutton	Humberside
Littlehey	Cambridgeshire
Mount	Hertfordshire
Swaleside	Kent
Garth	Lancashire
Brinsford	Staffordshire
Whitemoor	Cambridgeshire
Bicester	Oxfordshire
Woolwich	Greater London
Lancaster	Lancashire
Milton Keynes	Buckinghamshire
Doncaster	South Yorkshire
Ashford	Middlesex

As a result of the public expenditure decision announced in January, design work is now also planned to start on two more prisons.

Persons sentenced at Wolverhampton magistrates' court for the offence of unlawful possession of a controlled drug by type of sentence
Type of sentence and amount	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984
Unsuspended sentences of imprisonment
Up to and including 1 month	—	1	1	1	—	1
Over 1 month up to and including 3 months	1	—	—	1	—	—
Total	1	1	1	2	—	1
Suspended sentences of imprisonment	—	—	—	—	—	—
Fines
Up to and including £20	1	—	1	3	3	1
Over £20 up to and including £50	9	6	7	6	20	13
Over £50 up to and including £100	—	1	—	1	2	2
Total	10	6	8	10	25	16
Other sentences or orders	—	3	4	*6	4	5
Total	11	10	13	18	29	22
* Includes one three months detention centre order.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men have received prison sentences for non-fulfilment of maintenance payments to former marital partners and children following broken marriages in each year since 1979.

Receptions of those committed to custody by magistrates for non-payment of wife or child maintenance are published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (table 6.2 of the issue for 1984. Cmnd. 9622). Provisional figures for receptions of males in 1985 are 698 for wife maintenance and 37 for child maintenance. The corresponding figures available for those committed by county courts are given in the table.

Receptions of males committed by county courts to custody in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales for non-payment of wife or child maintenance, 1979 to 1985
	Type of Committal—Numbers
	Wife maintenance*	Child maintenance†
1979	13	1
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984	31	1
1985†	5	12
* Including wife and child maintenance.
† Provisional data.

Not available; the information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions have been imposed by magistrates in Wolverhampton on people for being in possession of drugs in each of the last six years; and if he will list the range of fines, prison sentences and suspended prison sentences imposed for this offence during the same period.

The information requested for the years 1979 to 1984, is given in the table. Corresponding information for 1985 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Hampshire as to the steps being taken to secure the recapture of Alvada Kooken, an inmate of Broadmoor, who absconded whilst on day release in Southsea; what co-ordination with other police forces is being effected in this matter; and if he will make a statement.

Miss Kooken was recaptured and returned to Broadmoor on 25 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a list of the number and type of appliances and their equipment deployed at each fire station in the north-east area command of the London fire brigade which carry equipment specifically for use at incidents involving radioactive substances and details of other specialist appliances deployed elsewhere in the brigade which could be used at such incidents; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of this level of provision in relation to protection against radioactive hazards.

The list requested is as follows:

Station	Appliances
Shoreditch	Pump Ladder, Pump
Kingsland Road	Pump Ladder, Pump, Hydraulic Platform
Stoke Newington	Pump Ladder, Pump
Whitechapel	Pump Ladder, Pump
Stratford	Pump Ladder, Pump
Poplar	Pump Ladder, Pump, Turntable Ladder
Millwall	Pump Ladder, Pump
Shadwell	Pump Ladder
Bethnal Green	Pump Ladder, Pump
Bow	Pump Ladder, Pump
Homerton	Pump Ladder, Pump
Leyton	Pump Ladder
Leytonstone	Pump Ladder, Pump
Chingford	Pump Ladder, Damage Control Tender
Woodford	Pump Ladder
Walthamstow	Pump Ladder, Pump, Hose-Laying Lorry
East Ham	Pump Ladder, Emergency Rescue Tender
Ilford	Pump Ladder, Pump
Hainault	Pump Ladder
Romford	Pump Ladder, Pump
Dagenham	Pump Ladder, Pump, Hydraulic Platform
Hornchurch	Pump Ladder, Pump
Barking	Pump Ladder, Pump, Foam Tender, Fire Investigation Unit
Wennington	Pump Ladder
Silvertown	Pump Ladder, Pump

These appliances carry equipment for use at incidents involving radioactive substances. 26 pump ladders each carry five breathing apparatus sets, a survey meter, six dosimeters, six pairs of protective gloves and two chemical protection suits. 19 pumps each carry four breathing apparatus sets, five dosimeters, five pairs of protective gloves and two chemical protection suits. The emergency rescue tender carries five breathing apparatus sets, five dosimeters, four gas-tight suits, four chemical protection suits, five pairs of protective gloves and personnel decontamination equipment. A survey meter is for contamination monitoring and a dosimeter is an individual absorbed radiation monitor.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals are the subject of a probation order; and what is the estimated annual cost of implementing a probation order.

The information requested is published annually in "Probation Statistics England and Wales" (tables 1.1 and 12.3 of the latest issue, for 1984). The estimated annual cost for each person on probation, which should be treated with reserve as it involves a number of assumptions, was £660 in 1983–84.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has about reconviction rates (a) following a probation order and (b) for individuals who are subject to probation order.

The latest available information on reconvictions of those given probation orders was published in 1979 in chapter 3 of "Previous convictions, sentence and reconviction" Home Office Research Study No. 53 (tables 3.4 and 3.5). A new study is being made of the reconviction rates of those given probation orders and results are expected to be available by the autumn, which will include separate estimates of the number of persons reconvicted during and following a probation order. Information on terminations of probation orders for conviction of an offence is normally published annually in "Probation Statistics England and Wales" (tables 2.10 and 2.11 of the issue for 1983) and will be included in the issue for 1985 to be published towards the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to introduce into English law the provisions in section 3 of the Trespass (Scotland) Act 1865, making it an offence to encamp on private property without the consent and permission of the owner or legal occupier of such premises.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Solihull (Mr. Taylor) on 20 June 1986, at column 658.

asked the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the proposal by the Commission to raise a supplementary budget for 1986 which exceeds the strict budgetary limits agreed at a recent meeting of the Council; and if she will make a statement.

This subject is about to be discussed by the ECOFIN and budget Councils.

asked the Prime Minister if she will now, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, Official Report, column 287, 12 June, publish the evidence that Libya was involved in the bombing of the La Belle discotheque in Berlin on 5 April.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Clifton, near Rugby.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what representations she has received about the implications of recent investment decisions as a result of Phoenix II for the future of Brymbo steelworks; and what action Her Majesty's Government propose to take in consequence.

I have received two representations about the recent decision by United Engineering Steel (known as Phoenix II) to place an order for a new continuous caster at its Aldwarke works. Decisions about investment projects at Brymbo and other United Engineering Steel plants are matters for the board of the company.

asked the Prime Minister why she has extended the tenure of office of Sir Robert Armstrong as Cabinet Secretary and head of the Civil Service beyond normal retirement age.

I have asked Sir Robert Armstrong to continue in office until not later than September 1988, in order to leave the greatest possible degree of freedom for decisions after the general election about the organisation of functions and distribution of duties at the centre of government.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 July.

Consultants	Subject of Consultancy
CACI International	Various contracts for computing advice and support to the Department's Petroleum Engineering Division.
Valstar Ltd.
Z. & S. Ltd.
Leasco
Scott-Pickford
Reliability Consultants
C. M. Consultants Ltd.
Haydn Webborn Consultancies Ltd.	Selection of Inspection data for training inspector-divers.
	Production of a glossary of terminology for divers and non-destructive testing inspectors.
	Provision of training material for divers.
P. A. Consulting Services Ltd.	Study of divers' communication.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 July.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 July.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. I was present at Victoria station to meet President von Weizsacker of the Federal Republic of Germany at the start of his state visit to this country. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall attend a state banquet at Buckingham palace in honour of President von Weizsacker.

asked the Prime Minister what steps she takes to monitor the extent to which each Government Department takes up the European Community grants available to it; and what percentage of such grants were taken up in the last year.

[pursuant to her reply, 9 June 1986, c. 40–41]: I regret that the figure given for the United Kingdom share of agricultural guidance receipts was incorrect. The table shows the percentage share of United Kingdom receipts from the main Community funds.

	Per cent.
Agricultural Guarantee	9·4
Agricultural Guidance	16·1
European Social Fund (ESE)	30·8
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)	28·9

The latest estimate of total United Kingdom receipts in 1985 (excluding budget funds and abatements) is £1,908 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the contracts, with the subject of the assignment, awarded to management consultancy or accounting firms by his Department in 1985, with the name of the consultants concerned.

My Department placed the following contracts with management consultancy and accountancy firms in 1985:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) in view of the abandonment by the National Coal Board of the coal industry's conciliation scheme as enacted in section 46 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946, what steps he is taking to ensure good working relations on safety, health and welfare of persons in the coal industry between the National Coal Board and the National Union of Mineworkers;(2) whether the National Coal Board has deposited any copies of new agreements with his Department as replacements for the termination by the National Coal Board of the coal industry conciliation scheme as enacted by Parliament in the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946;(3) whether he was consulted by the National Coal Board about its unilateral termination of its involvement in the coal industry conciliation scheme which has statutory authority from his Department under section 46 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946.

Section 46 of the 1946 Act places a duty on the NCB to consult organisations appearing to it to represent substantial proportions of the persons in its employment. I am satisfied that the board is complying with that duty.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions the new evidence revealed in the programme "Spying for the Comrades" of 12 April regarding the passing of classified information to a foreign diplomat.

All the information contained in the programme referred to by the hon. Member was available to the officers of the Metropolitan police responsible for investigating the allegations made against Mr. Brian Gentlemen and it was all taken into account by the Director of Public Prosecutions when reaching his decision. He concluded that there was no evidence sufficient to justify the institution of criminal proceedings against Mr. Gentlemen.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the provision of housing for people moving to take up work, in the light of the recent SHAC report "A Job to Move", a copy of which has been supplied to him; and if he will make a statement.

The Government fully recognise the importance of mobility for those moving for work. My Department, in conjunction with the local authorities, has set up national mobility schemes, and continues to support them. I am always keen to look at the possibility of making improvements, and I am examining the SHAC report's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in the Official Report the extent to which housing authorities in England and Wales achieved the target of 1 per cent. of lettings going to the national housing mobility scheme nominees in (a) 1984–85 and (b) 1985–86; and whether he will make a statement.

The information is not yet available in the form requested. When it is available, I shall arrange to place it in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total level of assistance given by his Department spent in the Kirklees metropolitan district council area in each year since 1974, broken down by category of assistance.

The total of assistance to the Kirklees metropolitan district council area since 1974 is shown, where available, in the following table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has given his consent for the complete or partial demolition of the public library building in Berwick-upon-Tweed under section 277A of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971.

No. I understand that the district council has sold the building. The new owner has applied for a certificate of immunity from listing under section MA of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971. That application is being considered, and a decision is expected shortly. Whether or not a certificate of immunity is granted, the owner would require the consent of the local planning authority before carrying out any demolition work because the building is in a conservation area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by local authority (a) the number of difficult to let houses, (b) the number of houses classified as unfit and (c) the number of houses lacking basic amenities; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities' housing investment programme returns include their estimates of the numbers of unfit dwellings, of other dwellings which lack basic amenities, and, excluding private housing, of dwellings which are difficult to let. The information relating to April 1985 is listed in the "H1P1 (1985) all items print" which is available in the Library. The numbers reported are not necessarily comparable as authorities' criteria may differ.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of new housing was built on (a) virgin land and (b) recycled land in each of the five most recent years for which figures are available.

Information in the form requested is not available. Figures recently issued for land use changes in England recorded during 1985 show that 22 per cent. of land developed for residential use was previously developed, 23 per cent. was vacant land in urban areas, and 55 per cent. had been mainly in agricultural use.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, further to his answer of I I May, Official Report, column 484, he will publish in the Official Report the percentage increase in rates for 1986–87 over that for 1985–86 for each shire county.

The information is as follows:

Counties ranked by percentage increase in precept from 1985–86 to 1986–87—Percentage change in shire county preceptsfrom 1985–86 to 1986–87
	Rank	Per cent.
Cumbria	1	36·4
Cambridgeshire	2	32·9
Buckinghamshire	3	30·0
Leicestershire	4	27·0
Somerset	5	26·5
Derbyshire	6	25·9
Wiltshire	6	25·9
Oxfordshire	8	24·8
Lincolnshire	9	22·0
Hertfordshire	10	21·9
Northumberland	11	21·7
Isle of Wight	12	20·0
East Sussex	13	19·9
Warwickshire	13	19·9
Devon	15	19·8
Shropshire	16	19·6
West Sussex	17	19·1
Norfolk	18	19·0
Bedfordshire	19	18·8
Essex	19	18·8
Cornwall	21	18·3
Gloucestershire	22	18·1
Avon	23	17·9
Nottinghamshire	24	17·7
Suffolk	24	17·7
Durham	26	17·3
Lancashire	27	16·1
North Yorkshire	28	15·9
Dorset	29	15·4
Hampshire	30	14·6
Humberside	30	14·6

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to extend monitoring of the assured tenancy scheme to include questions concerning the renewal and termination of assured tenancies.

I propose to include these questions in the next monitoring exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the information, as at 1 April 1986, requested by his Department from approved bodies under the assured tenancy scheme, covering, for each named body (a) the number and geographical location of dwellings let, (b) the number and geographical location of dwellings under construction, (c) the number and geographical location of dwellings planned, (d) the rent levels of each letting, (e) the address of each approved body, and (f) in each case, under (a) to (e) above, whether the approved body is a financial institution, a building/construction company, a property investment company, a non-incorporated partnership or a housing association.

My Department has prepared a report on the assured tenancies monitoring exercise carried out earlier this year. Copies are being placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by bands of expenditure, the amounts required to bring privately-owned vacant dwelling houses up to a basic standard of fitness for (a) Greater London, (b) the rest of England, and (c) England as a whole; and how he has taken or will take these amounts into consideration when determining the prescribed amounts applicable to qualifying works under the assured tenancy proposals in the Housing and Planning Bill.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the basis on which he will determine the prescribed amounts for qualifying works under the assured tenancy proposals in the Housing and Planning Bill.

I propose to consult publicly before reaching a view on the prescribed amount.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those bodies which have expressed an interest to his Department concerning an extension of the assured tenancy scheme to improved, repaired or converted dwelling houses; which of these bodies are already approved bodies under the existing scheme; and if he will indicate for each body whether the interest shown concerns dwelling houses (a) at present in the ownership of a local housing authority (b) at present privately owned but which at some point have been owned by a local housing authority, or (c) in long-term private ownership.

A substantial number of bodies, including building societies and landlords already approved under the assured tenancy scheme, have expressed general interest in our proposals to extend the scope of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how many mortgage repossessions have taken place in each of the years 1979 to 1985 in (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will review the level of radioactivity specified in the guide on the interpretation of the Radioactive Substances Act 1983; and if he will make a statement;(2) what account was taken in calculating the level of radioactivity specified in the guide on the interpretation of the Radioactive Substances Act 1983 of data published by the Central Electricity Generating Board in relation to radioactivity levels of garden soil, tea, coffee and common fertilisers; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans to update the guide to the administration of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, which was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in 1982.I shall ask the Central Electricity Generating Board to write to my hon. Friend, since the statement to which he refers appears to come from that source.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has yet completed its review of dolphinaria and marine parks.

I have now studied the report commissioned by my Department last September from Dr. Margaret Klinowska at the University of Cambridge. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library.Dr. Klinowska's report is based on a thorough examination of past and present practices at United Kingdom dolphinaria, and she has taken evidence from over 150 organisations and individuals. I accept her two main conclusions: that dolphinaria can continue to be permitted, provided that there are major improvements in virtually all areas, including accommodation, captive breeding programmes, the co-ordination of research and the quality of education provided by cetacean displays; and that my Department should not permit further imports of cetaceans until these new standards have been met.My Department will establish a steering group (including a representative of the Nature Conservancy Council) to consider the report's detailed recommendations. The steering group will seek co-operation from the operators of dolphinaria, and from other bodies whose help will be needed, particularly in trying to establish co-ordinated programmes for captive breeding and research.The operators and other interested bodies will be invited to comment on the detailed recommendations by the end of August, and we will be seeking programmes for each dolphinaria by the end of November to show how and when the required improvements will me made. This will guide the Department in decising whether or not further exemptions for commercial display under article 6 of the EC CITES regulation (3626/82) can be granted after 1 January 1987. I expect the main preparations for implementation to have been completed by the end of this year. Operators will be given a maximum of five years to meet the new basic standards for existing animals, and a further five years after that to make additional improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the Housing Corporation's corporate plan.

The Housing Corporation's second corporate plan covering England, Wales and Scotland was published yesterday. It reviews the corporation's programme of investment in housing associations, its administrative functions and operating costs and sets out various options for the future.I welcome the plan as a valuable contribution to the discussion of important housing issues.The options in the plan will be considered in the forthcoming public expenditure survey against the background of other pressures on public resources.The publication of this plan gives me the opportunity to pay tribute to the corporation and to the voluntary housing movement in Great Britain for their work in meeting the needs of those who face special difficulties and in fostering low-cost home ownership.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the table giving information on sales of dwellings by each local authority in England, which was referred to in the answer given to the hon. Member for Basildon (Mr. Arness) on 26 March, Official Report, column 495.

I have today placed in the Library the latest figures, to which my hon. Friend refers, giving information reported by each local authority in England on the progress of council house sales to the end of March 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment at what level alpha emitters were detected on 5 May; at what locations and by whom; what further investigations have been carried out or are planned as a result; what has been the trend in the level of alpha emitters detected since 5 May; and if he will make a statement.

The complete monitoring data arising from the Chernobyl incident is being collated and will shortly be published through Her Majesty's Stationery Office. A copy will be deposited in the Library of the House of Commons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the level of caesium 137 detected by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology at Ennerdale in Cumbria on 5 May; how this figure compares with the normal background readings for caesium 137; and if he will make a statement.

On 5 May the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology (ITE), during an analysis of radioactivity levels on the Cumbrian Fells, recorded 16,900 Bq of caesium 137 per kilogram of grass on Ennerdale Fells and passed the information to my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. The measurement was included in the collection of monitoring results my Department made available to the public on 15 May.ITE's analysis was carried out on dried samples, which gives results about five times greater than those obtained on freshly harvested grass, which is the standard method of analysis. This accounts for the apparent discrepancy between the measurements reported by ITE and those from other agencies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish details of the proposed new authorisation for radioactive liquid discharges from British Nuclear Fuels plc plant at Sellafield.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 April 1986, c. 414]: The new authorisation limiting liquid radioactive discharges from Sellafield has been issued jointly by my Department and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and comes into effect today. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people were treated by the National Health Services during 1985 as a result of accidents in the home caused by faulty electrical installation; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not available. The data collected at the 20 hospitals in the home accident surveillance system (HASS) include a provisional figures of 108 people who were treated at those hospitals in 1985 having had an electric current accident. This does not necessarily imply fault in either the appliance or the electrical installation involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the implications of the Canadian Government implementing a 10 per cent. tariff on British books for Her Majesty's Government's negotiating position in connection with the general agreement on tariff and trade.

GATT ecourages, but does not require, its signatories to enter into commitments —known as bindings—not to increase tariffs above certain levels. However, books are among the very few manufactured products where Canada's tariff is not bound: Canada may therefore change the tariff as it wishes.A priority in the round of GATT negotiations will be to press for fuller acceptance of GATT tariff obligations by our trading partners and to seek reductions of higher tariffs.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his definition of the froth on a glass of beer.

The term "froth" is not legally defined, but it is used to describe the mixture of gas and liquid which forms above the surface of the liquid when beer is poured into a container.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has for the implementation of section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

Consultations on the Department's proposals for changes to the regulations dealing with the construction and testing of beer glasses will not close until 16 July, and the Brewers' Society has yet to make public its proposals for guidance notes to which I referred in my answer of 26 March, at columns 475–76.As I said then, the Government will wish to see if this joint initiative proves to be successful before considering implementing section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect on the cash flow of small and medium sized firms falling within the Bolton definition of companies of the four-month moratorium of Government grants to them; if he will now abandon the moratorium; and if he will make a statement.

No formal assessment of the effects on firms of the moratorium on payments of old-style regional development grants has been carried out. While the moratorium has the effect of delaying receipt of grant by four months, many applicants will be able, if they wish, to borrow money on the strength of the approval letters which are issued in the normal way but four months before the actual payment. There are no plans at present to lift the moratorium.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many small firms, by Bolton committee definition, he has assisted by regional development grant, selective financial assistance or any other financial assistance in the course of the last 12 months to the latest convenient date; and how much money was involved in each region of the United Kingdom.

The table sets out the schemes of assistance for which information on support for small firms is available. Except where indicated the Bolton committee definition of 200 employees has been used. Information on the amount of assistance by region could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Assistance	Number of firms assisted	Amount £ million	Period
Regional Development Grants*	2,085	50·8	1985–86
Regional Selective Assistance	449	23·8	1985–86
Support for Innovation	482	32·6	1985–86
Business Improvement Services
(1) Direct aid to small firms	4,883	18·9	November 1984 to March 1986
(2) Aid for organisations providing services and facilities for small firms	195	3·8	November 1984 to March 1986
Small Engineering Firms Investment Scheme
(1) SEFIS I	143	2·7	1985–86
(2) SEFIS II†	401	5·9	1985–86
Business and Technical Advisory Services
(1) Support for Design	1,600	5·4	1985–86
(2) Support for Productivity	2,800	5·6	1985–86
(3) Support for Quality	400	1·6	1985–86
Small Firms Loan Guarantee Scheme‡	398	12·9	April 1985 to September 1985
* Figures are only available for the new regional development grant scheme which was introduced in November 1984.
† Figures given are for firms with up to 500 employees.
‡ Responsibility for this scheme was transferred to the Department of Employment on 1 October 1985. The figures relate to the number of guarantees given and the total loan value. In addition, in the six months period covered the small firms service handled some 127,000 inquiries and 17,500 counselling sessions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what talks or contacts, formal or informal, have taken place recently between the Government and General Motors; and what discussions there have been in this context about Leyland Vehicles and Land Rover.

There have been no meetings between Ministers and General Motors since my meeting with Mr. Stempel reported to the House on 22 May 1986, at columns 249–50. Working level contacts between officials of my Department and companies in the vehicle industry, including GM, have continued in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what current discussions are taking place between his Department, General Motors and BL about joint schemes; and if he will make a statement.

The Government share the view of the BL board that all options regarding the future of BL's commercial vehicle operations should be reviewed. The chairman of BL has stated publicly that he is exploring the possibilities for collaborative and other arrangements with other manufacturers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions are taking place between his Department, BL and General Motors about possible marketing arrangements involving General Motors and Land Rover.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any discussions are taking place between his Department, the BL board and General Motors about the future of Freightrover.

No discussions have taken place since my right hon. Friend's statement of April 24 with any party regarding the sale of Freight Rover but, as with other BL businesses, opportunities for collaboration and other arrangements with other manufacturers will continue to be explored.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if there are any discussions involving his Department, BL and other companies about the future of Austin Rover; and if he will make a statement.

No discussions are taking place concerning the sale of Austin Rover. Discussions between individual BL businesses, including Austin Rover, and other companies on matters of mutual commercial interest continue to take place in the normal way.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any discussions are taking place between his Department or the BL board and the Ford Motor Company about the future of Austin Rover.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry told the House on 6 February that the possibility of the sale of Austin Rover to Ford would not be pursued. The position is unchanged.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any discussions are taking place between his Department or the BL board and Honda about the future of Austin Rover.

Austin Rover is involved in major collaborative projects with Honda, including the new Rover 800 car, to be launched this month. BL and Honda are therefore frequently in touch about their collaboration and its development.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has reached a decision on implementation in the United Kingdom of the European Community directive on product liability.

We propose to implement this directive through primary legislation as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits, together with legislation to implement our proposed general safety duty and other amendments to consumer legislation. We propose to allow at least six months between enactment of the legislation on product liability and its entry into force. The development risks defence and the exemption for primary agricultural products will be retained, but we do not intend to introduce a financial limit on a producer's liability.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has completed his review of regulations concerning the inflammability of furniture and furniture coverings sold in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply 23 May 1986, c. 363]: I have completed my review of the need for updating the regulations concerning the flammability of upholstered furniture and have concluded that new legislative requirements should include a reference to a code of practice based on the Furniture Industry Research Association's own classification scheme. This will mean that some of the worst upholstery component combinations now on the market will be banned, but it will stop short of requiring all upholstered furniture to meet the match test. The option of meeting the match test directly will be allowed and the cigarette test will of course remain an essential requirement.In each of the years 1981 to 1984 there were between 3,300 and 3,600 accidental fires which started in upholstered furniture in occupied buildings in the UK. Each year about 150 people died and about 1,000 were injured in those fires. About half the fires were started by cigarettes.A working group is being set up to devise a code of practice that will serve as a basis for legislation and ensure a worthwhile improvement in the fire resistance of upholstered furniture. My aim is progressive upgrading of the performance in accidental domestic fires of the furniture available on the market. One of the advantages of a code of practice based on the Fl RA classification scheme is its flexibility; as new materials and treatments are developed, the requirements of the code can be made stricter.The same working group will also consider ways of extending the scope of legislation to include loose cushions and cushion covers, loose replacement covers and upholstery materials sold separately from furniture. It will have 18 months in which to complete its task.The legislative options are either regulations under the Consumer Safety Act or, when the general safety requirement proposed in our White Paper on the Safety of Goods (Cmnd. 9302) is enacted, approval of the code of practice as a sound modern standard of safety.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 June 1986, c. 373]: My Department has made no such request to BL, but use of the funds from the sale of Jaguar has been the subject of discussion with the company from time to time in the context of BL's overall financial position.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which European Economic Community member states now support effective economic measures against South Africa; and what further action the European Economic Community Council intends to take.

The Twelve are united in a common policy towards South Africa which emphasises the need for the total abolition of apartheid, an urgent start on national dialogue in South Africa and a cessation of violence on all sides. At the request and on behalf of the Twelve, my right hon. and learned Friend intends to visit southern Africa shortly in a further effort to establish conditions in which the necessary negotiations can commence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made in the elimination of chemical weapons as a result of a recent visit of Mr. Israelyan to the United Kingdom from the Soviet Union.

In a detailed exchange of views with Mr. Israelyan on June 18 my hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) made plain the need for new Soviet flexibility in the negotiations. We hope that the meeting will contribute to further progress in the CW negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any requests from the Bulgarian Government for advice and assistance in the light of the disaster at the Srednogorye steel plant; and if any British citizens were affected by the disaster.

We much regret the loss of life in the fire at the copper smelting plant at Srednogorye on 23 June. No British nationals were involved. We have received no requests for advice or assistance from the Bulgarian authorities, but we are ready to consider any that may be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has as to the number of intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarine-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers the Soviet Union has removed from operational service since January 1985;(2) what information he has as to the aggregate number of intercontinental and sea-launched ballistic missiles and heavy bombers the Soviet Union would be obliged to remove from operational service under the terms of a ratified SALT 2 agreement;(3) what information he has as to the number of intercontinental and sea-launched ballistic missiles, and nuclear missile-carrying submarines the Soviet Union has been obliged to remove from operational service under the terms of SALT 1 and SALT 2.

It is our understanding that the Soviet Union has withdrawn older strategic systems as new ones are deployed in order to stay within the agreed limits under SALT 1 and 2. The number removed relates directly to the number of new systems deployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what information he has as to the Soviet Union's compliance with the SALT 1 and SALT 2 prohibitions on the construction of new fixed intercontinental ballistic missile silos, the testing of new heavy intercontinental ballistic missiles and the number of re-entry vehicles on existing intercontinental ballistic missiles;(2) what information he has as to whether the Soviet Union has complied with the ceilings on the number of ballistic missile launchers and the number of MIRVed ballistic missile launchers stipulated in the SALT 1 and SALT 2 treaties;(3) what information he has as to whether the Soviet Union has tested nuclear weapons with a number of reentry vehicles in excess of that permitted under the terms of the SALT 1 and SALT 2 treaties.

The United Kingdom is not a party to either SALT 1 or SALT 2, which are bilateral agreements between the United States and Soviet Union, although SALT 2 was never ratified. We therefore have no formal standing to pronounce on matters concerning their implementation. We are not aware, however, that the United States has claimed that the Soviet Union has violated the provisions relating to these particular issues.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the Soviet Union's provision of prior notification of tests involving multiple missile launchers and extraterritorial flights.

None. Article XVI of the SALT 2 agreement, to which the United Kingdom is not a party, stipulates the terms under which one party should give prior notification to the other of ICBM launches.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to the numbers of intercontinental ballistic missiles, sea-launched ballistic missiles and nuclear missile-carrying submarines the United States has removed from operational service under the SALT 1 and SALT 2 agreements.

It is our understanding that the United States has withdrawn older strategic systems as new ones are deployed in order to stay within the agreed limits under SALT 1 and 2. Most recently, two Poseidon submarines were removed from service in advance of the latest Ohio class submarine starting sea trials.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what basis Her Majesty's Government decided to hold talks with the African National Congress at ministerial level; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have been following with deep concern recent events in South Africa, including the declaration of a state of emergency. We decided that a meeting with the African National Congress at ministerial level offered an opportunity to impress on the ANC leadership our view that a suspension of violence on all sides is essential to help create a climate in which dialogue and negotiations will become possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the conditions precedent to Her Majesty's Government being prepared to hold talks at ministerial level with the Palestine Liberation Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

Meetings with PLO officials have been held at the level of Minister of State without formal preconditions. Contacts with the PLO at Cabinet minister level remain difficult while the PLO's policies remain ambiguous on Israel's right to exist within secure and recognised boundaries and on the use of violence.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his estimates of the numbers of Russian Jews who have been allowed to emigrate from the Soviet Union so far in the current year.

The figures available to us for the period 1 January to 31 May 1986 are as follows:

Month	Number
January	79
February	86
March	47
April	72
May	49

We expect a figure for June to be available shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a claim to the Soviet Government for compensation for any losses sustained by British agriculture as a result of contamination caused by the destruction of the reactor at Chernobyl.

We are studying the question of a possible claim by Her Majesty's Government on their own behalf or on behalf of their nationals. We intend in any case to reserve all our rights in this matter with the Soviet Government.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on progress in research into schizophrenia.

The Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid through the Department, is the main Government agency for the promotion of medical research in the United Kingdom. I understand from the MRC, which supports a considerable amount of research in schizophrenia, that good progress is being made in several areas including, computer assisted diagnosis, structural changes in the brain, neurochemical imaging, molecular genetic studies, family therapy and evaluation of psychiatric services. The council has recently set up a

Local authority net recurrent institutional expenditure per full-time equivalent pupil—England
Financial years	Unit cost*at out-turn prices			Index deflated by the RPI†			Index in real terms deflated by the GDP deflator†
	£			(1979–80 = 100)			(1979–80 = 100)
	Nursery schools	Primary schools	Secondary schools	Nursery schools	Primary schools	Secondary schools	Nursery schools	Primary schools	Secondary schools
1975–76	600	260	400	121	100	108	123	101	109
1976–77	705	295	445	124	98	104	127	101	107
1977–78	665	320	480	102	93	99	106	96	102
1978–79	710	365	535	101	98	102	102	99	103
1979–80	815	430	610	100	100	100	100	100	100
1980–81	990	545	770	104	109	108	102	107	106
1981–82	1,110	620	870	105	111	110	104	110	109
1982–83	1,140	680	945	101	114	112	100	113	111
1983–84	1,230	730	1,015	104	117	114	103	116	114
1984–85	1,295	765	1,090	104	117	117	105	117	118
* Net recurrent institutional expenditure per full-time equivalent pupil.
† Financial year average.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the United Kingdom the amount spent by central Government on each level of education each year since 1970 as a percentage of (a) central Government expenditure and (b) gross domestic product, to two places of decimals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, further to his reply dated 13 May, Official Report, columns 433–34, he will publish in the Official Report the comparable figures for the United Kingdom in each year since 1970, and the proportion contributed by central and local government, respectively, in each case in terms of (i) current prices, (ii) as a percentage of 1979 deflated by the retail prices index and (iii) as a percentage of 1979 deflated by the gross domestic product deflator.

The readily available information shown in the following table relates to net recurrent expenditure in schools incurred by local education authorities in England. Direct expenditure by central Government on maintained schools is negligible.

Available information (for selected years) is shown in the following table. Additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the percentage of passes in GCE O-level and CSE examinations, indicating the subjects and gradings as appropriate.

Information in respect of the GCE and CSE attainments of leavers from English schools is shown in the following table:

School leavers in England, 1984–85
GCE ordinary level and CSE best graded results*for selected subjects
Percentage of leavers
	Best results
	Higher† grades	Other‡ grades	Total
Total leavers (000's)	—	—	736·2
Any subject (000's)	401·7	262·9	664·6
Any subject	55	36	90
English	40	44	84
Mathematics	31	44	75
Physics	16	18	33
Chemistry	14	13	27
Biological sciences	16	24	40

Leavers from maintained schools in Lancashire
(Thousands)
	Academic year
	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85
Total leavers	21·16	21·37	22·52	21·00	20·71
Number attempting O-level or CSE in Any subject	18·55	18·94	20·22	19·09	18·98
English	17·60	18·21	19·12	18·03	17·81
Mathematics	16·14	16·92	17·76	16·63	16·14
Physics	6·76	7·33	7·66	7·25	7·63
Chemistry	5·06	5·53	5·86	5·82	6·15
Biology	8·31	8·29	9·35	8·67	8·91
Craft, design, technology and other science	7·25	7·98	8·06	7·62	7·40
French	5·42	5·58	6·40	5·67	6·01
History	6·79	6·96	7·95	6·56	6·91
Geography	8·25	8·79	9·38	8·31	8·41
Creative arts	6·58	6·69	6·76	6·55	6·59
Commercial and domestic studies	7·26	6·17	7·36	7·01	7·35