asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the percentage of pupils with five or more 0-levels or 0-level equivalent remaining in full-time education in each local education authority and in England as a whole.

Information is not available in the form requested. The proportions of maintained school leavers in England with five or more higher grades at 0-level/CSE who had either stayed on at school or who had left at the minimum school leaving age, intending to continue full-time education elsewhere, are shown in the table. The percentages do not include those pupils who left school without five or more higher grade 0-level/CSE passes and subsequently achieved this level of qualification in full-time education or otherwise but do include those who achieved this level of qualification at least in part in the sixth form.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has received any representations to date from the teacher unions concerning city technology colleges; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not received any such representations. Copies of the booklet on city technology colleges were sent to the teacher unions, and some have subsequently been in contact with the Department. My right hon. Friend and I believe that the teacher unions will wish to give this initiative careful consideration. We would be happy to discuss this with them, if they so wish.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what differences in social composition he expects as between pupils participating in (a) the assisted places scheme and (b) the city technology colleges.

The assisted places scheme is a national programme designed to be academically selective. It extends the opportunities for children from poorer backgrounds to enjoy the best of the secondary education in the independent sector. While the Department does not collect information on the social background of APS pupils, the sole aim of the scheme is to support those pupils who could not otherwise afford to take up a fee-paying place.In contrast, city technology colleges are designed to offer a demanding education to pupils of varying backgrounds in a number of our cities. Selection will be by aptitude and commitment, and not through formal tests of academic ability. CTCs will be required to admit pupils representative of the community they serve.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what effects the establishment of city technology colleges will have on the availability of science and technology teachers in the neighbouring maintained schools; and whether he will make a statement.

City technology colleges will plainly reinforce the overall demand for science and technology teachers, without automatically guaranteeing an increase in supply. The effects in specific areas will depend on local circumstances, including the methods of staff recruitment used by CTC governing bodies, and the pay and conditions they offer. The Government believe that CTCs stand a good chance of attracting back into the profession teachers who have left it, and of stimulating new entrants.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he proposes to allow the establishment of city technology colleges in the same localities and affecting the same catchment areas as schools operating the technical and vocational education initiative; and whether he will make a statement.

The list of possible locations for city technology colleges includes a number of areas served by schools participating in the technical and vocational education initiative. In such areas, CTCs will complement the TVEI and will be expected to build on its achievements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the governing bodies of the proposed city technology colleges will have elected parent representatives amongst their number.

My right hon. Friend has made it clear that a major criterion in the selection of pupils for city technology colleges will be the commitment of their parents to full-time education or training up to the age of 18, to the distinctive characteristics of the CTC curriculum, and to the ethos of the CTC. Against this background, my right hon. Friend will be discussing the possibility of direct parental representation on the governing bodies with the promoters, who will have the controlling interest in them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimate his Department has made of the likely effect on technical and vocational education initiative schemes of the proposed city technology colleges; and whether he will make a statement.

City technology colleges will offer some parents and children an alternative to maintained schools in their catchment areas. CTCs will not affect the planned extension of the TVEI and existing TVEI schools will continue to benefit under arrangements which have already been made. More generally, my right hon. Friend expects city technology colleges to provide new models for improving the quality of education in urban areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to compulsorily purchase local education authority land and buildings for use as city technology colleges: and if he will make a statement.

Private promoters will be responsible for finding and managing the premises used by city technology colleges. My right hon. Friend has no powers of compulsory purchase.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he proposes to ensure that entrants to city technology colleges will fully reflect the catchment area from which they are drawn.

My right hon. Friend proposes to make it a condition of grant to the promoters of city technology colleges that they aim to secure an intake of pupils which is representative of the community they serve. The precise arrangements will be negotiated case by case.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils there are in England in (a) county schools, (b) voluntary-controlled schools and (c) voluntary-aided schools.

The number of full and part-time pupils in England in January 1986 in county schools, voluntary controlled schools and voluntary-aided schools are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the answer of 8 July to the hon. Member for Epping Forest, if he will make a statement on his policy towards the proposed reorganisation of secondary education in the Epping Forest area, in the light of his Department's circular 4/82 concerning the maintenance of opportunities for single-sex education in schools.

My right hon. Friend is currently considering statutory proposals for the reorganisation of secondary and further education in the west Essex area. His policy in respect of single-sex schooling remains as set out in my reply to my hon. Friend on 8 July 1986 at column 142.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's recent visit to Liverpool.

I regret that my visit to the university of Liverpool planned for 22 October had to be postponed because of parliamentary business. I hope to rearrange my visit for next term.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state, for the United Kingdom, England and Wales, the south-west standard region, and Cornwall, the average teacher-pupil ratio in both primary and secondary schools and the average amount spent per

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the percentage changes in real terms in funding of the colleges of the University of Wales by the University Grants Committee over the period 1981–82 to 1986–87, including those amounts representing compensation for redundancy and early retirement, provision for capital in recurrent expenditure and local authority rates.

The percentage changes in real terms in funding of the colleges of the university of Wales by the University Grants Committee over the period 1981–82 to 1985–86, including those amounts representing compensation for redundancy and early retirement, provision for capital in recurrent expenditure and local authority rates is shown in the following table. Information for the 1986–87 academic year cannot be provided as total grant for that year cannot be finalised until the first instalment of the rates bill for the 1987–88 financial year is known.pupil in respect of providing this education in the primary and secondary sectors and the corresponding figures for the academic year 1978–79.

The pupil-teacher ratio and the average amount spent per pupil in maintained primary and secondary schools in England, the South West and Cornwall and the corresponding figures for 1978–79 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what scientific and non-scientific criteria were taking into account in deciding to relocate the royal Greenwich observatory in Cambridge; what estimate was made of the cost of relocation in Manchester or Merseyside; and if he will reconsider the relocation to Manchester or Merseyside.

I understand that the Science and Engineering Research Council took account of the scientific need to associate the royal Greenwich observatory with a university having the following facilities: a strong astronomy department including an active optical observing group, expertise which complements that of the RGO, single site astronomy facilities, and associated strengths in engineering, computing and communications. The council also took account of nonscientific criteria, including cost and, equally important, the potential of the various sites for providing RGO with suitable accommodation.The net cost after five years of the move to Manchester, taking both capital and recurrent costs and savings into account, was estimated to be: for the option using a refurbished existing building, nil; for the option using a .new building, £0·7 million. The first of these two options however had the disadvantage of housing RGO on two sites separated by a main thoroughfare.My right hon. Friend is considering the formal request by the SERC for approval in principle of the capital expenditure required for relocating the RGO at Cambridge.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about payment of fees by students from other European Community countries.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 July c. 475–476]: In my reply to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) on 1 July I said that the new arrangements for payment of course fees for those European Community nationals studying here on courses designated for mandatory awards purposes would apply to nationals of "other" European Community countries. The arrangements will in fact apply to the nationals of all European Community countries including United Kingdom nationals, and the children of such nationals, who meet the relevant criteria for eligibility, including that of ordinary residence in the Community area. The conditions for eligibility and other details of how the arrangements operate are set out in a letter of guidance (further education circular letter 2/86) to education institutions and other interested parties on 16 October. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales which jobcentres in Wales are managed by Welsh-speaking managers; and which have staff who are Welsh-speaking but managers who are not.

At 22 October 1986, the 23 jobcentres or jobcentre groups in Wales managed by Welsh speakers, were those at Blackwood, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Caernarfon, Cardiff, Carmarthen, Holyhead, Lampeter, Llandyssul, Llanelli, Llangefni, Machynlleth, Maesteg, Mold, Newbridge, Newtown, Penarth, Pontardawe, Porthmadog, Pwllheli, Treorchy, Welshpool, Ystrad Mynach and Ystradgynlais.The further 11 jobcentres with staff who were Welsh-speaking but managers who were not were at Ammanford, Bangor, Cardigan, Milford Haven, Morriston, Neath, Newport, Port Talbot, Shotton, Swansea and Wrexham.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy regarding the consideration of the effect of planning decisions on the Welsh language.

It is a requirement on local planning authorities in considering planning applications and on the Secretary of State and his inspectors in considering planning appeals that they have regard to all material considerations. Policies which reflect the needs and the interests of the Welsh language may properly be among those considerations.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what research his Department has conducted into the housing implications of marital breakdown.

The Welsh Office receives information on the incidence of homelessness caused by disputes between spouses/cohabitees from local authorities in Wales. This information is published in "Welsh Housing Statistics", the latest edition of which contains data for 1985. A copy of this is in the Library. The Government is considering proposals to carry out comprehensive research into the housing implications of relationship breakdown in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will request local authorities to take steps to prevent private loan companies from operating on their housing estates to pressurise tenants into taking out loans with them to exercise their right to buy their houses; and if he will make a statement.

No. Council tenants with the right to buy their homes must be allowed to take their own decisions about whether to do so and how to finance the purchase. They have the right to a mortgage from their landlord, subject to an income test, and, if they cannot afford to buy their homes outright, the option of purchase on shared ownership terms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the review of the cases of those who were sentenced for the Birmingham and Guildford pub bombings; and what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

Since the beginning of July my right hon. Friend has received about 170 letters, including some 50 from right hon. and hon. Members and several from religious leaders about these two cases. Some letters refer, in addition, to the Maguire case. My right hon. Friend and I have also met a parliamentary delegation from the Republic of Ireland. We have assured all those concerned that we are examining as quickly and as thoroughly as possible the various representations which have been made to us about the respective convictions, including material contained in two recently published books.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the adequacy of the arrangements for dealing with telephone calls at the passport office in Petty France; and if he will make a statement.

A significant increase in demand led to abnormal delays in the handling of passport applications at all offices this year. Because the London passport office still has a backlog of work, it is still receiving an abnormal volume of telephone inquiries which may make it difficult at peak times for the public to contact the London office by telephone. Work is being transferred to other offices, where there are no longer any delays, to clear the arrears in London as quickly as possible. As a result I expect that the London passport office will soon be able to respond promptly to all telephone inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it became practice to stamp the passports of visitors granted an extension of stay requiring them to register at once with the police.

It is not possible to say precisely when it became the practice to endorse the passports with the requirement to register with the police but it certainly predates the Immigration Act 1971 by very many years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors from the five

On 7 October, two passengers were incorrectly returned. On 19 October, five passengers were sent back when a right hon. or hon. Member had expressed an interest in the case prior to the decision to refuse entry, and on the same day a further passenger was sent back when his case was not identified from the details provided by the hon. Member.Although I am sure the House will understand the special difficulties which have recently obtained at the airport terminals concerned, I naturally regret the discourtesy to hon. and right hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if a record is kept of the stated reason for travelling to the United Kingdom of visitors who are refused entry.

Yes, on individual case papers only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to seek to ensure that nationals of the countries covered by the visa requirements outlined in the statement of 21 October who have the right of permanent settlement in the United Kingdom stamped in their passports do not require to obtain a re-entry visa when visiting their country of origin.

Citizens of Bangladesh, Ghana, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka do not need a visa if they are settled here and return after an absence abroad of less than two years. The visa requirement for citizens of Nigeria will have a similar exemption. Arrangements have been made to enable those who are exempt from the visa requirement to obtain an endorsement in their passport confirming their exemption.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will state, in respect of the year ended June 1986, the number of passengers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nigeria and Ghana who (a) were admitted to the United Kingdom, (b) were refused admission to the United Kingdom and (c) are believed by his Department to have absconded following temporary admission;(2) if he will state, in respect of the year ended June 1986, the number of passengers from South Africa who

The available information is given in the following table. Figures by nationality of passengers admitted in June 1986 are not yet available. Figures by nationality of passengers who absconded which cover all ports are only available from 1 January 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a statement for the year ended June 1986 of the total number of passengers from each country (a) admitted and (b) refused admission to the United Kingdom.

The following table gives, by nationality, the numbers of passengers admitted to the United Kingdom in the year ending May 1986 and the numbers refused entry and removed from the United Kingdom in both the year ending May 1986 and the year ending June 1986. Figures by nationality of passengers admitted in June 1986 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any compensation arrangements will be introduced by the Government for the families of visitors detained at Heathrow and other ports of entry to cover their accommodation, travel expenses and loss of earnings; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost per annum of a visa immigration officer at Heathrow; how many there are at present in Heathrow; how many interpreters of Indian languages are stationed at present in Heathrow; and what is the estimated cost per annum of keeping them there.

At 30 September 1986, 542 immigration officers and seven interpreters specialising in languages of the Indian sub-continent were based at Heathrow. The other information requested which is readily available is as follows.The basic salary scale for immigration officers ranges from £5,605 to £10,188, and for interpreters from £6,681 to £9,452. In addition they receive London weighting, premium pay for weekend working, overtime and a shift disturbance allowance of 16·5 per cent. of basic pay for an immigration officer and 10·5 per cent. for an interpreter.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate he made of the cost of installing additional officers at Heathrow to cope with the increased work load of entry applications as opposed to sending additional officers abroad.

On certain assumptions it was estimated that up to 300 additional immigration service staff might have been required at all ports to meet the extra workload imposed by the growth of difficult casework. Extra office, control and detention accommodation would also have been required. Not only is this not available in the existing buildings, but its provision could not have guaranteed a satisfactory solution or an end to congestion and delays in the long term. Complex or difficult cases simply cannot he quickly and effectively scrutinised at the ports.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis his Department establishes the numbers and natural origins of visitors alleged to be absconders.

The record of absconders is of people of whom all trace is lost either before a decision is made on whether they qualify for entry or after they haw been refused entry and are avoiding removal. The figure includes those who:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many passengers in total have been granted temporary admission in each quarter of the current year;(2) how many passengers refused entry to the United Kingdom were

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the total amount of police time expended by the inquiry team under the chief constable of the West Yorkshire police into the conduct of the deputy chief constable of the Greater Manchester police;(2) what has been the cost of the investigation by the chief constable of the West Yorkshire police into the conduct of the deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester police.

A precise calculation is not possible, but a chief superintendent, five inspectors, three sergeants, three constables and a typist worked full-time for nine weeks on this inquiry.A bill for £25,000 for additional costs such as travelling expenses and overtime has been set to the Greater Manchester police authority. The question of any further charge will be considered by the West Yorkshire police authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis towards the priority to be given to issuing on-the-spot fines for motorists crossing red traffic lights.

The commissioner has informed me that his officers deal with traffic signal offences as and when they are detected. Officers have the discretion to give a verbal warning, to issue a fixed penalty notice, or to report such offences for prosecution.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action has been taken or is being

[pursuant to his reply, 23 October 1986]; The table gives the figures available for the numbers of passengers taken into detention and the numbers of passengers granted temporary admission. The readily available information regarding passengers temporarily admitted to hotels relates to the periods from 27 March to 29 April 1986 and from 20 July to 20 October when 681 and 1,055 passengers respectively were so admitted; passengers temporarily admitted on more than one occasion may be counted more than once and the figures do not differentiate between those refused leave to enter and those whose cases are subject to further inquiry.taken by Jersey to comply with the judgment of the European Court of Human rights in the Campbell and Cosans case;(2) what action has been taken or is being taken by the Isle of Man to comply with the judgment of the European Court of Human rights in the Campbell and Cosans case;(3) what action has been taken or is being taken by Guernsey to comply with the judgment of the European Court of Human rights in the Campbell and Cosans case.

I understand that corporal punishment is not administered in schools in Jersey and Guernsey; and that the authorities in the Isle of Man are keeping the matter under review pending action by the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take on the ruling of the Bristol Crown Court on 8 August that no motor vehicle would be considered a secure container, even though locked, for the transport of shooting equipment by members of the National Small-Bore Rifle Association.

The defendant in this case has been granted leave by the judge to state a case for the opinion of the High Court. It would be inappropriate for me to comment before that opinion is known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to the answer of 22 October about the Minister of State's visit to South America in respect of drug abuse control, how much financial assistance was offered; and what information he has as to how this compares with that offered by other European countries.

The Government plan to spend around £1 million on drug-related assistance in South America. The main elements of this programme consist of £600,000 and £200,000 in support of the United Nations Fund for Drug Abuse Control law enforcement projects in Bolivia (Los Yungas) and Ecuador respectively. In response to requests from Governments in the region we have undertaken to provide some help with training for medical and technical experts and the police, and training in the use of sniffer dogs for drugs detection. Offers of direct bilateral assistance, the detailed costings of which have yet to be finalised, have also been made in respect of the following items:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if anyone has been made amenable for the murder claimed to have been committed by Protestants of Martin Love in Fermanagh on 8 April 1985; and if he will give details;

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement about progress on encouraging business sponsorship of the arts.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the progress of the business sponsorship of the arts.

I am happy to say that business sponsorship of the arts continues to expand. I announced on 15

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

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, pursuant to his reply to the right hon. Member for Brent, East on 16 June, Official Report, columns 434–35, what has been the result of the investigation into the events leading to the shooting of Francis Bradley in county Derry on 18 February; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 October 1986]: On completion of their inquiries into Mr. Bradley's death the Royal Ulster Constabulary submitted a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland, who directed on 29 July that none of the soldiers involved should be prosecuted. A date for an inquest has not yet been arranged.

asked the Minister for the Arts what assessment has been made by his office of the relationship between the amount of public expenditure on local library services and the number of books lent per capita in the various library authorities.

I am circulating a table in the Official Report which shows that there is no direct relationship. Much library expenditure is on services other than lending.October the latest award winners under the business sponsorship incentive scheme, which bring the total new money in the first two years of the scheme to some £l0·5 million. The scheme has encouraged 356 companies to sponsor the arts for the first time.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he wild now make a further statement on the long-term prospects of securing adequate resources for Sadler's Wells theatre.

I am cautiously optimistic about Sadler's Well, though it is, of course, for the theatre, as a receiving theatre, to resolve its own funding problems. It has received increased rents from Arts Council clients; and two sponsors, the Digital Equipment Company and Northern Telecom, have come forward with substantial support. I was very glad to be able to add £25,000 to one of those sponsorships from my own business sponsorship incentive scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent on the National Health Service in Tayside health board in each year since 1980; and if he will express each of these figures using a GDP deflator for constant prices.

The information is as follows:-

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the percentage level of rate support grant made available to Dundee district council and Scotland overall in 1980 and at the latest date.

Rate support grant for Dundee was 35·2 per cent. of relevant expenditure, including loan charges, in 1980–81 and 28·5 per cent. of budgeted relevant expenditure in 1986–87. The corresponding figures for Scotland are 57·6 per cent. for 1980–81 and 47 per cent. for 1986–87. The grant figures used for 1986–87 are based on the Rate Support Grant (Scotland) (No. 4) Order 1985. No adjustment has been made for grant penalties since they will be restored if authorities bring their expenditure down to guideline on outturn.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total expediture of Tayside regional council expressed at constant prices in each year since 1982.

Figures for total expenditure by Tayside regional council, excluding loan charges and interest receipts, on services relevant for rate support grant since 1981–82 are set out below. They have been expressed at November 1985 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places on primary postgraduate courses in Scottish colleges of education were unfilled as at 30 September; how many places are still unfilled; and if he will detail the unfilled places college by college.

When courses commenced at the colleges of education on 6 and 7 October, 17 of the 300 places available on primary postgraduate teacher training courses were unfilled. By 22 October the number had risen to 18, the colleges with unfilled places being Aberdeen (2), Dundee (6), Moray House (9) and St. Andrews (1).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many discharges there have been from Scottish hospitals in each of the past three years of patients who had suffered a myocardial infarction.

The number of discharges of patients with a principal diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many deaths were certified in Scotland as due to ischaemic heart disease in 1984, 1985 and so far in 1986.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the health budget was spent on salaries in each of the past 10 years; and how this was divided up between medical, nursing, scientific and technical and administrative staff.

Information on wages and salaries costs held centrally relates to current expenditure by health boards on the provision of hospital and community health services. The proportion of HCH current expenditure accounted for by wages and salaries in each year since 1978–79 is shown in table 1. Figures for years prior to 1978–79 are not available on a comparable basis. Information on the breakdown of wages and salaries costs is not available in precisely the form requested. A breakdown of these wages and salaries costs over the various staff categories recorded in health boards' annual accounts is given in table 2.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the total cost of general dental services in Scotland was recovered from patients' charges in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total hospital bed complement of the National Health Service at the most recent available date; what has been the net change since 1984; and if he will break down the figures by health board area.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of sheltered house units in Scotland; and how many of these are modified for wheelchair use.

There were over 21,500 sheltered dwellings in Scotland at 31 March 1986, of which almost 900 have been adapted for wheelchairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of patients admitted to hospital in each of the past five years who had suffered a stroke.

There are no nationally available statistics on the number of admissions to hospital by condition, but the number of patients discharged with a principal diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) renal transplants, (b) coronary by-pass operations, (c) cataract extractions and (d) hip joint replacement operations were carried out in Scotland in 1985; and what are the figures for 1986 so far.

The information for the latest years available in each case, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to reply to the Ruchill community project, Glasgow, about its representations to him on urban aid funding.

There is no record in the Scottish Office of any such representations having been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of jobs in Scotland presently funded through the urban aid programme.

A total of 1,922 full-time and 839 part-time jobs are at present directly funded under urban programme projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many members of staff will be made redundant at each Scottish college of agriculture and at each agricultural research institute in Scotland during 1987; what levels of staff will exist in each college and institute at the end of 1987 compared with the present; and what compensation for redundancy is being offered to those whose contractual age of retirement is 65 years.

The total number of redundancies announced to date, to take effect from 31 March 1987, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent representations he has received about the position of mentally handicapped members of family households being allowed exemption from the community charges or part thereof; and if he will make a statement.

The director of the Scottish Society for the Mentally Handicapped wrote to my right hon. and learned Friend on 16 October on this point among others. All the views expressed in response to the Green Paper "Paying for Local Government" will be carefully taken into account in the formulation of the Government's legislative proposals.

and the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will request local authorities to take steps to prevent private loan companies from operating on their housing estates to pressurise tenants into taking out loans with them to exercise their right to buy their houses; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and learned Friend has received no complaints about private loan companies operating on local authority estates in Scotland and he has no plans to take the action proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice his Department offers to the British Medical Association, the British Dental Association, and the British Pharmaceutical Society to ensure that adequate general practitioner, dental and pharmacy facilities are provided in estates north of the Kingsway, Dundee.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the intake for secondary teaching qualification courses at Dundee college of education in each year since 1981.

The intakes to secondary teaching qualification courses at Dundee college of education from 1981 to date are as set out in the following table: