asked the Prime Minister what information she has about the policy of the Spanish Government towards recognition of the Falkland Islands interim conservation and management zone.

I have no information beyond the comments which the Spanish Government have made publicly.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of Agriculture and other Departments on the development of land use and rural policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the progress in achieving budgetary control of European Economic spending, which commenced on 1 January in accordance with the agreement of the European Council on 4 December 1984; and if she will make a statement.

The control of European Community spending is a constant battle. The Government regretted that exceptional circumstances made it necessary to exceed the strict budget discipline limits in the 1986 budget. The Council's draft budget for 1987 is fully consistent with the budget discipline conclusions agreed by the Council in December 1984, though the Commission has warned that on present policies a substantial overrun of agricultural guarantee expenditure is likely.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that there is sufficient co-ordination between Government Departments to encourage family life in all its aspects.

In so far as this is a matter for Government—yes.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her statement of 12 November, Official Report, column 24, she will publish details of information available to her of cases where nuclear blackmail has been used successfully against a non-nuclear country.

The purpose of NATO's forces is to deter a potential aggressor from threatening or launching an attack. NATO's deterrence strategy of flexible response, in which nuclear weapons play a key role, has contributed crucially to the long period of peace with freedom which we continue to enjoy in western Europe.

asked the Prime Minister what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards a threat to use United Kingdom nuclear weapons or the United Kingdom nuclear deterrent against a non-nuclear country.

The United Kingdom threatens no one. The purpose of British defence policy is to deter aggression or the threat of aggression against us.

asked the Prime Minister if she will provide details of discussions between the United Kingdom and the United States Governments prior to the Reykjavik summit regarding the extent to which (a) nuclear weapons based in Britain and (b) the United Kingdom nuclear deterrent would be bargaining factors in the negotiations; and if she will make a statement.

We have remained in close contact with the United States Administration about the Geneva nuclear and space talks both before and since the meeting in Reykjavik. I had an opportunity to have a full discussion of all these issues with President Reagan on 15 November.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will announce the main conclusions on the machinery of government review of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

I have now considered the report of the machinery of government review of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) which began on 2 June. I have concluded that OPCS should remain as a separate department with its present range of activities, and that ministerial responsibility for OPCS should continue to rest with the Secretary of State for Social Services.The report recommended a number of administrative measures to clarify the relationship between OPCS and Ministers, and to ensure that the work OPCS undertakes for customer Departments properly reflects their requirements and priorities on a value for money basis. The measures recommended include the development of a clear statement of objectives and targets for OPCS, together with systems for monitoring and reporting results to Ministers, more rigorous repayment arrangements with the general objective of ensuring that customer Departments pay for work commissioned from OPCS's social survey division, a testing of the ability of private sector firms to undertake a wider range of Government social surveys, and an examination of the scope for greater efficiency in the provision of administrative support functions to OPCS. I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services to take the lead in pursuing the recommendations, and to commission a review of internal management and administrative support arrangements to report to him and to me by the end of March 1987.The trade union sides at OPCS will be consulted about the implementation of these recommendations, and will be shown relevant parts of the report.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 18 November.

This morning I attended the memorial service for Henry Moore and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience with Her Majesty The Queen.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to sell off land owned by his Department which is surplus to requirement, or is dormant, derelict, under-utilised or vacant.

It is my Department's policy to dispose of any of its property which is surplus to current or planned requirements.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the results of the land review recently undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Plymouth area study has been completed only recently and the study team's recommendations have yet to be considered in detail by the Ministry of Defence. Because of the report's complexity consideration will necessarily take several months. A statement will be made in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to how many British companies are established and operational in Japan up until the last available figure, and if he will make a statement.

No complete list is available, but we estimate that approximately 185 British companies are established in Japan through full manufacturing operations, subsidiary companies, joint ventures or sales offices. The number has been growing recently in response to new market opportunities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representation has been made to Japan to seek to ensure a more balanced trade between the United Kingdom and Japan; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kindom, together with our Community partners, has pressed Japan to take further steps to open up her domestic markets and to adopt macro-economic and structural policies designed to reduce trade surpluses. In addition, a number of individual cases have been raised concerning difficulties faced by British importers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on future United Kingdom funding to the European Space Agency.

The Government are considering United Kingdom participation in the future programmes of the European Space Agency in the context of the national space plan prepared by the British National Space Centre. I shall make an announcement about our conclusions in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department has any plans to assist in the purchase of capital equipment for use in the training of printing employees; and if he will make a statement.

Officials of the Department are informally discussing with representatives of the printing industry, the Standing Conference of Institutions of Printing Education and with other interests the possibility of giving financial assistance for the purchase of printing equipment for colleges of further education.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider allowing the South Wales police constabulary to re-introduce its cadet training scheme; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the South Wales Police Authority which I understand has no plans to reintroduce a cadet force at present.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consider increasing the South Wales police constabulary by 500 police officers during 1986–87; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has any plans to increase the level of police manpower in Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

The deployment of police officers in Cardiff and other parts of South Wales is a matter for the Chief Constable. The South Wales police authority has not made an application recently for an increase in the police establishment of the force. We shall consider applications for increases in police establishments on the basis of the proven needs of the force, and in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Inspectors of Constabulary. Since May 1979 the strength of the South Wales constabulary has increased by 163 to 3,108 on 30 September 1986, and 40 additional police posts have been approved for the force.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision there is for access to food and drink for those detained for considerable times awaiting immigration interview at each site of such interviews.

Passengers who are awaiting further interview in the secondary examination area at Terminal 3 have access at all times to a free hot drinks dispensing machine. If passengers are detained over lunchtime they are taken by coach to Harmondsworth and offered a choice of hot meals. Light refreshments and fruit are provided in the secondary examination area in the early evening. Passengers who are detained overnight are offered a hot meal on arrival at the place of detention. At other ports arrangements are made to ensure that detained persons have regular access to food and drink.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Wales as to the level of policing (a) at Cardiff docks and (b) the docks' area in Cardiff in general; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of South Wales as to the level of police manning at Cardiff Wales airport; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the chief constable of South Wales that on 31 December 1985 a total of 894 police officers were allocated to Cardiff Central, Cardiff Greater and Barry divisions, which are the territorial divisions in which the docks and the airport are located. These would deal with any incidents which called for the presence of police officers. There are also Special Branch officers based at Cardiff airport. Basic security duties both there and at Cardiff docks are undertaken by private security firms.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish details of the kind and amount of contraband items being discovered by the police at Cardiff docks and Cardiff Wales airport.

The South Wales police have not been involved in the discovery of any such items.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to lay before Parliament the orders relating to section 29 of the Data Protection Act; and when he expects to announce the range of fees for subject access requests.

My right hon. Friend hopes to bring forward the necessary orders and regulations by the spring of next year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to explain the procedures used within his force to identify the originator of an inquiry to the police national computer and the categories used to record the reasons for an inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that operators of police national computer terminals in his force are required to establish the identity of persons making enquiries and, where appropriate, make a written note that this check has been carried out. Information is divulged only to those entitled to it. The categories used to record the reasons for an inquiry are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide details of the Wisard computer recognition systems; how the company has been paid by Her Majesty's Government for its feasibility study; and if he will make a statement.

Wisard computer recognition systems were developed by a team from Brunel university to permit electronic recognition of patterns and images. The Home Office has a contract with the university to cover the cost of a demonstration of a system capable of matching photographs of faces correctly from a large database. No demonstration has taken place to date and therefore no money had been paid to the university.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange to change the principal Metropolitan police budget and accounts over to an income and expenditure basis rather than receipts and payments basis; and if he will make a statement.

The proposal to make this change will shortly be discussed at a meeting between Home Office officials and officials at the London Boroughs Association, the Association of London Authorities and the Outer London Districts Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the flight numbers, country of origination of flights, and dates of arrival at Heathrow in (a) September and (b) October from which the passengers were not allowed to disembark for immigration control reasons for (i) one to two hours, (ii) two to three hours, (iii) three to four hours, (iv) four to five hours, (v) five to six hours, (vi) six to seven hours, (vii) seven to eight hours, (viii) over eight hours; and if he will make a statement.

On 14 October there was a delay of approximately one hour in completing the disembarkation of the passengers who arrived on flight No. BG 001 from Dhaka. I am aware of no others.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of visitors to the United Kingdom who were detained beyond their notified time for immigration interview in (a) September and (b) October for (i) up to one hour, (ii) one to two hours, (iii) two to three hours, (iv) three to four hours (v) four to five hours, (vi) five to six hours, (vii) six to seven hours, (viii) seven to eight hours and (ix) over eight hours; and if he will break down this information by each site where these interviews took place; and if he will make a statement.

Passengers who need to be further interviewed on arrival are not allotted a time of interview, but are dealt with as quickly as possible according to the circumstances. The periods of delay in various individual cases are not recorded centrally and could not be provided without disproportionate cost. Passengers granted temporary admission who are asked to report for further interview are normally seen at the time notified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to stop Soviet sailors coming ashore at British ports without having received authorisation; and if he will make a statement.

Under section 8 of the Immigration Act 1971 crew members are normally exempted from the provision to obtain formal permission from an immigration officer before going ashore. However, they are required to leave the port with the ship and the master is required to provide a crew list and to report any deserters. These provisions apply to non-British crew members of all nationalities. Soviet ships are visited by immigration officers for the purpose of checking crews.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to reconsider the introduction of advertising on British Broadcasting Corporation television channels; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he proposes to phase out the television licence fee; and if he will make a statement.

We are still considering the recommendations made by the Committee on Financing the BBC, and intend to give the House a fuller account very shortly of the way in which we are approaching these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount of money collected in fines throughout Great Britain in 1985; and what part of the total related to motoring or traffic offences.

In 1985, £129,771 million was collected by courts in England and Wales largely in fines, though a small element was fees. I understand from my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Scotland, and the Lord Advocate, that the fines collected in Scotland amounted to £10,876 million. These totals are not analysed by type of offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for regional passport and inquiry offices to accept written applications from those wishing to apply for visa exemption stamps.

No. It is more economical to have only a single address for postal applications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for immigration officers at ports to stamp visa exemption stamps in the passports of those eligible for such stamps as they leave the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Passengers whose passports have not been stamped to show that they are exempt from a visa requirement either on entry or while in this country may obtain exempt endorsements on departure where adequate arrangements can be made to establish exemption.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors from (a) India, (b) Bangladesh and (c) Pakistan, during the period 1 September to 15 October 1986 have been allowed admission to the United Kingdom pending interviews with immigration officials at Leeds/Bradford airport; and how many of them have been granted visitor status.

The information available, shown in the table, relates to passengers from the three countries who were required to submit to further examination and whose cases have been transferred to Leeds/Bradford airport from Heathrow between the dates given:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of prisoners at H.M. prison, Hull on (a) 4 June 1985, (b) 7 November 1985 and (c) 7 November 1986.(2) what was the number of prisoners at H.M. prison, Leeds on

Prison population figures are collected centrally only once a week. The population of HM prisons Hull and Leeds on the nearest dates for which information is available centrally was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the occupations of each of the governors of the British Broadcasting Corporation.

The details are as follows:Mr. M. J. Hussey

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide additional resources to the Commissioner of Police to enable him to devote greater resources to policing bus lanes in London; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend announced last May increases of up to 1,200 in the Metropolitan police establishment over four years. The deployment of this additional manpower will be a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the precise date for the start on site for the building of the new Brent magistrates' courthouse; and what is the proposed completion date.

This is for the London Borough of Brent but we understand that building is expected to start early in 1987 and finish in 1989.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans there are for the future use of the present Brent magistrates' court building on the completion of the building of the new courthouse.

This is a matter for the London Borough of Brent in consultation with the magistrates' courts committee, but we understand that no decision has yet been made on the future use of the present court building.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the applications he has received for funding of posts under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 since he issued Circular 72/1986; and if he will state against each application, where appropriate, his reasons for not granting section 11 funding.

The information requested is set out in the following table. In a small number of other cases applications not made on the proper form have been returned to the local authority.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to monitor the impact in the North sea of the toxic chemical spillage from the Sandoz factory in Switzerland; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans to ban the tooth grinding of sheep.

Following advice from the Farm Animal Welfare Council, the Government recently announced their agreement to a ban on the teeth grinding of sheep. We expect that regulations to bring this into effect will be laid before Parliament during December.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will review the level of fines which may be imposed under section 109 of the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1984, with special reference to the use of estate agents' boards in residential areas; and whether he is satisfied that the maximum fines permitted provide a sufficient deterrent.

The maximum fine on summary conviction of an offence under section 109(2) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 is prescribed at "level 3" on the standard scale of penalties (current £400), which is regularly reviewed by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary, in accordance with the provisions of section 46 of the Criminal Justice Act 1982. The maximum daily penalty for a continuing offence under section 109(2) of the 1971 Act is increased from £20 to £40 by virtue of provisions in the Housing and Planning Act 1986, which will be brought into force shortly. We have no plans for a further increase of the daily penalty at present. It is for local planning authorities to decide whether to prosecute offenders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to fill the existing vacancy in the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission.

The National Heritage Act 1983 provides for the appointment of not more than 17 members to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission. At present there are 14 members. Ministers regularly review the pattern and timing of appointments with the commission's chairman; I shall be doing so very shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to collect information in the same form as the Audit Commission used in its report, "Managing the Crisis in Council Housing", on the numbers of empty local authority dwellings which are available for letting.

As the Audit Commission made clear in the report to which the hon. Member refers, the information on empty local authority dwellings which the commission quoted was collected by the Department from local authorities. Authorities include this in their annual housing investment programme returns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his latest estimate of the percentage of empty dwellings in (a) private sector, (b) public sector, (c) those owned and controlled by Her Majesty's Government and (d) housing associations;(2) if he will publish from the local authorities housing investment returns for 1 April the number and percentage of vacant dwellings in the local authority housing associations, other public sectors and the private sector, giving totals for each region.

The available estimates for April 1986, derived from English local authorities' housing investment programme returns, are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the time local housing authorities take in reletting vacant dwellings.

The Department does not collect this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list for the 50 English housing authorities owning the highest numbers of empty dwellings, the numbers of such dwellings which are closed awaiting demolition or renovation and those known to be used as temporary homes for tenants whose own home is being modernised;

The 50 English local authorities which, in their housing investment programme returns, reported owning the largest numbers of vacant dwellings (including those which were closed) at 1 April 1986 are as follows, with an analysis of those awaiting demolition, repair or improvement. Information on numbers held vacant for use by tenants whose homes are being modernised is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the totals for England of each aspect of housing need appraisal listed on the numerical statement sent by housing authorities to his Department on form DOE 16314 for 1986 in the same form as he used in his answer of 15 January, Official Report, columns 573–76.

Totals for England, including estimates where figures were missing, for each of the items in local authorities 1986 housing needs appraisal statement (HIPI) are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has for each housing authority in England as to the number of dwellings classed as difficult to let, including the percentage this figure represents of the local authority owned stock; and what are the changes in these figures since 1985.

Local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns include numbers of dwellings owned within their own areas, which they class as difficult to let. Numbers reported are not necessarily comparable as authorities' criteria may differ. The total for England at 1 April 1986, including estimates for those councils which did not provide a figure, was about 325,000, 7·3 per cent. of the stock, and was 4,000 greater than the estimate for a year earlier. The figures for each authority are as follows: