asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list the number of safety reports and violations filed against British Airways during the current year;(2) what provisions are being planned to enhance the safety of British Airways.

The Civil Aviation Authority is statutorily responsible for all aviation safety matters. British Airways, in common with other United Kingdom airlines, has to meet CAA requirements for public transport operations. The authority tells me that it is satisfied that British Airways does indeed meet these requirements, and that no safety reports or violations have been filed with it against British Airways this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he plans to issue traffic management guidance to London boroughs as provided for in schedule 5 to the Local Government Act; and if he will make a statement.

My Department and the boroughs responsible for London's highways have a shared interest in fostering well-designed traffic management in London. Discussions with the local authority associations and the police have indicated where initial guidance is most likely to be useful. The associations and the police are therefore now being formally consulted on a document incorporating guidance I am minded to give. When I have their views, I shall consider them carefully with a view to issuing guidance shortly thereafter.Copies of the consultation document have been placed in the Library and are also being make available to local authorities and representative organisations interested in these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what additional action he proposes to take to encourage motorists to tax their cars; and if he will make a statement.

A great deal has already been done to make vehicle licensing more straightforward for the motorist, including increasing the number of licensing post offices and transferring to them virtually all relicensing work. An additional 200 sub-post offices are to be added to the relicensing network over the next 18 months. In parallel with this the enforcement of VED has been strengthened substantially. The deployment of an additional 75 posts and the introduction of new technology into local offices should provide for further improvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the average costs involved to local authorities in setting up new transport companies; and how these costs arise.

On the assumption that my hon. Friend is referring to the setting up of public transport companies, my right hon. Friend and I do not have an estimate of the average cost. Where the cost has been significant it has generally arisen from payments of compensation to employees of the local authority who took early retirement or redundancy. Some councils have also had to retain liabilities arising from previous borrowing in order to establish commercially viable companies. These steps have led to more efficient operations from which both ratepayers and passengers will now benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the findings of the recent study of crime on the Underground; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the steering group on crime on the London Underground is being published today. Copies of the report have been placed in the Library.The report is one of a number of initiatives put in hand following the Prime Minister's crime prevention seminar on 8 January. As my right hon. Friend has already announced, the Government will be making available £15 million to London Regional Transport, over the next three years, to implement the report's 50 recommendations.Among the practical measures to be applied at Underground stations are:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh households with mortgages from (a) building societies, (b) local authorities and (c) other sources were known to be more than six months in arrears at the end of June.

This information is not collected by the Welsh Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified nurses have been employed in Welsh hospitals in each year from 1979–80 to 1986–87, or for the latest date at which such information was available.

Information for the years 1979 to 1984 is contained in "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for Wales", numbers 7 to 12, copies of which are in the Library.At 30 September 1985, the latest date for which information is available, the equivalent of 12,032 whole-time qualified nurses were employed in Welsh hospitals. This figure excludes hospital tutorial staff and midwifery department staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to publish the results of the consultants' investigation into bypasses around the five villages on the A5 on Anglesey and around Holyhead; what new money is available for such schemes following the Chancellor's autumn statement, what priority will be given to such schemes; and if he will make a statement.

The consultants' report has identified possible routes for bypasses of the villages on the A5 on Anglesey. Further investigations are in progress to determine the standards of provision, the costs and the economic and environmental implications. I shall inform my hon. Friend once decisions have been reached.I expect to receive the consultants' report on Holyhead next summer. The priorities for trunk road improvement schemes remain as set out in "Roads in Wales 1985." Financial provision for schemes in the forward programme is made when the appropriate stage is reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects work to start on the building of West Môn community hospital; when a decision will be made on location; and if he will make a statement.

This hospital development is the responsibility of Gwynedd health authority. A decision on location will be taken after the consultative period ends on 29 December 1986. It is too early to say when building will start.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many training courses now exist in England for training teachers of lip reading; what was the length of courses and the number who attained qualifications in 1985; if he will make a statement.

This information is not centrally available. In the Government's view, the provision of lip-reading teaching is a matter for local determination by individual local education authorities as part of their adult education provision. In addition, certificates in lip-reading teaching are awarded by the City Literary Institute in London, in conjunction with the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, and by Manchester polytechnic, to students who successfully complete a course in teaching lip-reading at these institutions. The length of these courses range from three months (full-time) to one year (part-time), and the number of students who qualify annually are about 30 to 40.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the target staff to student ratio in the university sector in 1987–88; and if he will make a statement.

There is no centrally determined staff: student ratio target for universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation to prevent a local authority from requiring children in its area to learn ethnic minority languages; and if he will make a statement.

When the relevant provisions of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 comes into force it will not be possible for a local education authority to require a school to offer a minority language to all pupils in a particular year group against the joint wishes of the school's governing body and its headteacher. I intend in the near future to publish a consultative document on the place of ethnic minority languages in the secondary curriculum.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation giving power over teachers' contracts to boards of governors as advised by head teachers; and if he will make a statement.

The Education (No. 2) Act 1986 recognises the importance of governing bodies by extending their role in vital areas such as the curriculum, discipline and the appointment of teachers in county schools. Teachers in aided schools are already employed by the governors. The Government have no plans to introduce fresh legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider financially assisting companies in the foundry industry to purchase equipment to reduce atmospheric pollution.

No. The Government adhere to the polluter pays principle and no specific subsidies are given to industry for expenditure on pollution control which it should undertake as a normal part of its activities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will explain the reasons whereby the Property Services Agency did not require as a condition of the contract of sale of Stocken Hall to Endersby Developments Ltd. the renovation of the building, in accordance with the original specification contained in the offer for sale document published by Messrs. Cluttons, on behalf of the Home Office; and whether he will make a statement.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope) has received a copy of the document sent to him by Mr. John Nickols entitled Stocken Hall RIP regarding the condition of a grade 2 listed building recently sold by the Property Services Agency to Endersby Developments Ltd.; and whether he will order an immediate inquiry into the allegations contained in that document.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria were used in deciding that the crate containing three elephants belonging to Chipperfields, and now en route to Hong Kong, was satisfactory; whether his officials were informed in advance that the elephants were to be shipped to Hong Kong; and if he will take steps to ensure that elephants are not in future permitted to leave British ports under similar conditions.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the testing time for rhizomania in respect of the different crops on which tests are carried out;(2) whether he intends to seek to ban imported vegetables unless they have been washed; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will list the tonnage of unwashed potatoes imported from Holland in each of the last seven months;(4) if he is satisfied that sufficient controls exist to minimise the spread of rhizomania in the United Kingdom; 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 if he will, give the number and distribution of local authority animal welfare inspectors; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are his plans for legislation with regard to intellectual property; and whether he will make a statement.

The Government will introduce a Bill based on the proposals in the recent White Paper "Intellectual Property and Innovation" (Cmnd. 9712) when the parliamentary timetable permits. Drafting of those clauses of this highly complex Bill which relate to copyright, performers' protection and designs is to continue, and we plan to circulate these for consultation with experts and interested parties in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if any European Shipbuilding intervention fund payments have been made to private shipbuilding yards; and if he will list any such payments and the shipbuilding yards concerned;(2) if any intervention fund payments have been, or are to be made for shiprepair work.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 24 November, Official Report, column 7, what was the name of the institution which returned British Telecom shares of its own volition; what was the number of shares involved; and what inquiries were made into the circumstances in which the applications for these shares were made.

A total of 72,800 shares were returned by Société Générale Merchant Bank Ltd. The papers were passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who concluded that no further action was warranted.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, following the loss of a Boeing Victor 234 LR Chinook belonging to British International Helicopters on 6 November off the Shetland Islands, he will make a statement whether Chinook aircraft currently in Royal Air Force service have similar spiral bevel ring gear to the 234LR.

The spiral bevel ring gear fitted in the Boeing Vertol 234 LR is of a different modification standard to that fitted in Chinook helicopters in service with the Royal Air Force.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many letters he has received during the past 12 months concerning the position of former Japanese prisoners of war who suffered from possible experimentation on them during their captivity.

During the past 12 months the Ministry of Defence has received 31 inquiries. Of these, three were addressed originally to the Prime Minister, 23 letters were received by Ministers, and the remaining five by officials.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what are the first results of the complex exercise involving the comparison of refitting frigates in the royal dockyards, and in private shipyards; and if he will now publish (a) the results of the labour cost comparisons and (b) the results of the material cost comparisons;(2) when the refit of HMS Arethusa was completed; and what was the expected time that the principal director of accountancy services would take to complete the cost comparison exercise involving HMS Arethusa and HMS Euryalus.

The refit of HMS Arethusa was completed on 17 February 1986. The result of the comparison between this refit and that of HMS Euryalus should be available early in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what recent representations he has received from the United States Government concerning chemical weapons;(2) what recent representations he has received from NATO allies concerning chemical weapons.

None. I also refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) on 3 June at columns 428–9.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the role of RAF Welford.

RAF Welford is made available for use by United States forces in the United Kingdom for the storage of ammunition.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning the role of binary weapons in the NATO strategy.

The Soviet Union is capable of engaging in chemical warfare on a very large scale. NATO allies are committed to achieving a comprehensive and verifiable global ban on all aspects of chemical warfare. However, until such a ban is achieved NATO must continue to be able to deter an attack with chemical weapons on its own forces. For this purpose, there is a need for a range of capabilities including defensive equipment and a limited chemical weapons retaliatory capability within the Alliance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the European Economic Community Council will next discuss South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

The Twelve will continue to pay close attention to the issue of South Africa at the meetings arranged within the framework of European political co-operation.The Government remain deeply concerned at the situation inside South Africa and regret the lack of progress towards the national dialogue that is so urgently needed there.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the United Kingdom's annual contribution to the United Nations budget; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom's contribution to the United Nations regular budget varies from year to year depending upon the size of the budget and the United Kingdom's assessed share. In 1986 the United Kingdom's share was £23,892,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the current United Nations member countries, together with their annual contribution to the United Nations budget; and if he will make a statement.

The United Nations publishes a list of member states and their assessed annual contributions to its regular budget. The assessments vary from year to year depending upon the total of the budget and how it is apportioned. Those for 1986 have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how many member countries are in arrears with their annual payment to the United Nations, and for how many years in each case; and if he will make a statement.

The United Nations Secretary-General publishes regular reports on the status of contributions to the United Nation's regular budget. The latest gives the position at 30 September 1986. Of the 98 member states that were still in arrears at that date the following 49 owed more than the amounts assessed for 1986:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will invite representatives of the 15 Soviet republics as well as Foreign Ministers from the satellite states to London, to discuss Anglo-Soviet relations and human rights in the light of the Helsinki Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

No. We are in regular touch with the Governments of the Soviet Union and the eastern Europe countries about human rights in those countries. The subject is also being addressed at the CSCE review meeting currently taking place in Vienna.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to Ukrainian representatives at the United Nations, regarding (a) human rights in the Ukraine (b) the monitoring of the Helsinki Agreement, (c) freedom to practise Roman Catholicism, (d) the use of Ukrainian as the official language in the Ukraine in schools, in the Ukraine higher institutes of education and government departments and (e) the availability of newspapers and periodicals in the Ukrainian language; and if he will make a statement.

We are concerned by abuses of human rights and the denial of fundamental freedoms, including freedom of thought, conscience, religion or belief, wherever they occur, including the Ukraine. We make representations to the Soviet authorities on these issues and raise them at the CSCE meeting in Vienna.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

The usual forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present 10 meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for December. In addition, heads of state and Government will meet in London on 5 and 6 December.The Internal Market Council will meet on 1 December. The council will be seeking agreement on a number of measures in the rolling presidency action programme for completing the internal market.The Fisheries Council is expected to meet on 3 December and 17 and 18 December and is likely to discuss structures policy relations with third countries and total allowable catches (TACS) and quotas for 1987 and related measures. It may also consider an amendment to the technical conservation measures, and research and development.The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 8 December to adopt the Commission's annual report on the economic situation in the Community, and the Commission's proposal for additional lending for small and medium sized enterprises (including the new Community instrument (NCI IV)). The Council will also discuss the extension of the medium term financial assistance facility which assists member states which have balance of payments problems; the Greek economy and protective measures (in relation to the release of the second tranche of the Greek loan); and the directive on the accounts of banks and other financial institutions. The 7th and 8th travellers allowances directives and a proposal on tax free allowances for fuel in the tanks of commercial vehicles will also be discussed.The Agriculture Council is expected to meet on 8 and 9 December. Among the subjects likely to be discussed are reform of the beef regime, the emergency measures in the milk sector, socio-structures and beef import quotas and balance sheets. It may also consider the flavourings directive, food law harmonisation directives; labelling and materials articles in contact with food, medicated feedingstuffs, extraction solvents, antioxidants and other items concerned with completion of the internal market, including a number of items in the veterinary field.The Research Council will meet on 9 December. The provisional agenda anticipates discussion on the EC research and development framework programme for the period 1987–1991 and a first consideration of the report prepared by the industrial review panel on the joint research centre (JRC). The Council will debate the proposals for a revision in 1987 of the current JRC programme. The Council will also consider the Commission's proposals for a Community action plan for the evaluation of Community research and development activities; and the Commission's comunication on Community selections within EUREKA.The Labour and Social Affairs Council will meet on 11 December. The main item for consideration will be the joint UK/Irish/ltalian resolution on an action programme on employment growth. The Council will consider draft directives on setting limits to exposure of workers to benzene and on the proscription of four specified carcinogens. Ministers are also expected to consider the enlargement of the anti-poverty programme to cover Spain and Portugal, and may consider conclusions on youth training.The Transport Council well meet on 15 and 16 December. The Council will discuss shipping and aviation measures. The Commission's recent proposals on both road haulage liberalisation and transport infrastructure support will also be discussed. The Council will also consider future Community policy on ports and railways.The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 15 and 16 December. The Council will review the negotiations between the Community and the United States on the trade implications of enlargement and discuss a new generation of Mediterranean financial protocols.The Industry Council will meet on 22 December and will consider the adoption of a 6th directive on shipbuilding aid to take effect from 1 January 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the three elephants belonging to Chipperfields currently en route to Hong Kong are permitted to enter Hong Kong on arrival, and that appropriate arrangements are made for veterinary inspection and for their safe keeping.

The Hong Kong Government have informed me that the three elephants who belong to Chipperfields circus will be permitted to enter Hong Kong subject to the British Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries' confirmation that they will be re-imported into the United Kingdom after their visit to Hong Kong. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food have now confirmed that they would have no objection to such re-import. Arrangements will meanwhile be made for veterinary inspection and for safekeeping of the animals whilst they are in Hong Kong.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to bring pressure to bear on the South African Government to secure the release of Moses Mayekiso of the Metal and Allied Workers' Union and other trade unionists in detention.

My right hon. and learned Friend has personally made representations to the South African Government about the detention of all those held without charge. The South African authorities can be in no doubt of our strong opposition to the action that they have taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Her Majesty's Government have as to the compliance by the Soviet Union with the biologial and toxic weapons convention of 1972.

We have no conclusive evidence that the Soviet Union is not in compliance with the 1972 biological weapons convention.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) how much has been expended by Her Majesty's Government on research into the harnessing of tides for the provision of energy during each of the past five years for which records are available;(2) how much has been expended by Her Majesty's Government on research into the harnessing of solar energy during each of the past five years for which records are available;

£million
	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
Wind	1·25	2·70	2·82	5·11	5·80
Tide	0·40	0·00	0·02	0·28	0·13
Solar	1·44	2·25	2·48	1·04	1·62
Hydro-electric	0·04	0·04	0·07	0·03	0·06

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what are his proposals for the provision of resources for research into the harnessing of the tides for energy purposes during the years 1987 and 1988, respectively.(2) what are his proposals for the provision of resources into the harnessing of solar energy during the years 1987 and 1988, respectively;(3) what are his proposals for the provision of resources for research into the harnessing of wind energy during the years 1987 and 1988, respectively;(4) what are his proposals for the provision of resources for research into the harnessing of hydro-electric energy during the years 1987 and 1988, respectively.

Planned expenditure expected for 1986–87 in the Department of Energy's renewables research and development programme for wind, tide, solar and hydro-electric power is given below:

	1986–87
	£ million
wind	4·507
solar	1·000
tide	0·300
hydro-electric	0·100

Estimated contributions from outside contractors to the Department's 1986–87 renewables programme are estimated to be about £3 million.Figures for 1987–88 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made as to whether the current level of investment in offshore oil extraction will secure a satisfactory rate of extraction; and what is his estimate of the proportion of reserves which will be extracted in each field currently being exploited.

The rate of investment in the United Kingdom continental shelf is dependent upon a complex of considerations including world oil prices, exploration and development costs and the fiscal regime. Recent commitments to investment have been reduced because of lower oil prices, but the United Kingdom

The figures for expenditure by Her Majesty's Government on research into harnessing wind, tidal, solar and hydro-electric power for 1981–82 to 1985–86 are as follows:continues to be a very attractive oil province in which to invest and successive Governments have shown their commitment to maintaining a political and fiscal framework in which the industry can have confidence.Information from operators on individual reservoir performance is provided on a commercially confidential basis. For the United Kingdom continental shelf as a whole recovery factors in producing oilfields are generally in the order of 25 per cent. to 55 per cent. of the oil initially in place. Improved recovery techniques may eventually increase these factors. Operators' estimates of recoverable reserves for each field under development and each producing field are shown in sections 3.3 and 4.10 respectively of the 1986 Brown Book.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to ensure that all production and drilling platforms under the United Kingdom's jurisdiction use the best available technology subject to considerations of the guiding discharge values agreed to internationally to prevent oil pollution; and if he will make a statement.

From the beginning of offshore oil and gas activity on the United Kingdom continental shelf it has been the policy of the Department of Energy that, in accordance with internationally agreed guidelines, the best practicable means would be used to control and reduce oil discharges.The most relevant standard, agreed within the Paris Commission, is that water discharged after separation from produced oil should not contain more than 40 mg of oil per litre as a monthly average.Operators are required to monitor oily discharges and to provide the results of their monitoring to the Department of Energy. The Department's inspectors visit installations to check that the required standards are met.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will appoint a responsible person on each drilling and production oil platform in the North sea within the United Kingdom's jurisdiction to monitor the pollution prevention equipment installed.

The Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971, section 4, requires the owner of every offshore installation to appoint an offshore installations manager (OIM) and to inform the Secretary of State of any such appointment. The OIM is responsible for all equipment on the installation and its operation. All discharges which might be oily are monitored on a regular basis and the results sent to the Department of Energy which checks for conformity with conditions set out under the Prevention of Oil Pollution Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken during the last three years to ensure that technical equipment used to explore for and exploit petroleum in the North sea, including transportation pipelines, is constructed and operated in conformity with the best available technology.

From the beginning of offshore oil and gas activity on the United Kingdom continental shelf the Department of Energy has, through continued discussion on develpment proposals prior to approval and by issuing guidance notes, encouraged operators to use the best technology.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make available for independent assessment all the details of the incident at Trawsfynydd nuclear power station on 15 September 1981 and all the documents relating to subsequent inquiries;(2) if he will make available for independent assessment all the details of the incident at Wylfa nuclear power station involving the intake by a health physics monitor of radioactive contamination discovered on 5 May, and all the documents relating to subsequent inquiries;(3) if he will make available for independent assessment all the details of the incident at Trawsfynydd nuclear power station involving a leaking boiler tube and release into the atmosphere, of radioactive gas on 25 June 1980, and all the documents relating to subsequent inquiries;(4) if he will make available for independent assessment all the details of the incident at Wylfa involving the radioactive contamination of a man on 15 October 1980, and all the documents relating to subsequent inquiries.

These incidents were independently assessed at the time by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. Descriptions of the incidents and the results of investigations which were carried out are given in the HSE's quarterly statements on nuclear incidents for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarters of 1980 and the 3rd and 4th quarters of 1981, copies of which are in the Library of the House. Information was also given in the reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Mr. Thomas) on 31 July 1980 at columns 803–4.Responsibilities for safety at nuclear sites falls by law on the operators of those sites. It is not the CEGB's practice to release the full record of investigations as to do so could affect the willingness of staff to participate fully and openly in inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total North sea oil output so far in 1986; what is expected to be the annual total for 1986; and how this figure compares with each year from 1979 to 1985.

Estimates of North sea production for the current year are published monthly in Energy Trends. Figures for previous years are set out in the Secretary of State for Energy's report to Parliament (Brown Book).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated value to gross domestic product in the current year of North sea oil; and how this figure compares with the figures for each year from 1979 to 1985.

The latest figures for the gross domestic product of the mineral oil and natural gas extraction industry are published in Table 2.2 of the United Kingdom national accounts.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated value to the balance of trade in the current year of North sea oil; and how this figure compares with the figures for each year from 1979 to 1985.

The latest balance of trade figures for North sea oil are published in table A1 of the monthly review of external trade statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the most recent figures on accidents in the coal industry; and if he will give the equivalent figures for each of the last six years.

The number of accidents for the first half (April—September) of each of the last six years is as follows:

	Number
1986	6,696
1985	7,599
1984	1,600
1983	8,311
1982	10,793
1981	14,127

Accident statistics are published in British Coal's annual report and accounts, copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The Reporting of Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 required the reporting of accidents which were not originally included and therefore the 1986 figures are calculated on a different basis to earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the most recent figures on deaths in the coal industry and the number of men working in the industry; and if he will give the equivalent figures for each of the last six years.

So far this year there have been ten fatalities in the coal industry. Comparative figures for the last six years are as follows:

	Fatalities1	Manpower2
1986	7	132,210
1985	12	162,961
1984	6	177,312

asked the Prime Minister when precisely the Cabinet Secretary sent the report of his leak inquiry to the Attorney-General.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 17 November at columns 49–50.

asked the Prime Minister if she will now re-establish the Advisory Committee on Services for Hearing Impaired People; what was the cost of the former committee annually; and if she will make a statement.

The decision to wind up the Advisory Committee on Services for Hearing Impaired People in 1980 was taken following the Government's review of all non-departmental bodies and we have no plans to re-establish it. Expenditure on the committee varied from year to year. In 1978–79 and 1979–80, the estimated costs were £3,400 and £5,300 respectively.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on ministerial accountability for the security services.

I am fully satisfied with the present arrangements for ministerial responsibility for the security and intelligence services which I share with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

asked the Prime Minister if she will set up an inquiry into allegations that Lord Rothschild, a former MI5 officer, solicited Mr. Chapman Pincher to publish the recollections and memoirs of Peter Wright; and if she will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 26 November at column 268.

asked the Prime Minister (1) if she will now say why no steps were taken to trace and interview the sources of material contained in the book "Their Trade is Treachery" by Chapman Pincher during the two months when the relevant manuscript was in Her Majesty's Government's possession prior to publication;(2) if she will publish the text of letters between Messrs. Sidgwick and Jackson and Sir Robert Armstrong on the question of the book "Their Trade is Treachery"; and if she will make a statement;

It would be inappropriate for me to comment on matters which may arise in the proceedings concerning the Peter Wright case in Australia while those proceedings continue. I also intend to follow the precedent set by previous Prime Ministers of not commenting on security matters.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will carry out an inquiry to identify which security officer revealed to a national newspaper journalist that the Iraqi embassy had been bugged over the last two years.

I am not aware of any newspaper report alleging that the Iraqi embassy has been bugged over the past two years.

asked the Prime Minister in what form Mr. Ronnie Symonds, Mr. William Skarden, Mr. Andrew King, Colonel Leo Long, Lord Rothschild, Lord Clannorris, T. A. R. Robertson, Nigel Burgess, Constance Burgess, Mr. Russell Leigh, Mr. Christopher Haines, Mr. William Luke, Mr. Stephen Demowbray, Lord Dacre, Mr. George Carey Foster, Mr. John Cairncross, Mr. Malcolm Muggeridge, Mr. Robert MacKenzie, Sir Ashton Roskill, Sir Martin Furnival, Mr. Nigel Blair and Mr. Anthony Simkins gave undertakings as officers in Britain's security services not to make statements which breached confidentiality.

I am not prepared to comment on individual cases. All members of the security services sign the Official Secrets Act and are made fully aware of their duty of confidentiality.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government, in litigation to which they are a party, to claim public interest immunity against the discovery of documents only in cases where the material in question has not previously been published in other ways; and if she will make a statement.

No. Her Majesty's Government will continue to claim public interest immunity against the discovery of documents whenever it is deemed necessary in the public interest to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 25 November.

[pursuant to her oral reply, 25 November 1986, column 135]: I regret that I gave the hon. Gentleman an incorrect figure in my reply to his supplementary question about the Sports Council's grant settlement for 1987–88.Between 1979 and 1986 its grant has gone up by 42 per cent. in real terms, not 67 per cent. as I said. Nevertheless, the fact remains that the Sports Council has received a substantial real terms increase in its grant between the years in question.

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish information showing how many people in the (a) Burnley, (b) Pendle and (c) Hyndburn travel-to-work areas have had their benefit (i) reduced and (ii) withdrawn, in connection with the restart scheme.

No one can lose his or her benefit entitlements solely as a result of the restart programme. The aim of the programme is to interview long-term unemployed people in order to make a suitable offer to them of work, training or a course that will get them on the path back to work.Under long-standing legal rules people can lose their entitlement to benefit if they fail to attend an interview, are not available for work, or refuse an offer of suitable employment. We have no information available in the precise form requested as it is not possible to break down the figures into the three areas separately. But as at 9 October 1986 the number of people invited to a restart interview who later had benefit disallowed by independent adjudication officers in the three areas, was 23. A further 25 claimants in the areas had benefit suspended and then reinstated after going to a restart interview which they had previously failed to attend.

asked the Paymaster General, pursuant to the answer of 19 November, Official Report, column 211, about the number of people ceasing to claim unemployment benefit following invitation to a restart interview, if he will explain the differences between the total given under the second column of that answer and the total given under the third column of the answer on 5 November, Official Report, column 459.

The 86,211 people in the third column of the table in the Official Report at column 459 are those who have been sent a letter of invitation to a restart interview but who have ceased to claim benefit at some time after the sending of the letter. They include the 30,218 people referred to in the second column of the table in the Official Report at column 211 who have ceased to claim benefit after being interviewed.The difference between these two figures—55,993—iscomprised of people who have been sent a letter but ceased to claim benefit before a restart interview.

asked the Paymaster General how many claims under consideration at the adjudication office in Birmingham on 31 October had been held there for more than a month.

There were 1,000 such cases in the adjudication office in Birmingham on 31 October. These cases were awaiting further comment from either the claimant or the employer. The need to obtain further information inevitably tends to cause delay in deciding a claim but when an employer or a claimant does not reply within a reasonable time, a decision will generally he made on the available evidence.

asked the Paymaster-General what estimate he has made of the element of the substitution which will result from the new job training scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The new job training scheme pilot programmes combine a period of individual assessment with an integrated package of training and practical experience leading to a recognised vocational qualification. Particular emphasis is placed on the proper integration of training and practical experience.It is not anticipated that there will be substantial job substitution in the new job training scheme because practical experience placements will be of relatively short duration, probably with more than one employer; practical experience will be interspersed with periods of training away from the workplace.

asked the Paymaster General in relation to the new job training scheme, whether providers of practical work will pay trainees; and whether he has made an estimate of the costs involved.

Trainees on the new job training scheme pilot programmes will receive a training allowance equivalent to their benefit entitlement. Trainees will not be paid by providers of practical experience.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make it his policy that participation in the job training scheme will continue to be voluntary and that benefit sanctions will not apply to persons who do not accept offers, or who leave courses prematurely.

Participation in the job training scheme pilots is voluntary and benefit sanctions will not be applied to anyone for not joining, or for leaving before they complete their training programme.

asked the Paymaster General, why the taster course for women at the Deptford skillcentre is to be withdrawn; and if he will make a statement.

The taster course for women at Deptford skillcentre is being withdrawn because the MSC concluded that provision of this training could be made more cost-effectively elsewhere.

asked the Paymaster General who has been appointedto the chairmanship of the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People, following the death of Mr. Bob Ramsey earlier in 1986.

My right hon. and Noble Friend has today appointed Mr. Ken Baker, a former commissioner of the MSC, to the chair of the National Advisory Council on Employment of Disabled People. He has been appointed to serve until 31 December 1989. NACEDP is due to be reconstituted for a further three years from 1 January 1987 and I hope to make an announcement shortly concerning membership of the council for this period.

asked the Paymaster General (1) if he will make a statement on the progress made by his Department in the inner-city area of Manchester;(2) if he will give details of actions taken by the inner-city task force in Manchester;(3) if he will give details of the budget of the Manchester inner-city task force; and how much has been spent.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 November 1986, c. 324]: The task force has established contacts with a wide variety of local community organisations, with the local authority and with the private sector. A steering group composed of local people has recently been formed to assist the task force in its work. A plan has been drawn up as a guide to action in tackling the problems of the area. Under this plan a number of projects designed to increase employment and improve the employability of local people are being worked up as a matter of priority. These include:

(a) the establishment, in co-operation with a major clearing bank, of a small grant and loan scheme for local small businesses;

(b) assistance to the youth business initiative;

(c) pro-active business counselling support for participants in the enterprise allowance scheme;

(d) the establishment of a managed workshop in the task force area;

(e) support for community programme projects run by newly trained local managers;

(f) support for training local people in housing association work in conjunction for positive action for training in housing (PATH);

(g) the development with the private sector of a scheme to train local people in building and construction skills;

(h) the conversion, by local people, of railway arches in North Hulme into business start up units.

A substantial number of other projects at various stages of development. The task force is also working closely with the private sector, other Government Departments and statutory and voluntary agencies in the area to unlock all available resources and to ensure that they are targeted to maximum effect.All task forces have access to the central project funds of the inner cities initiative and to date some £33,000 has been allocated to projects in the Moss Side and Hulme task force area. Projects under development so far, which include those described above are expected to attract grant support in this financial year of around £277,000.My Department also plays a full part, together with the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of the Environment, in the Manchester/Salford city action team. In the current financial year together with the Manpower Services Commission, it will be spending some £26 million in the area the team covers on programmes of employment help to local people.

asked the Attorney-General if he will prosecute Lord Rothschild under section 7 of the Official Secrets Act 1920 for soliciting Mr. Peter Wright, by means of an offer of money, to pass documents known or believed to contain official secrets relating to the security services, to Mr. Chapman Pincher; and if he will make a statement.

I am considering with the Director of Public Prosecutions the allegations that have been made.

asked the Attorney-General (1) if he will now say why Arthur Martin was not prosecuted for breaching confidence on security matters in statements to Rupert Allason prior to New Year's Day 1983;(2) if he will now say why Arthur Martin was not prosecuted for breaching confidence on security matters in statements to Rupert Allason after the publication of "A Matter of Trust".

I reached my decision not to prosecute Arthur Martin for supplying information to Rupert Allason because I was satisfied that it would not be in the public interest to prosecute.

asked the Attorney-General why he delayed taking action to prevent the publication of the book "One Girl's War", by Joan Miller, in the Irish Republic.

The Government are taking active steps to seek the prevention of the publication and distribution of this book.

asked the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answers of 20 November, Official Report, columns 263–5, what criteria were used in deciding on the respective action to be taken in relation to (a) Mr. Nigel West, Mr. Ronnie Symonds, Sir Martin Furnival Jones, Mr. Neil Blair and Mr. Anthony Simkins, on the one hand, and (b) those persons listed in the answer in columns 264 and 265, on the other, in respect of allegations relating to the unauthorised use or disclosure of information about the security services.

I agreed with the Director of Public Prosecutions that he would ask the Metropolitan Police to investigate certain statements attributed in recent press articles to Mr. Nigel West (some of them as direct quotations) where it appeared that he might be claiming to have in his possession certain security service documents. Because his claims implied that these documents might have been given to him by certain other named individuals I asked the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider the position in relation to these individuals in the light of the result of the police investigation referred to above. Nigel West's claims did not involve the other 18 individuals named in my answer in columns 264 and 265 and for the action taken in the case of these individuals I refer the hon. Gentleman to that answer.

asked the Attorney-General on what date Sir Robert Armstrong was informed by Sir Richard Franks that the book "Their Trade is Treachery" was to be published.

It would be inappropriate for me to comment on matters which are or may be at issue in the proceedings concerning the Peter Wright case in Australia while those proceedings continue.

asked the Attorney-General on what date he first knew of and saw, respectively, the internal M 15 report discussing Lord Rothschild's rôle in the publication of the book "Their Trade is Treachery" by Chapman Pincher.

It is not the Government's policy to comment on matters of national security.

asked the Attorney-General whether he proposes to take any steps against Sir Dick White, Mr. Arthur Martin or Mr. George Russel Leigh in respect of information on MI5 which they have given to authors.

The matter remains under consideration.

asked the Attorney-General (1) whether he proposes to take any steps against Colonel William Skarden in respect of information of MI5, MI6 or any other security agency or department he has given to authors;(2) whether he proposes to take any steps against Andrew King in respect of information on MI5, MI6 or any other security agency or department he has given to authors;(3) whether he proposes to take any steps against Colonel Leo Long in respect of information on MI5, MI6 or any other security agency or department he has given to authors;

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Gentleman in relation to the same persons on 20 November 1986.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the revenue accrued in the current year of restoring income tax on the imputed rent of dwellings at the same rates as applied previously.

At the time of abolition in 1963, schedule A tax charged on owner-occupied properties was mainly based on property valuations of 1935–36. The yield from a similar charge at 1986–87 rates of income tax, based on current valuations for rating purposes (as a proxy for imputed rent income) with an allowance for expenditure on maintenance can be estimated only tentatively, but is unlikely to exceed £500 million in a full year and could be considerably less than this.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy towards the number of late payments of value added tax by a company which will be necessary (a) in a year, (b) in a three-year and (c) in a 10-year period to trigger a penalty by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

Under section 19 of the Finance Act 1985 a company which fails twice within 12 months to pay value added tax by the due date will be liable to a surcharge for each subsequent default until such time as a 12 month period free of default has elapsed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the implications of the sixth Exchequer directive on value added tax for the proposed compulsory de-registration of businesses below the turnover threshold.

It is not clear whether any proposal to refuse registration to businesses below the registration threshold would be compatible with the European Community sixth VAT directive. In considering such a proposal we would therefore need to discuss the position with the EC Commission and our Community partners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will consider, in the light of responses to the Customs and Excise consultation document, "VAT: Small Business Review" issued in October, reducing the period for which small firms have to keep value added tax records from six to three years.

As the consultation document explains, Customs and Excise are to appoint an independent consultant to review their VAT record keeping and preserving requirements with the following terms of reference:

"To consider the effect on small businesses of the requirement to preserve VAT records for a maximum of six years; the records that need to be covered by these requirements; and to make recommendations consistent with Customs and Excise's needs in respect of the revenue control of the tax."

The Keith committee, which examined the enforcement powers of the revenue departments, reommended that the maximum period for which Customs and Excise can require VAT records to be preserved should be extended from three to six years. However, within the maximum period there is scope for the exercise of discretion as regards earlier disposal of ancillary records. In this connection I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Member for Brentwood and Isleworth (Mr. Hayhoe) during the debate in Standing Committee B on the 1985 Finance Bill on 21 May 1985 at column 200.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what reactions have come fom organisations representing small businesses to the default provisions set out in the Customs and Excise consultation document, "V.A.T.: Small Business Review", issued in October.

To date, none.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer why he proposes that small businesses joining the proposed system of annual value added tax returns with payments on account, as set out in the consultation document, V.A.T.: Small Business Review, in October, should be compelled to make nine successive monthly payments on account.

The payment of the anticipated tax liability by means of nine payments on account with an additional final adjusting payment would enable traders to transfer more easily from the existing quarterly to the proposed annual accounting system; would protect revenue flows; and is in line with many commercial arrangements for the payment of regular financial liabilities. The proposal will, of course, be brought under review in the light of reactions to the consultation exercise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria the Customs and Excise envisage applying to calculate anticipated changes in a small business's turnover and trading levels for the purposes of estimating its annual value added tax assessment as outlined in the consultation document, V.A.T.: Small Business Review, issued in October.

The consultative document explains that the preceding year's net tax liability would be used as the base line and that it would be necessary to allow for anticipated changes, in turnover, trading and inflation. Detailed decisions on the criteria to be applied in making such adjustments must await the outcome of the consultation exercise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the total number of schedule D tax payers who are also registered with the Customs and Excise for value added tax purposes; and if he will make a statement.

I regret that the records are not maintained in this form. The VAT registration records and the Inland Revenue schedule D records are not cross-referred. Registration for VAT is of the "person", that is, sole proprietor, partnership, corporate body and so on, and not necessarily the individual. Schedule D tax is normally levied separately on the individual. Meaningful cross-referencing between the two sets of records is, therefore, not possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give the latest available figures for the total number of businesses registered with the Customs and Excise for value added tax purposes.