asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the progress of the Government's case in the Australian court in respect of a book concerning an ex-MI5 official.

The principle we are seeking to establish is clear—all those who served and have served in the security service owe a life-long duty of confidentiality to the Crown.So far as the proceedings in Sydney are concerned, I must remind the House that I am the plaintiff and therefore cannot comment on anything which is in issue before the court. Although, under the rules of the House, judicial proceedings abroad are not subject to the sub judice rule, I have to be careful to avoid the risk of prejudicing the case or at the worst being in contempt of court in Sydney. It inevitably follows the Government are handicapped in respect of some of the allegations being bandied about.

asked the Attorney-General if a Law Officer will prosecute the right hon. and learned Member for Wimbledon (Sir M. Havers) under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act for giving confidential information to Mr. Chapman Pincher on 1 January 1983 concerning conversations between Nigel West and Arthur Martin.

No, Sir.

asked the Attorney-General when, pursuant to his answer of 26 November, Official Report, column 268, he hopes to complete his consideration with the Director of Public Prosecutions of the allegations against Sir Arthur Franks and Lord Rothschild.

The matter remains under consideration.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the role of the Director of Public Prosecutions in relation to the inquiry into the selectively leaked Law Officer's letter in the Westland affair.

I have nothing to add to what has already been said in answer to questions and in statements.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the powers of the Lord Chancellor relating to the funding of law centres.

The Lord Chancellor has no specific statutory powers in relation to the funding of law centres. Grants to those law centres which receive support from the Lord Chancellor's Department are made in accordance with the provisions of the Appropriation Act.

asked the Attorney-General what was the cost to public funds of the legal action taken by Her Majesty's Government in the European Court of Justice against the European Parliament 1986 budget.

Disbursements from public funds in respect of legal action taken by Her Majesty's Government in the European Court of Justice against the European Parliament's 1986 Budget amounted to £17,360. Work carried out in connection with the case by Government officials was in the course of their ordinary duties and at no extra cost to public funds.

asked the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been made for fraud in the last two years; and what proportion have resulted in convictions.

Fraud is a generic term covering a wide range of offences of differing degrees of gravity but each involving an element of dishonesty. Such offences are prosecuted by a number of prosecuting authorities, whereas my ministerial responsibility is confined to the work of the Director of Public Prosecutions and my Department holds no figures as to the total number of fraud cases prosecuted.I am able to inform the hon. Member that, during 1985, the fraud divisions of the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, which handle serious cases of alleged fraud, commenced 150 prosecutions. Fifty-five trials on indictment were completed during that year, of which 42 resulted in conviction and 13 in acquittal. Comparable but more detailed figures for the first nine months of 1986 show that during that period 66 trials on indictment, involving 149 defendants, were completed.Pleas of guilty or convictions were obtained in 59 cases. The outcome of those cases when analysed in terms of defendants was as follows:

	Number
Pleaded guilty	88
Convicted	45
Acquitted	16

The total sum at risk in the cases dealt with this year to 30 September was £147 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to issue permission to levy airport charges to the British Airports Authority's airports.

I have granted permissions to levy charges to the operators of Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Prestwick, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen airports. I have issued the permissions in accordance with part IV of the Airports Act 1986 and in particular under the powers in section 53; they take effect from today. Copies of the permissions have been placed in the Library.

asked the Prime Minister whether Her Majesty's Government will now withdraw from proceedings on the Wright memoirs in Australia.

No.

asked the Prime Minister whether the statement to the House of 26 March 1981, Official Report, columns 1079–85, regarding allegations against the former director general of MI5, Sir Roger Hollis, took account of information provided by Mr. Peter Wright since his retirement from the security services; and if she will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Pontefract and Castleford (Mr. Lofthouse) on 18 November at column 432.

asked the Prime Minister whether she was consulted about the visit of Mr. Peter Wright to the United Kingdom at the invitation of Lord Rothschild in 1980; and if she will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 28 November at columns 387–8.

asked the Prime Minister when, and by what means, a copy was first obtained on her behalf of Chapman Pincher's book, "Their Trade is Treachery"; and why she formally requested a copy of the book about three days before publication.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 28 November at columns 387–8.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will outline the policy of Her Majesty's Government regarding the supply of British made weapons or spare parts to either belligerent power in the war between Iran and Iraq; whether this policy has remained in place throughout the conflict; and what steps have been taken to ensure that it has been fully implemented and supervised throughout.

From the beginning of the conflict in 1980, we have consistently been impartial and adopted a highly restrictive policy on the supply of defence equipment to Iran and Iraq.In 1984 this policy was refined to make it clear that we would not sell any defence equipment to either side that could significantly enhance their capacity to prolong or exacerbate the conflict. The revised guidelines were announced to the House by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary on 29 October 1985 at column 454. The guidelines are applied rigorously and fairly.

asked the Prime Minister whether she has instituted the system of appeals by civil servants to the head of the Civil Service proposed in the Government's reply to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's report on "Civil Servants and Ministers: Duties and Responsibilities".

In their reply, Cmnd. 9841, to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee report, the Government noted that they accepted in principle the Committee's recommendation that the head of the home Civil Service should be prepared personally to consider appeals from officials in certain circumstances. The reply went on to note that the arrangements and procedures for this right of appeal would be discussed with the Civil Service unions. These discussions are not yet complete.

asked the Prime Minister why the Solicitor-General was not consulted regarding the public disclosure of extracts of his letter to the then Secretary of State for Defence; and if she will make a statement.

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

asked the Prime Minister what has been the value of grants from the European Economic Community to the United Kingdom for non-agricultural uses, for each of the last five years.

I refer the hon. Member to the latest public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 9702, pages 62 to 65.

asked the Prime Minister if she will take steps to ensure that the list of Ministers published periodically in the Official Report contains the correct designation of the hon. Member for Huntingdon (Mr. Major) as the Minister for Social Security and the Disabled; and if she will make a statement.

I have no responsibility for the contents of the Official Report. The October 1986 edition of the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" published by the Cabinet Office accurately records the courtesy title of my hon. Friend the Member for Huntingdon as Minister for Social Security and the Disabled.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland with regard to the death of Mr. William McCrae in April 1985, at what stage and on what grounds the procurator fiscal at Inverness decided that there were no suspicious circumstances involved in Mr. McCrae's death.

The procurator fiscal reached a preliminary view that there were no suspicious circumstances after initial investigations had been completed and after receiving the results of the post mortem examination. The grounds on which he reached that view are confidential. His preliminary view, however, was confirmed on completion of full investigations.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland, with regard to the death of Mr. William McCrae in April 1985, at which hospital the post-mortem took place; by whom it was carried out; and to which members of the deceased's family the resulting information was given.

The post-mortem was performed at Raigmore hospital, Inverness by Dr. Richmond; the resulting information was given to the deceased's brother.

asked the Paymaster General what is the reducible minimum of dock workers he envisages being employed in the dock labour scheme; and when he expects it will be reached.

These are matters of speculation. The number of registered dock workers has been declining for many years and some further decline is to be expected.

asked the Paymaster General if he will estimate the likely cost to the taxpayer of writing off debts by port employers in respect of redundancy payments over the next three years.

Arrangements for Government grants to assist with the financing of current and future severances of registered dock workers remain as set out by my hon. Friend and predecessor the hon. Member for Eltham (Mr. Bottomley) on 24 October 1985 at column 242. In respect of past severances, the same reply stated:

"Interest and capital repayments on the outstanding Government loans to the National Dock Labour Board of £44·5 million will not be sought pending an opportunity to seek parliamentary approval for the write-off of the loans".

No suitable opportunity for this has yet arisen.

asked the Paymaster General how many of the 1,500 new staff needed to conduct the new availability for work test are in place.

I announced on 28 October that the additional staff required for the new procedure is 1,400. They are being introduced progressively over the next few months. Staff are recruited to meet the needs of new tasks and normal turnover and it is not possible to say how many currently in post relate to availability testing which is part of ordinary benefit assessment work rather than a separate function. However the number of offices who have introduced the new procedures was 386 at 21 November.

asked the Paymaster General if there is to be any link between a claimant officer's pay or bonus or incentive scheme and the reduction in the number of claimants on the unemployment register attributable to the work of that officer.

Claimant advisers are paid in accordance with standard Civil Service rates of pay and do not receive any form of performance bonus or incentive.I should also refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Kingston upon Hull, East (Mr. Prescott), on 4 November 1986 at column 805, in which I said that no targets had been set for claimant advisers to reduce the number of people on the unemployment register.

asked the Paymaster General how much is being spent in the current financial year on television advertising for the restart programme.

The Manpower Services Commission expects to spend some £11·3 million on television advertising for the restart campaign this year. The purpose of this expenditure is to prepare people for their counselling session and introduce them to the wide range of programmes on offer at their restart interview, so as to increase the take up of these programmes and improve the motivation and expectations of those who take part in them. The spending on advertising represents less than 1 per cent. of the total expenditure on these programmes.

asked the Paymaster General how many long-term unemployed people restart counsellors are expected to interview each week; and what is the average number of interviews given.

A survey of interviews in the nine restart pilot areas earlier this year indicated that a counsellor should be able to carry out about 45 interviews per week on a regular basis and to exceed that number for short periods.

asked the Paymaster General what is the average length of a restart interview; and how that average is worked out.

A survey of interviews in the nine restart pilot areas earlier this year indicated that the average length of a restart interview was about 30 minutes. Some lasted an hour, while many were appreciably shorter than the average. The length of each interview will vary according to the circumstances of the individual person whom the interviewer is seeking to help.

asked the Paymaster General how many long-term unemployed people there were in the Huddersfield travel-to-work area before the introduction of the restart scheme; and how many have now been interviewed as part of the restart scheme.

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

Age and Duration Analysis of the Unemployed for Statistical Date 9 October 1986 Local Authority District Coventry Males
Duration of Unemployment in weeks	Under 17	17	18	19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60 and over	Total
One or less	14	16	16	23	79	47	33	21	22	19	23	44	32	389
Over 1 and up to 2	13	16	15	32	101	63	30	29	25	10	19	33	29	415
Over 2 and up to 4	26	34	33	42	115	42	38	50	26	27	31	28	31	523
Over 4 and up to 6	105	74	88	49	123	68	45	40	28	20	30	32	23	725
Over 6 and up to 8	39	34	55	21	84	41	23	26	18	22	16	19	13	411
Over 8 and up to 13	9	48	61	57	222	108	77	73	49	48	61	70	97	980
Over 13 and up to 26	31	109	106	113	449	261	157	140	83	93	80	131	127	1,880
Over 26 and up to 39	33	63	77	67	268	166	136	76	85	61	75	94	110	1,311
Over 39 and up to 52	0	41	73	49	202	140	113	88	73	60	64	55	74	1,032
Over 52 and up to 65	0	78	94	71	212	138	86	76	70	60	64	75	48	1,072
Over 65 and up to 78	0	20	52	43	166	92	68	61	39	35	59	48	3	686
Over 78 and up to 104	0	0	44	66	250	169	127	108	99	84	90	85	15	1,137
Over 104 and up to 156	0	0	56	118	412	275	199	175	135	116	124	144	15	1,769
Over 156 and up to 208	0	0	0	29	361	186	144	164	128	104	159	161	7	1,443
Over 208 and up to 260	0	0	0	0	251	184	162	141	150	117	139	180	11	1,335
Over 260	0	0	0	0	177	334	312	298	308	262	268	319	27	2,305
Total Males	270	533	770	780	3,472	2,314	1,750	1,566	1,338	1,138	1,302	1,518	662	17,413

Females
Duration of Unemployment in weeks	Under 17	17	18	19	20–24	25–29	30–34	35–39	40–44	45–49	50–54	55–59	60 and over	Total
One or less	12	16	19	8	39	24	12	13	16	7	10	5	0	181
Over 1 and up to 2	9	14	19	20	62	33	21	14	8	9	6	8	0	223
Over 2 and up to 4	16	25	39	19	92	52	20	14	13	11	15	9	0	325
Over 4 and up to 6	87	52	95	42	73	43	35	22	16	19	17	18	0	519
Over 6 and up to 8	39	22	40	28	56	37	20	19	10	9	6	4	0	290
Over 8 and up to 13	13	44	64	37	154	91	60	37	28	29	23	17	0	597
Over 13 and up to 26	21	81	87	90	352	202	109	86	57	69	49	44	0	1,247
Over 26 and up to 39	23	46	57	42	201	141	77	51	63	53	44	47	0	845
Over 39 and up to 52	1	31	46	33	146	113	45	46	23	30	31	39	0	584
Over 52 and up to 65	0	79	101	74	106	75	34	29	30	30	20	29	0	607
Over 65 and up to 78	0	14	39	36	58	43	18	9	27	24	33	26	0	327
Over 78 and up to 104	0	1	30	40	98	45	37	27	37	42	46	36	0	439
Over 104 and up to 156	0	0	43	77	161	60	39	37	54	61	61	62	0	655
Over 156 and up to 208	0	0	0	24	135	35	22	13	27	30	66	60	0	412
Over 208 and up to 260	0	0	0	0	107	20	15	16	24	25	49	44	1	301

asked the Paymaster General what information he has about the extent of skill shortages in the London printing industry; and what steps are being taken to remedy them.

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

asked the Paymaster General if he will give the figures for unfilled vacancies at Coventry jobcentre, at the latest convenient date, broken down into (a) full-time jobs, (b) part-time jobs, (c) jobs located (i) within the city boundaries, (ii) up to 25 miles from Coventry and (iii) over 25 miles from Coventry and (d) placements on Government schemes.

Of the vacancies which had been notified to Coventry jobcentre, 1,198 remained unfilled as at 3 October. The detailed information requested is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give the latest information on the numbers of unemployed workers in Coventry, broken down by age, sex and duration; and if he will make a statement.

Following is the requested information, which is available in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish in the Official Report the number of people unemployed in each district ward of Coventry and the number of such people who have been unemployed for one year or more.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows the numbers of unemployed claimants at 9 October 1986 in each electoral ward in the Coventry local authority district, and the number of those who have been unemployed for over one year.

	Total unemployed	Unemployed over one year
Bablake	698	272
Binley and Willenhall	1,966	1,081
Cheylesmore	1,008	466
Earlsdon	945	426
Foleshill	2,316	1,180
Henley	2,094	1,182
Holbrook	1,456	680
Longford	1,683	856
Lower Stoke	1,482	773
Radford	1,813	950
St. Michaels	2,378	1,389
Sherbourne	1,155	578
Upper Stoke	1,396	737
Wainbody	412	138
Westwood	1,098	590
Whoberley	1,097	489
Woodlands	1,137	545
Wyken	1,252	578

asked the Paymaster General what information he has on the number of construction workers who are unemployed in Coventry and in the west Midlands; and if he will make a statement.

According to the labour force survey in the spring of 1985, the number of people without jobs and looking for work having left employment at some time within the previous three years with their last job in the construction industry was 23,000 in the west midlands region and 11,000 in the west midlands metropolitan area. Figures for Coventry are not available because of the sampling error that would be involved.

asked the Paymaster General what has been the average number of registered job vacancies in Coventry each month of the current year.

Information on unfilled vacancies is only available for a specified day in each month. The following table shows numbers of unfilled vacancies at the Coventry jobcentre on these dates in the period January 1986 to October 1986. This information is available in the Library.

	Number
3 January	729
7 February	663
7 March	692
4 April	746
2 May	750
6 June	908
4 July	932

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the numbers of people unemployed for each of the last three months in the parliamentary constituency of Birkenhead; and if he will give these figures as a percentage of the total population of the constituency.

The following information is in the Library. The numbers of unemployed claimants in the Birkenhead parliamentary constituency for the last three months are as follows:

	Number
August 1986	9,922
September 1986	9,933
October 1986	9,614

The latest estimates of population for parliamentary constituencies are based on the 1981 census when less than half the population of 90,913 in the Birkenhead constituency were economically active. Estimates of the current population are not available.

asked the Paymaster General if resources will be made available for all schools to carry out technical and vocational education initiative courses from September 1987.

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

asked the Paymaster General when he expects to complete his study into the workfare scheme in the United States of America; and whether he will publish the full report of this study, including his assessment of its relevance to the United Kingdom.

The research study on "Workfare" is continuing and I cannot say yet when it will be completed. I hope that the results will be published in due course.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the progress of the European Commission parental leave directive during the last six months.

No discussions have taken place since the Commission announced at the June meeting of the Council of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers that, instead of pursuing discussions on the draft directive, they would be proposing a small series of "actions" in the area of sharing family and occupational responsibilities.

asked the Paymaster General what was the number of married women in the community programme for each year since it started; and if he will also give the total number of participants.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the number of students being grant-aided for studies on the development of rural and other co-operative societies at the Co-operative college, Loughborough, giving their country of origin.

Forty-five overseas students have received assistance under the aid programme during 1986 for study at the Co-operative college, Loughborough. Twenty-three are there at present. I shall publish in the Official Report their country of origin.Following is the information:

	Number
Africa
Botswana	4
Cameroon	6
Kenya	3
Liberia	1
Namibia	1
Sudan	1
Swaziland	1
Tanzania	3
Uganda	1
Zimbabwe	2
Asia
Bangladesh	6
India	2
Nepal	1
Philippines	1
Sri Lanka	1
Thailand	1
Caribbean
Dominica	3
Jamaica	1
St. Vincent	1
Pacific
Solomons	2
Tonga	1
Tuvalu	1
Vanuatu	1
TOTAL	45

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the proportion of gross domestic product represented by expenditure on overseas aid in 1979; and what is the comparable proportion for 1986–87.

Net public expenditure on overseas aid as defined in British Aid Statistics, copies of which are in the Library of the House, represented 0·44 per cent. of gross domestic product in 1979 and 0·34 per cent. of gross domestic product in 1985, the latest year for which figures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the Government's contribution to the United Nations International Emergency Fund project to immunise children against six preventable diseases.

The Government's normal contribution to UNICEF covers the immunisation programme for children. In addition, we have agreed to contribute £1 million in response to the latest UNICEF appeal for Africa, which will support immunisation programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the size and range of the British aid programme to Pakistan and the level of support provided.

We expect to spend about £25 million in Pakistan this year. The main elements of the programme are in irrigation, flood control, agriculture and power.During my visit last week, I visited the left bank outfall drain project, to which we are contributing £27 million, the Sukkar barrage rehabilitation project to which we are contributing £9·4 million, and the Allama Iqbal open university project. I also announced that we would be providing a further £15 million grant for projects in the power sector. We are also assisting Afghan refugees within Pakistan. I visited some of the camps and announced that the Government would be giving £3·5 million to UNHRC for its work with the refugees.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the arrangements for providing European Community food aid to developing countries.

The Government have been concerned for some time at the inadequacies of the Community's food aid programme, but the new powers and procedures agreed by the Development Council on 11 November, while not perfect, provide the basis for a great improvement in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit any aid project in any of the countries in the Caribbean basin.

Neither my right hon. and learned Friend nor I have at present any plans to visit aid projects in the Caribbean or Central America.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans for increasing the emphasis on agricultural development in the aid programme.

During the past two years project aid related to agriculture has increased from 14·5 per cent. of the total project aid programme to 18 per cent. I intend that this trend should accelerate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will insist that all cutlery imported into the United Kingdom is clearly marked with the country of origin;(2) if he will take steps to ensure that manufactured goods imported into the United Kingdom are clearly marked with the country of origin;(3) what steps he is taking to protect the Sheffield cutlery industry when the country of origin is not clearly marked on imported cutlery.

The European Court of Justice has already made it clear that a requirement for imported goods, including cutlery, to be origin-marked irrespective of the circumstances, is incompatible with the EEC treaty.

Trade in passenger motor cars1
US$ Million
	Japan		USA		European Community (12)
	Exps	Imps	Exps	Imps	Exps	Imps
1970	903·4	54·1	837·2	3,914·3	6,510·6	3,052·2
1975	4,030·0	236·9	2,892·2	7,548·4	13,977·6	8,022·7
1980	16,114·6	452·0	4,030·9	18,017·3	32,4101	22,920·8
1985	25,402·2	538·7	6,102·9	39,088·9	35,075·1	22,158·8
1986 Jan—July	19,281·2	594·1	4,081·4	33,153·8	31,022·8	221,818·4
1Standard International Trade Classification (Rev 2), Group 781 (1970 and 1975 Rev 1, 732.1)
2January to August

European Community includes intra-Community trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish (i) a table showing European Community exports to and imports from Japan in United States dollars for each year from 1970 to 1985 with estimates for 1986 together with the percentage change in each from the previous year, with a separate column showing the overall trade balance for each year and (ii) comparable information available to him on United States—Japan trade.

The information is in the following tables:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing information to him on (i) production, (ii) exports and (iii) imports of motor cars by Japan, the United States of America and the European Community as a whole for the years 1970, 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1986.

The readily available information is in the following tables:

Production of passenger cars
Millions
	Japan	USA	European1 Community(12)
1970	3·2	6·6	9·9
1975	4·6	6·7	8·8
1980	7·0	6·4	10·1
1985	7·6	8·2	10·8
1986 Jan—June	4·0	4·3	6·0
1Not including Ireland and Denmark.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish a table showing information available to him on (i) the nominal gross national product in United States dollars for Japan, the United States of America and the European Community for the years 1970, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986, estimated, and (ii) the nominal gross national product of Japan expressed in yen for the same years;(2) if he will publish a table showing information available to him on (i) nominal gross national product per capita in United States dollars for Japan, the United States of America and the European Community for the years 1970, 1975, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985 and 1986, estimated, and (ii) nominal gross national product per capita in Japan expressed in yen for the same years.

The information is in the following tables. Estimates for the whole of the European Community in 1986 are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a table showing information available to him on the annual growth of real gross national product, both by annual gross domestic product

Gross Domestic Product
Index 1980=100
	USA	Change on previous year	European Community (12)	Change on previous year	Japan	Change on previous year
		percentage		percentage		percentage
1970	74·9	-0·3	74·9	4·8	63·6	9·5
1971	77·3	3·2	77·5	3·5	66·2	4·1
1972	81·4	5·4	80·9	4·4	71·8	8·4
1973	86·0	5·7	85·8	6·1	77·5	7·9
1974	85·3	-0·9	87·3	1·7	76·5	-1·2
1975	84·6	-0·8	86·5	-0·9	78·5	2·6
1976	88·6	4·7	90·8	5·0	82·3	4·8
1977	93·5	5·5	93·0	2·4	86·6	5·3
1978	97·9	4·7	95·9	3·1	91·0	5·1
1979	100·4	2·6	99·0	3·2	95·7	5·2
1980	100·0	-0·4	100·0	1·0	100·0	4·4
1981	103·4	3·4	99·8	-0·2	103·9	3·9
1982	100·3	-3	100·4	0·6	106·8	2·8
1983	103·3	2·9	101·7	1·3	110·2	3·2
1984	110·7	7·2	103·8	2·1	115·7	5·0
1985	113·1	2·2	106·0	2·1	121·0	4·6
1986	1115·1	12·7	. .	. .	2123·0	22·7
1Estimated on three quarters data.
2Estimated on first half data.
. . Not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in the light of the continued interference to the radio, television and telephone reception of the residents in Tudor Close, Eastcote, Middlesex from an amateur radio transmitter in the neighbourhood, he will now use his powers permanently to revoke the licence of this amateur radio transmitter.

Reports of further reception problems in the locality have been received recently and are being investigated by the Department's radio investigation service. However, the amateur radio station in question still remains closed down pending the outcome of licence variation proceedings. I am now awaiting the results of index and by growth rate for Japan, the United States of America and the European Community as a whole for every year since 1970, including estimates for 1986.

Data for the European Community as a whole in 1986 are not readily available. The other information is in the following table.exhaustive tests on the station that have been conducted by the radio investigation service jointly with representatives of the radio amateur concerned. When the report on these tests have been received and assessed a decision will be made as to what restrictions, if any, need to be applied to the amateur's licence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he hopes to make a decision on regional selective assistance to Demon Pressure Washers, Ivybridge, Devon; and if he will explain the 11-month delay in processing the application.

The Department of Trade and Industry has not received a formal application for regional selective assistance from Demon Pressure Washers, Ivybridge, Devon. I understand that the company has discussed a potential application with the Department's regional officials on a number of occasions during the past year, but has yet to submit a fully documented application.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what is his policy towards takeovers of public limited companies by management groups from outside such companies;(2) if the Director General of Fair Trading has provided him with information about the management buy-in of Simon Engineering plc by means of an offer by a new management and institutional consortium through Valuedale plc; and if he will make a statement.

I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what factors he attributes the increase in the invisibles trade surplus in the month of October; and whether there have been any changes in methodology or statistical assumption in the calculation of the invisibles balance.

The projection of the invisible balance for October is based on the same methodolgy as previous figures prepared at this stage of the quarterly cycle of balance of payments statistics. It reflects the latest evidence on trends in the main components of the invisible account available up to the middle of November on interest and exchange rate movements since the third quarter. It is rounded to the nearest £100 million to emphasise its approximate nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the basis for the upward revision of the invisibles balance for the months of July, August and September; when was the last occasion on which the balance for the previous quarter was revised upward by one third; and whether there has been any previous occasion on which the projected monthly figures for the invisibles balance were revised in advance of the estimate for the full quarter.

The revision to the monthly figures for July, August and September was based on the latest assessment of the main credit and debit flows in the invisible account in the third quarter based on information received from surveys of firms' overseas transactions, returns from financial institutions, etc by the middle of November.The projected balance has frequently been revised upwards or downwards by £100 million when firm information becomes available, and in the third quarter of 1984 the initial projection of £250 million was later revised to £455 million.The current practice is not to revise the quarterly projection until the quarterly figures are published in the full balance of payments accounts unless there is strong evidence that a substantial revision is required.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will estimate the contribution to the United Kingdom economy and the export value of British anti-pollution technology, in particular catalytic converters for cars and gas cleaning equipment for power stations; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will provide estimates of the employment currently produced by, and reliant on, anti-pollution technology in Britain, in particular the production of catalytic converters for cars and gas cleaning equipment for power stations; and if he envisages any growth in this sector.

Anti-pollution equipment provides important opportunities for British industry. Catalytic converters for cars are manufactured for domestic consumption and export. The Government's recent decision to fit flue gas desulphurisation equipment to certain power stations will provide further opportunities. No estimates are yet available of the precise effect on employment or exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry at what time and on what date his predecessor, the right hon. and learned Member for Richmond, Yorks (Mr. Brittan) became aware that the Solicitor-General was contemplating writing to the then Defence Secretary regarding alleged material inaccuracies in relation to Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Westland Helicopters.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 17 November, at columns 49–50.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next intends to meet the National Economic Development Council to discuss research and development funding.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will produce a table in the Official Report showing the regional distribution of the European Economic Community's regional fund's project aid and showing the percentage allocation to Wales, Scotland, the west midlands, the east midlands, the north-west, Northern Ireland, Yorkshire and Humberside, the north and the south-west for each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many money lending licence applications have been received and how many licences issued over the current year, under the Consumer Credit Act 1974;(2) how many money lending licence applications have been received and how many licences issued over the current year under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 and in the Bristol district council area;(3) how many money lenders licences the Director General of Fair Trading has suspended during the current year; and for what reason;(4) how many money lenders licences the Director General of Fair Trading has suspended during the current year in the Bristol district council area; and for what reasons;(5) how many current money lending licences have been issued under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.

The licensing of moneylenders under the Consumer Credit Act is the direct responsibility of the Director General of Fair Trading and I will ask him to write to the right hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) why he has decided to seek to repeal the Trade Descriptions Act 1972; and if he will make a statement;(2) what steps he will take to ensure that consumers are aware of the country of origin of products following the repeal of the Trade Descriptions Act 1972; and if he will make a statement;

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the European Economic Community seeking the repeal of the Trades Descriptions Act 1972; whether he has any plans to introduce legislation to comply with those representations; and if he will make a statement.

Earlier this year, the European Commission served formal notice, under article 169 of the EEC treaty, of its intention to open infraction proceedings against the United Kingdom in connection with the Trade Descriptions Act 1972. The Commission regard the Act as incompatible with article 30 of the treaty.After careful consideration of the legal position, in particular the earlier judgment of the European Court of Justice against the Trade Descriptions (Origin Marking) (Miscellaneous Goods) Order 1981, the Government reluctantly concluded that the United Kingdom could not reasonably expect successfully to defend a case against the 1972 Act in the court. The Government accordingly informed the Committee of their intention to repeal the Act, and provision for this is made in the Consumer Protection Bill which is now before another place.The Government remain of the view that consumers are entitled to protection against being misled about the origin of the goods they purchase and has already informed consumer and trade associations of its intention to explore with them the possibility of an order under section 8 of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, to supplement the basic prohibition against false or misleading indications of origin in that Act, which itself is not in question. The Government will welcome any suggestions for such an order consistent with the requirements of Community law.It is also the Government's intention that the entry into force of the repeal of the 1972 Act should coincide with that of any order providing for successor arrangements. Nothing in these developments affects in any way the right of British manufacturers to mark their goods "Made in Britain", nor the existing penalties for false statements of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, following his answer of 24 November, Official Report, columns 8–9, on the arrangements for employees of Rolls-Royce plc to purchase shares in the offer for sale, what percentage of the offered shares could be purchased if all employees availed themselves of the special arrangements, excluding the 5 per cent. maximum of priority applications.

The figure requested cannot be calculated until the offer price of the shares has been decided. A maximum of 5 per cent. of the offered shares will be reserved for the elements of the offer to which the hon. Member refers.