Robertson asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what plans he has to remedy the accommodation problems of the procurator fiscal's office in Hamilton.

The most recent option considered for the rehousing of the procurator fiscal was the development proposed by Hamilton district council on the vacant site in Almada street. As the letter from my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young) dated 22 July 1986 to the hon. Gentleman intimated, none of the tenders received was acceptable to the Property Services Agency, but it advised the council that it would be prepared to consider a revised scheme.To date the district council has not come forward with further proposals. Discussions are continuing between the PSA and my officials and a meeting has been arranged for Monday 15 December to discuss possible alternatives. Until the outcome of these discussions is known, I am unable to comment further.

asked the Attorney-General if he will now make it his policy to answer parliamentary questions about advice sought from or given by him concerning the lawfulness of actions taken by Ministers in relation to nationalised industries; and if he will make a statement.

There is a well established convention that advice given by the Law Officers to Ministers is confidential and is disclosed only in exceptional circumstances. I do not propose to depart from that practice.

asked the Attorney-General whether all advice given by him concerning the lawfulness or legal implications of ministerial actions or proposed actions is treated as being covered by the Official Secrets Acts; and if he will make a statement.

The application of the Official Secrets Acts to advice concerning the lawfulness or legal implications of ministerial actions or proposed actions will depend on the facts of an individual case.

asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Bristol.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister why Sir Robert Armstrong in approaching the United Kingdom publishers of the book by Mr. Chapman Pincher "Their Trade is Treachery", seeking page proofs of the book, failed to disclose that the security services had been in possession of page proofs of the book for over a month; 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 if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the implications for the 4 December 1984 agreement of the Council on budgetary control of the subsidised export of food and wine to eastern Europe; and if she will make a statement.

I shall continue to use every suitable opportunity to emphasise the need for decisions on common agricultural policy reform. Bringing surpluses and their associated budgetary costs under better control will reduce the need for subsidised exports.

asked the Prime Minister whether there (a) has been and (b) is now an organisation called MI6; and whether she will make a statement.

I intend to follow the precedent set by previous Prime Ministers of not commenting on security matters.

asked the Prime Minister if any consideration was given to bringing into the public domain the letter of 7 January from the Solicitor-General to the then Secretary of State for Defence, immediately after a copy of the letter was received in her office; 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 if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 2 December.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the number of staff in each Government Department or public body who are regularly employed on investigative duties.

There are no central records of the numbers of all such staff.

asked the Prime Minister on what basis grant is to be paid to Hoover to relocate from Perivale to Merthyr Tydfil.

The company is eligible to claim regional development grant in respect of the creation of new jobs in a development area.

asked the Prime Minister whether the statement by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport, Lord Brabazon of Tara, on 24 November at Chelmsford to the effect that he could offer no hope that the Government would take action to halt the decline in the United Kingdom merchant fleet represents Government policy; and if she will make a statement.

The Government monitor the size of the merchant fleet closely and will continue to keep the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British ambassador in Dublin made any representations to the Government of the Republic of Ireland following the attack by terrorists from the Irish Republic on the Fane Valley co-operative building at Newtownhamilton on the border between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom on Tuesday 25 November; and if he will make a statement.

No such representations were made, nor were they necessary. The Royal Ulster Constabulary is able to obtain the assistance of the Garda Siochana in investigating incidents of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether moneys of the Hong Kong Foreign Exchange reserve form part of the security for the loan arrangements concluded on 23 September in Peking for the Daya Bay nuclear power project.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what responsibilities Her Majesty's Government exercise towards the safety of the people of Hong Kong; and how these responsibilities are carried out.

We exercise full responsibility for the welfare and wellbeing of the people of Hong Kong. This responsibility is carried out in close consultation with the Governor and Executive Council of Hong Kong.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received (a) opposing and (b) favouring the building of the Daya Bay nuclear power plant.

(a) One, (b) None.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish the full membership of the European Social and Economic Committee, with dates of appointment of members.

Copies of a list of the 189 members of the Economic and Social Committee, giving dates of appointment, are being placed in the Library of the House.

askd the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of South Korea concerning that Government's record on human rights.

Contacts with the Government of the Republic of Korea ensure that they remain well aware of the views of Her Majesty's Government and organisations in the United Kingdom on human rights matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to obtain from the Swedish Government as much information as is in their possession about the case of Raoul Wallenberg; and if he will make a statement.

The Swedish Government have always been ready to make information available in this case. A copy of a document which they produced was placed in the Library of the House last year, bringing together the main evidence then available. We remain in close touch with them.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards disarmament in the light of the statement of Soviet Foreign Minister Mr. Shevardnadze on 27 February that, if United States medium-range missiles in Europe were liquidated, there would no longer be any need to keep Soviet operating tactical missiles where they have been deployed.

In the event of an agreement limiting and reducing longer-range INF warheads in Europe, we would expect the Soviet SS22 launchers, forward deployed to the GDR and Czechoslavakia as so-called "countermeasures" to United States LRINF deployments in 1983, to be moved back to Soviet territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the proposals the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies have received from either the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics or its allies since January 1981 on constraining short and medium-range European nuclear forces in Europe;(2) if he will list the proposals made by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies to the Warsaw Pact allies since January 1981 on constraining short and medium-range nuclear forces in Europe.

The progress report published in December 1983 by NATO's special consultative group on INF arms control gave full details of the first United States-Soviet INF talks between 1981–83. A copy is available in the Library of the House.Both sides have agreed to respect the confidentiality of the current Geneva nuclear and space talks. However, the US and Soviet Union have each given detailed accounts of the six rounds of the negotiations that have so far taken place, and of the terms of the INF agreement discussed at Reykjavik. This would provide for zero LRINF warheads in Europe; 100 LRINF warheads each outside Europe on United States territory and Soviet Asia respectively; constraints on shorter range INF with subsequent negotiations about reductions to begin within six months; and measures for effective verification including on-site inspection.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will list the parameters under which he has determined the legal status of the planned radar modernisation at RAF Fylingdales;(2) what assessment he has made of the compatibility of the planned modernisation of radar facilities at RAF Fylingdales with the anti-ballistic missile treaty.

As we have already made clear, we have no doubts that the modernisation of RAF Fylingdales will be fully in accordance with United States obligations under the ABM treaty. There was a ballistic missile early warning system installation at Fylingdales before the treaty was signed in 1972. The treaty does not prohibit modernisation of ballistic missile early warning system radars already in existence when the treaty provisions came into force.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support the Government are giving to the proposed new youth exchange scheme in the EEC; and how much money will be distributed.

Discussions on the proposed EC youth exchange programme are still at an early stage, with the size, scope and cost yet to be determined. It is therefore not possible to say what the size of any contribution from us might be, or how money for the programme would be distributed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library correspondence between himself and the chairman of the National Coal Board in connection with any proposed changes in the Mines and Quarries Act.

Any such changes are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the European Parliament and his meeting there with the Committee on Energy Research and Technology; and if he will detail the issues raised at that meeting.

I have not made such a visit. Arrangements have been made for my right hon. Friend the Minister of State to meet the Committee on Energy, Research and Technology on 15 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total amount of Government funding for all forms of nuclear power research in the last 12 months.

The 1986–87 provision for expenditure by the Department of Energy on nuclear R and D is set out in section D of the Supply Estimates 1986–87, class VI,2. This totals £180·5 million.The Estimates (section C3 of class X.5) also contain provision for expenditure of £11·5 million by the Department of the Environment for research into radioactive waste management.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the top 10 power stations which produce the cheapest electricity on a cost per unit basis, giving in each case the type of fuel used, the date the station was commissioned, the original estimated cost, and the real cost when completed, the original estimated building time and the actual building time, the original planned life of the station and the current planned life of each station.

Following are the top 10 power stations in the Central Electricity Generating Board merit order, based on efficiency of plant and cost of fuel used:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how much plutonium has been created at the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, Winfrith steam generating heavy water reactor nuclear station since it was commissioned; what quantity of this plutonium has been reprocessed and to what purpose any reprocessed plutonium thus arising has been put.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 November 1986, c. 352]: Since May 1979 the discharge of irradiated fuel from the SGHWR, operated by the UKAEA at its establishment at Winfrith, has contained an estimated 170kg plutonium. None of this has been reprocessed.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will release the latest figures and calculations of the University of South Africa that provide the current guidelines for the European Community code of conduct in South Africa.

I am placing in the Library of the House the table published by the University of South Africa of supplemented living level requirements for August 1985 and February 1986. These are the figures relevant to the latest completed reporting period for which companies are now submitting their returns under the EC code of conduct for companies with interest in South Africa. The code requires that pay based on the SLL for an average sized family must be considered the absolute minimum. Further explanatory guidance to British companies is contained in Cmnd. 9860.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what he is doing to ensure that companies failing to report on their holdings in South Africa for the 12 months ended 30 June 1985 comply with the European Community code of conduct.

The EC code of conduct remains voluntary, but I and my officials take every opportunity to urge all the British companies concerned to comply fully with it and submit full reports. Of the 138 companies whose interests were known or believed to warrant a full report under the code, only three declined to submit returns for the 1984–85 reporting period, and two of these offered certain general assurances about the conditions of employment of their black South African employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the minimum living levels and the supplemented living levels for South Africa.

The supplemented and minimum living levels are calculations by the bureau of market research of the University of South Africa. The supplemented living level makes provision at current local prices for items considered by researchers to be essential to human needs in South Africa, additional to those costed in minimum living level, which is regarded as the minimun subsistence level in African conditions. Separate calculations are made for individual districts and household sizes and are expressed in rands per months. The calculations are revised every six months in February and August.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information is provided by his Department to companies with interests in South Africa on levels of wages relevant to the European Community code of conduct.

Guidance on the level of minimum wages advocated by the code for black African employees is contained in the explanatory guidance published in Cmnd. 9860. Companies are referred to the statistics published by the bureau of market research, University of South Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to make public the responses received to future consultation documents issued by his Department, unless respondents have specifically asked for their comments to be confidential; and if he will make clear arrangements for publication of responses when such documents are issued.

No. Frank expression of views could be inhibited if there were a presumption in favour of publication, but I continue to be ready to do so in appropriate cases and when the respondent has explicitly agreed to publication.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communication he has received from the European Commission concerning limits on golden shares in privatised British companies.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what communications he has received from the European Commission regarding foreign ownership shareholding restrictions in British Aerospace; and what account he has given.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice has been received from the European Commission regarding foreign shareholding restrictions in the proposed privatisation of Rolls-Royce.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the Minister for Trade's visit to Iraq on 10 November; and what discussions he held with Iraqi leaders regarding the progress of the war with Iran.

I visited Iraq on 10–11 November as co-chairman of the United Kingdom-Iraq Joint Commission to review the development of bilateral trade and the prospects for the coming year. The joint commission approved the extension of the financial protocol providing credit facilities for United Kingdom exports until the end of 1987. Iraqi Ministers confirmed their intention of meeting Iraq's current payments obligations to the United Kingdom. With Iraqi Ministers I discussed the economic implications for Iraq of the fall in oil prices and the war with Iran. Iraq continues to face a period of severe economic stringency; nevertheless, our exports to this market show a welcome increase of almost 9 per cent. in the first 10 months of 1986. I also visited the United Kingdom pavilion at the Baghdad international fair, where 70 British companies were exhibiting. My hosts commented favourably on the large British presence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what grants are available to companies to relocate; and if he will make a statement.

My Department does not provide grants specifically to help companies with relocation expenses. However, firms which relocate in the assisted areas may qualify for regional assistance in respect of projects which provide new assets and create or safeguard jobs in those areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the definition of the term nightwear to which his Department was working when it published its guidelines "Nightwear and Fire" recently;(2) on what date it was decided to include in the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 babies garments other than nightwear; and if he will make a statement.

Regulation 3(1) of the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 provides that the meaning of "nightwear" extends also to other garments such as bath robes and includes babies garments. The regulations define "baby's garment" to mean any garment with a chest measurement not exceeding 53 cm which would normally be worn only by a child under the age of 3 months.The decision to include babies garments was taken after considering the response to consultations on proposals for regulations in the period November 1984 to January 1985. The definition includes all babies garments (with a chest measurement) since it is not possible to distinguish between garments worn by a young baby during the day or night.The draft regulations, which were laid before Parliament in November 1985 and approved by a resolution of each House, provided that all such babies garments should carry a label showing whether or not they are capable of meeting the new flammability standard. The regulations were made on 20 December 1985 and come into effect on 1 March 1987, which allowed a 15-month period for the trade to make the necessary adjustments.The Department's "Nightwear and Fire" guide to the regulations, which was published on 25 September, has been widely distributed to the trade. Copies of the guide have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish a list of all those who commented on the Prentice report on the ultra vires rule in company law; and if he will indicate his intentions now that the date for representations has passed.

As at noon yesterday, 32 responses to the consultative document had been received. I expect to receive more in the course of the next few days. All responses will be considered fully before decisions on future policy are taken. The list of respondents so far is as follows:

• The Institute of Directors
• The Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators
• The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
• The Institute of Cost and Management Accountants
• Association of Independent Businesses
• Union of Independent Companies
• The Electrical Contractors' Association
• Nottinghamshire Chamber of Commerce
• The Association of Corporate Trustees
• Association of British Insurers
• Finance Houses Association
• Law Services Association
• Industrial Common Ownership Movement
• Legislation Monitoring Service for Charities
• Rio-Tinto Zinc Corporation plc
• BOC Group plc
• Vauxhall Motors Ltd
• Reichmann & Wing Ltd
• Ernst & Whinney
• Hodgson Impey & Co
• Speechly Bircham & Co
• Dr. L. S. Sealey
• Dr. W. W. McBryde
• H. W. Higginson, Esq
• N. E. Furey, Esq
• F. A. G. Kay, Esq
• A. Clark, Esq
• I. Swinney, Esq
• M. Stamp, Esq
• Dr. S. N. Frommel
• B. Mordsley, Esq
• Ladas & Perry

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Internal Market Council on 1 December.

The Internal Market Council which I chaired agreed 12 measures in the United Kingdom presidency's internal market action programme. These were a regulation on controlling the circulation of counterfeit goods within the Community; and package of five measures on procedures governing the marketing and testing of human and veterinary medicines; directives on the introduction of good laboratory practices for chemical and other products, on standards for roll-over protection structures on narrow track agriculture and forestry tractors, on legal protection of the original designs for the internal layout of semiconductor products, and on the labelling of noise of domestic appliances; a recommendation on measures to improve the safety of hotels against fire; and a regulation on the abolition of customs formalities on exit from one member state to another. The Council also made excellent progress on a number of other

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the percentage of British-made goods leaving the United Kingdom for export and which have been carried on British-registered ships in the last year for which figures are available.

I have been asked to reply.In 1985, United Kingdom registered vessels carried 35 per cent. of the value (23 per cent. of the weight) of United Kingdom exports. Information is not available separately for exports which were British-made.

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.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 December 1986, c. 434]: Commitments to the United Kingdom under the European regional development fund quota arrangements, analysed by region, for the years 1983, 1984 and 1985 are shown in the table. Commitments from the fund in respect of a particular region are likely to be affected by the volume of eligible applications made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what number of students are currently in full-time higher education in England and Wales; and what was the figure in 1978–79.

In 1986 there were 457,000 home students in full-time higher education in England and Wales. This compares with 384,000 in 1979—this is an increase of 19 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of disabled students in higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of disabled students in higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of disabled students in higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of disabled students in higher education.

As explained in my reply on 18 November to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) information on disabled students in higher education is not available routinely. However, in 1985 a DES funded survey estimated that there were some 600 students in public sector higher education who had special educational needs which required additional support or equipment.The Open University had just over 2,000 disabled students in the undergraduate programme at the start of 1986. Information is not available about other universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds will be available in 1987–88 for public sector higher education capital expenditure.

The total available for capital allocations to local authorities for higher education has yet to be determined. Subject to parliamentary approval, £3·3 million will be available for capital allocations to voluntary and direct grant colleges.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of students in higher education who are of Asian or Afro-Caribbean parentage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of students in higher education who are of Asian and Afro-Caribbean parentage.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what figures he has on the percentage of students in higher education who are of Asian and Afro-Caribbean parentage.

This information is not collected centrally. Discussions are in progress within the Department about means of collecting such data for the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the levels of academic salaries in higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the levels of academic salaries in higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the levels of academic salaries in higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the levels of academic salaries in higher education.

The Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals and the Association of University Teachers have made proposals for a restructuring of academic pay. Those have been discussed with my Department, most recently on 19 November, against the background of my right hon. Friend's willingness to provide additional resources for a satisfactory outcome. I very much hope that such a result can be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of higher education.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to the hon Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 6 November, at columns 487–91 about the the Government's expenditure plans and to that which he gave to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves) on 20 November, at columns 281–82, about projections of future demand for higher education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on the levels of pay of non-academic and ancillary staff in higher education.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Members for Preston (Mr. Thorne), for Barnsley, East (Mr. Patchett) and for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the chairman of the National Advisory Body for Public Sector Higher Education; and what subjects were discussed.

My right hon. Friend last met the National Advisory Body committee, including its chairman and the chairman of the NAB board who is a member, on 9 July when the main subject was resources for 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his plans to replace the Burnham negotiating machinery.

The Bill which I introduced on 28 November makes provision for the repeal of the Remuneration of Teachers Act 1965, and will thereby scrap the Burnham committee. The employers and unions are agreed that Burnham must go.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months on the provision and nutritional quality of school dinners.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months on the provision and nutritional quality of school dinners.

My right hon. Friend has received two letters on this subject from members of the public in the last three months.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what priority Her Majesty's Government attach in the allocation of overall resources to education to the provision of school meals.

The Government have made increased provision for expenditure on school meals next year, but they continue to regard school meals as one of the services, along with caretaking, cleaning and administration, where it is open to many LEAs to emulate the practice of the best and achieve substantial savings in their net costs by introducing more efficient methods of working.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to meet the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers to discuss teachers' pay and conditions.

My right hon. Friend would welcome an approach from the National Association of Schoolmasters and Union of Women Teachers, and any of the other teachers' unions, to discuss teachers' pay and conditions of service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the latest position regarding negotiations with the teaching unions and the teachers' employers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current position on the teachers' pay negotiations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current position regarding teachers' pay and conditions of service.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the pay and conditions of teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the most recent developments in the teachers' pay dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teachers' dispute about pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a statement on teachers' pay and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement regarding the teachers' pay dispute.

I refer hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Cornwall, South East, (Mr. Hicks).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in respect of the Government's intention to repeal the Remuneration of Teachers Act 1965; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has not as yet received any formal representations in response to the proposals in the Bill which he introduced on 28 November to repeal the Remuneration of Teachers Act and make new arrangements for determining school teachers' pay. Reaction to the announcement in the Queen's Speech that the RTA was to be repealed was generally favourable.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the settlement on teachers' pay and conditions negotiated between the teachers' unions and employers.

My right hon. Friend indicated the Government's position in relation to the negotiations between the teacher unions and the local authority employers in a statement to the House on 27 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state which are the paragraphs of the Main report in the remuneration of teachers in Scotland on which he bases his requirements for differentials in his proposed pay scales for teachers in England and Wales.

My right hon. Friend's proposals for a pay structure for teachers in England and Wales drew on careful consideration of chapters 10 to 12 of the Main report. I refer in particular to paragraphs 10.5–6, 10.11, 11.9–10, 12.24 and 12.27.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months from teachers' unions about the provision of text books in schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months from teachers' unions about the provision of text books in schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months from teachers' unions about the provision of text books in schools.

Recent meetings and correspondence with teachers' unions have considered resources for GCSE in general, but not text books in particular.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many rural primary schools were closed in 1985–86: and which were in rural development areas.

In the period 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1986, 38 rural primary schools were approved for closure, of which six were in rural development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met with the National Union of Students to discuss student financial support.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the National Union of Students to discuss student financial support.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the National Union of Students to discuss student financial support.

My right hon. Friend met representatives of the National Union of Students on 30 September 1986, when a range of issues, including financial support for students, were discussed. In addition, officials met representatives of the National Union of Students on 21 November 1986 to discuss the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months on the level of student financial support.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months on the level of student financial support.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Blackburn (Mr. Straw), for East Kilbride (Dr. Miller), for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist) and for Wigan (Mr. Stott).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department issues any design guidance and requirements to local authorities and others for new school and other educational buildings and renovation work to encourage them to use passive solar techniques and technology; and if he will make a statement.

My Department does not issue design guidance or requirements specifically on passive solar techniques. It is for local authorities to decide whether such techniques would be cost-effective in individual cases. We are reviewing the need for more research in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations and requests for financial support he has received regarding the development in the United Kingdom of conductive education; and what response he has made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has carried out any research on the value of conductive education.

Over the past two years representations have been received from a number of parents and others about the development of conductive education in this country and the need for it to be given financial support. It has been explained that the Government need more information before deciding whether the method should be supported and encouraged. The Department is currently considering in conjunction with the DHSS the possibility of funding some independent investigations, which would include a study of current provision and an evaluation of the educational and other implications of any wider development here.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the progress of the lower attaining pupils programme.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the speech which my right hon. Friend made on the programme at Warwick university on 1 July, together with a copy of the recently published report by Her Majesty's Inspectorate on the first two years. Briefly, the main impact of the programme so far has been on the motivation of pupils and their attitude to school. The challenge for the future is to exploit this to raise the educational attainment of the pupils concerned. A formal evaluation is in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will be publishing guidelines to accompany the Education Act 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to bring into force the provisions of the Education Act 1986 regarding school governing bodies.

It is proposed that the school government provisions of what has become the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 should, in general, apply to any new school from 1 September 1987, to county and maintained special schools by not later than 1 September 1988 and to voluntary schools by not later than 1 September 1989. In advance of that, all schools would, from 7 January 1987, be subject to the requirement for governors annual report and parents meeting and, from 1 September 1987, benefit from the new arrangements for financial information and delegation. Guidance on the Act's provisions for early implementation will be issued shortly. Guidance on the remaining provisions is planned for early April.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in the past three months on the state of repair of school buildings.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Members for Coventry, North-East (Mr. Park) and for Burnley (Mr. Pike).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy not to approve distribution of the Health Education Council's amended resources list called "Relationships and Sexuality"; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend will be considering carefully the revised resource list on "Relationships and Sexuality", recently submitted to this Department by the Health Education Council, both against the originally agreed criteria for its revision and also in the light of the new legislative provisions for sex education in schools. This consideration will necessarily take a little time and I cannot at this stage anticipate the conclusions he will reach.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the levels of truancy in inner cities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the percentage rate of truancy amongst 15-year-old pupils on the most recent date for which figures are available; what was the comparable figure for five years previously; and if he will make a statement.

The information requested is not available. However, research and local surveys show some deterioration in the attendance of 14 and 15-year-olds, in inner city schools and elsewhere. It is clear that unjustified absence occurs too often in some schools and that valuable educational opportunities are being missed. In February 1986 my right hon. Friend issued guidance to local education authorities on how to use their education welfare services to tackle more effectively non-attendance at school. In addition, the Government are taking major initiatives to improve the quality of teaching, the school curriculum and examinations, all of which should beneficially affect school attendance.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many education authorities responded by 31 May to the request in his circular on school attendance and educational welfare services issued on 10 February, that a review be undertaken of their educational welfare structure and organisation; whether he was satisfied with the nature of the responses; and if he will make a statement.

Forty-five responses were received by 31 May. Replies are still outstanding from seven authorities. The responses are currently being analysed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many educational welfare officers were employed by education authorities in England and Wales on the most recent date for which figures are available; what were comparable figures two and five years previously; and if he will provide separate figures on this basis for the Essex county council.

The Department has not collected such information in the past in relation to local education authorities in England, but it will be available when the responses to circular 2/86 on "School Attendance and Education Welfare Services" have been analysed. The figure for the Essex county council is 77. Information about Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the statistical basis for his statement in his circular of 10 February regarding school attendance rates in general and attendance rates for pupils in the 14–16 year age group; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will take steps to require local education authorities to make periodic returns of school attendance rates in the various age ranges to his Department; and if he will make a statement;

Although the Department does not collect national statistics on attendance, it has received information from a small number of local education authorities. The statement in question was based on this information supplemented by reports by Her Majesty's inspectorate and independent surveys. There are widely differing views on what constitutes unjustified absence and difficulties in applying any such definition in individual cases. Before embarking on the collection of national statistics we should need to be satisfied that the problems of definition could be overcome and that the value of such statistics, justified the cost of collection.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing the number of prosecutions which have been initiated by local education authorities in respect of non-attendance at school under the Education Act in each year of the most recent five-year period for which figures are available; and if he will publish a separate table showing the number of supervision orders initiated by education authorities in co-operation with social services departments under the Children and Young Persons Act for the same offence in each of these years.

Numbers of prosecutions in England and Wales under the Education Acts in the years 1981 to 1985, the most recent five years for which figures are available, are as follows. It is not possible to distinguish between different offences under the Acts, but most are believed to relate to failure to attend school regularly.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what decision he has made on the recommendation of the interdepartmental working party, published in October 1985, on the use of child care law in relation to non-attendance of pupils at school; and if he will make a statement.

As announced on 1 May, at column 472, by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services, proposals will be published shortly as the basis for legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals concerning increases in costs arising from review body pay awards.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 24 November at column 33, to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his policy towards the provision of resources for children with special education needs.

The Government's recently announced plans for local authority spending on education for 1987–88 represent a cash increase of 18·8 per cent. over the figure for 1986–87. The increase should enable authorities to pursue their policy priorities, including those for special education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has had with local education authorities about future policy on class sizes: and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has had no recent discussions with the local education authorities on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance his Department is giving to education authorities on school visits by police officers; and if he will make a statement.

On 28 April the Association of Chief Police Officers and the Society of Education Officers published a discussion document "Liaison between police and schools". The document, which was prepared in association with the Home Office and the Department of Education and Science, was welcomed by my right hon. Friend for its comments on the relationship between the police, schools and the community and its recommendations. Copies were distributed to all local education authorities and schools in England. My right hon. Friend attaches great importance to constructive co-operation between schools and the police who have a valuable contribution to make in educating children about crime prevention and many other aspects of law and order, drugs and road safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on his plans for the establishment of city technology colleges.

My right hon. Friend has invited sponsors to work in partnership with the Government on this initiative. A large number of organisations and companies have responded constructively, many wish to explore the practicalities with the Department and others have indicated that they will support the proposals in other ways.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the amount of French language teaching in secondary schools; and if he plans to make any changes.

The draft statement of policy, issued by my right hon. Friends in June, called for more pupils to study foreign languages throughout their secondary schooling, and for a wider choice of alternative first and of second foreign languages. The effects of these changes on French would depend upon local decisions about the range and duration of language provision within the available curricular time. Following consultations on the draft, a final version of the policy statement will be issued.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on the proposed integration of vocational and academic assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about his plans to integrate vocational and academic assessment.

The Government attach considerable importance to the need both to build bridges between GCSE and A-levels on the one hand and vocational qualifications on the other, and to ensure that opportunities exist for entry into, and progression within, higher education and higher level professional qualifications. We have made it clear that the recently established National Council for Vocational Qualifications would be expected to work in collaboration both with the Secondary Examinations Council and with those responsible for higher level qualifications to establish linkages with the NVQ framework so as to ensure the minimum of barriers to access, progression and interchange. I am aware that several commentators on the report of the review group on vocational qualifications have called for a more radical integration of qualifications systems; the Government believe, however, that a more appropriate and feasible way forward is to develop qualifications from existing bases, ensuring that possible linkages and equivalences are fully exploited. Only if an effective national system of vocational qualifications is established, with pathways commanding the respect and status to draw in the ablest young people, will the unhelpful divide that exists between the so-called "academic" and "vocational" routes of learning be bridged.