asked the Attorney-General what is the current position with regard to the implementation of the provisions of part II of the Administration of Justice Act 1985; and if he will make a statement.

Section 12 of and schedule 13 to the Administraion of Justice Act 1985—establishment of the council and supplementary provisions came into operation on 12 March 1986.Sections 13—training rules—22—keeping of accounts and establishment of client accounts—23—interest on client's money—and 38—rules—came into operation on 1 October 1986. Education and training, accounts, deposit account and accountants' report rules made by the council under these powers were approved by the Lord Chancellor on 6 October 1986. The remaining provision of part II will be brought into effect before the first licences are issued, which is expected to be in April 1987.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make it his policy to reduce the cost of an appeal in cases of criminal injury to the county courts in Northern Ireland from its current level of £50 to bring it into proportion to the cost of other court fees.

After consultation with the Lord Chief Justice of Northern Ireland and with the concurrence of the Treasury, the Lord Chancellor is responsible for determining the amount of fees payable in court proceedings in Northern Ireland. It is Government policy that fees levied in the civil courts shall cover the full cost of civil proceedings, less judicial costs. The current fee of £50 is calculated in accordance with this policy, and is comparable with other fees charged for the initiation of proceedings in the county court and the High Court.

asked the Attorney-General whether a law officer will prosecute Mr. Chapman Pincher, under section 7 of the Official Secrets Act 1920, for inducing Mr. Peter Wright to break his duty of confidentiality on security matters to the Crown by being party to the offer of payments by Summerpage of moneys in respect of information to be included in his book, "Their Trade is Treachery".

asked the Attorney-General what consideration he gave to prosecuting Mr. Chapman Pincher as an unauthorised receiver under the Official Secrets Act.

The matter is under consideration.

asked the Attorney-General why he did not seek an injunction to prevent the publication in the current year of the book "Double Agent" by John Moe a former MI5 employee.

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

asked the Attorney-General whether he will establish an inquiry into which of the 198 persons whose names were deleted at official request from the book by Nigel West, "In Place of Trust", have given information of a confidential and classified nature to Mr. Nigel West.

I have been asked to reply. No.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will appeal to the Irish Supreme Court in the case of the judgment on the book, "One Girl's War", by Joan Miller.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, West (Mr. McLoughlin) on 4 December at column 720.

asked the Attorney-General if, further to his statement of 1 December, Official Report, column 620, he will identify those of his responsibilities in respect of which there is collective responsibility.

In criminal proceedings the Attorney-General acts wholly independently of the Government. In civil proceedings a distinction is to be drawn between proceedings in which the Attorney-General is involved in a representative capacity on behalf of the Government, and action undertaken by him on behalf of the general community to enfore the law as an end in itself. In the latter capacity the Attorney-General again acts, whether ex officio of ex relatione, wholly independently of the Government. In the former he is by definition representing it. In this representative capacity the Attorney-General will assert the public interest as perceived by the Government as a whole. It may be for other Ministers to assert the public interest in civil matters which may concern their own ministerial responsibilities—for example, when making a claim to public interest immunity from discovery of documents. Any advice sought from the Attorney-General, as the first Law Officer of the Crown, will of course be given impartially, and proceedings will be taken in his name only if he is satisfied as to the legal propriety of the action.

asked the Attorney-General why he failed to seek an injunction to prevent the transmission by Granada Television on 3 December of a "World in Action" programme which included material which was confidential to the security services; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Attorney-General whether he will prosecute Granada Television under the Official Secrets Act 1911 for having transmitted a "World in Action" programme on 3 December which included material confidential to the security services.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report details of the current police investigations into the lending business undertaken through Johnson Matthey Bankers in the period before October 1984; and when these inquiries are likely to be completed.

No. It is not the practice to publish details of current police investigations lest their success be compromised. There is also a need to ensure that any criminal proceedings in being or in contemplation are not prejudiced by the disclosure of such information. Police investigations have already been completed in relation to a number of specific allegations of fraud made against creditors of Johnson Matthey Bank Ltd. relating to events prior to October 1984. Statements about these were issued by the Commissioner of Police for the City of London on 8 April and 29 July this year. For the most part, those allegations related to matters unconnected with the substantial losses sustained by JMB Ltd. A wide-ranging investigation into the circumstances of those losses is continuing and the police have the benefit of accounting assistance and advice from the fraud divisions of the Crown Prosecution Service and counsel. It is not possible to say when the investigation will be completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help the British High Commission in Dhaka has given in support of British consultants securing the phase II consultancy for the Jamuna bridge contract in Bangladesh, as well as other work deriving from the Bangladesh bridges phase II programme; and what steps the Overseas Development Administration's permanent delegation to the World Bank is taking to monitor the progress of these projects.

The British High Commissioner in Bangladesh has offered his full support to the British consultants.The United Kingdom delegation to the World Bank is in touch with bank staff about the award of the phase II contract, and will continue to monitor progress.

asked the Prime Minister what action she intends to take to seek to reduce the numbers of the poor in Britain.

The way to combat poverty is to develop a competitive and thriving economy, to reduce the burden of taxation on the low paid, and to target help on those in need.Since 1979 the burden of taxation has been significantly reduced. Lower income tax has benefited the 18 million people on below average male earnings who pay 42 per cent. of the tax yield, and the 40 per cent. of pensioners who pay tax. Real take home pay for a family with two children on three-quarters of average earnings has in fact gone up by 16 per cent. since 1979.We will also continue to build on our excellent record of protecting and improving the position of those most in need. Spending on social security has never been at a higher level, both in cash and real terms. It is currently running at some £44 billion a year—about one third of total Government expenditure—costing working families an average of £55 per week each. Since we came to office, supplementary benefits, benefits for long-term sick and disabled people, retirement pensions and prescribed levels of family income supplement had, at the date of the July uprating, increased ahead of inflation, and the uprating in April 1987 alone will cost an extra £700 million.The Social Security Act 1986 will direct resources more effectively to those who need help most. Nearly twice as many low-income working families with children will get extra help under the new family credit scheme. The new income support scheme will direct specific help to groups such as disabled people, lone parents, families with children and pensioners.Ultimately, however, adequate provision for the poor depends upon policies which protect the value of incomes through the control of inflation. This is what our policies have been designed to achieve and it will continue to be our objective.

asked the Prime Minister what evidence was sought or obtained by the Cabinet Secretary as to whether she had made any inquiries about who had leaked the Solicitor-General's letter to the then Secretary of State for Defence, prior to the inquiry being authorised.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the desirability of permitting the Commission to proceed with the drafting of a directive on the abolition of controls on weapons at internal Community frontiers; and if she will further seek agreement at the Council that any such proposal should be subject to unanimity despite the terms of the Single Act.

It is open to the Commission to make proposals on matters falling within the scope of the Community treaties. We are aware that the Commission is preparing a proposal for a directive covering the movement of firearms across internal Community frontiers. Any proposal which is put to the Council of Ministers will be examined very carefully but there is no question of our being prevented from carrying out the kind of checks which are needed to preserve our security and maintain law and order. The attitude taken by the United Kingdom will depend on the content of the proposal and our analysis of its implications.

asked the Prime Minister what are the current instructions to Departments as to the need to consult the Attorney-General when questions of public interest arise; and if there has been any change since the present Government took office.

Appropriate steps will continue to be taken to see that Departments are aware of the Attorney-General's responsibilities and functions.

asked the Prime Minister what is the practice of her Administration on the circumstances in which the Attorney-General's authority is not sought when Her Majesty's Government seek to prohibit the publication of a book where the public interest is involved.

I refer the right hon. and learned Gentleman to the reply given to him this afternoon by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

asked the Prime Minister in what form the duty of life-long confidentiality imposed on serving and retired members of the security services is brought to their attention.

All members of the security service sign the Official Secrets Act and are made fully aware of their duty of confidentiality.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on 25 November, Official Report, column 154, he will name and describe reports he has received since 1984 on strategic planning development of the electricity supply system beyond the six-year horizon of the medium term development plan; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to my reply to the hon. Member's previous question, reported in column 154 of the Official Report for 25 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will now make available for independent assessment all the details of the incidents at Windscale between October 1979 and January 1980 of increased radioactivity in ground water, the incidents on the week of 24 to 30 August 1980 involving a worker receiving radiation in doses exceeding permissible levels, the incident on 16 April 1981 involving a health physics monitor and the incident involving the radioactive contamination of two process workers and a fitter towards the end of December 1980 and all the documents relating to subsequent inquiries;(2) if he will now make available for independent assessment all the details of the incidents at Sellafield on 2 September 1981 involving plutonium contamination on 18 June 1981 involving radioactive contamination, on 13 November 1984 of reported information of the incident of radioactive contamination reported to the nuclear installations inspectorate, and during the month of July 1981 at the Magnox fuel decanning plant at Sellafield involving a radiation monitoring film 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 of nuclear incidents for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 1980, the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 1981, and fourth quarter of 1984, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if the latest detailed six-year forecast of capital requirements supplied to his Department by the Central Electricity Generating Board in respect of developments of nuclear sites contains any identified provision for payments of compensation or for the purchase of residential property beyond that required for operational purposes; and if he will make a statement.

Estimates of the costs of developing nuclear sites and other major developments submitted to my Department by the CEGB are expected to include all relevant costs associated with such developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if investment approval has been given by his Department in respect of any programme of purchasing residential property in the vicinity of sites under consideration for radioactive waste disposal; and if he will make a statement.

UK NIREX Ltd. was established under the Companies Acts and there is no requirement for its investment proposals to be approved by my right hon. Friend.The company has, however, advised my right hon. Friend of the costs likely to be associated with various schemes for property purchase which it is considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what reports or forecasts have been received by his Department on the estimated total cost of payments of compensation and purchases of property in the vicinity of actual and proposed nuclear sites over the next 10 years; if the cost of such payments and purchases has been taken into account in cost calculations submitted to his Department by nuclear operators; and if he will make a statement.

I would expect nuclear operators to make provision for such costs in any forecasts they make. No such reports or forecasts have been received in my Department except from UK NIREX Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the purchase of residential property in the vicinity of sites under construction for radioactive waste disposal; and if he will make a statement.

This is a commercial matter for UK NIREX Ltd. I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to receive the first accounts of UK NIREX Ltd.

In January.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information his Department receives in respect of the operations of NIREX and its successor body, UK NIREX Ltd.; if his Department has received detailed financial accounts and forecasts in respect of the operations of these organisations; and if he will make a statement.

UK NIREX Ltd. provides the Department of Energy with information covering the range of the company's activities, including financial matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement about the privatisation of British Gas.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 November 1986, c 352]: I am delighted that more than 5 million people have applied to become shareholders in British Gas plc. More than 4½ million applications have been received, and more than half a million of these were in joint names. British Gas will have the largest number of shareholders of any company in the world.The United Kingdom public offer was four times subscribed, with applications for 6·6 billion shares being received. Because of this heavy demand, allocations to financial institutions and overseas have been scaled down so that 64 per cent. of the shares could be made available to the British public. Offerings of British Gas shares in the United States, Europe, Japan and Canada are now taking place.Everyone who submitted a valid application will receive an allocation of shares. All those who made valid applications for 400 shares or less will receive all the shares they applied for. Details of the scaling down of higher levels of applications are shown in the table.There has been a particularly heavy demand for shares from employees and pensioners of British Gas: 85,000 employees, some 99 per cent. of those eligible, are now shareholders in the company. Customers of British Gas have been given preference in the allocation of shares.

Number of shares applied for	Number of shares allocated
	General public application	Customer share scheme application (green form)
100	100	100
200	200	200
300	300	300

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken by Her Majesty's Government within the Council of Ministers and the United Nations to review the supply and sale of weapons for use in the Iran-Iraq war; and if he will make a statement.

Our own firm policy remains as set out in the answer that my right hon. and learned Friend gave to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Mr. Steel) on 29 October 1985 at column 454. While we would like all countries in the European Community and outside to adopt a policy as strict as ours, the supply and sale of defence equipment is a matter for national Governments, and it is not covered by the treaty of Rome. We do not believe it would be constructive to raise the matter in the Council of Ministers within European political co-operation, or at the United Nations while no prospect for a general agreement exists.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to discontinue the sale of all equipment to repressive regimes which may be used in the violation of human rights; and if he will make a statement.

Careful control is exercised over our export of defence equipment. Arms sales to any country require an export licence under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1985. We take account of all the relevant security, political and economic factors, paying particular attention to proposals to sell items to countries with a poor human rights record. A licence would not be granted if it was thought that the equipment would be used for aggression, for internal repression or to violate human rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any Minister or official of his Department, or any other Government Department, will be meeting Contra leader Arturo Cruz during his visit to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

We know of no plans for any such meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will use his good offices to facilitate examination by the National Audit Office of the finances of the external services of the BBC; and if he will make a statement.

In our view, it is right that the National Audit Office should have access to the accounts of the BBC external services, in order to carry out economy, efficiency and effectiveness examinations. We have used our best endeavours to persuade the external services to allow the National Audit Office such access. This would in no way diminish the independent responsibility which the BBC external services rightly exercise over their editorial policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek powers to ensure that the price of healthy foodstuffs is increasingly attractive compared to that of less healthy foodstuffs; and if he will promote such policies in discussions with other European Community member states.

The choice of food and the selection of a balanced diet is entirely a matter for the individual. I believe that this Government's policy of continued free and fair competition in the high street is the best way of matching food prices to demand and so providing the consumer with the widest opportunity of a healthy and balanced diet at a reasonable cost.Our record in more than halving the average annual rate of food price increase since 1979 compared with that prevailing over the previous five years under Labour is the measure of the success of our policies for all, including the rest of the Community, to see.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the areas around the coast of the United Kingdom bordering the North sea which have been identified by his Department as being environmentally impaired by man-made causes.

Human activities give rise to an environmental impact wherever they occur. With that in mind, and in accordance with its responsibilities under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985, my Ministry undertakes a programme of surveillance and research in United Kingdom coastal waters to monitor the impact of sea dumping in order to ensure that it does not cause unacceptable damage to the marine environment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many civil servants employed by his Department and engaged primarily on regional matters are based in (a) Yorkshire and Humberside, (b) the north-east and (c) the north-west.

Staff employed in the Ministry's regional organisation are engaged on duties which are primarily concerned with implementing its responsibilities within the area in which they are located. Staff in the Ministry's divisional office areas which approximate to the regions given in the question are as follows:

Divisional office area	Number of Staff
(a) Beverley and Northallerton	323
(b) Newcastle	222
(c) Carlisle and Preston	349

In addition, all 242 staff employed at the northern regional office at Leeds are concerned with the regions quoted, as are a proportion of the 310½ staff at the midlands and western regional office in Wolverhampton which is responsible for four divisional offices, one of which, Preston, is in the north west. A further 92 staff are employed in three experimental husbandry farms.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provision is made in the emergency regulations proposed for the milk sector for providing compensation for milk quota reductions, and for providing alternative markets for milk powder which would otherwise go to intervention, respectively; what provision has been made for additional expenditure; and whether the funds in question will be provided from European Economic Community or national funds.

The Commission's proposals for the milk sector contain no specific provision for either compensation for milk quota reductions or providing alternative markets for skimmed milk powder. Consequently no provision has been made for expenditure on such measures from Community or national funds.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received in respect of the Medicines (Hormone Growth Promoters) (Prohibition of Use) Regulations 1986 (S.I., No. 1876, 1986); whether he proposes to introduce legislation reflecting the status of British horses as distinct from that accorded by the United Kingdom European partners who eat them; and if he will make a statement.

Some 70 organisations have been formally consulted of whom 24 made representations. In addition, further consultations have been held with four organisations most closely concerned, the National Farmers Union, the Meat and Livestock Commission, the British Veterinary Association and the National Office of Animal Health. A number of companies and individuals have made representations either through hon. Members or directly.There is no intention to introduce legislation on the lines suggested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what report he has received from the Thames water authority about the pollution of the Thames tideway on 5 July by the discharge of a large volume of sewage from Thames water authority stormwater outfalls, which caused the deoxygenation of the river over several miles and the elimination of the fish population between Putney and Limehouse; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that an unusual set of circumstances arose on 5 July, following an exceptionally heavy rainstorm, which led to an overflow of sewage into the upper tidal Thames. Many fish died as a result, but remedial measures were quickly applied by the Thames water authority. Arrangements are also in hand for the introduction of fresh stocks of fish. According to the authority, full recovery of oxygen levels took 2 to 3 weeks and no long-term effect on fish stocks is expected. Responsibility for the regulations of sewage discharges is, of course, a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to encourage farmers to use alternative crops for land to cereals currently in over supply within the European Economic Community.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1986; c. 665]: As an element in the package of measures needed to improve the balance between supply and demand for cereals, I am pressing for the Community to develop a scheme of voluntary land diversion, whereby incentives would be paid to those who choose an alternative use for land currently used to grow cereals. My Department has financed studies into alternative land uses and is pursuing research in those areas identified as providing good opportunities.

asked the Paymaster General (1) what is the current level of unemployment in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest date; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will list the level of unemployment in the Liverpool constituencies at the latest date.(3) if he will list the level of unemployment on Merseyside on a constituency basis.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows the numbers of unemployed claimants in the parliamentary constituencies of the Merseyside area at 9 October 1986.

Constituency	Number of unemployed claimants
Birkenhead	9,614
Bootle	10,675
Crosby	5,562
Knowsley North	9,527
Knowsley South	9,593
Liverpool Broadgreen	8,587
Liverpool Garston	7,838
Liverpool Mossley Hill	7,586
Liverpool Riverside	11,404
Liverpool Walton	10,791
Liverpool West Derby	9,380
Southport	4,908

asked the Paymaster General what are the figures of youth unemployment in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest available date.

The following information is in the Library. On 9 October 1986, the number of unemployed claimants aged under 25 in the Liverpool Riverside constituency was 4,199.

asked the Paymaster General what is the level of long-term unemployment in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest available date.

The following information is in the Library. On 9 October 1986 the number of claimants who had been unemployed for over one year in the Liverpool, Riverside parliamentary constituency was 6,893.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give a breakdown of unemployment on a ward basis in the Liverpool, Riverside constituency at the latest available date on a percentage basis.

The information requested is not available. Unemployment rates are not calculated for areas smaller than travel-to-work areas. The numbers of unemployed claimants in the electoral wards of the Liverpool, Riverside constituency are available in the Library, and are also given in a separate reply to the hon. Member.

asked the Paymaster General (1) what was the level of unemployment in the Liverpool travel-to-work area at the lastest available date; and what were the figures for June 1979;(2) what was the level of unemployment on Merseyside at the latest available date; and what were the figures for June 1979.

The following information is in the Library. On 9 October 1986 the numbers of unemployed claimants in the Liverpool travel-to-work areas and the Merseyside Metropolitan areas were 102,951 and 136,018 respectively. Comparisons with June 1979 are difficult to make because of changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data. However, in June 1979 the numbers of unemployed registrants in jobcentre areas closely corresponding to the Liverpool travel-to-work area, as defined in 1978, and the Merseyside Metropolitan area were 59,399 and 82,729 respectively.

asked the Paymaster General what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to reduce long-term youth unemployment in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

Our economic policies are designed to provide the conditions in which industry and commerce can create new jobs for long-term unemployed young people and others.

asked the Paymaster General (1) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the measures to reduce long-term unemployment on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.(2) what steps are being taken to reduce long-term unemployment in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

My Department and the Manpower Services Commission operate a wide range of employment, training and enterprise measures nationally. The effectiveness of each of these measures is regularly reviewed. The full range is described in the "Action for Jobs" booklet. By March 1987 every long-term unemployed person in Merseyside will have been invited for an interview under the restart programme and offered one of a number of positive opportunities to help them back towards employment. This may include, for example, the community programme, a jobclub or a restart course.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give a breakdown of unemployment in Liverpool on a ward basis at the latest date.

The following information is in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants on 9 October 1986 for each of the electoral wards in the Liverpool local authority district.

Electoral Ward	Number of Unemployed Claimants
Abercromby	1,923
Aigburth	1,525
Allerton	939
Anfield	1,764
Arundel	2,088
Breckfield	2,150
Broadgreen	1,458
Childwall	1,072
Church	1,228
Clubmoor	2,008
County	1,681
Croxteth	1,239
Dingle	1,667
Dovecot	2,217
Everton	1,538
Fazakerley	1,365
Gillmoss	2,011
Granby	2,858
Grassendale	828
Kensington	2,380
Melrose	1,921
Netherley	1,360
Old Swan	1,549
Picton	1,876
Pirrie	1,905
St. Mary's	1,612
Smithdown	2,129
Speke	1,731
Tuebrook	2,128
Valley	1,367

asked the Paymaster General if Her Majesty's Government intend to introduce future measures to reduce youth unemployment in Liverpool.

Our present programme of measures to improve the employment prospects of young people is kept under constant review. We have no present plans to introduce new measures.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the numbers of unemployed for each postal code area in the Dunfermline, East constituency for November 1986, November 1983 and November 1985, respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 5 December 1986]: The information requested is not available. Postal code areas cannot readily be linked to constituencies which are defined in terms of wards. However, figures for local authority wards from June 1983 are available in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General (1) if he is satisfied with the conditions of work for his Department staff in the two buildings in North street, Hornchurch;(2) when he expects that the building currently shared between his Department and the Department of Health and Social Security in North street, Hornchurch, will be made available for the exclusive use of his Department;(3) how many of his Department's offices require staff or files to cross a main road in order to deal with their clients.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on progress in the nationwide implementation of the job training programme.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced, on 9 October, a new pilot job training scheme to be tested in nine areas around the country. Pilot programmes are now in operation in all of the nine areas. There has been an enthusiastic response from training providers, and unemployed people are beginning to come forward in significant numbers.

asked the Paymaster General whether those enrolling on the job training scheme will be regarded as unemployed for the purposes of the unemployment count.

No. Like other trainees on Government sponsored schemes who are not entitled to benefits as an unemployed person, they will be excluded from the claimant count.

asked the Paymaster General how many long-term unemployed people have been (a) invited to interviews and (b) attended interviews as part of the Government's restart programme; and if he will make a statement.

The latest figures available are that by 13 November 1986, 729,635 long-term unemployed people had been invited to a counselling interview as part of the restart programme. 582,386 have so far been counselled as some of the invitations relate to interviews due to take place after 13 November 1986. Of those who attended, 90 per cent. were offered the chance to apply for a job, training or other suitable opportunity.

asked the Paymaster General how many prosecutions there have been of employers under the Sex Discrimination Act for having asked women seeking employment about their intentions on starting a family.

The Sex Discrimination Act 1975 makes it generally unlawful as a matter of civil law for an employer to discriminate on the grounds of sex when recruiting employees. Discrimination in recruitment is not a criminal offence, and prosecutions cannot be brought in this respect under the Act. Rather, it is open to individuals who believe they have been discriminated against in recruitment for jobs to seek redress by making a complaint to an industrial tribunal.Whether or not the asking of certain questions constitutes evidence of sex discrimination would be a matter for an industrial tribunal to decide, on the merits of the particular case. I regret that tribunal case statistics are not recorded at a sufficient level of detail to identify specific grounds of complaint.

asked the Paymaster General what assessment he has made of the implications for Government policy on equal pay of the recent finding of an industrial tribunal in a case brought by three speech therapists; and if he will make a statement.

I assume that the cases referred to are Mrs. E. Clark v. Bexley Health Authority (6768/86), Dr. P. Enderby v. Frenchay Health Authority (8677/86) and Miss L. Kelly-Atherton v. South Glamorgan Health Authority (5353/86).These cases were heard together from 17–21 November; the tribunal announced on 21 November that it was dismissing them. Since the written reasons for the tribunal's decision are not yet available, I do not feel it would be appropriate for me to comment.

asked the Paymaster General (1) if he will make a statement regarding the proposed ethnic monitoring of the unemployed;

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

asked the Paymaster General if he has any plans to pilot any specific inner city employment initiatives directed at disadvantaged residents and their communities; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Paymaster General how many workers were employed in the tobacco industry at the latest date; and what was the figure in June 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 4 December 1986]: In September 1986, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 16,500 employees in employment in the tobacco industry in Great Britain. In June 1979 the figure was 31,400.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is in a postion to announce an amendment to the line of route of the Dunblane bypass.

While my right hon. and learned Friend has no proposals to change the line of the bypass, he has decided to publish amended proposals for the junction arrangements. These will provide for a grade-separated layout at the Doune Road junction, and will no longer incorporate a junction at Old Doune Road.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing each of the readings of radioactive caesium found in sheep and lambs in Scotland since 1 May which were in excess of 3,000 bequerels per kilogram, indicating the precise figure in each case, the date of the reading, and the approximate location.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his timetable for responding to the engineers' report alleging danger in certain traffic conditions on the Forth Road Bridge; and if he will make a statement.

The Forth Road Bridge Joint Board has full statutory responsibility for the operation of the Bridge. It is the Board's responsibility to secure its own professional advice on the integrity of the structure and to determine the action to be taken in the light of that advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the average cost separately for acute, chronic and geriatric beds in each of the regional health authorities in Scotland; if he will give the highest and lowest cost in each category of bed in each of the regions; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available in precisely the form requested but for each of the Scottish Health Board areas the average, highest and lowest cost per in-patient week for acute, mental illness and mental handicap, and geriatric hospitals is set out in the table below.Comparison with figures for health authorities elsewhere in the United Kingdom should be approached with caution in view of the differences in health service structure, information systems, definitions and hospital classifications between countries.

1985/86
	Cost per in-patient week (£)
	Average	Maximum	Minimum
Argyll and Clyde
Acute Hospitals	481	1,071	229
Mental Illness and Mental Handicap Hospitals	260	319	234
Geriatric Hospitals	255	305	186
Ayrshire and Arran
Acute Hospitals	482	710	292
Mental Illness and Mental Handicap Hospitals	197	205	189

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the approximate date on which he expects British Nuclear Fuels plc to make available to the public copies of the emergency handbook for the Chapelcross site; and if he will comment on the reasons why this action is not practicable sooner.

I am advised that the company intends to make copies of the emergency plans for the Chapelcross site available to the public. Publication is expected within two weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing (a) the number and percentage of households in Scotland inhabited by single adults, (b) the number and percentage of these single adults currently receiving housing benefit and (c) the number and percentage currently paying rates from earned income.

According to the 1981 Census of Population, on 5 April 1981 there were 433,228 households in Scotland containing one person over 16 years of age, with or without others under 16. These represented 24·3 per cent. of all Scottish households. The remainder of the information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the state of the high voltage switchgear industry.

The high voltage switchgear industry is one which suffers from worldwide excess capacity. There are two United Kingdom manufacturers of switchgear of transmission voltages. In the absence of sufficient export orders an adequate home demand is necessary.The home ordering programme is a matter for the electricity boards, but I understand that as a result of recent discussions the CEGB's future ordering intentions have been clarified and it is for the industry to plan ahead in the light of these.We shall of course continue to give them full diplomatic and commercial support in their export efforts.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on his support for the exhibition Technology 87, to be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, from 6 to 13 May 1987; and what information and guidance he is giving to British firms to encourage them to exhibit there.

In October the British Overseas Trade Board offered assistance for Technology '87 under the joint venture scheme to its Area Advisory Group, British Overseas Trade Group for Israel, the sponsoring organisation. Confirmation of this offer is dependent upon the firm commitment of a minimum group of 10 companies by the end of December. As with all JVs, it is the sponsoring organisation's task to recruit and organise the British presence. Publicity for the JV has been given in "British Business."

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of which factors have determined the performance of the economy in the north-west since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Like other regions, the north-west suffered the effects of the global recession in manufacturing and consequent industrial restructuring. But it has benefited from falling inflation, lower tax rates, removal of unnecessary restrictions on business and improved incentives. These have been and remain essential features of our policy for industrial revival in the regions.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which countries are the major exporters of tiles to the United Kingdom; and if he has any evidence to suggest dumping.

The major tile exporters to the United Kingdom are in the European Community, in paticular Italy and Spain. No evidence which is sufficient to warrant a complaint being submitted to the European Commission under the anti-dumping or competition rules has not yet been provided.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give figures for each of the last five years for (a) sales of tiles in the United Kingdom, (b) production of British tiles and (c) imports of tiles.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next intends to meet the officers of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce.

My right hon. Friend will be meeting members of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce's economic and industrial committee this evening.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation to prohibit the use of nominee accounts; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those banks currently involved in investigations by his Department into insider dealing; and if he will make a statement.

I am not prepared to comment on the conduct of particular investigations by inspectors whilst they are under way. I would, however, point out to the hon. Lady that all that is necessarily implied by "involvement" in an investigation under section 177 of the Financial Services Act is probable ability to give information about a contravention.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has regarding the current levels of surplus cement and cement products in the European Community; what representations he has received concerning possible unfair trading practices by companies of other member states involved in cement production; and if he will make a statement.

The following information has been provided by Cembureau, the European Trade Association for the cement industry.

(1,000 tonnes)
	1985
EEC production	152,507
EEC consumption	134,259
EEC surplus	18,248

No representations have been received about unfair trading practices by companies of other member states. Representations have been received concerning subsidised imports of cement from Greece. These are being followed up vigorously in Brussels and Athens.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to bring forward legislation to cover the law of copyright, as it affects educational material, in the current session.

The Government intend to reform the law of copyright on the basis of the proposals in the White Paper "Intellectual Property and Innovation"—Cmnd. 9712—including those proposals affecting educational material. A Bill will be introduced when the parliamentary timetable permits.

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.

[pursuant to the reply, 1 December 1986; c. 434]: I attended a meeting of the National Economic Development Council on Wednesday 3 December, although R & D was not discussed on this occasion.The council has from time to time discussed research and development funding and my right hon. Friend and I anticipate that it will be covered in future meetings since R & D is an issue which is of great importance in improving United Kingdom industrial performance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in respect of the statistics kept and published by his Department, he will publish in the Official Report any changes since 1979 in (a) the statistical series which are published, including those which have been introduced and those which have been dropped, (b) the basis on which any elements in the statistics are estimated, calculated or presented, (c) the periods over which, and the dates on which the series are collected or published and (d) any other respects in the ways in which the statistics are collected, recorded presented, evaluated or published; and if he will explain the reasons for any such changes.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 December 1986; c. 634–35]: Changes in the basis of compilation, presentation and publication of statistical series are made from time to time in response to the Government's requirements for statistical information, changes in the administration systems on which some series are based, the development of new statistical techniques and technological developments affecting the compilation and dissemination of statistical data. When such changes are made they are fully documented in the relevant statistical publication.During the period in question the most major and widespread change to statistical series has been the change from the 1968 to the 1980 standard industrial classification and the rebasing of index numbers on to 1980=100. In addition, the more significant changes to this Department's statistical series are listed in table 1. Tables 2 and 3 show statistical inquiries which have been discontinued or introduced since 1979.