asked the Attorney-General in how many cases since May 1979 the Lord Chancellor has not renewed the appointments of recorders at the Crown court, willing to continue to serve as such, on the grounds of alleged incompetence.

The figures from 1979 are not immediately available. Since 1 January 1981 the appointments of 27 recorders have expired and not been extended. In some of the cases, the recorders had reached the age limit of 72. In some others, the Lord Chancellor was not satisfied of their continuing fitness or suitability to be recorders.

asked the Attorney-General what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to seek to prevent the publication of Neville Chamberlain's private papers relating to 1936.

I have been asked to reply.Under section 5(1) of the Public Records Act 1958, public records relating to the abdication of King Edward

	Amount of Tax Satisfied	Recipient Institutions
Hans Arp bronze sculpture	£15,100	Tate Gallery
Nine paintings by Ben Nicholson:	£187,825
First Abstract Painting		Tate Gallery
Vertical Stripe
Piero		Manchester City Art Gallery
Ivory		Fitzwilliam Museum
Azetaio		Bristol City Art Gallery
St. Ives		Ashmolean Museum
Palastra		Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museum
Still Life 1934		York City Art Gallery
Still Life, Harlequinade		Cleveland Gallery

asked the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust concerning the recommendations of "Arts and Disabled People", the report of a committee of inquiry under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Attenborough; what action he has taken or will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

I met the chairman of the Carnegie Council in January of this year, and we have corresponded on a number of the recommendations of the Attenborough Committee. The Arts Council has published a code of practice to encourage its clients to consider the needs of people with disabilities, both as participants in the arts and VIII have been closed for 100 years, until 2 January 2037. The holders of the private papers of certain people who held high ministerial office at that time, including Mr. Neville Chamberlain, were asked not to release for public inspection material from those papers relating to the abdication. When this request was first made to the University of Birmingham in 1974, it was asked, and agreed, to keep entries in Mr. Chamberlain's diary relating to the abdication closed for 100 years. In subsequent correspondence two years later the university was told that the then Lord Chancellor's approval had been given to a 50-year closure in respect of public records. This was not correct; and when the mistake came to light earlier this year it was drawn to the university's attention and it was asked, and agreed, to keep the material closed for 100 years, in accordance with the original request.

asked the Minister for the Arts whether any objects or property have been accepted in satisfaction of capital transfer tax since his answer of 8 July, Official Report, column 97.

Since my answer of 8 July 1986 the Government have accepted in lieu of tax the following items:

	Amount of Tax Satisfied
Three Flemish still life floral studies	£330,000

The following properties have been allocated to recipient institutions:as members of audiences. The council has now appointed a full-time disability officer. Other funding bodies have issued codes of practice.I am satisfied that the arts bodies for which I am responsible are fully aware of the needs of disabled people, and are doing all that they can to meet those needs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what further steps he proposes to take to encourage small businesses in rural areas.

The Government, through the Development Commission and its agency the Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas, already do much to help small businesses in rural areas. For example, they provide advice, loans and other services for over 20,000 small businesses employing some 100,000 people and have financed wholly or partly over 3 million sq ft of factory space. The Development Commission through CoSIRA expects to give grants worth over £1 million for the conversion of redundant buildings to industrial or service uses, and will continue to arrange technical and other training courses. CoSIRA has recently improved its marketing services and the commission has set up a scheme to help local enterprise agencies in rural areas, complementing the Department of Employment's scheme. To enable the commission to do still more, the Government made an extra £2 million available to the commission in the recent public expenditure settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to seek to reduce the nitrate content of public water supplies; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend announced on Monday 15 December that the report of the nitrate co-ordination group was being published on that day. The Government are urgently considering the report, which assesses the various ways in which nitrate may be reduced in water supplies and makes a number of recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are taken to ensure that local authorities list in the land registers all the land which they are obliged to register; what is his estimate of the extent to which local authorities are understating their land holdings in the land registers at present; and what information he has as to regional variations in such understating of land holdings.

Under part X of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, registration of unused and under-used land is carried out by the Secretary of State and it is he who decides whether or not land meets the conditions for registration laid down in section 95(2) of the Act. All public bodies in England to which part X applies, including local authorities, have been asked to submit information about any under-used land which may be eligible for registration, and are asked periodically to review the accuracy of that information. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment proposes to introduce legislation at the earliest opportunity to strengthen his powers to require information about public bodies' under-used land, but at present the information which would enable him to estimate the extent to which local authorities understate their holdings of such land is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those initiatives of his Department which have been of benefit to women, since 1979, the cost or estimated cost of these initiatives, and the proportion of the total budget of his Department this represents.

There has long been a policy of equal opportunities for women in my Department. My Department does not discriminate against women. I have no idea what the cost to public funds of such a policy has been.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Building for the Future" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

Yes. The Secretary of State has given his approval in principle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce legislation in regard to the collection of rent arrears by local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add at present to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Staffordshire (Mr. Heddle) on Wednesday 10 December, at column 188.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by district the names of those voluntary neighbourhood councils of which he is aware.

I have no recent information about neighbourhood councils. The Association for Neighbourhood Councils may be able to assist the hon. Member: its address is 50, Whetstone Close, Farquhar Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2QN.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the number of people who participate in the recreation of birdwatching.

Records of numbers of people who engage in birdwatching are not maintained by my Department; they are known, however, to be very high.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek to make further facilities available for the recreation of birdwatching; and if he will make a statement.

Facilities for birdwatchers are, I believe, extensively provided by voluntary organisations, sometimes in co-operation with organisations such as national part authorities. I see no need for direct Government intervention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust concerning the recommendations of "Arts and Disabled People", the report of a committee of inquiry under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Attenborough; what action he has taken or will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

The trust wrote in September 1985 to draw the Department's attention to the recommendations of the Attenborough committee. My Department replied in December 1985. No further representations have been received.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about his proposal to introduce legislation to curb the dissemination by local authorities of partisan political propaganda.

My right hon. Friend has received a significant number of representations about political publicity by local authorities since the Local Government Act 1986 was passed. These demonstrate the need to strengthen the present provisions, which we have undertaken to do.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment 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.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply he has received to his question of December 8 to my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and also to the reply given to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 17 July.I understand that Thames water authority is taking steps to ensure that such incidents on the Thames do not recur.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to mount a national campaign for the recovery of mercury batteries; and if he will make a statement.

My Department has been exploring with the battery industry the scope for practicable and economic battery recovery. I understand that the European Commission is considering making a proposal on this subject.The Association of European Primary Dry Battery Manufacturers has adopted a programme which will achieve a 70 per cent. reduction in the mercury content of waste from domestic dry batteries by 1990.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the monitoring of mercury emissions from waste incineration plant.

Industrial waste incinerators are required to be registered with the Industrial Air Pollution Inspectorate under the Health and Safety (Emissions into the Atmosphere) Regulations 1983 as chemical incineration works. The definition of chemical incineration works includes works for the destruction by burning of chemical waste containing mercury. Works so registered are required by section 5 of the Health and Safety etc. Act 1974 to use best practical means, and this will include monitoring of the process.Monitoring carried out to date on municipal incinerators indicated the mercury emissions to be insignificant. The situation is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on the quality of rivers in England and Wales.

The report of the 1985 river quality survey, which provides details of the quality of rivers, canals and estuaries in England and Wales, was published today. Together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.Using data routinely collected by water authorities, the survey shows that, although there has been deterioration in a few areas, there has been improvement in others. The overall quality of the waters surveyed continues to be high, with 90 per cent. of river and canal length and 92 per cent. of estuarial length assessed as being of good or fair quality.Consideration is being given to the implications of these results, including the need for improvements to the survey methodology.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's record of implementing European Community environmental directives; and what information he has on performance of other member states in this respect.

I understand that actions have been brought in the European Court of Justice for non-compliance with environmental directives as follows:

	Number of actions
Belgium	7
Italy	4
France	2
Germany	2
Luxembourg	2
Netherlands	2
Denmark	1
Greece	1
Ireland	1
Portugal	—
Spain	—
United Kingdom	—

My hon. Friend may be interested to see a copy of a survey carried out by the European Community, from which these figures are taken. I have placed a copy in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made towards the setting up of a trust to manage the Croxteth hall and country park in Liverpool; and if he will make a statement about the future of the property.

My right hon. Friend has appointed Mr. Philip Carter to the Merseyside residuary body with special responsibility for Croxteth hall and park. His task will be to set up and become chairman of a trust to take over responsibility for Croxteth from the Merseyside residuary body.My noble Friend has today visited Croxteth with Mr. Carter and the chairman of the residuary body to discuss the main tasks which lie ahead. These will be to commission a long term management, development and financial plan and to appoint managing agents with the necessary expertise to run the estate; to recommend a programme of capital works; to discuss possible financial support with national and local bodies concerned with the heritage and the private sector; and to consider and

Specified rates of return (percentage) on value of net assets in respect of 1981–82 to 1987–88
Name of water authority	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Anglian	1·38	2·06	2·06	1·36	1·62	1·68	2·10
Northumbrian	2·52	1·87	1·87	1·25	1·48	1·73	2·05
North West	0·80	1·26	1·26	0·95	1·43	1·50	1·75
Severn Trent	1·02	1·17	1·25	1·25	1·47	1·60	1·95
Southern	1·09	1·18	1·25	0·91	1·41	1·55	1·75
South West	2·17	1·47	1·47	1·26	1·54	1·73	1·95
Thames	1·24	1·09	1·25	0·50	1·37	1·61	1·85
Welsh	0·30	0·95	1·20	1·25	1·45	1·65	1·95
Wessex	1·65	1·50	1·50	0·61	1·40	1·50	1·75
Yorkshire	0·85	1·14	1·25	1·00	1·43	1·60	1·70

asked the Lord Privy Seal, for each Session from 1975–76 to 1985–86, how many research assistants were employed by right hon. and hon. Members.

I regret that detailed figures in the form requested by the hon. Member are not available.

asked the Lord Privy Seal how many (a) parliamentary questions, written and oral; and (b) amendments at the Committee stages of Bills were tabled in each Session from 1975–76.

(a) The information requested in respect of parliamentary questions is as follows:

Year	Oral	Written
1975–76	3,199	39,108
1976–77	2,488	29,051
1977–78	9,036	28,739
1978–79	4,699	13,152
1979–80	12,453	39,912
1980–81	8,175	22,688
1981–82	8,991	23,439
1982–83	6,125	17,095
1983–84	13,386	40,119
1984–85	14,800	31,523
1985–86	18,139	31,808

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will produce a table, by water authority, of the specified rate of return on value of net assets for each year from 1979 to the latest date for which information is available.

[pursuant to his reply, 15 December 1986]: The table shows rates of return of value of net assets from 1981–82 to 1987–88.The form of accounts used prior to 1981–82 does not enable a rate of return comparable with later years to be calculated.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the principal achievements of his Department since 1983.

Since 1983 the Department of Trade and Industry has contributed by its support for industry and commerce to the substantial improvement in the operating environment for United Kingdom companies. This environment has enabled manufacturing output in the third quarter of 1986 to rise by over 7 per cent., investment in business to rise by 23 per cent. and non-oil exports by 16 per cent., all as compared with the third quarter of 1983. Over the same period output per head in manufacturing rose by over 9 per cent. Company profitability in 1985 was significantly higher than in 1983—in manufacturing it rose from 4·9 to 7·2 per cent.The Department has played a major role in the liberalisation of the financial services markets, notably through the passage of the Financial Services Act in 1986, designed to enhance investor protection and to ensure that the United Kingdom remains a world financial centre. The Department has reached a memorandum of understanding with the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to exchange regulatory information on a confidential basis to strengthen investor protection against fraud and market malpractice. Other memoranda of understanding are under discussion. The Department has also hosted an informal meeting of the regulators of the world's most important securities markets to discuss ways of improving co-operation amongst them.Since 1983 the Department has completed the massive task of consolidating the Companies Acts and also the passage of the insolvency Act 1985 and the subsequent consolidation of the law on insolvency and disqualification of directors. By May 1985 all regulations bringing into operation the provisions of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 were in place.Within the European Community, the Department has pressed for the completion of the internal market and for greater European industrial co-operation. Making and accelerating progress towards the completion of the internal market has been a major objective of the United Kingdom presidency. In this we have been successful. Thirty six internal market measures have been agreed to date and we hope that further decisions can be taken before the end of the year.Non-oil export volume has grown since 1983 by 16 per cent. and for manufactures by 15 per cent. The Department has helped industry to achieve this through a wide range of ministerial visits, trade policy work and, under the guidance of the British Overseas Trade Board, a programme of export promotion and services. The Department has continued to support British companies pursuing major project business overseas. Since June 1983 contracts worth £5½ billion with a United Kingdom content of £3½ billion have been won. The aid and trade provision was used to help obtain contracts with a United Kingdom content worth in excess of £700 million.In 1986 a successful start was made to the new GATT round of trade negotiations with agreement at the September ministerial meeting in Uruguay on the inclusion of trade in agriculture and services in the discussion. The Department pursues a policy of reducing barriers to trade while working through the EC to see that our GATT rights against traded goods damaging to British producers are exercised in full.The Department has been active in pursuing the Government's policy of transferring state owned businesses to the private sector. The sale of British Shipbuilders' warship building interests was completed in 1986, following the major privatisations in 1984 of Jaguar and British Telecom. Where businesses remain in the public sector the Department aims to ensure that they are efficiently managed on a commerical basis. 1986 saw the return of British Steel to profitability after over 10 years. The Post Office has maintained its good record on profitability and continued to improve productivity.Technological innovation has been shown to be an important contribution to competitiveness and since 1983 approximately £1 billion has been spent by the Department to stimulate industrial research and development. Since 1985 the Department has placed emphasis on awareness and advisory services and has paid special attention to areas of technology with widespread applications across many industrial sectors such as microelectronics, information technology and advanced manufacturing technology. Special awareness programmes have also been mounted in the areas of quality and design. Under the £350 million Alvey programme of collaborative research into advanced information technology some 200 projects are now in place bringing academic researchers into collaboration with industry. The new £210 million LINK initiative just announced provides support for projects designed to enable industry to exploit the results of academic research.The Department has encouraged industry to participate in international, and especially European, collaborative research and development programmes which it has ensured are of real benefit to industry. The EUREKA programme is now, following the United Kingdom chairmanship during the first six months of 1986, firmly established as a European industrial collaboration programme with 32 United Kingdom companies collaborating in projects with a total value approaching £1 billion.A White Paper was published in 1986 with proposals to make the system of patents, designs and trade marks more relevant to industrial needs and a new service mark registration system has been introduced.The British National Space Centre was established in November 1985 to provide a focus for United Kingdom space policy both nationally and internationally and to administer the United Kingdom contribution to the European Space Agency. The centre operates with a mix of staff drawn from the DTI, MOD, SERC and NERC.Following the publication of a White Paper on regional industrial development in December 1983, decisions on the revised structure of regional industrial incentives were announced on 28 November 1984. The major changes from the previous structure affect the assisted areas map and regional development grants, and are designed to concentrate the Department's regional assistance where it can be most effective in creating new jobs.The Department has played an increasing role in attracting a growing volume of inward investment to the United Kingdom. Since 1983, 1,025 investment decisions have been made by companies locating or expanding in the United Kingdom with nearly 140,000 jobs created or safeguarded. Among the significant individual investments was that of the Nissan Motor Company of Japan, which announced in 1983 its intention to locate its European manufacturing operation in the United Kingdom. In 1986 the plant was opened at Washington, Tyne and Wear with the Nissan announcement that it was moving to phase 2 in 1988, two years ahead of schedule, representing a total investment of just under £400 million and the eventual creation of 2,700 jobs.The Department has pursued a wide range of matters of concern to consumers. The Consumer Protection Bill published last month will implement the EC directive on liability for defective products and introduce a general duty to supply only consumer goods that meet sound modern standards of safety. These measures, together with new safety regulations, such as those requiring child resistant packaging for dangerous household chemicals and continuing activities on updating safety standards and on home safety research, education and publicity are helping to reduce the sale of dangerous goods to the public. The Consumer Protection Bill will also make the law on misleading price indications clearer and fairer, thereby providing people with better information about the prices of consumer goods.The Department has also acted as a national focus to spread industrial and technological awareness in schools and to devise new ways of meeting the technology skills shortage. The micros in schools programme has been successfully completed and the Department has strongly supported the 1986 "Industry Year" initiative.Further progress has been made in implementing the financial management initiative in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to how many factories in the United Kingdom produce power lawnmowers; where they are located; and what estimate he has made of the numbers employed in the manufacture of such products.

There are 13 main factories in the United Kingdom producing powered lawnmowers. They are widely distributed throughout Britain and employ about 3,500 people.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the total value of power lawnmowers (a) exported from and (b) imported to the United Kingdom in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and what were the principal export markets for United Kingdom power lawnmowers in that year.

For the 12 months ended September 1986 United Kingdom exports of power lawnmowers amounted to £21·4 millions: imports for the same period amounted to £24·1 millions. The principal export markets for United Kingdom power lawnmowers are the EEC, Australia and the United States of America.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many inspectors he proposes to appoint to undertake the periodic inspection of lawnmowers under section 7 of the Lawnmowers (Harmonisation of Noise Emission Standards) Regulations 1986; and if he will make a statement outlining the work which they will be doing;(2) if the inspectors whom he will appoint to carry out the periodic inspections of lawnmowers under section 7 of the Lawnmowers (Harmonisation of Noise Emission Standards) Regulations 1986 will wear official uniforms or will carry other forms of identification; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer he was given on Thursday 6 November, at columns 560–61, and would advise him that there is no intention to appoint any inspectors.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the Rover Group's corporate plan; when he intends publishing it; and whether he will publish it in full.

The Government expect to receive Rover Group's 1987 corporate plan around the end of the year. In accordance with the memorandum of understanding governing the relationship between Rover Group and the Government, I will in due course place in the Library of the House a summary. Following normal practice, this will exclude commercially sensitive details.

asked the Minister of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his recent visit to Liverpool.

I visited Liverpool on 4 and 5 December 1986.On the evening of 4 December I attended the Merseyside Industries dinner at the Lyceum club. On the morning of 5 December I had a breakfast meeting with the editors of the

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the meeting of the Council of European Communities (Research) on 9 December.

The Community's Council of Ministers (Research) met on 9 December in Brussels: I chaired the meeting; Mr. John Fairclough, the Government's chief scientific adviser, represented the United Kingdom.The Council agreed a resolution taking note of the Commission's communication on a plan of action for the evaluation of Community research and development. The plan anticipates proposals for a formal programme of evaluation activities to be submitted early in 1987.The Council considered a Commission paper on the relationship between Community research and EUREKA projects and agreed on the importance of drawing maximum benefit from the complementary nature of the two types of activity, while avoiding unnecessary duplication.The Council discussed the report prepared by an independent panel of European industrialists on the Community's joint research centre (JRC) together with a Commission proposal for a revision in 1987 of the current JRC programme. The Council welcomed the panel's emphasis on the need for reform to make the JRC more effective and to increase its links with European industry.The greater part of the Council's meeting was devoted to discussion, both in full session and in a series of bilaterals between all member states and the presidency, of the Commission's proposals for expenditure of 7·7 becu (£5·5 billion) for a new five-year framework programme of Community research and development. Despite intensive and lengthy negotiations, a consensus could not be reached. The Commission then put forward a proposal for a partial decision covering a three-year period at a cost of 3·7 becu (£2·25 billion).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he intends to appoint external advisers in connection with the privatisation of the British Steel Corporation.

The Government wish to transfer BSC's assets and activities to the private sector as quickly as is practicable. Subject to market conditions, the Government intend privatisation to take place during the course of the next Parliament. I welcome the corporation's results for the first half of the current year, which show a continuing improvement in performance and, although a longer period of profitability will be required before BSC can be returned to the private sector, I intend to appoint a merchant bank shortly to give preliminary advice to the Department in connection with the corporation's privatisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what actions he is taking to solve the problem of tourism coach parking in central London.

Those concerned with coach tourism in London have been following up the various proposals contained in the report "Tourist Coaches in London" which we published in March, copies of which were placed in the Library. The effects are being assessed as a basis for the next steps.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust concerning the recommendations of "Arts and Disabled People", the report of a committee of inquiry under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Attenborough; what action he has taken or will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

We have noted with interest the recommendations of the report "Arts and Disabled People" which concern transport.We have a clear policy of working to improve transport services and facilities to enable disabled people to travel for whatever purpose they choose. Involvement in the arts, whether as spectators or participants, is part of that freedom of choice that we are working to achieve.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will revise the "Marine Radar Performance Specification 1977"; and if he will make a statement.

The "Marine Radar Performance Specification 1968" has been revised and is superseded by the "Marine Radar Performance Specification 1982". The "Marine Radar Reflector Performance Specification 1977" will be updated by an ISO standard which is now well advanced; this when published will be complemented by an identical British standard.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on developments during European Road Safety Year.

On 17 December, acting as the presidency of the EC, we will draw together the main strands of ERSY activity in the United Kingdom and throughout the Community. Awards will be presented to individuals who have contributed to the year in each member state of the Community, and to children from the United Kingdom. The most important event will be the dispatch of a message from the Prime Minister to Transport Ministers in each member state. Her theme, and ours, is that one year is not enough: we must continue working for road safety.During 1986 we have seen major initiatives from the private sector, from local authorities, from the police forces and from the Department. All these are reported in the ERSY newsfile. Copies are available in the Library.The level of our participation has won us congratulations in Europe. I shall mention only a few examples: General Accident's £2 million road safety campaign and the AA research foundation from the private sector; the international conference organised by the Association of London Borough Road Safety Officers in July; the police national motorway campaign; and the international conference, "Transport Without Handicap" organised by the Department of Transport.We have also reissued our accident investigation and prevention manual to local authorities, and will continue to encourage them to practise low-cost casualty reduction schemes.The important message is that European Road Safety Year has not ended; we will keep on working for road safety at international, national, and local level. Specific ERSY themes on casualty reduction for the elderly, children and young people, cyclists and motorcyclists together with the greater installation and use of rear seat belts and child restraints, and the growing campaign against drinking and driving have been taken forward. The effort will continue. The majority of accidents and injuries are avoidable and preventable. The United Kingdom may have the least bad accident record in the European Community, but there were still 5,342 deaths and 320,819 injuries on our roads last year.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government took any steps to dissuade Granada TV from broadcasting an interview with Peter Wright concerning Sir Roger Hollis broadcast in the "World in Action" programme "The Spy Who Never Was", broadcast on 16 July 1984.

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 when the second joint report from the chairman of the Advisory Council for Applied Research and Development and the Advisory Board for the Research Councils will be laid before the House.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury, South (Mr. Sumberg) on 12 December, at column 239.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government received any representations from Westland plc after 3 January about the continuing validity of her letter of 1 January to Sir John Cuckney about Government policy on the future of Westland; and if she will make a statement.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 16 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 make a statement on the Plessey deal to supply Iran with six AR-3D static air defence systems.

I have been asked to reply.It is our policy not to comment on individual defence sales. However, in view of the current interest in Iran, I can confirm that a proposal from Plessey to sell static AR-3D radars to Iran does not breach our strict guidelines for defence sales to Iran and Iraq. The installations would be installed on permanent sites along Iran's northern and eastern borders, facing the Soviet Union. They will be of no relevance to the current conflict with Iraq.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those initiatives of his Department which have been of benefit to women, since 1979, the cost or estimated cost of these initiatives, and the proportion of the total budget of his Department this represents.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has taken a range of initiatives in accordance with its obligations as an equal opportunities employer. These include appointing equal opportunity officers, more flexible working arrangements and regular review consultations with the trade union side.The Overseas Development Administration has taken a number of initiatives which are described in a recently published ODA booklet "Women in Development and the British Aid Programme" which also describes a number of projects involving or affecting women, and the spending involved. This booklet is available in the House of Commons Library.It is not possible to estimate the cost of these initiatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards human rights in Afghanistan in the light of Amnesty International's report on torture in that country, a copy of which has been sent to him; and what action he intends to take.

The Amnesty International report independently confirms the horrifying picture of the denial of human rights in Afghanistan separately documented in the reports of the United Nations special rapporteur. We have recently co-sponsored a United Nations resolution, which was endorsed by a large majority, expressing grave concern over the human rights situation in Afghanistan. We have already raised the question with the Soviet embassy in London. The Soviet Government can be in no doubt of our concern at these reports of torture and of the complicity of Soviet personnel.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what purpose Her Majesty's Government were represented by a member of the diplomatic service at the meeting of the Contras held to launch a provisional Government for Nicaragua in San José on 24 November.

A member of Her Majesty's embassy in San José attended the meeting as an observer as part of his normal duties of obtaining information and reporting to us on developments in the area. Observers were also present from a number of other countries, including other European embassy representatives and parliamentarians from three Contadora group countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he will reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 21 October on the case of Mr. Mohammed F. Sheikh.

The high commission at New Delhi has been asked to raise the case of Mr. Mohammed Farid Sheikh with the Indian authorities. As soon as the latter let us have a reply the hon. Member will of course be informed of the results.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish up-to-date figures indicating, in numerical order, the number of unpaid parking fines incurred by each diplomatic mission in the last two quarters for which figures are available.

The information requested by my hon. Friend is given in the following table. The figures, and the order in which missions are listed, may be altered by late payments. The table also includes those international organisations which have incurred unpaid fines.The annual rate for the most recent quarter was 23,348 or only 21 per cent. of the total for 1984 (108,932). We welcome this very significant improvement and hope it will be continued in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how much money has been provided under the Development of Tourism Act 1969 by way of grants to bus operators in Wales in each of the past seven years; and what proportion of applicants for such grants are successful.

Since 1979 the Wales Tourist Board has received two applications from bus operators in Wales for financial assistance under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969. One was approved and a grant of £17,000 paid in 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the latest figures for the average cost of public expenditure for every job created in the tourist industry in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not available. However, in 1985–86 the average cost per job for tourism schemes aided by the Wales Tourist Board was just over £7,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what applications he has received from Arfon borough council for urban aid for 1987–88; how much of this sum refers to projects for the improvement of parking facilities on council estates in the Caernarfon area; and if he will make a statement.

Arfon borough council has submitted 13 urban programme applications for consideration for 1987–88 amounting to £689,339; three applications amounting to £77,000 are in respect of projects to improve parking facilities on council estates in the Caernarfon area. These applications, together with all other bids received from Welsh local authorities, are currently being assessed and I expect to announce my decisions early in 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers in Dyfed are owner-occupiers; and how many tenant farmers there are farming over three hectares.

As at June 1985 there were 8,288 wholly owned main holdings in Dyfed; and 1,348 wholly rented main holdings of over three hectares. These figures exclude partially owned or rented holdings.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many farmers in Ceredigion are owner-occupiers; and how many tenant farmers there are farming over three hectares.

As at June 1985 there were 2,370 wholly owned main holdings in Ceredigion; and 310 wholly rented main holdings of over three hectares. These figures exclude partially owned or rented holdings.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Carnegie United Kingdom Trust concerning the recommendations of "Arts and Disabled People", the report of a committee of inquiry under the chairmanship of Sir Richard Attenborough; what action he has taken or will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is in continual liaison with organisations concerned with the provision of arts for disabled people. We recently met representatives of the Carnegie council to discuss the implications of the Attenborough report and access by disabled people in Wales to the arts. Earlier this year we agreed to fund for two years the costs of an access officer at the Wales Council for the Disabled who will take particular account of the report's recommendations in relation to access by disabled people to arts buildings. Since 1985 we have also been funding part of the administration costs of a voluntary organisation, Arts for Disabled People in Wales, concerned with creating art opportunities for people with disabilities or special needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to sell some of the surplus butter to the elderly and the needy during the Christmas period and the new year at a cheaper rate; and if he will make a statement.

Responsibility for measures to dispose of surplus butter stocks rests primarily with the Commission. There are currently no proposals for a Christmas butter scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he has taken to ensure that the milk quota system is being operated fairly and evenly within the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

Generally, we are satisfied that most member states appear to be applying the quota system correctly. The Commission, which is responsible for the regulations, recently began action in the European Court against Italy for failing to operate the quota system.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of lime sales in Wales during the last 12 months; what were the corresponding figures for 1976; and if he will make a statement.

Information on lime sales in Wales is not collected.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the population of Wales in each of the years 1979 to 1986; what was the level in real terms of rate support grant in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

The population of Wales, and the level in real terms of rate support grant, in the relevant years are shown in the following tables:

Mid-year estimates of home population: Wales, persons all ages
	'000
1979	2,810·1
1980	2,815·8
1981	2,813·5
1982	2,806·6
1983	2,807·8
1984	2,807·2
1985	2,811·8
1986	n/a

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that the rate support grant settlement for Wales for 1987–88 will include an increase in revenue support sufficient to meet in full the interest on the additional capital expenditure sanctioned by the Government for Welsh local authorities for 1987–88.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my statement to the House today. I intend to make appropriate allowance for the revenue consequences including interest payments arising from rate fund capital expenditure in 1987–88.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the short-term and long-term policies, respectively, of the hotel classification scheme of the Wales Tourist Board.

The present scheme has been operational for just over a year and the public will experience it for the first time in the 1987 holiday brochures. In the short term, the Wales Tourist Board does not intend to make any significant changes to the scheme. In the longer term, it is the board's objective to effect a general raising of the thresholds for achieving particular classification ratings and through the introduction of a qualitative grading scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer on 8 December, Official Report, column 34, concerning Gwynedd health authority, whether he will make additional resources available to that authority in order to remedy deficiences in the services given to mentally ill people in Gwynedd.

The authorities in Gwynedd are presently considering the development of mental illness services in the light of the recent Health Authority Service report. It is premature to consider the question of additional Welsh Office funding.