asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report those types of survey of merchant ship hulls and machinery carried out on his behalf; how many surveys of each type were undertaken in the most recently available 12-month period; how many of these surveys were carried out by his own surveyors and how many by outside agencies acting on his behalf; how many of the surveys carried out by his surveyors duplicated surveys carried out by other agencies; and what assessment he has made of the scope for further simplification or delegation of his survey work.

Statutory survey of hulls and machinery of merchant ships are carried out in respect of the issue of passenger ship safety certificates, cargo ship safety construction certificates and load line certificates. These surveys are undertaken on a continuous basis over a five-year cycle and the figures requested are not readily available in any 12-month period.Surveys required for the issue of the cargo ship safety construction certificate and the load line certificate—which constitutes a major proportion of this work—have been delegated to five classification societies—the Department's surveyors dealing only with those ships which are not "classed". Although precise figures are not available for the classification societies involved it is estimated that they issue more than six times the number of certificates issued by my Department. There is no duplication of work.In the case of foreign-going passenger ships the survey of hull and machinery is undertaken by my Department and where a ship is "classed" also by the classification society. In 1985 a total of 85 passenger ship safety certificates were issued in respect of foreign-going ships. To reduce as far as possible any duplication, my Department will accept work undertaken by a classification society up to 50 per cent. of all running surveys on class I passenger ships. In addition, other measures have recently been agreed with the industry to cut costs as I stated in reply to a question tabled by my hon. Friend on 24 November 1986. In assessing the scope for further delegation I must take into account, in the public interest, the safety of the many who travel on passenger ships.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the net present value per £100 of investment of the tax allowances granted to investors in ships in the United Kingdom; and what information he has on the tax allowances, including accelerated depreciation, investment grants and interest-free loans available in the Federal Republic of Germany.

The net present value to companies of tax relief on annual writing down allowances at the rate of 25 per cent. of the reducing balance per £100 of the cost of a ship, will be about £28 if there are profits sufficient to absorb the full amount of the allowances. Additionally, this year the business expansion scheme was extended to companies engaged in ship chartering. The value of the income tax relief will depend upon the tax position of the investor but might typically be about £50 for every £100 invested.With regard to tax allowances in the Federal Republic of Germany, I cannot add to the information given to my hon. Friend in my reply of 26 November 1986, at column 276.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, what progress has been made towards the implementation of the report of the review chaired by Professor Michael Home of the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950; and whether he will make a statement.

I announced the Government's response, accepting the great majority of the report's recommendations, on 24 July at columns. 455–56. We plan to introduce amending legislation at a suitable opportunity. I hope soon to announce appointments to the proposed streetworks advisory committee. Good progress is also being made on other measures to follow up the report.Joint working parties between utilities and highway authorities have been established to draw up the new specifications that will be needed to reinstatements, to prepare a system for the training and certification of workmen and to develop the computerised streetworks register. In addition the local authorities have agreed to enter into discussions with the utilities on the arrangements for diversionary works. I will consider in the light of these discussions whether to bring forward proposals for a cost-sharing solution.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in order to ensure a freer flow of traffic on the Severn bridge, he will make it his policy to forgo the collection of tolls.

No. Toll collection at estuarial crossings does not by itself restrict the flow of traffic, provided the number of toll booths is adequate.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate the causes of recent delays and hold-ups on the Severn bridge; and if he will make a statement.

Delays to traffic using the Severn crossing and their causes are monitored continuously. The following table summarises the position for the three-month period ending 8 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the tolls on the Severn bridge following the decision of the House of Lords.

The Appeals Committee of the House of Lords has refused leave to Gwent county council and other local authorities to appeal to the House of Lords against the decision given by the Court of Appeal on 31 October concerning the Severn Bridge Tolls Order 1985. The Appeals Committee's decision removes any doubt about the vires of that order. The higher tolls it prescribes will be reintroduced on Sunday 4 January.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information is available to his Department about aids made available to shipowners by the Länder Governments in West Germany in addition to those aids to shipping investment available to German shipowners listed in the answer of 26 November, Official Report, column 276.

I shall write to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total mileage of motorways in England (a) in use, (b) under construction and (c) planned at 1 April.

The total mileage of motorways in England at 1 April 1986 was as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport which sections of the M25 are currently the subject of traffic monitoring studies; and by whom the studies are being carried out.

The Department monitors traffic on the M25. Automatic counting loops are being installed on all sections of the motorway. Further specific studies will be undertaken as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when we will announce his Department's decision on the West Yorkshire passenger transport authority and executive's application for redetermination of its 1987–88 expenditure level.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on Tuesday 16 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the date for the start of the Warminister bypass.

Tenders have been received and are currently being appraised. Works may start around the end of January.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of bus deregulation in West Sussex.

I am pleased that there has in general been a smooth transition to deregulation in West Sussex. The county council has worked hard to ensure that the previous service levels were broadly maintained, and at the same time has been able to achieve subsidy savings of over £1 million under the new arrangements for competitive tendering. I understand that the council is already acting to ensure that service levels continue to be maintained after full deregulation on 26 January 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average waiting time for a driving test in Portsmouth, Fareham and Southampton.

The current waiting times are:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the possible designation of the Minches as an area of water to be avoided by oil tankers; and what reply he has sent.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport has received a letter on this matter from Friends of the Earth, Scotland, and a reply was sent on his behalf on 15 December.In commenting on the Friends of the Earth's suggestion of an area to be avoided, the reply said:

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has given chief constables about Her Majesty's Government's drink-drive campaign this Christmas.

The Association of Chief Police Officers was consulted about the theme of the campaign and participated in its launch. We have taken its advice and are grateful for its help at the launch of the campaign.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) how many meetings between his Department and the consultants there have been to discuss the London road assessment studies since they were first received;(2) when each of the four consultants' reports on the London road assessment studies were received by his Department.

Three of the reports published on 12 December were received on 31 October and the fourth on 7 November. There have been frequent discussions with the consultants about arrangements for printing, publication and distribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will detail the costs incurred by his Department in the preparation of the four London road assessment studies;(2) what was the total cost for consultants involved in producing the London road assessment studies.

The cost of managing these commissions is not readily distinguishable from other work carried out in respect of the Department's road and traffic responsibilities for London. Consultancy costs were given in an answer to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 10 December, at column 154.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) new and (b) second-hand double-deck buses were either bought or leased by London Regional Transport or its subsidiaries in (i) 1985–86 and (ii) 1986–87; and how many are proposed to be either bought or leased in 1987–88.

Decisions on bus procurement are a matter for London Regional Transport and its subsidiary London Buses Ltd. I understand that London Buses Ltd. purchased 266 new double-deck buses in 1985–86 and expects to have purchased a further 209 new double-deck buses by the end of 1986–87.The requirement for 1987–88 is a matter for the judgment of LRT, in the light of anticipated demand and the condition of its existing vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his statement of Friday 12 December, Official Report, columns 699–702, when he expects to be in a position to announce a starting date for the inquiry.

Arrangements for the public formal investigation are being made. The starting date will depend on a number of factors such as the selection and appointment by the Lord Chancellor of a senior member of the Admiralty Bar as Wreck Commissioner, the time required for the detailed case to be prepared and the need for the parties to have time to prepare their cases.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the average incidence of delay for traffic order schemes planned by the former metropolitan county councils and passed on to city councils on abolition.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish a report on business appointments of former Crown servants.

I have today placed copies of a statistical report entitled "Acceptance of Outside Appointments by Crown Servants" in the Libraries of Parliament.

asked the Attorney-General whether there is a compulsory retirement age for recorders.

Under section 21(5) of the Courts Act 1971, neither the initial term for which a recorder is appointed, nor any extension of that term, can continue his appointment after the end of the completed year of service in which he reaches the age of 72.

asked the Attorney-General how many recorders over the age of 70 years continue to sit.

According to such information as is available, there are nine serving recorders who have reached the age of 70.

asked the Attorney-General how long it takes the Lord Chancellor's Department to process appointments to recorderships; and whether any appointments have been outstanding for six months.

The question is misconceived in terms of the modern system of judicial appointments. The hon. Member is referred to the booklet "Judicial Appointments", published by the Lord Chancellor's Department in May 1986, which sets out the Lord Chancellor's policies and procedures in relation to the appointment of recorders, among other judicial officers. The Lord Chancellor is sending the hon. Member a copy of this booklet. There is and can be no fixed timetable. Recorders are appointed from among those who have sat as assistant recorders and no application is necessary. Assistant recorders automatically begin to be considered for promotion to full recordership when they have gained a sufficient experience of sitting, which is normally between three and five years. If they are not promoted to a full recordership within a reasonable time thereafter, their assistant recordership is usually terminated.

asked the Attorney-General when he hopes to complete his consideration with the Director of Public Prosecutions of allegations against Sir Arthur Franks.

There has been a careful investigation in this case. The Director of Public Prosecutions and I are satisfied that there is no evidence whatsoever to substantiate any of the allegations made.

asked the Attorney-General when, pursuant to his answer of 28 November, Official Report, column 393, he hopes consideration will be completed or whether steps are to be taken against Sir Dick White and others in respect of information which they are alleged to have given to the authors of the book "Conspiracy of Silence".

Consideration of the matter is complete. As I said in the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 20 November, at columns 264–65, former and present servants of the Crown are well aware that they may not make unauthorised disclosure of information acquired in their work. Formal letters underlining the duty of confidentiality have been sent to a number of former officials whom Mr. Penrose and Mr. Freeman purport to quote in their book "Conspiracy of Silence". I do not propose to identify the individuals concerned.

asked the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the names of judges and former judges who have been convicted of a drunken driving offence in the last two years, indicating the sentence in each case.

The table gives the names of full-time judges in England and Wales who have been convicted of an offence of driving with an alcohol concentration above the prescribed limit since 1 November 1984, and the sentence imposed in each case in relation to that offence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement about the privatisation of Rolls-Royce plc.

Subject to market conditions, the Government intend to return Rolls-Royce to the private sector in April or May 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make an estimate of foreign investment in the British film industry for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

The available information relates to inward direct investment in the United Kingdom film industry. It was £4·6 million in 1984, the latest year for which the data are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the foreign earnings of the British film industry for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

The latest available information relates to 1985 and was published in British Business, 19 September 1986, page 41.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the level of United Kingdom content in Vauxhall cars which are assembled in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Although Vauxhall has undertaken a significant amount of component resourcing into the United Kingdom, it has been affected by exchange rate movements and now expects to achieve only a 50 per cent. level of United Kingdom content in its cars and car-derived vans by the second quarter of next year. We shall be pressing hard for an improvement in this situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any information on the net effect on the United Kingdom balance of payments of combined operations of General Motors in the United Kingdom.

This information is not available from the trade statistics. Such detailed information as we have is provided to us by the company on a commercially confidential basis. In general there is an inbalance between GM's export and import performance, but we are maintaining regular contact with the task force set up by General Motors in 1985 to identify steps which can be taken to reduce this inbalance.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the volume of imports of Greek cement for each of the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of discussions within the European Commission and the Council on the future of Greek subsidies.

18,025 tonnes of White Portland cement were imported from Greece in August 1986. There are no indications that much of this has yet found its way on to the market. There have been no other imports of cement from Greece in the last 12 months. on the future of the Greek subsidies, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) on 10 December, at column 175.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the first annual report of radio regulatory division, as recommended by the Merriman committee, will be published.

I am pleased to say that the first report was published today and that copies have been placed in both Libraries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what were the conditions of sale for the management buy-out of Vosper Shiprepairers of Southampton;(2) what was the total price paid to Government in the management buy-out for Vosper Shiprepairers of Southampton.

These matters are commercial in confidence between British Shipbuilders and the purchasers of Vosper Shiprepairers Limited.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will identify the various programmes promoted by his Department within the United Kingdom and through collaborative ventures within the European Economic Community to promote research, development and production; when these programmes were inaugurated; and what are the financial resources devoted to each of them.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has now received the report of the Neil inquiry into Lloyd's; and if he will make a statement.

No, but I understand that the committee of inquiry into regulatory arrangements at Lloyd's hopes to be able to submit its report to my right hon. Friend shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what has been the volume of United Kingdom exports to Japan each year since 1975 to date expressed in cash terms, real terms on 1975 and as an annual percentage increase or decrease on the previous year and on 1975;(2) what has been the volume of Japanese imports into the United Kingdom each year since 1975 expressed in cash terms, real terms on 1975 and as an annual percentage increase or decrease on the previous year and on 1975.

Estimates of trade statistics expressed in real terms are not available. Trade with Japan from 1975 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he is in a position to announce a revised external financing limit for the British Steel Corporation.

BSC's external financing limit was reduced from £146 million to £51 million in July. BSC's performance in the first half of the year has been good, despite the uncertainty affecting some markets, including those elsewhere in Europe. I am glad to say that the corporation's latest forecasts for the rest of the current financial year indicate that a further reduction of £25 million in the EFL, from £51 million to £26 million, is practicable, and this change has now been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will bring into force section 105 of the Financial Services Act; and how he proposes to use its powers.

Section 105, which enables the Secretary of State to investigate investment businesses, comes into force today.Subsection (2) makes special provision for members of recognised self-regulating organisations and professional bodies. It is not yet possible for an organisation or body to apply for recognition. In the meantime, the Secretary of State will consult an organisation or body which he believes is likely to receive recognition, before deciding whether to use the section 105 powers to investigate any part of its member's affairs regulated by that organisation or body.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recommendation he has received from the Rover Group board concerning its information technology subsidiary, ISTEL; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has accepted the board's recommendation that Rover Group should proceed to detailed negotiations with the management buy-out as the preferred route for selling a majority stake in ISTEL.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will specify the details of the standard format introduced for plutonium trade within the European Communities.

Details of the standard format used for plutonium transfers within the European Communities are set out in a ministerial declaration of common policy on the consequences of the adoption of the NSG guidelines by the ten member states of the Community dated 20 November 1984. A copy of this is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an estimate of the costs incurred by British industry arising from the severing of diplomatic links with Syria; and if he will make a statement.

No. It is not possible to quantify what, if any, costs to British industry can be directly attributed to the break in relations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to secure the publication of the report of the European Commission on human rights which is going to the Committee of Ministers into complaints brought against the British Government on corporal punishment in schools by Ms. Karen Warwick and her mother, constituents of the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch.

The Commission's report is confidential. It is for the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe to decide whether the report should be published. It is not our practice to disclose how we intend to vote on issues considered by the Committee of Ministers.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the review of contingency plans following the Chernobyl accident.

The first stage of a thorough review of existing emergency plans and procedures in the light of experience of the Chernobyl accident has now been completed by the Cabinet Office in consultation with the appropriate Government Departments and agencies concerned.The existing plans are addressed specifically to an accident occurring within the United Kingdom and cover both the emergency procedures at the site and offsite arrangements to protect the public. They continue to provide a valid basis for the response to any nuclear accident in the United Kingdom. However, the Government have decided that planning needs to provide more specifically for the response to a nuclear accident outside the United Kingdom.Detailed planning is now in hand. Among other things this will need to ensure nationwide monitoring coverage and, in the light of expert assessment of the results of monitoring, for the dissemination of appropriate advice and information to the general public. In the event of any future nuclear accident overseas affecting the United Kingdom the Secretary of State for the Environment will take the lead in co-ordinating Government action.At the same time, the Government will continue to work with our international partners both in the International Atomic Energy Agency and elsewhere to improve the arrangements for co-ordinated international action. In the meantime, the two recently signed International Atomic Energy Agency sponsored conventions should ensure earlier and more effective notification and dissemination of information than occurred in the case of the Chernobyl accident.I shall make a further statement when the detailed planning now in hand has been completed and appropriate steps will be taken to make the new arrangements known to the public and to all the authorities concerned.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will now release Lord Rothschild from his obligations of confidentiality as a former member of the security services; and if she will make a statement.

All present and former members of the security services owe a life-long duty of confidentiality to the Crown. They may not make unauthorised disclosures of information acquired in their work. Any requests for authorised disclosure would be considered in the normal way.

asked the Prime Minister if Sir James Cleminson has yet presided over meetings of the review body for nurses and midwives remuneration; how many meetings have been held in connection with the 1987 award; when she is hoping to receive the report; and if she will make a statement.

I understand that Sir James Cleminson chaired his first meeting of the Review Body for Nursing Staff, Midwives, Health Visitors and Professions Allied to Medicine earlier this month and that this was the review body's third meeting since completing its 1986 reports. I have as yet received no indication of when the review body's next report will be submitted. We look forward to receiving the recommendations of the review body in due course.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the level of take-home pay received by British civil servants working in West Germany relative to their British based counterparts.

British civil servants serving in West Germany receive a supplement to salary known as foreign service allowance. This compensates for the extra cost of having to live outside the United Kingdom in order to perform their duties. The allowance is adjusted to reflect movements in local prices or exchange rates to ensure that the purchasing power of take-home pay and the allowance can maintain a standard of living which is at least equivalent to that of civil servants in the United Kingdom.

asked the Prime Minister what action was taken in connection with the report by the then Secretary of State for Defence alleging that the then Secretary of State for Trade and Industry had urged the managing director of the leading company in the European Westland consortium to withdraw in the national interest, during the period between the receipt by the private office of that report on 8 January and the discussion of Westland plc by the Cabinet on 9 January.

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

asked the Prime Minister how many police and military establishments she has visited since 1979.

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

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report, Prime Ministerial Visits overseas in each year since 1979.

The information is as follows (holiday visits have been excluded):

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report all Prime Ministerial visits to (a) the city of Manchester and (b) the city of Salford in each year since 1979.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report all Prime Ministerial visits to (a) Humberside, (b) South Yorkshire, (c) Greater Manchester, (d) Merseyside, (e) the West Midlands and (f) Cleveland in each year since 1979.

The information requested is as follows:(a)

asked the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report all Prime Ministerial visits to (a) Scotland, and (b) Wales in each year since 1979.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 18 December.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall he having further meetings later today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the negotiations for the eighth replenishment of the International Development Association; and what the United Kingdom will contribute as a result.

Negotiations ended successfully in Rome on 15 December. The total replenishment for commitment over the three years from 1 July 1987, including a negotiated element of $11·5 billion and voluntary additional contributions, will be nearly $12·4 billion. This is a much better result than had earlier been expected. In addition the IDA should be able to lend a substantial further amount on the basis of the repayments it expects to receive over the next few years.Forty-five to 50 per cent. of all IDA lending will go to sub-Saharan Africa, and up to 30 per cent. to India and China; $3 billion to $3·5 billion will be available to support economic adjustment.I am glad to say that the United Kingdom offered a voluntary additional contribution of $15 million (about £10 million) on top of our 6·7 per cent. share of the negotiated replenishment, to help achieve this result. Our total contribution, subject to Parliament's approval, will be nearly £525 million.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland when he hopes to reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill's letter of 15 November 1986 regarding matters raised by his constituent Mrs. Catherine MacInnes.

I wrote to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mr. Craigen) on 16 December 1986 in reply to his letter of 15 November 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what were the traffic considerations that determined that the A55 dual carriageway Bangor bypass should continue into the A5 as a dual-carriageway around the Llanfairpwll bypass rather than continuing to Caernarfon.

The generation of traffic over the reconstructed Britannia bridge resulted in estimated design year traffic flows at Llanfairpwll bypass which justified the provision of a dual carriageway.Improvement of the A487 trunk road between Bangor and Caernarfon is included in the programme of trunk road improvement schemes as set out in "Roads in Wales 1985". The standard of road to be provided will be determined following detailed consideration of all relevant factors including traffic need, cost and environmental implications.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, further to the answer of 5 December to the hon. Member for Carmarthen, Official Report, column 803, if he will detail the timetable for the establishment of a cardiac surgery unit at Cardiff.

There is already a cardiac surgery unit at Cardiff, which in 1985 performed 605 operations. We intend to expand this unit but the timetable depends on a current strategic review of services, which is nearing completion.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the mileage of trunk motorways in Wales in use, under construction and planned as at 1 April.

At 1 April 1986, 1,102 miles of motorway and trunk roads were in use, 26 miles under construction and 100 miles of improvement planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the planning appeals decided by him since May 1979.

This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will indicate the level of resources he will make available to the Wales Tourist Board for 1987–88.

I hope to make about £8·5 million available to the Wales Tourist Board in 1987–88 subject to the usual scrutiny of the Supply Estimates when they are presented to Parliament, probably in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy towards the role of local housing authorities in providing new accommodation for categories other than special needs; and if he will make a statement.

I shall continue to encourage local authorities to put their main effort into the repair and renovation of the existing housing stock. Outside the private sector, we are looking to the housing association movement to provide the bulk of new build or renovated rented housing required, using private finance wherever possible, thus seeking to achieve greater diversity of provision than exists today. Local authorities remain free to undertake new build within the resources available in accordance with their own assessment of local needs and priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to answer questions on the value of contracts with foreign countries for the reprocessing of plutonium.

No. This information is commercially confidential between BNFL and its customers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list the long-term studies being undertaken by, or on behalf of, his Department into tidal power;(2) if, in the light of the recommendations of the Severn barrage committee in 1982 that designs and economic studies into a Severn barrage should proceed in parallel with the investigation of environmental issues, he will ask the Severn Tidal Power Group to produce such studies; and if he will make a statement;(3) what steps will be taken to ensure that the Severn Estuary studies in relation to the proposed tidal barrage adequately cover the complete winter season of wading birds; if, in the light of the fact that work on the studies has not yet begun, he still expects them to be completed within two years from July 1986; and if he will make a statement.

The Secretary of State announced in July a £5·5 million extension to the investigation into the United Kingdom's tidal resources. This work includes advanced investigations into a Severn barrage on a line near to Cardiff and Weston; a contribution towards studies into a Mersey barrage; and generic studies including construction techniques, environmental impact, and the potential of smaller sites around the United Kingdom.The report on the Severn barrage by the Severn Tidal Power Group published in July discussed environmental issues and recommended that further study was necessary. The work programme for the Severn Estuary studies and other related work of a generic nature not necessarily restricted to the time scale of the study carried out by the Severn Tidal Power Group will include an examination of the impact of a tidal barrage on wildlife. Details of the Severn work programme, related studies, and procedure for consultation are still being discussed by the Central Electricity Generating Board, the Severn Tidal Power Group, and my Department. It is intended that full details of the studies and consultation procedures will be widely circulated for comment initially and that there should be an ongoing consultation process with all interested parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the country's present energy needs would be provided by the proposed Severn barrage; and what is the expected annual increase in energy demand over the period of construction of the barrage.

If a Severn tidal barrage were to be built near to Cardiff and Weston, it would provide about 5 per cent. of Britain's current electricity demand, about 2 per cent. of the current simultaneous maximum electricity load at the time of winter peak, or about 1 per cent. of current United Kingdom final energy demand. The sales forecast adopted by the Electricity Council, October 1986, implies an annual increase of 1·6 per cent. per annum to the middle of the next decade.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will take steps to suspend fact-finding visiting by the general public to the British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. Sellafield site until all of the safety requirements stipulated by the nuclear installations inspectorate's special safety audit are fully implemented; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements for visits to the Sellafield site are the responsibility of BNFL.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on the specific access permitted to the nuclear installations inspectorate safety audit team to full records of (a) spent Magnox fuel received and (b) plutonium reprocessed each week at Sellafield from 1 June.

Nuclear installations inspectorate may have access to any information relevant to nuclear safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) which particular safety modifications of the Sellafield site, since included in the list of changes stipulated by the nuclear installations inspectorate's safety audit, have been undertaken and made known to his Department by British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. since March;(2) whether British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. had, prior to March, conveyed details to his Department of the safety problems identified by the nuclear installations inspectorate in its safety audit.

Responsibility for safety at nuclear sites, under both the Health and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974 and the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 falls on the operator. Compliance with the legislation is overseen by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive. The safety audit of Sellafield was established by the Health and Safety Executive at the end of February 1986. My Department has received a copy of the report.I am advised that a number of specific requirements for the improvement of plant highlighted by the nuclear installations inspectorate team and listed in the report were undertaken during the course of the audit and are now either completed or in the course of completion by British Nuclear Fuels.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make available finance to British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. to support the implementation of the safety changes stipulated in the nuclear installations inspectorate's safety audit report; and if he will make a statement.

Financing the implementations of the recommendations of the nuclear installations inspectorate report is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Yeovil (Mr. Ashdown), Official Report, column 112, of 9 December, if he will make it his policy to publish safeguards agreements covering civil nuclear materials at Sellafield.

I have nothing to add to my earlier reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the number of domestic gas and electricity consumers who have had their supply disconnected for each of the last three years.

This is a matter for the industries themselves. I have asked the chairmen of British Gas and the Electricity Council to provide the information direct to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what communications and consultations he expects to have with (a) Euratom, (b) the International Atomic Energy Agency and (c) DECD Nuclear Energy Agency on the implications of the nuclear installations inspectorate's safety audit of Sellafield.

Safety of nuclear installations is a matter for national authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to meet trades union officials at the Sellafield plant to discuss improvements in safety and operational practice resulting from the recommendations of the nuclear installations inspectorate safety audit of the Sellafield nuclear plant.

This is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Rother Valley on 4 December, Official Report, column 740, whether the exercises observed by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate at each named power station included full exercises performed by all shifts and teams at the station; what proportion of duly authorised persons was observed in the performance of full exercises; what proportion of other personnel was observed in the performance of full exercises; whether the content and duration of exercises observed varied between shifts and teams; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 December 1986, c. 477]: The timing and exercising of those staff with direct responsibilities for dealing with an emergency is carried out routinely at power stations, and there is a statutory requirement for emergency arrangements to be fully rehearsed regularly. In practice this means at least once a year at each location. A different shift is chosen each time for these exercises which are witnessed by Her Majesty's nuclear installations inspectorate. For operational reasons, it is only possible for a proportion of the staff on any shift to participate in an exercise.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many new firearms licences for sporting guns were issued in Northern Ireland in 1984, 1985 and to date in 1986; and how many of these were issued to members of gun clubs.

In Northern Ireland, a person may hold several firearms for different purposes by the authority of one firearm certificate. The information requested is therefore being given as the number of firearms head in Northern Ireland for sporting purposes and not the number of certificates issued. At 31 December 1984, 96,404 firearms were held in Northern Ireland for sporting purposes by authority of firearm certificates granted or renewed by the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. At 31 December 1985 the number was 98,359 and at 30 November 1986 the number was 99,928.Information regarding the numbers of firearm certificates and the number of firearms held by virtue of those certificates on issue to members of firearms clubs authorised under the provisions of article 54 of the Firearms (Northern Ireland) Order 1981 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to visit the Republic of Ireland to discuss the Anglo-Irish Agreement; and if he will make a statement.

I have no plans at present to visit the Republic of Ireland. The Anglo-Irish Agreement continues to offer a good framework for making progress on Northern Ireland's problems, and much work has already been done.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the numbers unemployed in each electoral ward, each local government district and each parliametary constituency in Northern Ireland.

There are 526 electoral wards in Northern Ireland and the information in the form requested is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. The numbers of unemployed claimants in each local government district and parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland 13 November 1986 are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what figures are available to indicate the total number of claimants of supplementary benefit pensions and allowances in each social security office in Northern Ireland.

The information is as follows: