asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list which annexes of the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships Her Majesty's Government has not yet ratified; and if he will make a statement as to the reasons for not ratifying in each particular case.

In common with many other countries, Her Majesty's Government have not ratified annex IV of the international convention for the prevention of pollution from ships 1973. There are some major areas of concern for many countries which will need detailed discussion at the International Maritime Organisation. Ratification will be considered when the review of this annex is complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive his consultants' report on provision of increased capacity in the M4-A4 corridor in west London; and if he will make a statement.

Consultants were appointed last March to look at options for improving travel by all modes, including road, between Heathrow and Central London over the next 20 years. We expect to receive their report in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to the relative effectiveness of individual London boroughs in acting as his agents in clearing roads for traffic during the recent cold spell.

I have congratulated London boroughs, and local authorities generally, on coping well in extremely difficult conditions. We shall be taking stock with them of any lessons from the recent experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many cases of acid spillage on the public highways, sufficient to warrant prosecution, have occured over the last three years for which records are available; and if he will make a statement.

No central records are kept.I understand that one or two recent cases have led to police prosecution.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to curb the activities of foreign airlines which increase frequencies of flights to the United Kingdom in contravention of air service agreements.

Our normal practice is to include in the operating permit issued to a foreign airline any specific limitations on the frequency or capacity of its services for which provision is made in the relevant bilateral arrangements with the other country concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will investigate the reasons for the delays experienced by persons in the Banff and Buchan constituency wishing to take a driving test; and if he will make a statement.

Waiting times for driving tests throughout Scotland are too long. We have reduced queues on average in Scotland from 19 weeks to 14 weeks and we aim by continuing recruitment to bring them down to 11 weeks during this year. The waiting list at Banff had shown the same downward trend until very recently. A sharp increase occurred this month, because one of the two examiners covering Banff from Peterhead was expected to be unavailable to conduct tests for three weeks of next month. The traffic area office has since arranged a temporary replacement examiner. Tests initially postponed until April have been advanced to February-March.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to implement the recommendations relating to his responsibilities in the Report, "Social and Economic Responses to Climatic Variability" in the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to his reply, 27 January 1987]: My Department is considering the report, and I shall write to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the last available figure in the fall in employment in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available estimate of employees in employment in Wales shows an increase of 6,000 between March 1986 and June 1986, following a fall of 23,000 between June 1985 and March 1986. In making such comparisons it should be borne in mind that employment is affected by seasonal factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales by how much unemployment has increased in Ceredigion since May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

Information on the number of people unemployed in the district of Ceridigion in May 1979 is not available. A close approximation is the aggregate total of 1,875 unemployed registrants in the three travel-to-work areas, as they were defined at the time, of Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Lampeter. Comparisons between 1979 and the present are difficult to make because of changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data and changes to the boundaries of the travel-to-work areas. The aggregate total of unemployed claimants in the travel-to-work areas of Lampeter and Aberaeron, Aberystwyth and Cardigan, as currently defined, was 4,260 in December 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will increase the expenditure on roads in Wales in the next five years to allow for more motorway construction; and if he will make a statement.

The plans for motorway construction up to the end of 1990 are set out in "Roads in Wales 1985". The programme for the 1990s is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in providing parking areas and facilities along the M4 in Wales; and what plans he has for the next five years.

Parking areas and other facilities are provided at the motorway service areas at Sarn Park and Pont Abraham. It is our policy to encourage the provision of such areas at 25 to 30-mile intervals on the M4 in Wales. Where any proposed service area requires direct access to or from the motorway it is for intending developers to put forward proposals for consideration. There are no plans to provide parking and other facilities outside motorway service areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what policies he has to protect Welsh people, who buy new homes, from defective workmanship; and if he will make a statement.

The National House-Building Council, an independent non-profit making body approved by successive Governments, has successfully encouraged high standards in the house-building industry and offers considerable protection to purchasers through its 10-year structural warranty scheme. It would be prudent for any purchaser buying a new house not covered by a NHBC warranty to seek professional advice.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many empty council homes there are in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

There were 2,804 vacant council dwellings in Wales on 1 April 1986. Our programme of priority estates projects has shown that efficient, locally-based housing management can eliminate the problem of long-term empty dwellings on council estates, and lead to quicker re-letting of newly-vacated properties.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those voluntary projects, organisations and bodies he has funded in Wales since 1979 along with the amount allocated, other than those which he has financed under section 21 of the Education Act 1980, listing those Welsh language projects, organisations and bodies separately.

[pursuant to the reply, 22 January 1987, c. 684]: Those voluntary bodies, organisations and projects in receipt of financial assistance in 1985–86 along with the amounts allocated, are listed in the following table (table 1). For the years 1979–80 to 1984–85 I refer the hon. Gentleman to earlier replies given in the Official Report on 14 July 1980, 22 December 1982, 13 March 1984, 22 December 1985 and 6 February 1986.Grants given to voluntary bodies, organisations and projects for Welsh language purposes since 1979, other than those financed under section 21 of the Education Act 1980, are listed in the following table (table 2).

Table 1
Voluntary bodies in receipt of Welsh Office grant, in 1985–86
	£
Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit	85,000
Age Concern	44,500
Antur Waunfawr	51,847
Arfon Shop Project	30,779
Arts for Disabled	12,533
Ash in Wales	4,021
Association of Crossroads Care Attendant Schemes	8,550
Barnardos	121,820
Boys Brigade	6,535
Boys Clubs	28,900
British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering	39,170
British Trust for Conservation Volunteers	15,467
Capital Grants to Voluntary Youth Services Village Halls and Community Centres	200,000
Cardiff Universities Social Services	176,619
Catholic Childrens Society	25,700
Christ College, Brecon	62,117
Church in Wales Provincial Youth Services	10,664
Clwyd Powys Archaeological Trust Ltd.	85,500
Clwyd Voluntary Services Council	57,282
Coleg Harlech	559,948
Community Services Volunteers	10,350
Council for the Protection of Rural Wales	10,000
Council of Wales for Voluntary Youth Services	28,136
Drive	42,590
Dyfed Archaeological Trust Ltd.	108,840
Dyfed Association of Voluntary Services	63,391
Family Planning Association	7,000
Farming and Wildlife Trust	1,500
Girl Guides	10,220
Glamorgan Community Services Council	17,395
Grant in Aid to Voluntary Organisations under Opportunities for Volunteering Scheme	190,000
Gwent Community Services Council	31,642
Gwent and Glamorgan Archaeological Trust Ltd.	111,437
Gwynedd Archaeological Trust Ltd.	86,600
Gwynedd Drugs Council	4,673
Gwynedd Rural Council	73,816
Gwynedd Social Care Project	25,875
Howells School, Llandaff	132,972
INSTEP/CETYCW	5,835
Intermediate Treatment Scheme	81,198
International Youth Year	7,940
Llandovery College	38,280
Mencap (Pengwern Hall)	24,170
Mencap in Wales	70,600
Mid Glamorgan Steering Group	4,500
Mind	43,167
Monmouth School for Boys	181,642
Monmouth School for Girls	68,761
Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin	119,400

	£
National Children's Homes	29,160
National Council on Alcoholism	6,600
National Gypsy Council	1,100
North Wales Naturalist Trust	2,500
Penrhos College Colwyn Bay	81,090
Playboard	50,000
Powys Community Support Scheme	25,827
Powys Rural Council	61,232
Presbyterian Church in Wales (Youth Services)	3,700
Pre-School Playgroups Association (Wales)	127,310
Prince of Wales Committee	10,300
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents	80,000
Rydal School Colwyn Bay	67,769
South Glamorgan Intervol	13,869
South Wales Planning Aid Services	7,212
Standing Conference of Voluntary Organisations	23,480
St. John's Ambulance Brigade	15,709
Swansea Accommodation for Single Homeless	3,500
Trinity College	1,996,000
TS Indefatigable	11,819
Ty Nyth Hostel	2,730

Table 2
Assistance for the Welsh Language (S. 26 Development of Rural Wales Act 1976)
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86
Publishing—Welsh Books Grant (Via University of Wales Press Board)	91,000	109,000	—	—	—	—	—
Publishing—Welsh Books Council	55,000	68,000	285,000	300,000	318,000	335,000	345,000
Publishing—Schools Book Club (Via Welsh Books Council)	—	—	—	10,000	21,500	—	17,500
Publishing—Schools Book Club (Exhibitions Officer)	—	—	—	—	5,000	5,000	—
Publishing—Welsh National Centre for Childrens Literature	—	—	—	—	13,000	14,000	16,000
Publishing—Urdd Gobaith Cymru (Magazines)	15,000	—	—	—	—	—	—
Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin (Groups)	25,000	30,000	165,000	180,000	190,000	200,000	210,000
Royal National Eisteddfod of Wales	70,000	120,000	157,000	170,000	180,200	150,000	232,000
Bwrdd Ffilmiau Cymraeg	20,000	24,000	67,000	34,100	80,000	7,000	—
Nant Gwrtheyrn	—	—	5,000	—	15,000	—	—
Celtic Film Festival	—	—	2,000	—	—	—	—
Papurau Bro (Via Regional Arts Associations)	—	—	—	15,750	18,000	21,350	21,000
Yr Academi Gymreig	—	—	—	500	21,600	30,000	21,500
Welsh Joint Education Committee	—	—	—	12,000	—	—	—
National Language Unit/Word Processor	—	—	—	7,000	—	—	—
University College of Wales Aberystwyth Resource Centre	—	—	—	15,500	—	—	—
Clwyd Science Survey	—	—	—	250	—	—	—
School Broadcasting Council for Wales	—	—	—	10,000	—	—	—
Young Farmers Clubs	—	—	—	—	3,340	3,500	4,000
Place Names Advisory Committee (Honoraria)	—	—	—	—	600	600	600
Welsh Language Information Technology Pilot Project	—	—	—	—	5,000	—	3,750
Cwmni Theatr Cymru	—	—	—	—	25,000	25,000	—
Welsh National Opera	—	—	—	—	500	374	—
Herched Y Wawr	—	—	—	—	—	10,000	11,500
Y Cymro	—	—	—	—		—	300
—
Sunday Schools Council	—	—	—	—	—	—	13,000
Womens Institute	—	—	—	—	—	—	7,000
400th Anniversary of Translation of Bible into Welsh	—	—	—	—	—	—	5,000
Bangor and Gwynedd Samaritans	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
BBC Sioe Siarad	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Welsh Schools Basketball Association	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
St. John Ambulance	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Welsh Scout Council	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Urdd Gobaith Cymru—Llangrannog	—	—	140,000	145,000	—		—
Urdd Gobaith Cymru—Glanllyn	—	—	—	—	80,000	180,000	196,000
Mudiad Ysgolion Meithrin (HQ)	70,000	87,000	94,000	98,000	102,000	110,350	119,400

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy towards the future of common land.

My right hon. Friend and the Secretary of State for Wales received the report of the Common Land Forum last September. It set out more than 100 recommendations, including detailed proposals for further legislation on common land. The report is agreed by a wide range of various organisations covering a multitude of different interests. We warmly congratulate the chairman and members of the forum both on the comprehensiveness of their suggested reform and on the breadth of the consensus they have achieved.The Government accept the case for future legislation based broadly on the forum's report and intend to introduce a Commons Bill at a suitable opportunity when parliamentary time permits. A consultation paper has accordingly been published today so that all those interested in common land matters should be given an early opportunity to express their views on the forum's report. I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library. The responses, which should be submitted by 1 May, will then be taken into account in the preparation of the legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all private, corporate or governmental sources of polychlorinated biphenyls presently being discharged into any of the United Kingdom's freshwater, estuarine or marine ecosystems; and if such a practice is prohibited.

There are no authorised discharges of polychlorinated biphenyls to water in the United Kingdom. There has been a ban on all unconfined uses of these materials since 1980 and there is now a ban on any new uses.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the projects funded by his Department in 1983, 1984 and 1985 to research and develop waste and emission treatment technologies to reduce wastes and emissions to the environment in general;(2) if he will list the projects funded by his Department in 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86 to research and develop waste and emission treatment technologies to reduce wastes and emissions to the aqueous environment.

The Department is currently funding some 70 research and development projects on waste and emission treatment technologies to reduce wastes and emissions to the environment in general. The bulk of these are concerned with radioactive waste management; other work is undertaken on the treatment of land wastes and air pollution. I will write to the hon. Member listing these projects and those undertaken additionally in 1983–84 and 1984–85, and will indicate which projects cover the reduction of wastes and emissions to the aqueous environment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much was spent in 1983–84, 1984–85 and 1985–86 on research designed to examine and improve knowledge on sedimentation processes and accumulation, as well as on remobilisation of hazardous substances in the aquatic environment.

Research expenditure by my Department in this subject area was as follows:

	£
1983–84	556,000
1984–85	567,000
1985–86	542,000

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what, in research terms, are the main priority areas being tackled by Her Majesty's Government to improve scientific knowledge of the North sea.

Much of the ongoing research undertaken by the Fisheries Departments and the marine science programmes of the research councils is relevant.Examples of some areas of particular relevance to the North sea are: monitoring coastal discharges, dumping sites and North sea oil and gas installations; monitoring plankton productivity and studying factors that influence it; modelling water sediment movements to gain an understanding of nutrient and pollutant transfer.The outcome of the North sea conference next November will influence future priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what, in research terms, are the main priority areas being tackled by Her Majesty's Government to improve knowledge of aquatic ecosystems.

The priority areas of research being tackled by my Department to improve knowledge of aquatic ecosystems are:

1. Effects of pollutants in water.

2. Sediment processes and heavy metals in estuaries.

3. Disposal of sewage sludge to sea and its effects.

4. Nitrate processes in water.

5. Eutrophication processes.

6. The role of acid deposition in freshwater quality.

I understand that the Agriculture Departments' research priority areas in this field are:

asked the Secretary of State for Environment (1) if he will show for each year since 1979 what was the rate poundage for Brighton borough council and East Sussex county council;(2) what has been the rate level in each year since 1974 for Brighton borough council and East Sussex county council; and what has been the Brighton share of the county council rate in each year;(3) what proportion of East Sussex county council revenue has been raised from Brighton ratepayers in each year since 1974; and what proportion of the county's expenditure in each year has been spent on services for Brighton residents.

The following is the available information on rate poundages in Brighton and East Sussex from 1974–75, and Brighton's percentage of East Sussex's precept income. No information is held centrally on the proportion of county council expenditure on services in individual districts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the rate support grant for

	Brighton's local rate	East Sussex county precept	Brighton's precept payment to East Sussex as percentage of East Sussex's precept income
	(p)	(p)
1974–75	18·80	41·70	25·8
1975–76	23·55	48·65	24·1
1976–77	27·80	55·40	23·8
1977–78	30·00	63·30	24·3
1978–79	31·00	68·20	24·0
1979–80	25·20	84·50	23·6
1980–81	27·80	101·40	23·5
1981–82	30·50	113·00	24·8
1982–83	34·20	128·60	24·7
1983–84	34·20	134·00	24·6
1984–85	34·20	140·60	24·4
1985–86	37·70	147·30	24·2
1986–87	36·70	176·60	24·3
NB Due to changes in the distribution of the Rate Support Grant between 1979–80 and 1981–82, the rate poundages for the later years are not comparable with the earlier figures.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to intervene to help those local authorities in London and the south-east which are at present unable to fill a large number of vacant senior posts.

No. The responsibility lies with the elected councils.

My right hon. Friend announced on 13 January his firm intentions for the 1987–88 rate support grant settlement, and for the first supplementary rate support grant report for 1986–87. On the basis of these intentions, if Bradford metropolitan district council increases its current expenditure next year by 5¼ per cent. it stands to receive £137·706 million block grant, which is £10·426 million (8·2 per cent.) more than in 1986–87. If the council raises its spending in line with the rate of inflation, it stands to receive £138·414 million block grant, an increase of £11·133 million (8·7 per cent.) on 1986–87. These increases could enable Bradford to reduce the local rate by 7·3 per cent. or by 12 per cent. respectively. On the basis of the Secretary of State for Education and Science's proposals on teachers' pay, Bradford could receive a further £3·4 million in grant and the rate reductions would be about 2 per cent. less.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect his recent statements on the rate support grant and rate limitation will have upon ratepayers in the London borough of Camden in the coming financial year.

The Local Government Finance Bill will allow the London borough of Camden to levy a local rate for 1987–88 of no more than 120·7p in the pound, an increase of 1·5 per cent. on 1986–87. The second largest element in Camden rate bills, the ILEA precept, will be limited to an increase of no more than 3·2 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a detailed breakdown of income over the last 10 years for each of the national sports centres funded by the Sports Council.

The following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current asset values of the premises and equipment of the national sports centres; and what were those values in 1971.

This information is not available in the form requested. A note to the audited accounts of the Sports Council for the year ending 31 March 1986 observed:

"Market values of the Sports Council Trust's land and buildings have not been determined, as the valuation could not be provided on any recognised meaningful basis".

On a historic cost basis, the figure appearing in the accounts apportioned to exclude assets outside the national centres is £22,398,154 gross before depreciation is accounted for. The equivalent figure at 31 March 1971 was £1,147,449.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the performance of the Central Council for Physical Recreation of its duties under the 1971 agreement with his Department and the Sports Council.

The Department is not a party to the heads of agreement of 1972 under which the Sports Council funds the CCPR.It is for the council to discuss with the CCPR each year its objectives and performance to ensure that the CCPR is using public funds efficiently and effectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the financial controls applied to the staging of international sporting events at the national sports centres funded by the Sports Council.

In any international event which is grant-aided by the Sports Council, the council's standard grant conditions apply. These involve proper budgetary control and audit checks where these are considered necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide details of the terms of reference and results to date of work undertaken by Mr. David Teesdale since his appointment to the Sports Council; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the Sports Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring before the House legislation to reduce nitrogen emissions by 50 per cent. over a three-year period giving special attention to nitrogen-based fertilisers.

Following the publication of the nitrate co-ordination group report in December I am considering how nitrate concentrations in water may be limited. This includes examination of the practicality and suitability of powers available under existing legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to make new schemes for loft insulation grants.

My right hon. Friend will lay the new scheme before Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received an application from the London borough of Greenwich for the designation of a 111-acre site at Northon Way, SE28, as an industrial improvement area; and when he expects to announce his decision.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no locus in the declaration of this improvement area. I understand that a resolution to declare this site at Nathan way, SE28 an industrial improvement area has been passed by the London borough of Greenwich. It takes effect on 4 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the future of the homes insulation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing, Urban Affairs and Construction announced proposed changes to the homes insulation scheme on 19 December in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Devon North (Vol. 107 Col. 756). The new scheme to be laid before Parliament would withdraw the general rate of grant at 66 per cent., but would extend the availability of the 90 per cent. grant to all householders in receipt of housing benefit or supplementary benefit (provided the other conditions of the scheme were fulfilled).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his Department's policy towards calling in planning applications to develop facilities in excess of 10,000 square feet; and if he will make a statement.

The policy of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is to be very selective about calling in applications for his decision, and in general he will do so only if planning issues of more than local importance are involved. In that context the size of the particular development might be a relevant factor, depending on the circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he has yet received a report from the Building Research Establishment on Reema Conclad houses; and if he will make a statement.

The building research establishment is undertaking a major study of large panel system flats and houses, including Reema flats and houses. A number of papers have already been published and BRE's major report, on the structural integrity and durability of large panel buildings, should be available later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, why the Parliamentary Under-Secretary responsible for sports sponsorship refused to meet the secretary and senior officials of the British Medical Association to discuss this matter.

As part of the consultation on the new voluntary agreement on tobacco sponsorship in sport, my predecessor met the British Medical Association in February 1985. In response to its request late in 1986 I agreed to a further meeting but it proved impossible to find a mutually convenient date before publication of the agreement. This was explained to the association, which was invited instead to submit any further representations in writing, to which it agreed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will exempt (a) Exmoor and (b) other areas where management agreements exist from the provisions of the Town and Country Planning (Agriculture and Forestry Development in National Parks etc.) Special Development Order 1986.

No. The Government consider that these discretionary controls should apply in all national parks in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate for sales of council houses under the Housing Act 1980 during 1987; and if he will make a statement.

About 82,500 English local authority dwellings are currently forecast to be sold in 1986–87 and a further 72,500 in 1987–88 under the right-to-buy provisions of the Housing Act 1980 and subsequent legislation. Further details about the forecasts of local authority capital receipts from sales of their stock are shown in paragraph 25 of the housing chapter of "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1987–88 to 1989–90 Volume II" (Cmnd. 56-II).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total United Kingdom stock of council houses; and how many have been sold to date.

More than 1 million local authority, new town and housing association dwellings have been sold in Great Britain since this Government took office and the remaining stock is under 6·5 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will rank in descending order the individual housing investment programme allocations for 1987–88 made to all districts and boroughs in England.

The initial investment programme allocations for 1987–88 for authorities in England are given in the following table. Some authorities will also receive special allocations for schemes devised in conjunction with Estate Action, or to help them meet their obligations under housing defects legislation.

Housing investment programme allocations 1987–88
Local authority	£'000
Birmingham	49,766
Lambeth	33,069
Southwark	29,492
Manchester	28,840
Hackney	27,742
Camden	25,559
Islington	25,002
Liverpool	24,800
Haringey	21,671
Lewisham	21,052
Leeds	19,861
Brent	18,744
Newham	17,574
Sheffield	17,315
Wandsworth	16,186
Greenwich	15,556
Tower Hamlets	14,997
Hammersmith and Fulham	14,483
Salford	13,608
Bradford	12,903
Westminster	12,748
Kensington and Chelsea	12,280
Leicester	12,000
Nottingham	11,091
Ealing	10,593
Sandwell	10,523
Bolton	10,280
Kingston upon Hull	9,939
Bristol	9,762
Rochdale	8,605
Oldham	8,528
Newcastle upon Tyne	8,408
Tameside	8,037
Kirklees	8,017
Wolverhampton	7,967
Walsall	7,709
Plymouth	7,451
Waltham Forest	7,205
Hounslow	6,984
Wirral	6,902
Wakefield	6,720
Stoke-on-Trent	6,648
Blackburn	6,483
Doncaster	6,466
Coventry	6,166
Wigan	6,148
Middlesbrough	6,100
Derby	5,668
Croydon	5,657
Rotherham	5,628
Norwich	5,475
Barnsley	5,346
Hillingdon	5,338
Sefton	5,188
Portsmouth	5,122
South Tyneside	5,120
North Tyneside	5,032
Barnet	4,926
Brighton	4,925
Gateshead	4,800

Local authority	£'000
Enfield	4,765
Southampton	4,743
Bromley	4,735
St. Helens	4,618
Knowsley	4,547
Thamesdown	4,410
Ipswich	4,301
Barking and Dagenham	4,152
Oxford	4,124
Merton	4,055
Sunderland	4,016
Havering	3,930
Redbridge	3,777
Dudley	3,700
Calderdale	3,682
Harrow	3,676
Reading	3,660
Easington	3,620
Bury	3,511
Trafford	3,477
Burnley	3,431
Rugby	3,376
Preston	3,360
Stockport	3,343
Ashford	3,327
Bexley	3,297
Langbaurgh	3,236
Basingstoke and Deane	3,219
Test Valley	3,216
Luton	3,193
Richmond upon Thames	3,065
Stockton-on-Tees	3,024
Hartlepool	2,936
Warrington	2,909
Swale	2,830
North Bedfordshire	2,829
New Forest	2,768
Hastings	2,704
Peterborough	2,684
Cambridge	2,669
Hyndburn	2,636
Kings Lynn and West Norfolk	2,617
Bournemouth	2,540
Pendle	2,526
Sedgefield	2,456
Rushmoor	2,451
Northampton	2,443
Breckland	2,420
Dover	2,395
Wycombe	2,358
Aylesbury Vale	2,344
Huntingdonshire	2,337
Sutton	2,298
Allerdale	2,277
Lancaster	2,269
East Staffordshire	2,268
Newbury	2,246
Waveney	2,217
Tendring	2,200
Colchester	2,195
Canterbury	2,193
Maidstone	2,136
Malvern Hills	2,130
Southend-on-Sea	2,126
Great Grimsby	2,122
Hove	2,104
Horsham	2,101
Gravesham	2,092
Thanet	2,070
Thurrock	2,069
Worcester	2,060
York	2,044
Cheltenham	2,042
Chester	2,035
Derwentside	2,023
Gloucester	2.020
Mid Suffolk	2,015

Local authority	£'000
The Wrekin	1,990
Basildon	1,988
South Somerset	1,967
Carlisle	1,957
Slough	1,956
Chelmsford	1,955
Eastleigh	1,954
Elmbridge	1,945
Windsor and Maidenhead	1,944
Guildford	1,941
Welwyn Hatfield	1,937
Amber Valley	1,933
Cherwell	1,929
Mansfield	1,924
Halton	1,916
Braintree	1,888
East Hertfordshire	1,881
High Peak	1,877
Charnwood	1,876
North Norfolk	1,875
Medina	1,870
Newcastle-under-Lyme	1,863
Erewash	1,855
Stevenage	1,844
Shepway	1,844
Teign bridge	1,839
East Lindsey	1,812
Epping Forest	1,811
Lichfield	1,808
Sevenoaks	1,798
Gillingham	1,792
Eastbourne	1,790
Great Yarmouth	1,790
Wealden	1,784
Winchester	1,784
Waverley	1,784
Durham	1,784
Wo king	1,781
Reigate and Banstead	1,780
Chichester	1,779
St. Albans	1,777
Crawley	1,776
Chesterfield	1,774
Rossendale	1,774
Broxbourne	1,769
Tamworth	1,766
Dartford	1,755
Rochester upon Medway	1,754
Barrow-in-Furness	1,752
Blackpool	1,746
North East Derbyshire	1,737
South Oxfordshire	1,728
Gosport	1,726
Woodspring	1,726
Runnymede	1,720
Forest of Dean	1,713
Macclesfield	1,712
Bracknell	1,710
Crewe and Nantwich	1,709
North Hertfordshire	1,706
Milton Keynes	1,704
Watford	1,704
Spelthorne	1,704
Lincoln	1,697
Hertsmere	1,696
West Lancashire	1,685
Shrewsbury and Atcham	1,644
North Devon	1,636
Tonbridge and Malling	1,636
Suffolk Coastal	1,628
Broadlane	1,624
Darlington	1,624
Lewes	1,624
Ashfield	1,615
Nuneaton and Bedworth	1,615
Tunbridge Wells	1,614
Chorley	1,602

Local authority	£'000
Newark and Sherwood	1,600
North West Leicestershire	1,577
Restormel	1,573
Dacorum	1,552
Vale of White Horse	1,552
South Norfolk	1,549
Stroud	1,547
Blyth Valley	1,536
Bath	1,529
West Oxfordshire	1,528
Bassetlaw	1,519
Mendip	1,513
South Hams	1,513
South Kesteven	1,492
Wyre Forest	1,492
Torbay	1,491
Kerrier	1,491
Carrick	1,490
Copeland	1,482
South Cambridgeshire	1,480
Weymouth and Portland	1,477
Mid Bedfordshire	1,464
Kingston upon Thames	1,464
East Hampshire	1,458
Havant	1,457
Taunton Deane	1,436
Penwith	1,433
Bolsover	1,424
North Cornwall	1,416
South Wight	1,408
Wear Valley	1,400
Kettering	1,398
Babergh	1,395
Harlow	1,395
Arun	1,383
Mid Sussex	1,379
South Lakeland	1,338
Poole	1,336
Rushcliffe	1,327
Broxtowe	1,322
Sedgemoor	1,320
Exeter	1,308
Mole Valley	1,304
Worthing	1,304
Caradon	1,300
Vale Royal	1,295
West Wiltshire	1,284
Tewkesbury	1,278
North Wiltshire	1,276
Salisbury	1,273
Solihull	1,266
Adur	1,263
Scunthorpe	1,255
Wansbeck	1,248
Harrogate	1,247
Castle Morpeth	1,240
South Ribble	1,236
Torridge	1,230
Rochford	1,229
St. Edmundsbury	1,218
Northavon	1,216
Stratford-on-Avon	1,206
Mid Devon	1,197
Fareham	1,184
Rother	1,180
Gedling	1,176
Stafford	1,176
West Derbyshire	1,161
Kennet	1,159
Warwick	1,153
West Dorset	1,152
Wokingham	1,150
Kingswood	1,139
Wychavon	1,139
Fenland	1,137
South Bucks	1,131
North Kesteven	1,130

Local authority	£'000
South Derbyshire	1,129
Cannock Chase	1,127
Uttlesford	1,126
Hinckley and Bosworth	1,104
West Lindsey	1,096
East Devon	1,085
Cotswold	1,070
South Staffordshire	1,067
Staffordshire Moorlands	1,057
East Cambridgeshire	1,052
Alnwick	1,048
Three Rivers	1,048
Tandridge	1,019
Scarborough	1,016
Hart	1,015
Surrey Heath	1,012
South Holland	1,010
Selby	980
South Bedfordshire	977
Wyre	948
South Herefordshire	942
Hereford	936
Beverley	929
Leominster	926
Wellingborough	917
Redditch	914
Fylde	908
Wimborne	900
Chiltern	897
West Devon	896
East Northamptonshire	882
Epsom and Ewell	880
Tynedale	860
Harborough	860
Wansdyke	845
East Yorkshire	833
Chester-le-Street	832
Corby	817
Berwick-upon-Tweed	808
Cleethorpes	803
Conglcton	780
Boston	762
Glanford	756
West Somerset	744
Daventry	738
Teesdale	736
Ryedale	731
Forest Heath	729
Maldon	729
North Shropshire	728
Eden	727
Boothferry	726
Purbeck	720
Melton	709
Brentwood	700
Hambleton	699
South Northamptonshire	698
Castle Point	692
Ribble Valley	686
Ellesmere Port and Neston	680
North Dorset	678
Oswestry	678
South Shropshire	663
Bromsgrove	637
Craven	604
Christchurch	598
Oadby and Wigston	580
Bridgnorth	578
Blaby	540
Holderness	509
Richmondshire	497
North Warwickshire	486
Rutland	470
City of London	334
Isles of Scilly	165

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he plans to alter the prescribed expenditure amounts in respect of improved dwellings to be let under assured tenancies.

An order will shortly be made altering the minimum levels of expenditure which must have been incurred on an existing dwelling before it can be let under an assured tenancy. These will be set at £7,000 in Greater London and £5,000 elsewhere in England and Wales. This will replace the existing thresholds of £5,000 in Greater London and £4,000 elsewhere, which were set out in the Assured Tenancies (Prescribed Amount) Order 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek powers to institute a differential rating scheme for small shops and post offices in rural communities; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 January 1987, c. 369]: No. But the revaluation of non domestic properties, which is intended to come into effect from 1990, should ensure that these valuable local amenities then have rateable values which reflect up-to-date rental values.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to the answer of 23 January, for what reason the Serjeant at Arms' Department requested printouts from telephone logging equipment on 17 October and 19 November; and to whom the printouts were made available.

The printout provided from the telephone logging equipment on 17 October was requested for system management purposes to monitor the use of Palace of Westminster telephone extensions in public places.The printout provided on 19 November was requested to enable the use of the telephone booths under the staircase leading from the Lower Waiting Hall to the Centre Curtain to be monitored. This was in order to establish the use made of these telephones in the context of an accommodation matter which was being discussed by the Catering and the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committees of the Services Committee.In both the above cases the printouts contained information on telephone extensions in public places only. They were made available only to the Serjeant at Arms' office and were destroyed after use.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will arrange for the compilation of a special up-to-date edition of the ministerial section of the House of Commons telephone directory; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal, pursuant to his answer of 20 January to the right hon. Member for Worthing, Official Report, column 467, if he will print the pages of the Palace of Westminster telephone directory covering Ministers in both Houses' telephone numbers.

I refer to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 26 January 1987, at column 17. in which it is confirmed that new sections of the Palace of Westminster directory will be available in approximately two weeks' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on current research into solar energy utilisation and investment in solar energy.

My Department is supporting a comprehensive research and development programme aimed at providing detailed advice on passive solar design for both domestic and non-domestic buildings in the United Kingdom. The programme has already established that considerable reductions in energy consumption can be achieved by utilising passive solar features in both new and existing houses in the United Kingdom.An expanded programme is now under way, with expenditure expected to increase from £500,000 in 1985–86 to £2·5 million a year by 1988–89. A number of United Kingdom companies are collaborating with my Department in this work and are making substantial investments in both the research and development and product development. This expanded programme has four main elements:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of the results of monitoring of waste discharged from oil production and drilling platforms under the United Kingdom jurisdiction reported to Her Majesty's Government in 1984–85 and 1985–86 contained more than 40 mg of oil per litre as a monthly average.

The target standard of 40 mg of oil per litre of water, as a monthly average, applies to water discharged offshore after separation from the produced oil. In 1984, 1985 and 1986 the percentage of reports recording discharges which exceed 40 mg per litre of oil in water on a monthly average were 24 per cent., 25 per cent. and 22 per cent. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many offshore installations are within his jurisdiction in the North sea; and how many have informed him that they have appointed an offshore installations manager.

There are 317 offshore installations registered in the register of offshore installations kept in accordance with the Offshore Installations (Registration) Regulations 1972 (S.1. 1972/707).The number of installations within the Secretary of State's jurisdiction varies since some of them are mobile and operate, from time to time, outside controlled waters. For the period 14 January 1987 to 21 January 1987 the total number of offshore installations within his jurisdiction was 163 (95 fixed and 68 mobile).The owner of each offshore installation which is in controlled waters is required, by section 4 of the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971, to appoint a manager to the installation and to inform the Secretary of State of the appointment. All owners have done so.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many inspectors are employed to ensure compliance with regulations for the prevention and reduction of oil pollution at present; and if he will give details of the last five years of any fluctuations in the number of personnel so employed.

There are at present two inspectors employed by my Department to ensure compliance with regulations for the prevention and reduction of oil pollution.From January 1982 to June 1982 there were two inspectors, from June 1982 to April 1983 one, from April 1983 to October 1985 two, and from October 1985 to January 1986 one.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements exist to compensate those who suffer loss as a result of an accident in any nuclear reactor; and what is the extent of that compensation.

The Nuclear Installations Act 1965 (as amended) makes the operator of a nuclear installation liable to pay compensation up to specified limits (usually £20 million) in respect of injury or damage arising Flom a nuclear accident. The operator must provide financial security, by insurance or otherwise, to meet such claims. Claims in excess of the operator's liability and up to the sterling equivalent of 300 million SDR (currently about £250 million) would be met from public funds. Beyond that, the Act provides that claims shall be satisfied to such extent and out of funds provided by such means as Parliament may determine.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 17 July 1986, Official Report, column 567, if he will estimate the cost of provision of the information on nuclear materials which he states could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

I have nothing to add to my previous answer.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, East, (Mr. Strang) on 10 December 1986, Official Report, column 196, if he will now make it his policy to publish all papers connected with emergency plans for nuclear installations.

No. However, the detailed emergency plans for each civil nuclear site have been, or are about to be, published by the operators.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply of 12 December 1986 to the hon. Member for Yeovil, (Mr. Ashdown) Official Report, columns 245–246, if he will list those areas of information on civil plutonium arising from Magnox reactors on which it is current policy not to provide information on grounds of (a) commercial confidentiality and (b) national security.

The reprocessing and storage of spent nuclear fuel from Magnox reactors is subject to contractual agreements between commercial partners. In common with the practice in other areas of business, confidential information arising under such agreements is not disclosed without the agreement of the partners.Information is not provided on national security grounds where to do so would permit inferences to be drawn about classified information on, for example, non-civil operations. In this connection, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 28 January 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy why he will not place in the Library copies of the account records on the accident at Sellafield on 23 January 1986 to which he referred in his reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy of 23 July 1986, Official Report, column 283.

A detailed analysis of the incident in question was published in the Health and Safety Executive's safety audit of BNFL Sellafield 1986, volume 2, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member on 18 December 1986, at column 620, the nuclear installations inspectorate has access to any information relevant to nuclear safety. However, detailed information on reprocessing operations is not made publicly available for reasons of commercial sensitivity and national security.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many limited companies make annual reports to his Department; and if he will list them.

As a shareholder my right hon. Friend currently receives the annual reports of Amersham International Ltd., British Gas plc, British Nuclear Fuels plc, and UK NIREX Ltd.Under an accounts direction given by my right hon. Friend to British Coal he receives the annual reports of NCB (itncillaries) Ltd. and Coal Products Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether there are any currently active consents in force for the development of coal-fired power stations in Wales and England.

Consent under section 2 of the Electric Lighting Act 1909, as amended, was given in 1973 for a 2,000 MW coal-fired power station at West Burton B. This station has not been built and the associated planning permission has since lapsed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if, in relation to Hartlepool nuclear power station, his Department will conduct an inquiry into (a) measures to ensure that in the event of an accident in severe weather conditions, emergency service personnel do not spend sufficient time within the disaster area to receive a fatal radiation dose and (b) the effects of such weather conditions on the mobility of fire engines; and if he will make a statement on the adequacy of current arrangements for a nuclear accident;(2) what assessment has been made as to whether, under severe weather conditions, the emergency plan for Hartlepool nuclear power station could be successfully extended beyond the immediate area for which a detailed plan exists in the event of a worst case reactor accident; and if he will make a statement.

In view of the numerous protective measures and safeguards embodied in the design, construction and operation of nuclear plant in the United Kingdom the likelihood of an accident of such severity that significant doses of radiation would be received by any onsite personnel is extremely remote.It is for the relevant emergency services themselves to ensure their capability for responding to any civil contingency within the added difficulties which severe weather conditions would impose.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the replies to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) of 2 May 1986, Official Report, columns 502–503, and to the hon. Member for Stockton, North (Mr. Cook) of 12 January, Official Report, column 505, if he will now make it his policy to inform the Governments of Italy and Japan that despite there being no contractual agreement at present it is intended that all of the low-level radioactive waste arising (a) from imported spent Magnox fuel from the Italian Latina reactor and the Japanese Tokai Mura reactor and (b) indirectly from contaminated material arising from the reprocessing of this spent Magnox fuel at Sellafield, will be returned in full to the respective countries for disposal.

I have nothing to add to my previous answers on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the country's capacity to produce any kind of power station exclusively in the United Kingdom

The United Kingdom power generation equipment industry has a comprehensive manufacturing capability which has in the past been able to meet the electricity supply industry's requirements for power stations and will, I am sure, continue to do so in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on the balance of payments in relation to manufactured goods.

The balance of trade in manufactures was in deficit by £5£9 billion in 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reports he received in 1985 or 1986 recommending an inquiry into share-dealing by Gerald Ronson or his companies.

My right hon. Friend does not disclose individuals or companies mentioned in reports of this nature unless he decides to appoint inspectors under sections 432, 442 or 446 of the Companies Act (in which case their report will normally be published); or unless criminal proceedings are instituted.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the volume of Palestinian produce that has left the West Bank and Gaza for Europe subsequent to the recent concession; and if he will make a statement.

Council regulation (EEC) No. 3363/86 of 27 October 1986 on the tariff arrangements applicable to imports into the Community of products originating in the occupied territories entered into force on 16 November 1986. Information on subsequent trade is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what occasions since June 1979 his Department had to introduce amending legislation to (a) legislation introduced since June 1979 because of doubts about legality or because such legislation had been successfully challenged in the courts and (b) amend or withdraw orders introduced since June 1979, because of doubts about legality or because such orders had been successfully challenged in the courts.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 January 1987, c. 82]: Of approximately 60 public Acts and 1,100 statutory instruments within the field of responsibility of my Department and its predecessors which have been passed or have come into effect since June 1979, I am aware of only four items of legislation which may be considered to fall within the terms of the hon. Member's question. The details are as follows.As a result of the judgment of the European Court of Justice in case 207/83 (Commission v. United Kingdom), when the Commission of the European Communities successfully challenged the United Kingdom Trade Descriptions (Origin Marking) (Miscellaneous Goods) Order 1981 (S.I. 1981/121) on the grounds that it had equivalent effect to a quantitative restriction on imports contrary to article 30 of the treaty of Rome, that order was revoked on 8 March 1986. Also, in the light of a reasoned opinion of the Commission to the effect that maintenance in force of the Trade Descriptions Act 1972 (which imposes requirements as to origin marking for certain categories of goods) is a breach of article 30, the Government by what is now clause 48(2)(a) of the Consumer Protection Bill intends to provide for the repeal of that Act.Secondly, the Insurance Companies (Advertisements) (Amendment) Regulations 1983 (S.1. 1983/48) contained a defective and inoperable definition of the advertisements to which the Regulations were to apply. This was drawn to my Department's attention by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments. The regulations were therefore revoked (without ever coming into effect) on 12 April 1983 by the Insurance Companies (Advertisements) (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 1983 (S.I. 1983/396), and replaced by new provisions which came into force on 1 May 1983.Lastly, the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments reported in February 1986 (eleventh report, Session 1985–86) that there was doubt about the vires of the Consumer Credit (Exempt Agreements) (No. 2) (Amendment No. 2) Order 1985 (Si 1985/1918). As a result of that report, the enabling powers in section 16(1) of the Consumer Credit Act 1974 were amended by section 22 of the Housing and Planning Act 1986.

asked the Attorney-General on what date he asked the Metropolitan police to carry out an investigation into matters arising from information given to Mr. Duncan Campbell about project Zircon; and what precise lines of inquiry he suggested to the police.

On Friday 23 January 1987 the Director of Public Prosecutions, at the request of the Attorney-General, asked the Metropolitan police to investigate possible breaches of the Official Secrets Act. 1911 arising out of the publication in the New Statesman magazine of a report entitled "The Parliamentary bypass operation". It is the policy of both the Attorney-General and the Director of Public Prosecutions not to give details of advice provided to police about the conduct of current investigations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total level of local authority expenditure on education in each year since 1978–79 in 1986–87 prices.

The table shows actual outturn expenditure (both current and capital) by local education authorities in England from 1978–79 to 1984–85, provisional outturn for 1985–86, and estimated outturn for 1986–87. The figures have been revalued to 1986–87 prices using the GDP (market prices) deflator.