asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Moodiesburn, Lanarkshire.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when she next proposes to pay an official visit to Wales.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will consider increasing the age addition for those aged 80 years and over.

I have no plans to do so. However, from April 1988 a higher level of help will be available to pensioners aged 80 and over who are on low incomes through an automatic higher-rate premium in the new income support scheme.

asked the Prime Minister what arrangements have been made for the European Council to consider the EEC budget; and if she will make a statement.

As I informed my hon. Friend on 10 February, at column 159, the agenda for the next European Council has not yet been fixed.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government that no commitment will be made on behalf of the United Kingdom in the present Parliament which would have the effect of increasing the United Kingdom contribution to the European Economic Community budget now or in the future above the amount payable under the present formula; and if she will publish in the Official Report the percentage increase in the United Kingdom contribution in each of the past three years and the expected increase in the current year compared with the percentage increase in public expenditure at central and local level in the United Kingdom.

Yes. I have made it clear that there is no question of the Government putting any increase in the Community's own resources ceiling to the present Parliament.The net financial obligations on the United Kingdom resulting from successive Community budgets on a calendar year basis are shown in table 3.3.1 in the public expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 56-II) and the net

payments to the European Community budget on a financial year basis in table 3.3. The percentage changes in the net payments to the European Community budget, after taking account of the effects of refunds or abatements, shown in table 3.3, are:

	Percentage
1984–85	+18
1985–86	-12
1986–87	+27
1987–88	-16

The comparable figures for central and local government expenditure are given in table 2.3. The percentage increases are:

	central government	local government
1984–85	+8	+5
1985–86	+7	+1
1986–87	+6	+10
1987–88	+3	+4

asked the Prime Minister whether she will publish in the Official Report a list of the economic benefits which the United Kingdom obtained from membership of the European Economic Community in 1986, together with details of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Economic Community budget.

The Government's assessment of the economic benefits which the United Kingdom obtains from membership of the European Community is contained in their evidence to the Treasury and Civil Service Sub-committee inquiry into the financial arid economic consequences of United Kingdom membership of the European Communities (House of' Commons 57-II, Session 1984–85).A final outturn figure for the United Kingdom's net contribution to the EC budget in 1986 is not yet available. A preliminary estimate of £326 million was published last October in the White Paper on the 1986 Community budget (Cmnd. 9907).

asked the Prime Minister whether it was with her authority that Mr. Bernard Ingham and the No. 10 Downing street Private Office were in touch with the Strathclyde police in relation to the seizure of documents at BBC Scotland on 1 February.

Ministers have made clear repeatedly in the House that the Government did not intervene in the application for a warrant to search the premises of the BBC in Glasgow. The hon. Gentleman's allegation is totally unfounded. At no time has any member of the No. 10 staff been in touch with the Strathclyde police about the matter.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will now publish the itinerary of her impending visit to Moscow.

The arrangements for my visit are under discussion.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 February.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 17 February.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, including one with the President of the Congo. I attended a service of thanksgiving for the life and work of Sir Edward Youde, former Governor of Hong Kong. In addition to my duties in this House I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list those recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts since 1983 affecting his Department which have been implemented.

I refer the hon. Member to the Treasury minutes published in response to the relevant PAC reports (Cmnd. 9178, 9325, 9368, 9546, 9696, 9743, 9755, 9776 and 9917). The Committee, on which the hon. Member serves, monitors departmental progress with accepted recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the draft regulation under consideration by the European Commission which would extend European anti-dumping duties to cover all the components of products subject to anti-dumping duties.

The Government sympathise with the objective of ensuring that anti-dumping action is not undermined by imports of components; but, equally, we attach great importance to encouraging genuine inward investment. We are examining the draft regulation from that standpoint.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about grants available to foreign companies undertaking developments in the United Kingdom.

There is no discrimination in the provision of grants between British and foreign-owned companies undertaking developments in the United Kingdom. The main grants which may be available to qualifying projects are national and regional selective assistance, regional development grants, and support for innovation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the external financing limit for British Shipbuilders for 1986–87.

In the debate on the British Shipbuilders (Borrowing Powers) Bill on 8 December I announced that British Shipbuilders external finance limit for 1986–87 would be revised formally once we were clearer about how some of the major uncertainties arising from the corporation's clients were to be resolved. In the meantime, I announced a firm limit of £155 million on the financing needs of the continuing businesses in areas the corporation could control.The position on the major uncertainties is now such as to allow a new EFL of £244 million to be set, which means an increase of £114 million over the existing RFL of £130 million. The largest element of this increase is a cash requirement of £41 million in 1986–87 as a direct result of the receivership of International Transport Management Limited. As I told the House on 8 December, BS has advised that it expects to be able to recover some of these costs in due course.Provision for this additional funding in the form of public dividend capital is subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate. The increase in the EFL will be charged to the reserve net of some offsetting savings on existing programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report, a table showing imports and exports of (a) crude oil and (b) petroleum products in terms of weight and value for the United Kingdom and such information as is available to him about the United States of America, Japan, Germany, France, Italy, Holland and Belgium for 1972, 1979, 1985 and to the latest available date in 1986.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps are taken to ensure that complete cars imported by General Motors from their plants in Germany are not being sold at less than the fair market value in their country of origin;(2) whether he will impose an anti-dumping duty on imports of commercial vehicles from MAN of Germany; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any evidence that imports of tobacco products from West Germany are being sold here at less than the fair market value in the country of origin after taking into account insurance and freight charges; and if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the volume and value of United Kingdom imports of tobacco products from, and exports to, West Germany in 1970, 1979 and each year from 1983 respectively.

The United Kingdom cigarette manufacturing industry has presented evidence that manufacturers in the Federal Republic of Germany (including West Berlin) have adopted marginal costing policies in respect of imports of tobacco products into the United Kingdom. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stalybridge and Hyde (Mr. Pendry) on 3 February, at column 559. The following is the information requested:

	Imports1		Exports2
	Value £ million	Volume m/tonnes	Value £ million	Volume m/tonnes
1970	30·0	8	1·9	1,066
1979	4·0	566	6·8	1,135
1983	9·9	1,296	10·5	1,293
1984	31·7	6,858	8·3	894
1985	49·1	10,728	11·0	1,234
41986	63·1	13,542	9·4	865
1 Imports = CIF
2 Exports = FOB
3 0·0 = less than £100,000
4 Estimated

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has evidence of the unlawful marketing by the Singapore Government in Malaysia and Thailand of trackway in breach of a British patent held by Laird (Anglesey) Ltd.

My Department has no such evidence. However, the allegation that unauthorised production is taking place in Singapore is under investigation by the licensing branch of the Ministry of Defence.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will call for the assistance of the fraud squad of the Metropolitan and City police forces to help in the Guinness investigation; and if he will make a statement.

The Guinness investigation is proceeding with all possible expedition and there is close liaison with the Crown Prosecution Service, which is being advised by leading counsel. It is for the Director of Public Prosecutions to decide whether and when to institute police inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received any representations concerning the conduct of members of the firm of stockbrokers Cazenove in the Guinness affair.

The Guinness investigation is proceeding expeditiously. My right hon. Friend has received no specific representations about the conduct of members of Cazenoves in the affairs or membership of Guinness plc.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his inspectors have sought information on the conduct of members of the firm of stockbrokers Cazenove from the takeover panel of the Stock Exchange in relation to Guinness plc.

It would not be in the public interest to give detailed information about the investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the inspectors dealing with the Guinness inquiry have submitted to him or to the police any papers or reports concerning the commission of possible criminal offences arising out of their inquiry; and if he will make a statement.

The Guinness investigation is proceeding with all possible expedition and it would not be in the public interest to give detailed information concerning the inspectors' investigation while it is in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the administrative review of regional policy.

As my predecessor informed the House, we have been reviewing the operation of our regional industrial policy instruments. The terms of reference were to review the administrative aspects of regional development grants and regional selective assistance with a view to ensuring that the schemes operate with maximum ease, economy and effectiveness from the standpoint both of Departments and applicants. The review was not concerned with the fundamentals of regional policy, nor with the assisted areas map. In the interests of maintaining stability in regional incentives, we have concluded despite a number of representations that it is too early for changes to be made in the map.We have been particularly concerned to look at the operation of RDG II which replaced RDG I in November 1984. The new scheme is radically different from the old in that it provides for grant to be calculated by reference either to capital expenditure or to new jobs created and is now available to various service activities as well as manufacturing. Other changes were introduced to improve the cost-effectiveness of RDG in assisting job creation in the development areas. We therefore commissioned a survey by consultants PIEDA into industry's early reactions to the new scheme. This found that RDG II has been generally well received by the business community. Despite its inevitably increased complexity compared with RDG I, the main concepts and rules appear to be understood and the scheme is an important factor in companies' investment decisions. Since November 1984, 12,000 projects have been approved which, if carried out as planned, would qualify for £60 million of grant. £30 million has been paid to date for projects creating 45,000 jobs. It is particularly encouraging that a high proportion of these projects are being carried out by firms with fewer than 200 employees: over 80 per cent. of the total grant has been paid to firms in this category. The grant offices have played a critical role in helping companies understand the new grant and most companies were very complimentary of the help received. A copy of PIEDA's report is being placed in the Library.It is clear that the decision to administer the RDG 11 scheme from the same offices dealing with RSA has helped in responding to local needs. These arrangements enable the offices to coordinate their delivery of the assistance schemes to applicants and, in England, to liaise effectively with the regional organisations of the Department of the Environment and the Department of Employment, which have their own schemes of financial assistance in pursuit of separate but related policy objectives.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for each category of heavy vehicles imported from Germany its average landed value in each year since 1983 and in the latest month for which figures are available together with the corresponding rates of exchange between sterling and the German mark.

[pursuant to his reply 16 February 1987]: The information is as follows:

Imports of heavy vehicles from Federal Republic of Germany Value £000s
Average values of imports (cif)
	1983	1984	1985	October 1986
Average annual exchange rate £1 = Deutschmark	3·87	3·79	3·78	2·86
Dumpers	45	36	29	39
Heavy commercial vehicles	10	9	10	12
Coaches and Buses	77	86	85	94
Breakdown crane lorries	171	156	185	123
Concrete mixer pumping vehicles	58	51	35	62
Road tractors for semitrailers	22	23	24	26

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to place an order for a replacement vessel for the St. Helena service.

We are pressing ahead with the necessary design and procurement work as rapidly as possible. The order will be placed by the St. Helena Government as soon as this work is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list the recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts since 1983 relating to overseas development matters and affecting his Department which have been implemented.

I refer the hon. Member to the Treasury minute published in response to the relevant Public Accounts Committee report (Cmnd. 9696 and HC 517). The Committee, on which the hon. Member serves, monitors departmental progress with accepted recommendations.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the progress of the educational content of the YTS.

Off-the-job training-education in YTS is a programme of learning which takes place outside the day-to-day pressures of the workplace; all two-year YTS programmes must include a minimum of 20 weeks off-the-job training-education.

asked the Paymaster General how many and what percentage of YTS trainees have contracts of employment.

I regret that the information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. However, around 5 per cent. of young people joining YTS between April and December 1985 had contracts of employment at the time their training began.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the progress of the review of vocational qualifications and its implementation.

The Government endorsed the main recommendations of the review in their White Paper "Working Together—Education and Training" (Cmnd. 9823) and established the National Council for Vocational Qualifications on 1 October last year in order to oversee their implementation. The national council is currently developing the design criteria for the national vocational qualification and expects to make its first accreditations in the summer in accordance with the timetable set by the White Paper.

asked the Paymaster General if he will show for each pilot job training scheme area by male-female, by age group (18 to 25 years and 25 years plus) the number of entrants per week and the cumulative total of filled places per week for each week since the programme started.

The following table shows for each of the pilot areas from the start of the programme the number of entrants per week and the weekly cumulative totals of trainees in training. The information on breakdown by sex and age group is not available in the form requested, but the second table gives a percentage breakdown for entrants in each area up to 6 February.

Table 1
New JTS-entrants per week1 and weekly cumulative totals of trainees in training2
Week ending
Area	7 November 1986		14 November 1986		21 November 1986		28 November 1986		5 December 1986		12 December 1986
	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2
Dundee	—	—	—	—	19	19	—	19	17	36	__	36
Billingham	—	—	9	9	12	17	3	20	—	14	16	23
Huddersfield	—	—	—	—	—	—	14	13	11	21	11	31
Preston	6	6	5	11	10	21	15	35	17	44	12	49
Stoke	—	—	3	3	16	19	14	32	20	52	24	74
Leicester	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Port Talbot	—	—	—	—	—	—	30	26	29	54	22	73
Plymouth	3	3	12	15	17	30	1	30	31	58	34	85
Crawley	—	—	—	—	—	—	10	10	11	19	11	28
Ealing	—	—	—	—	—	—	2	2	8	10	2	12

Table 1
New JTS-entrants per week1 and weekly cumulative totals of trainees in training2—continued
Week ending
Area	19 December 1986		9 January 1987		16 Januarv 1987		23 January 1987		30 January 1987		6 February 1987
	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2	1	2
Dundee	15	51	—	49	21	70	38	100	13	111	30	136
Billingham	7	28	16	39	13	51	—	51	19	69	18	80
Huddersfield	14	41	19	54	9	62	5	68	18	84	23	99
Preston	22	69	17	81	28	102	6	106	23	124	10	127
Stoke	12	86	15	99	13	107	12	116	20	135	18	148
Leicester	—	—	—	—	16	16	18	33	21	50	23	66
Port Talbot	4	76	15	85	15	95	13	98	32	115	43	125
Plymouth	—	78	30	104	39	125	32	153	20	170	48	205
Crawley	22	49	18	61	4	65	—	65	19	83	10	94
Ealing	2	14	4	16	9	25	13	32	11	47	8	51

Table 2 New JTS: Percentages of entrants up to 6 February 1987 male/female 18–24 years old and over 25
Area	Male Per cent.	Female Per cent.	Under 25 Per cent.	Over 25 Per cent.
Dundee	80	20	58	42
Billingham	71	29	39	61
Huddersfield	65	35	55	45
Preston	81	19	45	55
Stoke	73	27	50	50
Leicester	83	17	40	60
Port Talbot	80	20	48	52
Plymouth	73	27	77	23
Crawley	73	27	16	84
Ealing	62	38	57	43

People not in the labour force who said they had not looked for a job in the four week reference period but would like work and were available to start work within two weeks
Great Britain
Thousands
	Men		Women		Total
	Spring 1984	Spring 1985	Spring 1984	Spring 1985	Spring 1984	Spring 1985
Claiming benefits	142	174	79	89	221	263
Not claiming	258	204	771	737	1,029	941
Total of which	400	378	850	826	1,250	1,204

asked the Paymaster General, from the 1984 and 1985 labour force surveys, if he will publish a table for each region of Great Britain and Greater London, by male-female, and claimant status, the numbers of people not in the labour force who had not looked for a job in the four-week reference period, but were available to start work within two weeks, and declared that they would take a job if one were available; and how many people not in the labour force who had not looked for a job in the four-week reference period, were available to start work within two weeks.

The available information is given in the table. It is not possible to provide a reliable analysis of the regional figures by claimant status.

asked the Paymaster General what is the current percentage of employment in the Welwyn, Hatfield constituency; and what are the comparable figures for (a) Hertfordshire and (b) the country as a whole.

Current figures are not available. The latest comparable information comes from the 1981 census of population and is shown in the following table:

Persons in Employment as a percentage of all those aged 16 and over
	Per cent.
Welwyn, Hatfield parliamentary constituency	62·2
Hertfordshire	61·1
Great Britain	55·0

asked the Paymaster General if he will publish figures for each year since 1957 of (a) the number of employees in employment, (b) the number self-employed, (c) the unemployment rate and (d) the number available for work.

For the period June 1959 to March 1986, the latest estimates of employees in employment, the self-employed and the size of the working population in Great Britain are to be found on page 4 of historical supplement No. 1 to the February 1987 Employment Gazette. A copy is in the Library.

Employment estimates for June and September 1986 (the latest date for which figures are available) are as follows:
	June	September
Employees in employment	21,074,000	21,169,000
Self-employed	2,665,000	2,696,000
Working population	27,164,000	27,386,000

Comparable figures are not available for 1957 and 1958.The following table gives unemployment rates for Great Britain for June of each year from 1957 expressed as a percentage of the working population. Figures for years from 1957 to 1971 relate to unemployed registrants, and for 1971 to date to unemployed claimants. Comparisons over such a long period are difficult to make because of changes in the method of collection and compilation of the data.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will list those recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts since 1983 affecting his Department which have been implemented.

I refer the hon. Member to the Treasury minutes published in response to the relevant Public Accounts Committee reports (Cmnd. 9178, 9743, 9776 and 9808). The Committee, on which the hon. Member serves, monitors departmental progress with accepted recommendations.

asked the Paymaster General what proportion of the executive recruitment market is handled by Professional and Executive Recruitment: and what plans the Government have for its future.

The nature of the market for the wide range of executive recruitment consultancy services is such that it is not possible to calculate a figure for the market share of Professional and Executive Recruitment. We have no present plans to change the basis of operation of the service, but its future is kept under review.

asked the Paymaster General whether the British Tourist Authority is intending to fund any special promotion of British tourism during the six months of the EXPO 88 Leisure in the Age of Technology exhibition.

The British Tourist Authority is already discussing with the travel trade and the national and regional tourist boards the opportunities which EXPO 88 might offer for promoting British tourism. I expect to review the BTA's initial conclusions with the authority's chairman in the near future.

asked the Paymaster General what is the average weekly wage of under 21-year-olds in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector.

The information requested is not available. Figures for full-time adult employees in the private and public sector for April 1986 are published in table 1 of the 1986 "New Earnings Survey", report part A, a copy of which is available in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General (1) what steps his Department is taking to encourage employers to provide cervical cancer testing facilities at the place of work; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will seek information from the baking industry and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers Union about the agreement reached on provision of cervical cancer testing facilities at the place of work or for paid release for off-site testing.

The provision of cervical cancer testing facilites is in general a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services. I appreciate that the work place provides an excellent forum for carrying out activities, such as cervical cancer screening, aimed at preventing disease in the general population. The Health and Safety Commission encourages employers to use the work place for such preventative purposes and I fully support the commission in this.Primarily, however, the provision of work place screening facilities is a matter for agreement between employers and their employees. I have seen the agreement reached recently within the National Joint Committee of the Baking Industry in England and Wales, on which the baking industry employers and the Bakers, Food and Allied Workers' Union are represented. I understand that this agreement provides for work place testing by the National Health Service where this can be arranged. Where not, women employees are allowed full time off with pay to attend off-site testing centres. Other industries may wish to consider adopting schemes on these lines.

asked the Paymaster General what is the current level of cash reserves of the Construction Industry Training Board; what was the amount of (a) levy collected and (b) grants paid out in the last financial year; and what are the equivalent projected figures for the current financial year.

As at 31 March 1986 the level of cash reserves of the Construction Industry Training Board was £58·6 million. The projected level of cash reserves at 31 March 1987 is £65 million. The amount of levy collected in the 1985–86 financial year was £47·4 million and £30·6 million was paid out in grants (including industry support for YTS trainees). The projected figures for the current financial year are £50·9 million for levy and £40 million for grants.

asked the Paymaster General what representations were made to the Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier), when he attended the Confederation of British Industry's conference on non-statutory training organisations, regarding the relationship between the Manpower Services Commission and non-statutory training organisations; and what action has been taken in the light of those representations.

I attended the CBI's conference for non-statutory training organisations on 3 November 1986 and was impressed by the commitment to training shown by those present. The discussion showed that NSTOs greatly value the assistance of the Manpower Services Commission and that the MSC's statement on the ideal outcomes of the effective NSTO provides helpful guidance.

asked the Paymaster General what is the current level of (a) financial support and (b) practical advice offered by the Manpower Services Commission to non-statutory training organisations; and what are the specific figures for the Pre-cast Concrete Training Industry Association.

Most of the money non-statutory training organisations receive from MSC is for training grants claimed by employers under the national priority skills scheme. The current value of these grants in the current financial year to date is £6·6 million. Grants received in the current financial year by the Pre-Cast Concrete Training Industry Association total £4,800. MSC staff provide advice to all NSTOs, including the Pre-Cast Concrete Training Industry Association, on a wide range of training matters.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will make a statement on the achievements to date of non-statutory training organisations since the abolition of 16 statutory training boards in 1982; what is the number of such organisations known to his Department; and what proportion of firms they cover for the industries which they serve.

Non-statutory training organisations have made good progress since 1982 in securing sound training arrangements across their sectors. NSTOs have a vital role in identifying and meeting current and future skill requirements and assisting their sectors to meet them. I look forward to receiving their action plans for setting and maintainance of standards of competence in response to para 5.23 of the White Paper "Working Together—Education and Training" (Cmnd. 9823). There are 102 NSTOs recognised by the Manpower Services Commission. Information on the proportion of firms NSTOs cover is not readily available.

asked the Paymaster General what is his policy with regard to the role of further education in the proposed job training scheme.

Training programmes under new JTS will consist of a planned mix of directed training and practical experience. Colleges of further education will be able to contribute to the scheme either as managing agents, or by offering directed training to other managing agents.

	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–871
Adult Training	110,538	111,468	102,696	85,250	109,850	131,800	269,650	252,500
YOP/YTS	216,400	360,000	553,000	543,000	353,979	395,000	404,000	360,000
YWS	—	—	—	174,266	130,000	66,182	66,000	2,800
CI	5,806	6,160	6,868	6,982	9,612	9,532	9,661	9,000
STEP/CP	22,400	18,400	27,554	51,645	136,968	161,437	241,159	300,000
JRS	68,164	24,239	38,674	46,134	44,045	14,895	11,970	12,000
JSS	—	—	—	180	656	260	268	1,000
EAS	—	—	—	2,132	28,453	46,816	60,167	86,000
NWS	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	50,000
1 Estimates.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to uphold the United Nations ban on arms sales to South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

Our policy on the United Nations arms embargo against South Africa remains unchanged: we fully implement the embargo.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are intending to take to secure the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 435 on the independence of Namibia.

We shall continue to press for the early and unconditional implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 435. We consider that its peaceful implementation can only be secured through negotiation, and shall accordingly continue to support the mediating efforts of the United States Government and the United Nations Secretary General.

asked the Paymaster General what are the implications for equal opportunities of the eligibility rules for the new job training scheme.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987]: The eligibility rules of the new job training scheme will be fully constant with our commitment to equal opportunities.

asked the Paymaster General, pursuant to his reply of 5 February to the hon. Member for Leicester, East (Mr. Bruinvels), Official Report, column 764, if he will disaggregate the figure of 6½ million people who have benefited from the employment, training and enterprise measures run by his Department and the Manpower Services Commission since May 1979, indicating so far as is possible how many people have benefited from each measure in each year since that date.

The breakdown of the number of people on each scheme in each year since May 1979 is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards relations with Afghanistan in the light of the Amnesty International report on that country, a copy of which has been sent to him.

We do not have normal Government-to-Government dealings with the regime in Kabul which is clearly unacceptable to the majority of Afghan people. As I told my hon. Friend the Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Best) on 13 February, we are deeply concerned at the horrifying evidence of denial of human rights in Afghanistan described in the Amnesty International report on torture.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will list those recommendations of the Committee of Public Accounts since 1983 affecting his Department which have been implemented.

I refer the hon. Member to the Treasury minutes published in response to the relevant PAC reports (Cmnd. 9178 and 9452 and 9638). The Committee, on which the hon. Member serves, monitors departmental progress with accepted recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of those refused an application for a temporary visa in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have lodged an appeal to the independent appellate authorities.

From 15 October until the end of December the figures available show that a little over 10 per cent. of those refused short-term visas in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh have so far lodged appeals at our missions in the subcontinent.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on steps taken by Her Majesty's Government with respect to relieving conditions in the Palestinian camps in the Lebanon.

We have urged all parties concerned to end the fighting and to facilitate humanitarian relief work. We are ready to provide help through the international agencies involved immediately it becomes possible to take more substantial supplies into the camps.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to meet the problems caused by the decision of the Nigerian Government to close the British visa office in Lagos; how many applicants he estimates to be affected by the decision; how much notice he was given of the decision; and what were the reasons given for it.

Discussions are continuing with the Nigerian Government to seek solutions to a number of practical problems involving traffic and security at our new visa office in Lagos which the Nigerian Ministry of External Affairs raised with us on 11 February. Pending the outcome of these discussions, the new office is closed. In the meantime, only an emergency visa service for exceptional compassionate cases can be maintained. In the first week of the visa regime, we received 1,153 applications in Lagos. The Deputy High Commission in Kaduna continues to operate normal visa services.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the problems facing visa applicants seeking access to the British High Commission in Lagos.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Swansea, East (Mr. Anderson) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce security checks at ports in line with the procedures adopted by the Civil Aviation Authority.

My right hon. Friend has no statutory powers to direct port authorities and shipping companies on security matters, as he has in the case of airport authorities and airlines. My Department has, however, issued guidance to the shipping industry on the protection of shipping against terrorism and sabotage. In addition, the International Maritime Organisation has recently recommended to its member states certain measures to strengthen security at ports and on board ship, primarily in relation to passenger cruise ships. We fully support the IMO's initiative and in the light of its recommendations we are reviewing with port authorities and shipping companies the arrangements that they already operate.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to refuse any application for closure of parts of the passenger rail system within the next financial year.

My right hon. Friend set out his policy objectives for British Rail on 21 October 1986. They made it clear that the Government are not asking for a programme of major route closures. Any application for closure by BR is considered on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the repeal of section 413 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975; and what response he has given.

My Department issued a consultation document in August 1986 proposing that my present responsibility for children committed by the courts for residential training under section 413 of the 1975 Act should cease. Some respondents favoured repeal of section 413; others, including the Sheriffs Association, argued in favour of retaining a disposal for the courts in summary procedure which would allow the courts to commit children to residential care. I have concluded in favour of amending section 413. Amendments have been tabled to the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill, to be debated today in another place, which make revised provision under section 413 whereby a child prosecuted and found guilty of an offence may be ordered by a sheriff to be detained for up to one year in residential care in such place as the local authority may direct. The amendments also have the effect of withdrawing the power to commit young people under section 413 orders to penal establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to meet the Scottish Association of Directors of Social Work to discuss section 413 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975; and if he will make a statement.

I have at present no plans to do so. The association was consulted in August 1986 on proposals for amendments to section 413 which would transfer to local authorities my responsibilities for children committed to residential training in summary criminal proceedings. Amendment to this effect has been tabled to the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Bill in another place. Following passage of the Bill, my Department will consult with interested parties, including the association, on the timing and detailed implementation of the changes proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish details of waiting lists for treatment at National Health Service hospitals in Scotland and by health board area in each year since 1983, including waiting lists for day care centres in each figure.

Information relating to day care centres is not available centrally. The numbers on hospital waiting lists at 31 March in each year since 1983 are as follows:

	1983	1984	1985	19861
Scotland	96,921	85,471	79,413	81,250
Argyll and Clyde	7,694	7,544	7,490	7,053
Ayrshire and Arran	5,138	4,731	5,147	5,258
Borders	345	317	306	400
Dumfries and Galloway	3,244	2,757	2,602	2,906
Fife	7,266	6,422	5,773	5,313
Forth Valley	3,790	3,327	2,777	2,746
Grampian	11,296	9,444	9,269	9,431
Greater Glasgow	22,997	18,536	16,781	17,641
Highland	1,785	1,988	2,040	2,984
Lanarkshire	9,052	8,151	6,716	6,474
Lothian	16,271	13,862	13,474	14,094
Orkney	48	57	55	53
Shetland	164	107	155	146
Tayside	7,724	8,164	6,749	6,658
Western Isles	107	64	79	93
1 1986 data are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the comparative price per kilo for fat cattle for the year 1986 and the latest price at the market sales in 1987; and if he will make a statement.

On average, Scottish certified cattle are currently being sold at several pence per kilo less than at the same time last year. Although this drop in price is partially offset by the recently increased beef variable premium, I share producers' hopes for an improvement in market prices.

	Highest Level (Becquerels per kilogram)	Date of Sampling	Location
(a) Sheep	4,218	9 July 1986	Dumfries and Galloway region
(b) Cattle	435	6 June 1986	Highland region
(c) Deer	2,281	9 December 1986	Dumfries and Galloway region
(d) Grouse	3,550	4 August 1986	Dumfries and Galloway region
(e) Salmon	121	16 September 1986	Dumfries and Galloway region
(f) Pheasant	295	19 December 1986	Dumfries and Galloway region
(g) Rabbit	830	28 August 1986	Dumfries and Galloway region

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of staff employed in Inverness prison in the various categories; how this compares with the approved complement; whether rostered posts include the five posts in the special unit; and what is the level of overtime required.

The numbers of staff employed in each category in Inverness prison and the corresponding approved complements are shown in the table:

Inverness prison
	Complement at 1 February 1987	Staff in post at 1 February 1987
Governors	2	2
Discipline	53	57
Nurses	2	2
Caterers	2	2
Instructors	2	2
Works	7	6
Clerks	3	3
Typist	1	1
Total	72	75

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the highest levels of radiation found in each of the following sampled animals in Scotland since the Chernobyl incident (a) sheep, (b) cattle, (c) deer, (d) grouse, (e) salmon, (f) pheasant and (g) rabbit; and if he will also give the date and location of sampling.

The information for animals sampled by my Department is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of jobs expected to be associated with the development by Kymmene-Stromberg of a new pulp and paper mill at Irvine.

The Kymmene-Stromberg paper mill at Irvine is expected to employ 480 people full time when the plant becomes fully operational in 1991.In addition to direct employment at the paper mill, it is expected that 300 jobs will be required in harvesting and hauling timber for the mill with a further 100 jobs in other supporting service industries. The majority of these jobs will be in Highland and rural areas.It is also estimated that up to 1,000 workers will be employed at peak during the construction of the mill over the next two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Forestry Commission has any plans to extend its present consultation arrangements with the Nature Conservancy Council over planting in the flow country of Caithness and Sutherland.

The Forestry Commission has decided to extend its consultation arrangements with the Nature Conservancy Council to cover all grant applications arising in the local authority districts of Caithness and Sutherland, including those still awaiting approval. This will allow time for the nature conservation interest in this unique area to be more clearly defined by the council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the total number of individuals in receipt of housing benefit in Scotland in 1985 and 1986, respectively.

I have been asked to reply.The information is as follows:

Estimated numbers of housing benefit recipients in Scotland
(Thousands)
	Rent Rebate	Rent Allowance	Rate Rebate
1985	571	64	779
1986	586	78	815

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the proposed changes to the value added tax calculations on special schemes for retailers; and what impact this will make on mail order companies.

The consultative paper "VAT: Small Business Review" contained 15 proposals, most of which are recognised as beneficial to small retailers. The proposal to abolish the standard method of reckoning gross takings would impact on those retailers, including mail order companies, which provide self-financed credit facilities.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community Budget Council.

The Budget Council met in Brussels on Thursday 12 and Friday 13 February for further discussion on the 1987 Community budget. I represented the United Kingdom.The Council reached agreement by qualified majority on new proposals for the 1987 budget which provide for total expenditure of some 37·4 billion ecu in commitment appropriations and some 36·3 billion ecu in payment appropriations (£23·5 billion and £22·8 billion respectively.All conversions are made at the 1987 budget exchange rate of 1·5939 ecu to the £.).The proposals leave some 660 mecu of headroom inside the 1·4 per cent. VAT ceiling.On agricultural guarantee expenditure, the Councils 'proposals continue to respect the budget discipline guideline limit. The Council has committed itself to reach decisions as soon as possible on Commission proposals for implementing the Agriculture Council's decisions on 16 December 1986 concerning the milk and beef sectors and on proposals which the Commission is to put forward shortly about covering the rest of the overrun of agricultural expenditure foreseen during the current year.On non-obligatory expenditure, the Council agreed to accept the proposals for increases in individual lines voted by the European Parliament at its December plenary on the basis that these would be offset by negative reserves of 181·1 mecu (£114 million) for commitment appropriations and 88·9 mecu (£56 million) for payment appropriations. The Council's proposals assume that the Parliament will commit itself to making the necessary transfers and reductions in substantive budget lines in good time before the end of the year so as to extinguish the negative reserves and ensure that the budget totals for non-obligatory commitment and payment appropriations are respected. On payment appropriations, the Council's proposals continue to respect the maximum rate of increase. On commitment appropriations, the Council decided to exceed its November second reading proposals by some 5·2 mecu (£3 million) on the basis that the actual rate of increase over 1986 of 8·1499 per cent. when rounded to one decimal place would still be consistent with the 8·1 per cent. maximum rate. The Council also stated its intention to carry forward into 1987 some 22 mecu (£14 million) of associated non-obligatory commitment and payment appropriations not used in 1986.I argued at the Council that, given the severe financial problems of the current year, the Community could riot afford to increase substantive provision on individual payment appropriation lines even if the increases were offset by a negative payment reserve. While acknowledging that significant shortfalls of expenditure were virtually certain to occur on individual lines and could be used to extinguish the negative payments reserve, I argued that any such savings should be kept in hand in case they were needed to deal with the estimated deficit of over 800 mecu (£502 million) carried forward from 1986 or the large threatened overrun in agricultural guarantee expenditure. I argued also that it would be more prudent to make specific provision in the Financial Regulation to govern and limit the use of negative reserves before including them in the budget. On behalf of the United Kingdom, I voted against the Council's proposals on these grounds, even though the totals stick closely to budget discipline. The other Member states all voted in favour.The Belgian presidency will present the Council's proposals to the Parliament's plenary in Strasbourg this week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of consultations on the "Provisional Statement of Practice" issued by the Inland Revenue on the tax treatment of exchange rate fluctuations.

Following the issue of the provisional statement of practice [SP3/85 (provisional)] and the invitation to comment on its scope and content, the Inland Revenue received 28 responses from the major representative bodies and other interested parties. These have been carefully considered, and in the light of these comments the Inland Revenue are now, with my approval, issuing a full statement of practice to replace the provisional statement. This is intended as a general statement on the taxation of exchange rate fluctuations within existing law. I am placing a copy of it in the Library of the House.We hope the new statement of practice will provide a useful and practical guide for traders and their advisers. However, this is an area of taxation which is widely recognised as highly technical and complex. We are anxious to see if a better solution can be found through legislation. Interested parties are invited to submit detailed representations to the Inland Revenue. We have certainly not ruled out the possibility of major legislative reform, but before committing itself, the Government would need to be satisified that a scheme could be devised which could be applied effectively in practice and reflect a broad measure of agreement without entailing an unacceptable cost to the Exchequer.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

The Community's Economic and Finance Council met in Brussels on 9 February. I represented the United Kingdom.The Council approved, by qualified majority, a Commission proposal on export credits, revising the details of the negotiating mandate on tied aid credits agreed by the Council in April 1986. The proposal, which the Commission is putting forward in OECD discussions, is intended to increase discipline in the use of tied aid credits, thereby reducing their distorting effect on international trade.The Council had an exchange of views on the international monetary situation and on the economic situation in the Community. Discussion on the latter will continue at the Council's March meeting.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to the rate of growth of gross domestic product over the last five years in (a) Italy and (b) the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

The United Kingdom's economy has grown twice as fast as Italy's over the last five years. Real growth has been over 14 per cent.—double that of Italy, and faster than in any of the major industrialised countries except Japan.The latest comparison by the OECD suggests that Britain's economy is about 14 per cent. larger than Italy's, and living standards per head are about 15 per cent. higher.Even if GDP is compared at market exchange rates, without any allowance for differences in purchasing power, it is about 8 per cent. higher in the United Kingdom than in Italy, and about 9 per cent. higher per head of population.The detailed figures for 1986 are as follows:

	Purchasing power of GDP		GDP at market exchange rates
	Level ($bn)	Per capita ($)	Level ($bn)	Per capita ($)
United Kingdom	645	11,400	545	9,600
Italy	565	9,900	505	8,800

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what evidence he has concerning the contribution by manufacturing industry to the increase in incomes over the past two years; and if he will make a statement.

The latest information analysing total incomes by industry is that covering years up to 1985 contained in table 2·1 of the 1986 edition of "United Kingdom National Accounts" (the CSO Blue Book) which is available from the House of Commons Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the cost of the revenue forgone of allowing court maintenance payments to children against tax during the last fiscal year.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table updating the reply of 20 November 1984, columns 97–98, on the financial performance of Government trading funds.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table updating the reply of 25 October 1984, columsn 678–79, on the numbers of employees in Government trading funds; if he will additionally provide comparable information on the royal dockyards, Ordnance Survey and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an analysis of manpower reductions or changes in central Government trading funds for the years 1979–80 to 1985–86 using the same categories as in his Department's annual report on manpower reductions to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 25 October 1984 by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Rees) at column 678.Annual reports to the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on manpower reductions in the Civil Service for the years 1984–85 and 1985–86 were not published by the Select Committee but copies were placed in the Library of the House for the convenience of hon. Members.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report showing for the Royal Ordnance plc, the Royal Mint, Crown Suppliers, Her Majesty's Stationery Office, the royal dockyards, Ordnance Survey, and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for the years 1974–75 (a) the proportion of turnover accounted for by central Government, (b) the proportion of turnover accounted for by the United Kingdom public sector and (c) the proportion of turnover which is exported.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss the Bank's role in the regulation of the banking system.

The Treasury and the Bank of England are in frequent touch about banking supervision issues. However, it is not the practice to disclose the matters discussed between my right hon. Friend the Chancellor and the Governor.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been taken to enable Civil Service employees to donate money to charity under the payroll giving scheme when the scheme comes into effect on 1 April.

[pursuant to his reply, 16 February 1987]: I intend that a scheme will quickly be arranged once one or more suitable collection agencies are registered.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance his Department has given to education authorities in Wales about educating young people on the danger of AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

The Welsh Office, together with the Department of Education and Science, issued to local education authorities and other appropriate bodies in June 1986 a booklet "Children at School and Problems Related to AIDS".

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland why it was necessary to seek a warrant covering all six programmes in the British Broadcasting Corporation series, "The Secret Society"; and if he will make a statement.

The petition and crave for the warrant are linked back to highly classified information in the possession of the BBC referred to in the article in the New Statesman magazine of 23 January 1987. If the material sought had been readily and immediately available, the necessity for taking possession of material relating to all six programmes in the series, "The Secret Society", and for a sifting out operation which has had to be carried out since 1 February and which has already resulted in the return of material relating to five of the six programmes to the BBC, would have been avoided. However, as my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary explained in the debate on 3 February 1987, the material on which the programmes were based was so interwoven that it was not possible immediately to disentangle one kind of material from another. That accurately reflected the advice given by the BBC to the police and reported to the procurator fiscal.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the measures introduced by his Department since 1979 that were not subject to parliamentary procedure and therefore not debated in the House of Commons.

All primary legislation for Northern Ireland (Bills and Orders in Council under the Northern Ireland Act 1974) is subject to parliamentary procedure. The Northern Ireland Statutory Rules and Orders, available in the Library, indicate the volume and nature of subordinate legislation and identify those Statutory Rules and Orders which were laid before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Northern Ireland Youth Committee.