asked the Attorney-General whether it is his intention to prosecute under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act Mr. John Saunderson a retired civil servant for revealing official information concerning the personal tax affairs of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to the press.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received a proposal from British Coal for the development of a new mine at Margam.

I am pleased to announce the Government's approval of British Coal's proposal to construct a new mine at Margam in south Wales at a cost of £90 million. Discussions with British Coal about aspects of the financing of the project are continuing and in endorsing this proposal the Government will strongly support British Coal's case for an ECSC loan attracting an interest rate subsidy .The Margam project will directly create 780 jobs and will indirectly generate a similar number of jobs. It will make an immediate and significant contribution to the alleviation of high unemployment in the locality. The coal represents a secure source of supply for many years to come for BSC coke ovens at Port Talbot and Llanwern in place of imported coals.The Margam project will incorporate modern British mining technology capable of high levels of sustained performance. Even so, against the background of the current and prospective low prices for coking coal available on the market, British Coal has told me that the project will not proceed unless there is agreement on the six-day production as the viability of the mine depends on equipment being operated six days a week; I agree with this judgment. In reaching my decision I have taken into account the significant advances in productivity and the positive response of the men and management in south Wales. The increase in the area's productivity of 32 per cent. over the last year has shown what the combination of forward-looking attitudes and investment in new British mining technology can achieve at existing pits. I am confident that the area will continue to adapt to the changes that are essential if the industry is to prosper.

asked the Prime Minister what is the practice as regards the nature of activity undertaken by her press office during the period of a general election; and if she will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.During an election period the No. 10 press office is governed by long-standing rules curtailing the activities of the Government information service.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will now meet representatives of the British Nuclear Tests Veterans Association.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Burnley on 24 March, Official Report, column 161, she will give the current state earnings-related pension weekly figure in 1979 cash terms.

I have been asked to reply.The weekly state earnings-related pension of £16·25 currently received by a man who retired on average earnings in April 1986 would be £9·03 expressed in April 1979 cash terms.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 31 March.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend is currently on a visit to the Soviet Union.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Burnley on 24 February, Official Report, column 195, if he will disaggregate the rate support grant totals to show figures for block grant and domestic rate relief grant.

Burnley District Council
	Cash (£ million)			Cost ('81–82 prices) (£ million)
	Block grant	Domestic rate relief grant	Rate support grant	Block grant	Domestic rate Rate support relief grant	Rate support grant
1981–82	4·750	0·685	5·435	4·750	0·685	5·435
1982–83	4·382	0·699	5·081	4·086	0·652	4·738
1983–84	4·834	0·705	5·539	4·315	0·629	4·944
1984–85	4·772	0·709	5·481	4·083	0·607	4·690
1985–86	4·211	0·717	4·928	3·392	0·577	3·969
1986–87	4·391	0·723	5·114	3·434	0·565	3·999

Pendle District Council
	Cash (£ million)			Cost ('81·82 prices) (£ million)
	Block grant	Domestic rate relief grant	Rate support grant	Block grant	Domestic rate relief grant	Rate support grant
1981–82	3·777	0·653	4·430	3·777	0·653	4·430
1982–83	3·774	0·665	4·439	3·519	0·620	4·139
1983–84	3·716	0·669	4·385	3·317	0·597	3·914
1984–85	3·700	0·671	4·371	3·166	0·574	3·740
1985–86	3·498	0·680	4·178	2·817	0·548	3·365
1986–87	3·671	0·684	4·355	2·871	0·535	3·406

In 1981–82 and 1982–83 the amounts are final rate support grant payments. In 1983–84 to 1986–87 the amounts are grant entitlements based on the latest supplementary reports in each year.The figures for 1979–80, 1980–81 are not comparable with those for the following years because the arrangements for paying rate support grant changed in 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about the implementation of the Housing and Planning Act 1986; and if he will make a statement.

The majority of both the housing and planning provisions of this Act have already been implemented. During 1987 we have received a small number of representations on the implementation of the remaining provisions, notably sections 6 and 9 (sale of publicly rented dwellings), section 15 (grants for the improvement or repair of common parts of buildings), and paragraphs 7 and 8 of schedule 11 (award of costs at inquiries). We intend to bring the outstanding provisions into effect whenever this is practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when further consultation on legislation to unify licensing controls over caravan and tent sites is likely to take place.

The Department and the Welsh Office will today circulate a consultation paper to local authority associations and interested organisations in England and Wales. This proposes certain minor amendments to the proposals for introducing a single site licensing system for both tents and caravans, which were the subject of a private Member's Bill introduced by my hon. Friend the Member for Bridgend (Mr. Hubbard-Miles) in the 1983–84

The information is as follows:Session of Parliament. Consultation should also enable us to confirm that there remains a consensus in favour of reform of the existing legislation. I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has taken a decision on London Docklands Development Corporation's development strategy for the royal docks; and if he will make a statement.

I have today approved a strategy for the royal docks proposed to me by the London Docklands Development Corporation which will turn 270 hectares of derelict land into a new employment, retailing, leisure and residential centre for London. The LDDC strategy, completed in consultation with me, will provide 7,000 housing units and some 48,000 jobs.On 26 November last my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport authorised London Regional Transport to introduce a Bill for an eastern extension to the docklands light railway. The Government announced that they would support the Bill during its passage through Parliament provided LDDC came forward with an acceptable scheme for financing the project without calling on public funds. The Government are now satisfied that the £140 million extension could be financed from the sale of land owned by the LDDC. The Government will accordingly be lending their support to the Bill which will shortly be coming forward for Second Reading.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the practice of other European Community Governments in respect of the distribution to prisoners of condoms; and if he will make a statement.

We are aware of reports that in some European prison systems condoms are being made available to prisoners, but we have no systematic or verified information about policy or practice abroad. I have nothing to add to the reply to the hon. Member's earlier question on this subject on 12 February, at column 324.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the financial implications of the reorganisation of the Metropolitan police.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has made it clear that one of the primary objectives of the reorganisation of the force is to make the most effective use of resources. The major cost of planning and implementing the reorganisation was that of the staff involved, estimated at some £1¼ million, since June 1983. In addition, building alterations and associated work required to match existing accommodation to the new force structure have cost about £348,000 so far with a further £245,000 planned. This expenditure has been contained within the Metropolitan police cash limits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the percentage of a police officer's time in London spent (a) in the police station and (b) on the street.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that information on how individual officers apportion their time as between street and station duties is not collected centrally. In 1986, however, 45·9 per cent. of the uniformed constable man days available for divisional use were allocated to street duty (which includes some time in stations) and 20·8 per cent. to station duty. The balance was accounted for by aid to other divisions or squads, training and other miscellaneous duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many requests were received from the Italian police for the arrest of Mr. Di Carlo; on what dates they were received; and what action was taken in each case.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the only specific request for the arrest of Di Carlo was received on 16 September 1981. Information was supplied on a number of occasions and was acted upon in each case; but Di Carlo could not be traced at any of the addresses supplied by the Italian authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) on what date the Metropolitan police found that the file on Mr. Di Carlo had been lost; and what action was taken to find it;(2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to whether the Metropolitan police had a file on Mr. Di Carlo when he was arrested by officers of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in June 1985.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the file on Mr. Di Carlo was opened in 1980 and has never been missing.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to whether the central drugs intelligence unit was aware of Mr. Di Carlo's involvement with drugs; and from what date it was in contact with the Italian police.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that, although the central drugs intelligence unit had no direct contact with the Italian police, the unit was aware through the extradition squad and Interpol of Di Carlo's suspected involvement with drugs from June 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to whether there will be an internal investigation by the Metropolitan police into the handling of the Di Carlo case; and whether he will place copies of the reports of all such investigations in the Library.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, who has been kept informed of all the circumstances of the case, does not consider any such investigation to be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to what action was taken to check the information and addresses of Mr. Di Carlo given by the Italian police to the Metropolitan police;(2) if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to whether Her Majesty's Customs and Excise informed the Metropolitan police that a lorry belonging to Fauci Continental Imports was carrying drugs; and what conclusions were reached

It is not the practice to disclose operational information of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of evidence of increasing cruelty to animals, he will now seek to strengthen the provisions of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1911 by giving the police power of entry where cruelty is suspected and the courts power to ban persons convicted of cruelty from keeping any type of animal, and by widening the protection given to wild animals held in captivity.

The Government are wholeheartedly committed to combating cruelty to animals. We are giving support to a Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) to double the maximum penalties under the Protection of Animals Act 1911. We have given careful thought to the proposal that the police should have a power of entry to investigate allegations of cruelty to animals, but believe that this would not be justified. We are looking carefully and sympathetically at the other proposals for changes to the legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to (a) increase grant to, or (b) increase the establishment of police forces in Northumbria in view of the high incidence of organised crime.

On 18 December 1986 my right hon. Friend approved an increase of 35 constable posts for the Northumbria police with immediate effect, and 40 such posts with effect from 1 April 1987. We shall consider the force's needs further when it has recruited up to its new establishment.Police grant is payable as a percentage of expenditure by each police authority. We have no plans at present to further increase the percentage which was increased to 51 per cent. last year in view of the demands on the police service. Block grant is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will hold discussions with other EEC countries to obtain a common system of security to prevent the forgery of passports;(2) what research has been conducted to ensure the security of British passports against forgery;(3) what steps he is taking to ensure that British passports are protected from forgery by the highest standards of modern technology;(4) how many instances of forged British passports have been discovered by his Department in each of the last five years;(5) if he is satisfied with the security of the present British passport against forgery; and if he will make a statement.

No passport can be immune from abuse, and a careful watch is therefore maintained by the passport department and the immigration service to check such abuse of British passports. In 1986, the only complete year for which figures are available, some 170 cases were recorded where passport details had been altered in various ways, and nine counterfeit documents were discovered. The security features to be incorporated in the common EC format machine readable passport due for issue from July 1988 will take account of experience gained so far.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people with disabilities have been the victims of crime against (a) the person and (b) property in the London area during 1987.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date the death occurred of Mr. Trevor Monerville, in respect of whose treatment by the police at Stoke Newington police station a complaint has been made by his father.

I am glad to say that Mr. Monerville is alive.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements exist within his Department. within the central headquarters or in any regional or subregional organisation, for dealing with his responsibilities regarding public services or any other function in respect of the Greater London area; and how many full-time equivalent staff are involved in such work.

My Department's functions concern trade and industry located in Greater London, as in other parts of the country; but no unit of my Department, and none of my staff, is exclusively concerned with Greater London.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry with which Departments and non-departmental bodies his Department, and its related non-departmental public bodies has consulted during 1986–87 in respect of services provided within Greater London; approximately how often such consultations have taken place; and what issues were discussed.

No record is kept of this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether there are any proposals to change the arrangements for discharging his Department's responsibilities regarding public services or any other function in respect of the Greater London area during the forthcoming year.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of imports of category 13 products, knitted knickers, pants and briefs, from China in 1986 and comparable figures for 1985; what steps he proposes to take to restrain such imports in future; and if he will make a statement.

Imports of category 13 products, knitted knickers, pants and briefs, from China amounted to 8,912,000 pieces, net of imports for inward processing, in 1986, against a comparable figure of 2,282,000 in 1985.My Department is currently discussing the significance of these figures within the industry in the light of import trends generally and the impact on United Kingdom production.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of imports of category 5 products, sweaters, from Mauritius during 1986 and comparable figures for 1985; what steps he proposes to take to restrain such imports in future; and if he will make a statement.

Imports of category 5 products, sweaters, from Mauritius in 1986 reached a total of 3,211,000 pieces. In 1985, category 5 imports were 2,412,000 pieces. My Department is currently examining the scope for action in conjunction with the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has reached a decision on whether any changes are needed to the legal rights of employee inventors; and if he will make a statement.

The 1983 Green Paper "Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation" (Cmnd. 9117) concluded that the rights of individual employee inventors should be strengthened along the lines of German law by giving them rights to take title in their inventions which are not being exploited by their employer. Following this recommendation, the Government commissioned an independent study into the German system and whether that system, in whole or in part; would be of economic benefit in the different legal and industrial environment of the United Kingdom. The White Paper "Intellectual Property and Innovation" (Cmnd. 9712) referred to the study and announced that its results were being examined.Having considered the results of the study, and taking into account representations received from industry, patent professionals and other interested parties, the Government have concluded that no changes in the law should be made. There is little evidence that a system on German lines would bring any tangible economic benefits; yet the administrative burdens which would be imposed on industry and Government by the introduction of such a system in the United Kingdom would be substantial.The Government believe that a more promising approach to the problem of unexploited in-house inventions is to give employers better incentives to identify marketable innovation. One example is the collaborative "spin-out" method, whereby private venture capital is provided for projects in which the parent company and employees each have part interests. Further studies of this and other aids to innovation are therefore to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will report on how British companies have complied with the European Community's code of conduct for companies with interests in South Africa during the 12 months period to 30 June 1986.

By 13 March 1987, 160 companies had submitted reports to the Department under the code of conduct. Copies of the reports, and of the Department's analysis and summary have, as in previous years. been placed in the Library of each House. These documents may also be inspected at the Department's library, at the British embassy in Pretoria, at the British consulate-general in Johannesburg, and at the British consulates in Cape Town and Durban.The analysis and summary is the first since the introduction of the revised code of conduct was adopted by EC Foreign Ministers in November 1985. Reports were received from the overwhelming majority of British companies with interests in South Africa. Of those companies whose interests are known or believed technically to warrant a full report under the code, only two declined to submit returns. One of these has already sold its interests and the other intends to do so. In some respects the period was a transitional one, in that not all reports received were in the revised format and the restructuring of the code impairs comparison in many sections with previous years' reports.The reporting period was again characterised by continued economic recession in which wage rates throughout the South African economy generally failed to keep pace with consumer price inflation. Against this background, the performance of British subsidiaries in reducing substantially the number of their black employees paid below the supplemented living level is notable. Over 96 per cent. are now paid above that level. There were indications of a growing commitment to education and community projects too.The Government are grateful to companies for their continued efforts in reporting and urges them to comply fully with the code.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, of the funds made available to the Royal Society of Arts, during Industry Year 1986, to publicise the importance of Enterprise Education (a) how much and (b) what proportion of the total amount was spent on (i) publicity materials in schools in the United Kingdom (ii) publicity materials in schools in Wales and (iii) publicity materials in the Welsh language.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many company directors have been prosecuted and disqualified as a result of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the scope and nature of the proposed European Economic Community tax on oils and fats.

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

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has determined the market prices for potatoes to apply in Great Britain for the 1987–88 crop year beginning on 1 July.

Following consultations with the farmers unions I have decided to authorise the Potato Marketing Board to enter into pre-season contracts with producers to purchase up to 300,000 tonnes of potatoes over the months November 1987 to May 1988 at a scale of prices not to exceed an average of £53 per tonne. I have also agreed that the board may intervene directly on the market throughout the season where this will ensure support more cheaply than purchases under contract, provided that the total intervention does not exceed 500,000 tonnes. The target area for potato plantings in Great Britain, another important factor in market stability, was fixed last July at 156,500 hectares.I have approved increases in the Potato Marketing Board's scale of direct intervention trigger prices for the period November to June inclusive to bring them into a more realistic relationship with the board's contract prices. I believe that placing increased emphasis on direct intervention will balance the effect of higher trigger prices and will thus avoid adding to the potential cost of market support. Overall, I believe that these arrangements will provide growers with a reasonable level of fall-back support in the event of surplus production arising in 1987–88. I shall be looking to producers themselves to ensure that our industry remains competitive by matching plantings as closely as possible to the target area set by the Government.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about milk quotas in 1987–88.

As the House will already be aware, the Community agreed last year to the permanent reduction of milk quotas by 2 per cent. with effect from 1 April 1987. A Community outgoers scheme has been operating in the United Kingdom to obtain as much as possible of this quantity by voluntary means, subject to a 2 per cent. maximum in any purchaser area. This measure has achieved 10·78 per cent. of the target quantity in the United Kingdom as a whole.For wholesale quotas, the balance of the 2 per cent. reduction required will be obtained by applying cuts in each purchaser area where the 2 per cent. reduction was not achieved through the outgoers scheme, resulting in a reduction in each producer's quota as at 1 April. The reduction factors to be applied are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the local authorities where tertiary education has been approved by his Department.

The following is the list of local education authorities whose proposals under sections 12 to 15 of the Education Act 1980 involving the establishment of tertiary colleges for all or part of the authority's area have been approved by my right hon. Friend or his predecessors.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been disbursed by the Science and Engineering Research Council teaching in companies scheme in each year since the scheme was introduced; how much has been disbursed to (a) individuals and (b) companies in Yorkshire and Humberside in each year since this scheme was introduced; how much is to be disbursed to individuals and companies in Yorkshire and Humberside under the council's latest allocation; what representations about this allocation he has received; and if he will make a statement.

The Science and Engineering Research Council has been asked for this information. I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to increase the level of funding for general certificate of secondary education subjects in schools; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are supporting the successful launch of the general certificate of secondary education with a massive injection of resources in the new financial year, building on the substantial sums already committed. In 1987–88 we are providing for spending in excess of £115 million to prepare teachers and to resource schools for the GCSE.For the teachers, we have identified GCSE in-service training as a national priority and have provided for £15 million expenditure on this. We have given a further grant to the GCSE examining groups to fund the preparation of in-service training material. Moreover, the Government have planned for a continued improvement in the pupilteacher ratio, partly in recognition of the demands of GCSE.For the schools, the Government are providing for £100 million expenditure on GCSE. In particular, this is to pay for the books, equipment and materials required for GCSE courses, and to pay for additional technical and clerical staff who can provide valuable help and support for teachers. Included within this sum is the specific support of £10 million expenditure, through education support grant, for GCSE books and equipment.We will continue to monitor closely the introduction of GCSE. We have already promised to continue special funding in later years. No other examination has been so well endowed on its introduction.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to review his decision to reclassify the maintenance grant for British students studying in the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

Subject to Parliament's approval of the necessary regulations, the Soviet Union will be reclassified as a high-cost country for the purposes of mandatory awards with effect from September 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science for how long Mr. H. V. J. Whitby. a teacher at Hatch End high school, Harrow, has been suspended from teaching at the school; what are the reasons given by the local education authority; if written complaints made either by a pupil or members of the public will be made available to Mr. Whitby; and if he will initiate a full inquiry into the matter.

I understand from Harrow LEA that Mr. Whitby was placed on leave of absence on 15 July 1983, and since September 1984 has been on sick leave. The Department is in correspondence with Harrow about this case and about how the matter may be resolved.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list alphabetically all the colleges in England providing higher education work with 50 per cent. or more of students on advanced courses, indication in which local education authority and British and European parliamentary constituencies they fall.

I shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to amend the powers local authorities in Wales have to prevent the destruction of archaeological remains of historic value.

There are no plans to alter such powers.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will clarify what involvement his Department has in discussions relating to the future of the University of Wales.

The University of Wales is an autonomous institution, operating under royal charter. The university and its constituent colleges receive the bulk of their funding from the Department of Education and Science acting on advice from the University Grants Committee. Within the limits set by the resources available to it the university enjoys academic freedom and is responsible for determining its own future without interference from any Department of State. While my right hon. Friend and I keep in close touch with representatives of the university, its future is a matter for the university itself to consider in conjunction with the UGC.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what financial assistance his Department gives towards the cost of teaching through the medium of the Welsh language at the University of Wales.

The Department has no responsibility for the funding of undergraduate teaching through the medium of Welsh at the University of Wales. Resources for this purpose are provided through the University Grants Committee's recurrent grant allocations.The Department grant-aids the extra mural departments of the University of Wales' constituent colleges, whose programmes of liberal adult studies include some courses provided through the medium of Welsh. It is not possible to say what proportion of the £680,000 allocated to the EMD for the 1986–87 academic year will be used to fund Welsh medium courses.Additionally, under section 21 of the Education Act 1980, £69,250 has been made available in 1986–87 mainly for activities related to the teaching of Welsh to adults.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the motorway and trunk road construction contracts with a works cost of £1 million or more which his Department intends to award in 1987–88, showing in each case the total value of the contract and the expenditure likely to be incurred in that year.

Subject to the satisfactory completion of statutory procedures, the completion of engineering design and the availability of resources we hope to let contracts for the following major schemes in 1987–88.

A55	Penmaenmawr bypass
A483	Newbridge bypass and Whitehurst Link
A55	Northop bypass

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the membership of the Welsh Arts Council for each year since 1979.

This information is contained in the relevant annual reports of the Arts Council of Great Britain, copies of which are in the Libraries of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales which of the publications which have been circulated to schools in Wales by the Manpower Services Commission have been circulated (a) in a bilingual Welsh-English form, (b) with separate Welsh and English versions, (c) in Welsh only and (d) in English only.

The Manpower Services Commission does not as a matter of course circulate publications to schools. The following, which relate to the needs of young people in Wales, are available on request in both English and Welsh language editions.

TFS LI	Training for Skills
TFS L1(W)	Hyfforddiant Sgiliau
TFSL2	What parents should know
TFS L2(W)	Cyngor i rieni
TFSL4	Careers Advisers and Teachers: What you should know
TFS L4(W)	Cyngor i athrowan gyrfaoedd ac ymgyn/ghorwyr
TFSL5	What school leavers should know
TFS L5(W)	Cyngor i'r rhai sy'n gadael yr ysgol
TFS L10	On the right track
TFS L10(W)	Ar y Ffordd iawn

One other publication, "Action Special 1986", which supported the joint MSC-BBC1 campaign in 1986, is available in English only.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the proposed relationship between the new Welsh language education development committee and the Manpower Services Commission in Wales.

It is for the new committee to develop such relationships with other bodies as will help it to discharge its role.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list alphabetically all the colleges in Wales providing higher education work with 50 per cent. or more of students on advanced courses, indicating under which local education authority and British and European parliamentary constituency they fall.

The information is given in the following table:

		Constituency
Colleges with 50 per cent, or more of student enrolments on advanced courses, as at November 1985	Local Authority	Parliamentary	European Assembly
Bangor Normal College	Gwynedd	Conwy	North Wales
College of Librarianship, Wales	Dyfed	Ceredigion and Pembroke North	Mid and West Wales
Gwent College of Higher Education	Gwent	Newport West	South East Wales
Polytechnic of Wales	Mid Glamorgan	Pontypridd	South Wales
South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education	South Glamorgan	Cardiff Central	South Wales
Trinity College	Dyfed	Carmarthen	Mid and West Wales
Welsh College of Music and Drama	South Glamorgan	Cardiff Central	South Wales
West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education	West Glamorgan	Swansea West	South Wales

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide the latest available figure for regional development grant expenditure in Wales for the year 1986–87, and an estimate of what he expects the final figure to be.

The latest available figure for regional development grant expenditure in Wales for 1986–87 is £86·89 million. The final figure is expected to be in the region of £89 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each of the past five Sessions those occasions when (a) Ministers, (b) senior civil servants and (c) military personnel, have appeared before Select Committees other than the Defence Committee or the Public Accounts Committee; and to which Select Committees memoranda have been submitted.

The details for the past five complete parliamentary sessions are as follows:

Select Committee	Ministers	Senior Civil Servants	Military Personnel
1981–82
2 December 1981
Treasury and Civil Service Committee	—	4	1
22 February 1982
Treasury and Civil Service Committee	—	2	—
1982–83
9 November 1982
Select Committee on Procedure (Finance)	—	3	—
7 February 1983
Foreign Affairs Committee	—	—	1
1983–84
20 June 1984
Treasury and Civil Service Committee	—	1	—
1984–85
7 November 1984
Foreign Affairs Committee	1	—	—
27 November 1984
Education, Science and Arts Committee	—	1	—

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each of the past five Sessions those Acts of Parliament sponsored by his Department and those in which his Department has been substantially and indirectly involved.

The information is as follows:

1981–82	Nil
1982–83	Reserve Forces Act 1982
1983–84	Ordnance Factories and Military Services Act 1984
1984–85	Reserve Forces (Safeguard of Employment) Act 1985
1985–86	Armed Forces Act 1986
	Dockyard Services Act 1986
	Protection of Military Remains Act 1986

In addition, during the current session (1986–87), the Ministry of Defence has sponsored the Ministry of Defence Police Act 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what nuclear tests (i) have been carried out and (ii) are proposed, in respect of Trident; whether Her Majesty's Government intend to rely on United States tests or to carry out their own; and when it is anticipated that such tests will be completed.

Joint United Kingdom/United States nuclear weapons tests are carried out at the Nevada test site as part of the continuing development of our nuclear warheads and in order to maintain the effectiveness of the UK's nuclear capability. All tests are announced at the time but it would not be in the national interest to identify the specific purpose of each test.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those local authorities in whose areas his Department has empty properties; how many empty properties have been offered to local authorities or housing associations on a short-term basis; and how many have been taken up in each authority.

Records are not maintained of the local authorities in whose areas the MOD has empty properties or of the number of properties which have been offered to local authorities or housing associations on a short-term basis. The following properties are currently leased to local authorities and housing associations:

Local authority/housing association	Number of properties
Plymouth City Council	50
Portsmouth City Council	24
Gosport Borough Council	172
North Wiltshire District Council	57
Exeter City Council	17
Kennet District Council	48
Southend-on-Sea Borough Council	9
London Borough of Greenwich	21
West Lothian Council	8
Scottish Special Housing Association	7

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if Mr. Sharif of London E.17, who committed suicide in Bristol on 28 October 1986, had been engaged in work of a classified nature for his Department; during what period Mr. Shariff worked for defence contractors on work financed by public funds; and if his work is subject to the current investigations by Ministry of Defence police at Marconi in Portsmouth.

Mr. Sharif was employed by Marconi Defence Systems plc from 24 June 1985 until his death on 28 October 1986. His work did not entail access to information classified above restricted. He was employed at Stanmore, not Portsmouth.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his policy on the future role of dual-capable United States Air Force F111 aircraft based in Britain in the light of the proposal by the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Strategic Air Command that these aircraft should be converted to carry air-launched cruise missiles in the event of all intermediate range nuclear force missiles being removed from Europe;(2) what consideration is being given by his Department to the role of nuclear-armed air-launched cruise or stand-off missiles in the event of the complete removal of intermediate range nuclear force missiles from Europe.

I shall answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on changes in the total number of Soviet troops deployed in eastern Europe since 1979.

I shall answer shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the locations of sites earmarked for storage of pre-positioned medical stocks for United States forces;(2) if he will list the Royal Air Force bases currently being acquired by the United States Air Force for use as contingency hospitals.

United States forces pre-positioned medical supplies and contingency hospitals exist at the following locations:

RAF Little Rissington, RAF Nocton Hall, RAF Chessington, RAF Bicester, RAF Feltwell, RAF Upwood

In addition permission has been given for the establishment of pre-positioned supplies and contingency hospitals at the following locations:

RAF Locking, RAF Condor (Arbroath), Winston Barracks (Lanark), Ritchie Barracks (Kirknewton)

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any representations regarding the Oxfam meeting on 28 February in Friary Hall, Crawley, where it agreed to distribute badges and leaflets throughout the United Kingdom in support of the South West Africa People's Organisation.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has received representations from three hon. Members about the Oxfam meeting on 28 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have held any discussions with the charity Oxfam concerning its activities in Namibia/South West Africa.

We have exchanged views on the situation in Namibia with Oxfam from time to time. We do not, however, provide funding for Oxfam's activities in Namibia and have not therefore had occasion to discuss those activities in detail with Oxfam.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Her Majesty's Government's policy is on full and free on-site inspection of military sites in Britain in order to verify an intermediate range nuclear force zero option.

A rigorous verification regime, including on-site inspection, will be an essential part of any INF agreement. The precise details have yet to be agreed. We are prepared to play our part as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the current round of talks in Geneva on intermediate range nuclear force includes any consideration of dual-capable aircraft.

The current INF negotiations at Geneva concern land-based missiles. Dual-capable aircraft are not included.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he had, during his recent visit to Hungary, on the potential for reciprocal measures of arms control and disarmanent by the United Kingdom and Hungary.

My right hon. and learned Friend had useful discussions with members of the Hungarian Government on a wide range of arms control and disarmament issues. The detailed content of those talks is confidential between our two Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on unilateral Soviet troop withdrawals from eastern Europe.

There has been speculation in the British press about the possibility of Soviet troop withdrawals from eastern Europe. The Soviet Union has made no statement on any such withdrawal.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to meet the newly appointed Norwegian Foreign Minister in advance of the forthcoming North Atlantic Council meeting.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to meet Mr. Stoltenberg before the North Atlantic Council meeting.

asked the Minister for the Arts if he will list the grants allocated to the Welsh Arts Council in each year since 1979, at both current and 1987 prices.

The information requested is as follows:

Cash prices
	Arts Council of Great Britain £	Grants from: British Film Institute £	Crafts Council £
1979–80	4,325,000	38,000	46,500
1980–81	4,900,000	35,000	52,000
1981–82	5,483,000	39,000	57,000
1982–83	5,987,000	44,850	61,500
1983–84	6,517,000	46,820	65,500
1984–85	6,918,000	46,820	68,500
1985–86	7,139,450	48,225	71,000
1986–87	7,610,000	48,500	73,000
1987–88	7,880,000	50,000	75,000

asked the Paymaster General what information he has on the amount of income that has been generated by tourism in the Heart of England tourist board area in each year since 1978.

Tourist spending in the Heart of England tourist board area increased from £205 million in 1978 to £545 million in 1985. This is a rise in real terms of 40 per cent.A table giving full information has been placed in the Library.

asked the Paymaster General whether he will list information available to him on the principal tourist attractions and facilities constructed or substantially renovated in the Heart of England tourist board area in each year since 1978.

Information about the full range of private and public sector investment which has been carried out in tourist attractions and facilities in the region since 1978 is not available. However since 1982–83, when the Heart of England tourist board area became fully eligible for assistance under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969, the English Tourist Board has offered assistance totalling £1·2 million for 11 projects in the region where the total capital cost of the work exceeded £500,000.The projects are as follows:

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on measures to prevent racial or sexual discrimination in Manpower Services Commission sponsored training schemes.

All training programmes sponsored by the MSC are equal opportunity programmes, open to all those who are eligible. Regardless of race, sex, religion or disability. All MSC contracts with training providers draw attention to the legislation covering race and sex discrimination and require them to comply with it. The MSC monitors its equal opportunities policy closely and underpins it with a wide range of administrative provisions.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement concerning the outcome of Government schemes to help the unemployed move in order to find jobs.

During the year ended 31 March 1986 3,300 unemployed people were helped by the employment transfer scheme. We discontinued this scheme in April 1986 as it was not a cost effective way of helping people into jobs. The travel to interview scheme which helps unemployed people with the costs of attending job interviews held beyond normal daily travelling distance of their home, is now helping over 2,000 people each month compared with 330 who were helped by its predecessor the job search scheme.

asked the Paymaster General how many firms with over 20 workers are failing to fulfil their statutory quota of employing 3 per cent. of their labour force from registered disabled people; and how many of these firms have been allocated permits exempting them from the quota.

On 1 June 1986, the latest date for which information is available, 24,643 employers with twenty or more workers were not employing their full quota of registered disabled people. 18,840 of these had, during the previous twelve months, been granted permits authorising the engagement of other than registered disabled people.

asked the Paymaster General what action he proposes to take to encourage the dispersal of tourism from London in the light of the report "Tourism in London: Resident Opinion Survey by the London Tourist Board and Convention Bureau", a copy of which has been forwarded to him; and if he will make a statement.

I share the view of the large majority of residents questioned who felt that tourists should be encouraged to spend time in other parts of Britain as well as London. It is a priority of the British Tourist Authority and English tourist board to encourage the wider dispersal of visitors throughout the country.

asked the Paymaster General if he will review the procedures which prevent applicants who have been unemployed for less than six months from joining the community programme.

No. The community programme is specially designed for long term unemployed people who have greater difficulty than those unemployed for a shorter period in getting into work.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the future development of the community programme.

In 1987–88 the community programme will provide jobs for some 300,000 people, the same level as in 1986–87. The emphasis of the programme will be on improving the quality of projects and provision will be focused more closely on priorities such as inner cities, enterprise, and national initiatives live crime prevention, energy efficiency and tourism.

asked the Paymaster General how many full-time jobs at average earnings have been created by Her Majesty's Government's measures in the last four years.

It is not possible to estimate the number of full-time jobs at average pay created as a result of Government measures.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the trends in unemployment in the Yeovil travel-to-work area; and if he will give the latest figures.

Unemployment in the Yeovil travel-to-work area is estimated to have fallen by about 200, or 5 per cent., over the last year.On 12 February 1987 the number of unemployed claimants in the Yeovil travel-to-work area was 3,660, representing 9·1 per cent. of employees in employment plus the unemployed.

asked the Paymaster General what information he has about the number of persons in (a) the Wisbech and (b) the March area who are employed by gangmasters.

I have no such information but there is little doubt that the use of gang labour has increased in recent years.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

On 12 February, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,225,809.

asked the Paymaster General what proportion of the population between the ages of 18 and 60 years are now in full-time employment.

The information is not readily available in the exact form requested.Preliminary Labour Force Survey results for the spring of 1986 estimate that 54·0 per cent. of all persons aged 16 and under 60 were in full-time employment (including Government Schemes) in Great Britain.

asked the Paymaster General what is the latest figure for unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.

On 12 February 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom was 3,225,809.

asked the Paymaster General what assessment he has made of the likely numbers of people seeking employment in the United Kingdom in the next five years; and if he will make a statement about relevant demographic trends.

Taking account of the latest population projections and of information on activity rates from the 1986 "Labour Force Survey", my Department projects that the civilian labour force in Great Britain will rise by about 500,000 between June 1986 and June 1991. The projected rate of growth is considerably faster at the beginning of this period than at the end. More detailed figures and explanations will be published in an article which is scheduled for the May issue of Employment Gazette.The demographic trends of most relevance to the size of the labour force are those in the numbers of entries to and exits from the population of working age. Reflecting the pattern of the baby boom 16 years earlier, the number of entrants has reduced somewhat from its peak in 1981 and further substantial reductions are projected. The number of exits, mostly people reaching retirement age, is projected to be relatively constant. As a result the rate of increase in the population of working age is projected to decline each year, from 176,000 in 1986–87 to zero in 1990–91.

asked the Paymaster General if he will make a further statement on the trends of unemployment and employment.

Unemployment has fallen continuously for the past seven months and is now 150,000 below the level of last July. Employment has risen every quarter since spring 1983. There were 1,040,000 more people in work in September 1986 than there were in March 1983.

asked the Paymaster General what percentage of men aged 55 to 65 years were unemployed at the last available date; and what were the comparable figures in 1979 and 1983.

On 8 January 1987, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age is available, the rates of unemployment, expressed as a percentage of the working population for males in the 55 to 59 and 60 and over age groups in the United Kingdom were 17·6 per cent. and 7·5 per cent. respectively. The corresponding unemployment rates for January 1983 were 15·0 per cent. and 22·1 per cent. This comparison is affected by changes in coverage of the data, in particular the effect of the 1983 Budget measures for men over 60. Unemployment rates by age, expressed a percentage of the working population are available only from January 1983.The published figures for January 1979 related to unemployed registrants expressed as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed and these were 5·5 per cent. and 12·0 per cent. in the respective age groups.

asked the Paymaster General what percentage of the total unemployed are aged 25 years or less; and what initiatives the Government are pursuing in London in particular in order to provide full-time employment at average rates of pay for those affected.

On 8 January 1987, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by age is available, 34.4 per cent. of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom were aged under 25 years.All of the employment, training and enterprise measures run by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission are part of a wider strategy for encouraging enterprise and employment in London and elsewhere.

asked the Paymaster General how many people have been unemployed for more than 12 months at the latest available date; and what percentage of the total unemployed this represents.

On 8 January 1987, the latest date for which an analysis of unemployment by duration is available, the number of unemployed claimants in the United Kingdom who had been unemployed for over 12 months was 1,334,430 which represents 40·5 per cent. of the total.

asked the Paymaster General if he will give the numbers of people out of work in the Wakefield travel-to-work area; and if he will make a statement.

On 12 February 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the Wakefield and Dewsbury travel-to-work area was 17,132.

asked the Paymaster General if he will list the figures for the latest numbers of unemployed in Basildon.