asked the Attorney-General if he has any proposals for pre-trial hail applications to be heard in open court; and if he will make a statement.

No.

asked the Attorney-General what representations he has received concerning the operation of the Bail Act 1976 by judges in cases where the police have been known to object to bail applications.

None recently. However, my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has received a small number of letters on the subject.

asked the Attorney-General when he now expects to reach a decision about the possible prosecution of Lord Rothschild under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act.

The police investigation remains incomplete and the Director of Public Prosecutions has as yet received no report.

asked the Attorney-General what information he has as to when the appeal by Her Majesty's Government in the Wright case is likely to be heard in Australia; and if he will make a statement.

It is expected the hearing will start on 6 July.

asked the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the progress of measures to improve the efficiency of the Crown prosecution service since his reply to the hon. and learned Member for Burton on 19 February, Official Report, column 766.

The Crown prosecution service will seek constantly to achieve improvements in efficiency. Improved arrangements for management and forward planning are being introduced; staff numbers are being increased for 1987–88; and continuous programmes for recruitment training, the use of computers and other efficiency work are being carried out. Good progress is being made, but more lawyers have still to be recruited in London and some other areas.

asked the Attorney-General whether he took any steps to ensure that the local authority which launched an appeal fund following the "Herald of Free Enterprise" disaster took account of his guidelines on disaster funds when framing its appeal; and if he will make a statement.

The Treasury Solicitor on my behalf was in touch with the relevant local authority shortly after the accident and satisfied himself that my guidelines were being followed and offered any further guidance that the local authority might find helpful.

asked the Attorney-General when he anticipates announcing further progress towards family courts.

The Government are considering the responses to a consultation paper issued by the Lord Chancellor's Department in May 1986 and the resource implications of the various proposals which have come forward. Good progress is being made, but I cannot say when consideration will he complete.

asked the Attorney-General if papers relating to the alleged laundering of Mafia heroin profits by companies and bank accounts connected with Raymond Kingsland have been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

No.

asked the Attorney-General what discussions he has had with, and what advice was received from, the Data Protection Registrar in relation to his policy on taking out prosecutions under the Official Secrets Act in preference to under the Data Protection Act in cases involving abuse of the police national computer.

The Director of Public Prosecutions has had general policy discussions with the Data Protection Registrar, but none on the specific point raised by the hon. Member. The director considers each case on its own merits.

asked the Attorney-General if he is now in a position to reply to the letter dated 23 November 1986 which he received from the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch concerning the inquiry by the Lord Chancellor into Master Bickford Smith and others; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to be in a position to reply to him shortly.

asked the Attorney-General (1) whether he will prosecute the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Best) under section 15 of the Theft Act 1968 for obtaining property by deception by making multiple applications for British Telecom shares; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether he will prosecute the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Best) under section 16 of the Theft Act 1968 for obtaining pecuniary advantage by deception by making a multiple application for British Telecom shares; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the police are investigating certain allegations made against the hon. Member for Ynys Môn. They will report in due course to the Crown prosecution service.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the role and extent of technical assistance as part of the United Kingdom overseas aid programme.

Technical co-operation is an essential element in Britain's bilateral aid programme, providing recipient countries with training and expert advice in a wide range of disciplines which contribute to their development.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any further plans to assist the debt programme of the poorest developing countries.

We are already considering new initiatives and the next opportunity to take these further will be later this week at the spring meeting of the IMF and the World Bank.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further measures he has initiated to increase bilateral and multilateral assistance to combat the spread of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome in developing countries, and especially in Africa.

Subject to parliamentary approval, I have decided to give £3 million in the financial year 1987–88 to the World Health Organisation's special programme on AIDS. In addition, I have agreed to provide, over three years, about £1·6 million to the International Planned Parenthood Federation to help it develop its capability to combat the disease.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to increase bilateral aid and assistance to countries on the United Nations list facing abnormal food shortages.

I announced last week some £11·3 million of emergency assistance to Mozambique, including up to 30,000 tonnes of food aid. I shall publish details of our aid to other countries on the list in the Official Report.Following is the information:

United Kingdom emergency and food aid in 1987 to countries facing abnormal food shortages
	Food aid £ million1	Relief assistance £ million1
Mozambique	6·7	3·9
Sudan	2·8	2·0
Bangladesh	9·3	—
Nepal	0·5	—
1 Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will increase the role played by the Overseas Development Agency's scientific units in combating insect pests in Africa.

Yes. In view of the importance I attach to promoting agricultural development in Africa, I have instructed the Tropical Development and Research Institute to increase its operations in that area. Project proposals estimated at some £7 million are now being prepared to tackle crop and storage pests, on which TDRI has much valuable expertise and experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the level of aid given by his Department to Nepal.

As I informed my hon. Friend on 18 March, our aid disbursements to Nepal in 1986 are provisionally estimated at £9·9 million.The level of aid reflects the close and friendly relations between our two countries. Our aid is devoted to basic infrastructure, health and education, and to rural development in the hill areas of Nepal, in support of the Nepalese Government's efforts to improve the living conditions of their people.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the impact of Brazil's suspension of debt interest payments on development programmes in that country.

Brazil has suspended payment of interest on its commercial loans. This move will have no effect on Britain's modest aid programme of technical assistance to that country. Other bilateral donors, and the international financial institutions, will be making their own assessments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to visit projects sponsored by Water Aid; and if he will make a statement.

I am looking forward to visiting the London office of Water Aid on 19 May. I hope to have an opportunity to visit some of its projects in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what initiatives are being taken by the Overseas Development Administration both on a bilateral basis and through the European Community to provide food, medical supplies and other relief to the Palestinian refugee camps of Shatila and Bourj el Barajneh in Lebanon; and whether he will make a statement.

On 27 March 1 announced new emergency aid for the Lebanon totalling £550,000. Of this £250,000 is being channelled through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency in response to its appeal for food, medical and other relief supplies for the camps. The remaining £300,000 will he used by the International Committee of the Red Cross for its relief programme in Lebanon.The European Community contributes annually— about £22 million in 1986—to the education and feeding programmes of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency, which mainly benefit Palestinians in Lebanon. In addition, it has allocated this year 2·7 mecu—about £2 million — to various international agencies working in the area. About 20 per cent. of the Community programme is met from the British aid budget.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the level and nature of United Kingdom assistance to Pakistan.

Our gross bilateral aid to Pakistan in 1986 is povisionally estimated at £20·7 million, compared to £16·6 million in 1985. It is concentrated in the main sectors to which the Pakistan authorities give priority: irrigation and agriculture; power; education and health; and population. I shall be discussing the progress of the programme with Prime Minister Junejo tomorrow.We also provide substantial assistance to the Afghan refugees in Pakistan—over £40 million since the Soviet invasion. Following my visit to the camps last November, when I was able to see for myself the good use to which these funds are put, I plan to allocate £5 million more for support of the refugees this financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give details of closures of British Coal workshops/ training establishments since 1979, giving in each case their geographical area.

Following are the closures of establishments since 1979:

British coal area and workshops	Industrial training centres
Scotland
Lugar	Fordell

British coal area and workshops	Industrial training centres
New Battle	Comrie
	Calder Head
North East
Whitburn	Vane Tempest
	Tursdale
	Ashington
North Yorkshire
	Monk Bretton
	Barnsley Main
	Allerton Bywater
South Yorkshire
Elsecar	Bentley
Birdwell	Markham
Carcroft	Carcroft
	Fence
	Treeton
Central
Blackwell	Annesley
Ansley	Swadlincote
Bretby
Western
Walkden	Valley
Kirkless
South Wales
Tredegar	Abernant
Tondu	Tondu

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions his Department is having with British Coal over the price and terms of supply of coal to power stations in Northern Ireland.

My officials have had some discussions with officials from the Department of Economic Development in Northern Ireland about future international coal prices. The price and terms of supply of coal by British Coal to power stations in Northern Ireland are, however, commercial matters for negotiation between the corporation and Northern Ireland Electricity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give details of all pit closures which have occurred since 1979, giving in each case manpower levels at each pit concerned in the previous year, and giving an indication of its coalfield area.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 12 March at columns 279–280. Since then Newstead colliery in Nottinghamshire has closed. I will ask the chairman of British Coal to write to the hon. Member about manpower levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will give details of all fatal accidents which have occurred in the coal industry for the year 1986–87, broken down according to coalfield areas;(2) if he will give details of all serious accidents which have occurred in the coal industry for the full year 1986–87 broken down according to coalfield areas.

This information is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will give details of current manpower levels in British Coal by area, giving indications of categories of employment;(2) if he will give details of British Coal manpower levels by coalfield area for the full year 1986–87.

British Coal manpower by area for financial year 1986–87 is given below. A breakdown of manpower by category of employment is not available.

British coal manpower on colliery books by area for financial year 1986–87
	Number
Scottish	4,524
North East	14,444
North Yorkshire	17,758
South Yorkshire	15,402
North Derbyshire	7,414
Nottinghamshire	20,594
South Midlands inc. Kent	7,431
Western	12,139
South Wales	10,238
Total	109,944

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when (a) Springfields, (b) Heysham A and B, (c) Hartlepool, (d) Wylfa, (e) Trawsfydd, (f) Oldbury, (g) Berkeley, (h) Hinkley Point A and B, (i) Winfrith, (j) Dungeness A and B, (k) Bradwell, (l) Sizewell and (m) Sellafield were connected to the national grid.

The CEGB, BNFL and the UKAEA as appropriate have advised me that the, first of the turbine generators at each station were synchronised to the grid on the following dates:

	Date
Springfields	1
Heysham 1	July 1983
Heysham 2	2
Hartlepool	August 1983
Wylfa	January 1971
Trawsfyndd	January 1965
Oldbury	November 1967
Berkeley	June 1962
Hinkley Point A	February 1965
Hinkley Point B	February 1976
Winfrith	December 1967
Dungeness A	September 1965
Dungeness B	April 1983
Bradwell	July 1962
Sizewell	January 1966
Sellafield	3
1 The facilities at Springfields do not provide power to the grid.
2 The reactors at Heysham 2 are undergoing engineering tests and no power has been provided to the grid.
3 The Sellafield site includes the Calder Hall reactors the first of which provided electricity supplies to the grid in October 1956.
Except for Winfrith, each of these stations has a number of turbines and these were synchronised to the grid at subsequent times.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the average national reduction in the strength of police traffic patrols since 1985.

On 31 December 1985, 8,265 police officers were deployed on specialist traffic duties in police forces in England and Wales other than the Metropolitan police. On 31 December 1986 the equivalent figure was 8,357, an increase of just over 1 per cent. Similar figures are not yet available for the Metropolitan police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the implications for the probation service of the Prison Department's "Fresh Start" project.

"Fresh Start" is a package of proposals designed to make fundamental changes in the working arrangements, organisation and pay systems for prison officers. It is too soon to say whether those proposals will have implications for the probation service but it is expected that, if there are any, they will be minor. They are, in any case, only likely to affect those probation officers working in prison service establishments. Review teams are visiting prison service establishments and will be drawing up recommendations for the operation of "Fresh Start" in each. Area chief probation officers will be given the opportunity to comment on their recommandations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the prison population of England and Wales at the latest date available.

On 27 March 1987 the total prison population in England and Wales, including Immigration Act detainees, was 49,071.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the most recent date available, what was the certified normal accommodation and actual population of each of: Her Majesty's prison Bedford, Her Majesty's prison Birmingham, Her Majesty's prison Bristol, Her Majesty's prison Brixton, Her Majesty's prison Gloucester, Her Majesty's prison Leeds, Her Majesty's prison Lewes, Her Majesty's prison Lincoln, Her Majesty's prison Liverpool, Her Majesty's prison Manchester, Her Majesty's prison Nottingham, Her Majesty's prison Oxford, Her Majesty's prison Pentonville, Her Majesty's prison Reading and Her Majesty's prison Shrewsbury.

On 27 March 1987 the certified normal accommodation of the establishments listed was as follows:

Establishment	Certified Normal Accommodation	Population
Bedford	176	305
Birmingham	573	1,168
Bristol	552	620

Establishment	Certified Normal Accommodation	Population
Brixton	725	1,079
Gloucester	193	311
Leeds	642	1,312
Lewes	361	568
Lincoln	359	688
Liverpool	821	1,307
Manchcster	968	1,690
Nottingham	202	294
Oxford	130	253
Pentonville	834	1,122
Reading	178	332
Shrewsbury	169	297

On 31 December	Authorised Police Establishment	Police Strength	Civilian Strength1	Total Police and Civilian Manpower1
1979	1,182	1,167	312	1,479
1980	1,182	1,182	336	1,518
1981	1,182	1,182	334	1,516
1982	1,182	1,183	332	1,515
1983	1,183	1,178	335	1,513
1984	1,183	1,152	333	1,485
1985	1,183	1,141	309	1,510
1986	1,183	1,157	318	1,475
On 28 February 1987	1,183	1,172	313	1,485

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Departmemt (1) how many live animals were used by Oxford university for experimental purposes under licences issued by his Department in 1985;(2) how many animals were used by the department of physiology at Oxford for experimental purposes under licences issued by his Department in 1985;(3) how many and which breeds of primates have been used in licensed experiments at Oxford university since 1985;(4) how many dogs were used in licensed experiments at Oxford university in 1985;(5) how many cats were used in licensed experiments at Oxford university in 1985;(6) how many animals were used in licensed experiments by the department of psychology in Oxford university in 1985;(7) how many primates have been used, in licensed experiments, by the department of psychology at Oxford university in 1985;(8) how many primates were used by Messrs. Heddon, Sloper, Hiorns and Powell of the department of human anatomy and bio-mathematics at Oxford university in licensed experiments during 1985;(9) in what year Messrs. Heddon and Powell were first licensed to undertake animal experiments at Oxford university;(10) how many cats Messrs. Heddon and Powell of the department of human anatomy have used in licensed experiments since 1976;

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the authorised establishment manpower figures for the Lincolnshire police authority for each of the years 1979 to 1987 inclusive;(2) what were the actual establishment manpower figures for the Lincolnshire police authority for each of the years 1979 to 1987 inclusive.

The information requested is as follows:(11) how many primates have been used by the department of psychology of Oxford university in licensed experiments since 1976;(12) how many animals have been used by Professor Weiskrantz, professor of experimental psychology at Oxford university, in licensed experiments, since 1977;(13) how many animals have been used by Professor Alan Connery in licensed experiments in the Oxford experimental psychology department since 1977;(14) how many animals have been used by R. Passingham in licensed experiments in the department of experimental psychology since 1977;(15) how many animals have been used in experiments by David J. Price of the department of physiology at. Oxford university, under licence from the Home Department, since 1976;(16) how many primates have been used in animal experiments under licence by his Department by Professor Colin Blakemore since 1976.

It is not our practice to disclose the identity of establishments or departments where licensed experimentation is conducted, or to give details of such experimentation by reference to individuals, departments or establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people at Oxford university currently hold licences to carry out animal experiments under certificate A.

It is not our practice to disclose information of this nature. The Certificate A was a feature of the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876, which was repealed on 1 January this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many visits were paid by his Department's inspectors to the department of physiology at Oxford university between 1980 and 1987;(2) how many visits were paid by his Department's inspectors to the departments of anatomy, psychology, the Nuffield department of anaesthetics, Nuffield orthopaedic centre, physiology and John Radcliffe hospital in 1985.

It is not our practice to disclose information of this nature. However, all establishments where licensed experimentation is carried out are visited frequently by inspectors, usually unannounced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider suspending Professor Blakemore's current licence to carry out animal experiments until the work is examined fully by the Animal Procedures Committee.

No. We are satisfied that Professor Blakemore's work should be allowed to continue.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Professor Colin Blakemore will be required to apply for a project licence for his work on primates and cats.

Project licence applications from persons working in universities and similar institutions are likely to be invited from October 1987 onwards.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications have been received for project licences, under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986, since it came into force.

Five hundred and sixty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many licence applications have been rejected since the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 came into force.

It is not our practice to disclose this information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, following the statement made in the House on 31 March by the Minister of State about video recordings, Official Report, column 965, he will make a statement on his examination of the future use of video recordings in the legal system.

As I said at column 967, my right hon. Friend proposes to make an announcement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will defer the deportation of Mr. Chan Hok Cheung from Belfast to Hong Kong so that he is available to give further assistance to Royal Ulster Constabulary officers making inquiries into serious allegations against a senior Royal Ulster Constabulary officer and so that Mr. Chan Hok Cheung is subject to normal procedures whereby a person is permitted to remain in the United Kingdom pending an application for judicial review of his/her case.

Following Mr. Chan's successful application to the court on 2 April for leave to move for judicial review of the decision to remove him as an illegal entrant, removal directions have been suspended pending the outcome of the proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas have been granted in the past 12 months to nurses intending to work in Newham; and how many are currently outstanding.

Information on students applying for entry clearance who wish to train as nurses is not separately available. Qualified nurses need a work permit from the Department of Employment, and I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend the Paymaster General is replying to the hon. Gentleman's question about them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders have been served on Iranians requiring that they be sent back to Iran in each of the last three years for which figures are available; and in how many of these cases the deportees have been deported to Iran.

Deportation orders do not specify the country to which the person deported is to be sent. The information available relates to orders made and orders enforced and to the nationality which will normally be the country of destination. The following table gives the numbers in each of the last three years.

Deportation order and trade and orders enforced against Iranian nationals, 1984–86
Year	Orders made	Orders enforced1
1984	123	11
1985	56	10
1986	22	11
1 Orders enforced in a particular year were not necessarily made in the same year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances and for what reasons his Department would consult a High Court judge over an order that a judge had made on an application for care and control made by a man whom his Department was attempting to deport; and whether, in those circumstances, the man or his legal representatives would be given an opportunity to make representations.

I am aware of the particular case to which the hon. Member refers and will write to him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Salvador Mendoza and Renaldo Blanco, members of the El Salvador Human Rights Commission, were stopped and searched by immigration officials when they arrived from Ostend on 29 March.

The information is not readily available and I will reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the percentage increase in the numbers of crimes and offences involving the use of firearms in the 10-year period ended 1965, and what were the total of convictions in courts for firearms offences of crimes and offences involving the use of firearms in the years 1955, 1965, 1975, 1985 and 1986 respectively.

[pursuant to his reply, 26 March 1987, c. 229]: The number of offences recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have been used is published annually in table 3.1 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales". Comparable figures are not available before 1969.It is not possible from central records of the results of court proceedings to identify all offences in which firearms were involved. The information available on findings of guilt for offences under the Firearms Act 1968 is shown in the table below: it relates only to cases in which this was the principal offence and excludes persons also found guilty of a more serious offence. Information on a similar basis is not available for earlier years.

Persons found guilty of offences under the Firearms Act 1968
England and Wales 1980, 1985
Offence	1980	1985
Possession of firearm with intent lo endanger life; use of firearms in resisting arrest	65	42
Possession of a firearm at time of committing or with intent to commit an offence	104	101
Possession of firearm without a certificate; trading in firearms without being registered; conversion of firearms; carrying loaded firearm in a public place etc.	1,039	875
Non-possession of a certificate1 for a shotgun; trespassing with firearm on land; persons under 17 purchasing a firearm etc.	5,490	2,465
	6,698	3,483
1 Summary offences.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to be present at the GATT discussions relating to world agricultural problems; and if he will make a statement.

Negotiation of international trade agreements is the responsibility of the European

Net Capital Expenditure1 in manufacturing industry2 by standard region of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1985 at 1979 prices
£ million
Region	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
North	613	428	284	256	279	356	403
Yorkshire and Humberside	625	484	360	330	354	413	435
East Midlands	478	394	316	322	323	380	435
East Anglia	210	173	133	161	161	174	193
South East	1,581	1,357	1,077	1,040	1,154	1,373	1,426
South West	377	319	272	268	308	369	384
West Midlands	705	612	423	421	425	574	571
North West	971	864	609	566	594	666	700

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the proposed merger by AAH Holdings plc of the jointly-owned company with British Coal, namely, British Fuels Ltd. and Redland's Cawoods companies; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced on 13 March that he had decided not to refer the setting up of a joint venture company— British Fuels Ltd — by Redland plc, AAH Holdings plc and British Coal to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. His decision was in accordance with the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish details of investments by manufacturing industry by regions (i) at constant prices and (ii) for each year in constant prices as a percentage of 1979 prices, for each year for 1979 using the latest estimates where appropriate.

The requested information is show in the tables:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions have taken place in the European Community Council of Ministers concerning reductions in steelmaking capacity in the independent sector.

None—beyond those upon which I reported in the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) on 23 March 1987, at column 23.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what approval has been given to British Medical Data Systems Ltd. for tendering for public sector contracts.

The Department of Trade and Industry does not keep a list of approved suppliers of services or goods. Suppliers are chosen from firms and organisations known to have appropriate capabilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, further to his answer to the right hon. Member for Glasgow, Govan on 16 February, Official Report, column 438, he will now state the total cost to the Government of the RB211–22B programme of Rolls-Royce plc and the total Government receipts from that programme.

The total cost of the RB211–22B programme to Government was £537 million. Under the arrangements applying to the programme, the Government took all receipts for the first 555 engines, totalling £334 million. Commercial exploitation levies are payable on subsequent sales of engines and sales of spares. Total receipts to date are approximately £340 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many times London Greek Radio has been the subject of raids by officers of his Department since 1983; and how many other stations have been raided over the same period, and how often.

The unlicensed broadcasting station London Greek Radio first came to the attention of my Department's Radio Investigation Service in March 1984. Since that time the RIS has taken action against the station on 80 occasions. During the same period the RIS acted 563 times against 171 other unlicensed stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any proposals to increase the sum offered to British Aerospace for the A330-A340 Airbus Industries aircraft in view of the implications for jobs in Wolverhampton and elsewhere of the current level of finance offered.

Discussions with British Aerospace about the question of launch aid for the Airbus A330-A340 project are continuing, and I am not able to comment at present on the proposals under discussion.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department first became aware of the multiple applications for BT shares in the names of the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Best); and if he will make a statement.

On Wednesday of last week. The relevant papers have since been passed to the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if, in the light of the adoption of United Nations Security Council resolution 591 of 1986, Her Majesty's Government will review their decision to license the export to South Africa of the Plessey AR3D military radar system; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1987, c. 650]: No.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales from where the extra 20 million litres of milk quota allocated to Northern Ireland have come; and if he will make a statement.

Number of People Unemployed for every Parliamentary constituency in Wales
At January 1987
	(a)	(b)	(c)	(d)
	Up to six months	Over six months and up to one year	Over one year and up to two years	Over two years	Total number of people unemployed
Alyn and Deeside	1,988	755	584	1,069	4,396
Clwyd North West	2,609	930	913	1,233	5,675
Clwyd South West	1,976	668	549	851	4,044
Delyn	2,216	791	851	1,357	5,215
Wrexham	2,231	870	630	1,244	4,975
Carmarthen	2,062	788	597	837	4,284
Ceredigion and Pembroke North	2,143	728	650	846	4,367
Llanelli	2,119	846	684	1,154	4,803
Pembroke	4,322	894	840	1,325	7,381
Blaenau Gwent	2,168	801	879	1,617	5,465
Islwyn	1,719	639	711	889	3,958
Monmouth	1,456	613	457	818	3,344
Newport East	2,025	877	818	1,380	5,100
Newport West	2,121	926	961	1,570	5,578
Torfaen	2,281	765	768	1,413	5,227
Caernarfon	2,086	563	584	952	4,185
Conwy	2,098	682	561	816	4,157
Meirionnydd Nant Conwy	1,301	373	282	360	2,316
Ynys Mon	2,037	830	863	1,278	5,008
Bridgend	1,803	699	604	832	3,938
Caerphilly	2,149	890	924	1,803	5,766
Cynon Valley	1,794	599	724	1,299	4,416
Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney	1,898	702	691	1,751	5,042
Ogmore	1,873	735	857	1,240	4,705
Pontypridd	1,961	734	697	1,323	4,715
Rhondda	2,073	737	788	1,592	5,190
Brecon and Radnor	1,341	464	403	518	2,726
Montgomery	1,121	377	306	386	2,190
Cardiff Central	2,517	1,140	1,016	1,709	6,382
Cardiff North	1,198	505	361	603	2,667
Cardiff South and Penarth	2,063	872	891	1,704	5,530
Cardiff West	2,161	952	936	1,887	5,930
Vale of Glamorgan	2,429	860	740	1,159	5,188
Aberavon	1,939	609	627	935	4,110
Gower	1,576	650	481	807	3,514
Neath	1,832	759	604	854	4,049
Swansea East	1,968	839	807	1,895	5,509
Swansea West	2,098	881	878	1,964	5,821

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 31 March by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, at columns 445–446.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the numbers of those people unemployed for (a) less than six months, (b) between six months and one year, (c) between one year and two years and (d) over two years, and the total number of people unemployed, for every parliamentary constituency in Wales.

The information requested is given in the table.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what change there has been in the staff-student ratio in further education in Wales since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The student-staff ratio on maintained establishments of further and higher education is as follows:

	Student-staff ratio
1979–80	7·6:1
1985–86	8·8:1
Percentage change	+15·8

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what change there has been in the subjects studied by students in advanced and non-advanced further education in Wales since 1979;

Number of student enrolments outside the university sector
	Advanced Full-time equivalent
Subject of study	1979–80	1985–86	Percentage change
Education1	2,557	2,686	+5·0
Medical, Health and Welfare	410	487	+18·8
Engineering and technology	1,788	3,074	+71·9
Agriculture, forestry, veterinary studies	141	117	-17·0
Science	697	1,415	+103·0
Social, administrative and business studies	1,712	3,009	+75·8
Professional and vocational subjects	762	700	-8·1
Language, literature and area studies	61	80	+31·1
Arts other than languages	239	999	+318·0
Music, drama, art and design	651	1,460	+124·3
1 Includes teacher training.

Number of students enrolments outside the university sector
	Non-advanced Full-lime equivalent
Subject of study	1979–80	1985–86	Percentage change
Education1	190	501	+163·7
Medical, Health and Welfare	1,013	1.118	+10·4
Engineering and technology	6,920	5,412	-21·8
Agriculture, forestry, veterinary studies	868	968	+11·5
Science	373	757	+102·9
Social, administrative and business studies	3,071	4,726	+53·9
Professional and vocational subjects	2,723	3,585	+31·7
Language, literature and area studies	23	51	+121·7
Music, drama, art and design	912	970	+6·4
Other	8,707	10,408	+19·5
1 Includes teacher training.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of primary school children in each of the local education authority areas speak Welsh as their principal language.

The percentages of pupils, aged five and over, in maintained primary schools and whose principal language is Welsh are given in the table. The figures as at September 1985 exclude pupils who are fluent in Welsh but whose home language is not Welsh.

The information is given in the following tables:

Number of students enrolments outside the university sector
	Advanced		Non-advanced
	Part-time1	Full-time2	Part-time1	Full-time2
1979–80	5,644	7,498	46,017	16,190
1985–86	7,048	12,192	45,645	20,225
Percentage change%	+24·9	+62·6	-0·8	+24·9
1Including evening only modes of attendance.
2Full-time, short full-time and sandwich modes of attendance.

	Per cent.
Clwyd	4·9
Dyfed	20·6
Gwent	0·1
Gwynedd	41·4
Mid Glamorgan	0·6
Powys	5·7
South Glamorgan	1·0
West Glamorgan	2·7

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the operation in Wales of the European Community food aid scheme for the needy and the elderly.

In Wales, as elsewhere in the United Kingdom, procurement of products and distribution to individuals was carried out under the auspices of certain recognised charitable organisations. The scheme, which ended in the United Kingdom on 31 March 1987, had to be introduced quickly and I appreciate the work done by the charities concerned in discharging this very considerable task for the benefit of the needy in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give regional aid to the Margam new mine project; and if he will make a statement.

The Government consider that on the basis of six-day working the Margam project is sufficiently attractive to go ahead without Government grant. British Coal is aware that a coal mining project such as Margam would not be a qualifying process for the purpose of regional development grant. British Coal is also fully aware that under successive Governments regional selective assistance has not been available towards the mainstream activities of nationalised industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he proposes to introduce the new urban regeneration grant scheme in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to say that we have today launched the urban regeneration grant scheme in Wales. This new grant mechanism is available to help bring forward significant new developments by the private sector on large sites in inner urban areas. The mechanism will work in broadly the same way as urban development grant, although URG does not need to be submitted through a local authority. Although approved URG projects may be relatively few in number, they will be an important adjunct to those existing funding sources which already contribute to the rejuvenation of the inner urban environment in Wales.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's practice with regard to the balance between the provision of Government information and the presentation of party policy in official publications.

The conventions which successive Governments have applied to the use of public funds for publicity and advertising were set out in a note provided to the Widdicombe committee in April 1985. A copy of that note was placed in the Library of the House at the time.

asked the Prime Minister if the remarks of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Calder Valley (Mr. Thompson) in Exeter on 12 March, concerning Government moves for a 16 per cent. devaluation in the green pound represent the policy of Her Majesty's Government.

The Government's reaction to the Commission's proposal for a four percentage point devaluation of the green pound will be decided in the light of developments on the price fixing negotiations as a whole. We shall weigh carefully all the relevant considerations.

asked the Prime Minister when Her Majesty's Government intend to issue the revised Department of the Environment/Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Welsh Office Agricultural Department land drainage and conservation guidance notes for water authorities, internal drainage boards, the Nature Conservancy Council and the Countryside Commission; and whether the revised guidelines will be addressed to local authorities in respect of their land drainage responsibilities under the Land Drainage Act 1976.

We plan to issue the revised guidelines in the summer. 'They will apply to local authorities, which are subject to the same restrictions and liabilities as a drainage authority in carrying out their functions under the Land Drainage Act 1976. Local authorities have been informed through their representative associations.

asked the Prime Minister if she or any Ministers had any postal, telephone, videolink or other written or verbal contact with Colonel Oliver North during (a) 1985 or (b) 1986.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave the hon. Member on Monday 30 March at column 340.

asked the Prime Minister what was discussed at her meetings with William Casey in London and Washington during 1986.

In the course of my official duties I meet senior members of the United States Administration from time to time to discuss matters of common concern. It is not my practice, any more than that of previous Governments, to disclose the details of any such discussions.

asked the Prime Minister how much it cost to central funds to have copies of the Secretary of State for Social Services' speech to the 1986 Conservative party conference printed and circulated to administrators of family practitioner committees.

The cost was £35·22.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy that civil servants should not circulate within or outside their Departments copies of speeches made by Ministers to party conferences, following the circulation to administrators of family practitioner committees of the speech by the Secretary of State for Social Services to the 1986 Conservative party conference.

It is a standing instruction that press releases of speeches made by Ministers in a party political context should be distributed to the media through the party machinery only. Any distribution of such speeches to other recipients is for decision having regard to the particular circumstances of the case. There could well be circumstances in which it was appropriate for a Department to make sure that officials concerned with a particular activity or service were informed of policy statements about that activity or service made by their Minister, even in the case of a statement made in a political context.

asked the Prime Minister what discussions she has had with Mr. Gorbachev on her recent visits to the Soviet Union on a comprehensive test ban treaty and verification procedures; and if she will make a statement.

The matter was touched on only briefly. Verification procedures were not discussed in detail.

asked the Prime Minister for what purpose she proposes to meet producers and executives from Scottish and Border television companies.

I have invited news and current affairs executives from a number of broadcasting and newspaper interests in Scotland for a discussion about Scottish affairs as they see them.

asked the Prime Minister what facilities were provided by Her Majesty's Government and the British embassy in Moscow to the British press and media party who travelled with her on her aircraft on her recent visit to the Soviet Union; what payment those journalists were expected to make; what facilities were provided to those British journalists who were excluded from the party travelling with her; what criteria were used in determining which members of the press and other media should accompany her on her aircraft; and if she will make a statement.

The facilities provided for the media covering my visit to the Soviet Union were similar to those made for earlier official tours. All journalists, British and foreign, had equal access to briefing, telephone and telex facilities which were laid on by the Soviet authorities at the instigation of the British embassy in Moscow. Arrangements were similarly made for road and air travel inside the Soviet Union for all journalists who sought visas and accreditation with the Soviet Government through No. 10 Press Office. Limitations on seats restricted the number of media seats available on my plane to 24. In addition to the two still photographers selected by the Newspaper Publishers Association to provide a pool picture service to the press generally, seats were allocated to the first 22 members of the Parliamentary Lobby to apply for them. All journalists were responsible for their own transport, hotel, telephone and other communications and incidental costs.

asked the Prime Minister what topics were covered in the efficiency unit's central scrutiny programme in 1986–87.

A strong programme of efficiency scrutinies was carried out in association with Sir Robin Ibbs and the efficiency unit in the year ended 31 March 1987. Scrutinies in the programme were as follows:

• Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food
• Meat and Livestock Commission
• Her Majesty's Customs and Excise
• Patterns of Attendance
• VAT Control Officers' Skills
• Ministry of Defence
• Administrative Movement in British Forces Germany
• Project Management
• Department of Education and Science
• Procedures under the Education Act for the
• Reorganisation of Schools in England
• Department of Energy
• Publications
• Department of the Environment
• Planning Enforcement Appeals
• Foreign and Commonwealth Office
• Overseas Information Services Funded by the FCO
• Department of Health and Social Security
• Liable Relative Procedures
• Competitive Tendering
• Home Office
• Probation Inspectorate
• Supervision of Charities
• Inland Revenue
• Leaflets and Booklets
• Taxation of Unemployment Benefit
• Northern Ireland
• Prison Maintenance
• Overseas Development Administration
• Identification, Design, Appraisal and Approval of Bi-lateral Aid Projects and Programmes
• Property Services Agency
• Professional Services in the PSA
• Project Management
• Scottish Office
• Sea Fisheries Protection
• Department of Trade and Industry
• National Measurement System
• Dissemination of Patent Information (jointly with Office of Arts and Libraries)
• Department of Transport
• Marine Survey Service
• Chief Highway Engineer's Directorate
• Welsh Office
• Community Care

The scrutiny programme is a continuous one—some of the above scrutinies began late in the period and are still in progress.In addition the efficiency unit itself conducted a wide ranging scrutiny on improving management in the Civil Service.A number of other scrutinies were also conducted according to full scrutiny disciplines and with guidance from the efficiency unit. These were:Metropolitan Police Force

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many fatal accident inquiries there have been in each of the last 10 years into deaths caused by road accidents.

Figures are not available for each of the last 10 years. However, as far as can be ascertained, the figures for the years 1985 and 1986 are 27 and 13 respectively. These figures include inquiries which were mandatory under the Fatal Accidents and Sudden Deaths Inquiry (Scotland) Act 1976.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if the Lord Advocate has issued directions to procurators fiscal regarding the summary prosecution of children under 16 years of age; and if he will make a statement.

Procurators fiscal have been issued with detailed directions from the Lord Advocate about the prosecution of children under 16 years of age, and these include directions about summary prosecution. They were issued most recently in 1984 but are currently under review.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many children under 16 years of age were prosecuted under summary procedure in 1986.

The provisional figure for the number of children under 16 years of age who were proceeded against in summary prosecutions in Scotland in 1986 is 443.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government intend to publish the White Paper on developments in the European Community July-December 1986.

A White Paper — Cm. No. 122 — covering the period of the United Kingdom's presidency of the Council was published on 6 April 1987 in accordance with normal Government practice. The White Paper highlights the many achievements of the Community during the United Kingdom presidency including substantial progress towards the completion of the Common Market and the removal of barriers to trade in goods and services; radical decisions on reform of the milk and beef sectors constituting the single largest measure of reform so far achieved of the CAP; a wide ranging action programme to help stimulate employment; and intensified co-operation against terrorism, drugs and illegal immigration; in external relations the maintenance and strengthening of the open trading system reflected in the launching of the new GATT round, implementaion of a new multi-fibre arrangement and the settlement of disputes with the United States; an agreement over continued access for New Zealand dairy products; progress in normalisation of Community relations with Turkey; agreement to make food aid policy more responsive to the needs of recipient countries; and, in political co-operation, common positions vis-à-vis South Africa and Syria.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will have any representatives at the United States of America —South Korean Team Spirit manoeuvres; and if he will make a statement.

As I told the hon. Member on 14 April 1986, at column 245, our defence attaché at Seoul observes the team spirit exercises as part of his normal duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there are any plans to withdraw the British military observers from South Korea; and if he will make a statement.

There are no British military observers in Korea. Her Majesty's ambassador has a defence attaché, who is also Commander of the Commonwealth Liaison Mission to the United Nations; Command and Permanent Commonwealth member of the Military Armstice Commission. In addition to his staff, the United Kingdom provides a platoon on rotation from Hong Kong for the United Nations Honour Guard.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether King Fahd brought with him any specific proposals from President Assad aimed at renewing or improving diplomatic ties with Syria.

No.