asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he estimates the first city technical college in Nottingham will be opened.

My right hon. Friend announced on 4 June that sponsorship had been pledged for the fourth of the proposed network of city technology colleges in Nottingham. The school's sponsors wish to provide this opportunity for young people in Nottingham as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is his Department's definition of the duties of a school teacher in the role of accompanying children on foreign educational visits within his contract of employment under the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987;(2) what is his Department's definition of the duties of a school teacher in the role of accompanying children on non-curriculum and examination related trips within his contract of employment under the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987.

It is a matter for teachers' employers and the head teacher to define the particular duties of a teacher against the background of the duties set out in orders made by my right hon. Friend under section 3 of the Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987. How far paticular activities should be regarded as duties falling within a teacher's contract of employment and how far they should he treated as voluntary is a matter to be determined by reference to the particular circumstances of each case taking into account a teacher's contract of employment and any relevant instructions, guidance or policies of the teacher's employers. A teacher who engages in activities of the kind referred to by the hon. Member will have his or her normal responsibility for the pupil's discipline, health and safety.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the establishment of the National Museum of Wales at 1 May 1984, 1 May 1985 and 1 May 1987.

Annual returns of staff employed by the National Museum of Wales relate to full time equivalent staff in post on 1 January. On this basis the numbers employed were:

	Number
1984	385½
1985	388½
1987	387½

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has as to the indirect expenses charged by the National Museum of Wales against the receipts raised by it from the recent exhibition of masterpieces of that museum in Japan, and as to the proportion of total funds raised represented by those expenses.

Indirect expenses amounted to an estimated £80,000, equivalent to about 40 per cent. of total receipts.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the accumulated reduction in rate support grant since 1978–79 in Wales at 1987–88 prices on a basis comparable with the information supplied by the Secretary of State for the Environment in response to a question from the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) in relation to rate support grant in England, 29 June, Official Report, column 43.

The reduction in rate support grant since 1978–79 in Wales at 1987–88 prices is £104·1 million on a basis comparable with the information supplied for England.The following table gives a breakdown of the figures:

Reduction between	£ million
1978–79 and 1979–80	14·5
1978–79 and 1980–81	23·8
1978–79 and 1981–82	45·4
1978–79 and 1982–83	47·3
1978–79 and 1983–84	72·8
1978–79 and 1984–85	108·9
1978–79 and 1985–86	140·3
1978–79 and 1986–87	119·4
1978–79 and 1987–88	104·1

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the most recent available figures for the number of staff presently employed by the Welsh water authority.

At 31 March 1987 there were 4,845 people (4,601 full-time equivalent) employed by the Welsh water authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the housing investment allocations made to all housing authorities in Wales for each of the years 1978–79 to 1987–88 at 1987–88 constant prices.

I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the most recent available figure for the total number of persons employed on a full-time basis, or full-time equivalent, by county and district authorities in Wales.

The total number of persons employed by Welsh county and district authorities in March 1987 was 120,418 on a full-time equivalent basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the most recent available figure for the total number of persons employed on a full-time, or full-time equivalent, basis by local authorities in carrying out the following functions: refuse collection, the cleaning of streets and buildings, vehicle maintenance, catering and ground maintenance.

The detailed breakdown of the number of persons employed by local authorities to carry out these particular functions is not available centrally. Aggregate statistics on local authority manpower levels in Wales are published in press notices issued quarterly by the Welsh

Summary of impact of Green Paper proposals on domestic and non-domestic sectors for rating authority areas in Wales in 1987/88.
	Domestic sector				Non-domestic sector
	Average rate bill per hereditament	Community charge for spending at GRE	Overspend on GRE	Community charge with no "safely net"	Actual rate poundage now	National non-domestic rate poundage	Change to NNDR poundage
	£	£	£ per adult	£	P	P	per cent.
Alyn and Deeside	329	125	7	132	228·5	236·5	3·5
Colwyn	336	125	19	144	246·1	236·5	-3·9
Delyn	327	125	12	137	233·2	236·5	1·4
Glyndwr	263	125	12	138	229·5	236·5	3·1
Rhuddlan	326	125	9	134	233·7	236·5	1·2
Wrexham Maelor	292	125	14	140	235·0	236·5	0·6
Carmarthen	220	125	11	136	239·5	236·5	-1·3
Ceredigion	232	125	3	128	236·2	236·5	0·1
Dinefwr	197	125	—	125	235·4	236·5	0·5
Llanelli	238	125	24	150	253·6	236·5	-6·8
Preseli Pembrokeshire	221	125	1	127	235·2	236·5	0·6
South Pembrokeshire	255	125	-1	124	238·7	236·5	-0·9
Blaenau Gwent	202	125	21	146	238·3	236·5	-0·7
Islwyn	222	125	11	137	230·5	236·5	2·6
Monmouth	311	125	6	131	230·1	236·5	2·8
Newport	316	125	7	132	230·5	236·5	2·6
Torfaen	271	125	17	142	237·3	236·5	-0·3
Aberconwy	292	125	1	127	228·7	236·5	3·4
Arfon	198	125	-1	124	223·8	236·5	5·7
Dwyfor	225	125	3	128	228·3	236·5	3·6
Meirionnydd	218	125	1	127	219·1	236·5	7·9
Ynys Mon	256	125	-2	123	223·0	236·5	6·0
Cynon Valley	174	125	10	135	250·9	236·5	-5·8
Merthyr Tydfil	206	125	24	149	258·0	236·5	-8·3
Ogwr	266	125	17	142	260·1	236·5	-9·1
Rhondda	144	125	26	151	262·0	236·5	-9·7
Rhyney Valley	235	125	23	148	257·8	236·5	-8·3

asked the Secretary of State for Wales to what extent the proposed national educational curriculum will make provision for the teaching of the Welsh language, and of Welsh history and culture in the schools of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The Government intend to ensure that the national curriculum is flexible enough to take account of the needs of children in Wales. These needs embrace the teaching of the Welsh language and teaching through the medium of Welsh, and the study of Welsh history and culture. The extent of this provision will need to be determined as part of the exercise of developing the national curriculum.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table exemplifying community charges and non-domestic rates for each local authority in Wales, assuming that the Government's proposals for the reform of local finance had been fully in place in 1987–88, on a basis comparable with the information provided in response to a question from the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) concerning local authorities in England, Official Report, 29 June, column 44.

The information is given in the following table:

asked the Prime Minister if she will list the Lords Lieutenant for England and Wales, the dates of their appointment and their period of office.

County	Lord-Lieutenant	Date of appointment	Dale of retirement
England
Avon	Sir John Wills, TD, FRICS, JP	April 1974	July 2003
Bedfordshire	Lt. Col. Hanmer Hanbury, LVO, MC, JP	March 1978	January 1991
Berkshire	Col. The Hon. Gordon Palmer, OBE, TD	January 1978	July 1993
Buckinghamshire	Commander The Hon. John Fremantle, RN (Retd.), JP	September 1984	January 2002
Cambridgeshire	Michael Bevan, Esquire	August 1985	August 2001
Cheshire	The Viscount Leverhulme, TD	August 1949	July 1990
Cleveland	The Lord Gisborough, TD	March 1981	July 2002
Cornwall	The Viscount Falmouth	October 1977	October 1994
Cumbria	Sir Charles Graham, Bt	February 1983	July 1994
Derbyshire	Col. Peter Hilton, MC, JP	January 1978	June 1994
Devon	The Earl of Morley, JP	May 1982	May 1998
Dorset	The Lord Digby, JP	September 1984	July 1999
Durham	The Lord Barnard, TD	August 1970	September 1998
East Sussex	The Most Hon. The Marquess of Abergavenny, KG, OBE, JP	April 1974	November 1989
Essex	Admiral Sir Andrew Lewis, KCB, JP	August 1978	January 1993
Gloucestershire	Col. Martin Gibbs, CB, DSO, TD, JP	June 1978	February 1992
Greater London	Field Marshal The Lord Bramall, GCB, OBE, MC, JP	January 1986	December 1998
Greater Manchester	Sir William Downward, JP	April 1974	December 1987
Hampshire	Sir James Scott, JP	December 1982	October 1999
Hereford and Worcester	Captain Thomas Dunne, JP	1977	October 2008

Lords Lieutenant for England and Wales, the dates of their appointment and their period of office are:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he proposes to take steps to ease the cash flow problems caused for many companies whose value added tax refunds are held up by the Civil Service strike; and whether he will allow them to use their monthly pay-as-you-earn payments to the Inland Revenue to make good the shortfall.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the Government's plans to reform the system of tax allowances available to married couples.

I announced in the Budget debate that the Government would not be going ahead at this stage with the system of independent taxation with transferable tax allowances discussed in last year's Green Paper "The Reform of Personal Taxation". We are now considering whether there is a satisfactory halfway house to the approach in the Green Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will report on the outcome of the European Community Budget Council held in Brussels on 2 July.

The Budget Council considered the Community's budgetary problems in the current year in the light of the Commission's proposals for a supplementary and amending budget and the conclusions agreed by the European Council on 29–30 June. I represented the United Kingdom.The Council noted that the European Council's conclusions implied that the full amount of the prospective overspend in agricultural guarantee expenditure this year should be offset by adjusting the system for advance pyments from the Community budget to member states for this expenditure. The Commission is expected to make specific proposals shortly for discussion in the Agriculture Council on 13–14 July.The Council then proceeded after long deliberation to establish, subject to a waiting reserve by the Dutch delegation, a draft supplementary and amending Budget to cover the rest of the deficit in the current year as projected by the Commission amounting to some 2,100 mecu (Some £1·5 billion). The Council's proposals have five principal components.First, the unused margin of VAT withn this year's 1·4 per cent. ceiling, some 627 mecu net of Spanish and Portuguese refunds, would be called up. Second, savings of 198 mecu would be made in obligatory expenditure programmes, in particular agricultural guidance, fisheries, food aid arid Mediterranean financial protocols.Third, the refunds of 10 per cent. of levies and duties made to member states to cover collection costs would be delayed from the latter part of this year until early next year to the extent necessary to save 400 mecu this year. The member states agreed that these payments should be delayed on a voluntary basis, if necessary, pending amendment of the relevant Council Regulation, 2891/77.Fourth, the 1987 instalments of the repayment to member states of the 1984 inter-governmental agreement would be deferred, saving 257 mecu in the current year.Fifth, the Commission's revenue projections would be increased by 651 mecu to reflect more recent estimates of revenue and expected underspends on credits in the 1987 budget and carried forward from 1986. The Council agreed that, if the adjustments to the Commission's earlier revenue projections should prove excessive, the 1984 IGA repayment instalments due in 1988 could likewise he deferred as necessary.Provided that the Dutch delegation lifts its waiting reserve, the Council's proposals will be submitted to the European Parliament today. The Parliament is expected to consider them during its plenary session next week.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if notes on clauses to the Finance Bill will be made available to hon. Members.

Yes. The notes on clauses were placed in the Vote Office earlier today.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why the inner city task forces have not spent up to their full annual budgets.

No single task force has been given a specific annual budget. The eight original task forces committed around £5 million out of their own funds on local projects of benefit to their areas in 1986–87. This spending generated the commitment of substantial additional funds from other Government, public sector and private sector sources. Five million pounds is around 70 per cent. of the maximum task force funds available for project expenditure in that year. It took time to set the task forces up and it also took time to find useful local projects to support. Most task forces did not become fully operational until the early summer of 1986. The rate of spending in future either directly out of task force funds or out of other Government programmes in task force areas will depend on the response of local business and residents to our efforts to encourage worthwhile projects.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to publish the consultation document on the code of practice on match ignitability of components of upholstery of domestic furniture.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply 1 gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Poole (Mr. Ward) on 1 July at column 91.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the sale of the REFEL plant at Springfields by British Nuclear Fuels plc to Turner and Newall Ltd. for £1·25 million; and whether British Nuclear Fuels plc has any further plans to sell off any of its other operations to private companies.

The REFEL plant at Springfields makes silicon carbide products, and is not central to BNFL's nuclear business. I am informed by the company that it decided to sell the plant in order to concentrate more fully on commercial activities vital to continued success. There will be no redundancies as a result of the sale. BNFL has no further plans to sell off any of its other operations to private companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether there has been any change in the external financing limit for 1987–88 of the electricity industry in England and Wales since that announced in the 1987 public expenditure White Paper, Cm. 56-II.

The external finance limit for the electricity supply industry (England and Wales) for 1987–88 was set in the public expenditure plans at — £1,305 million. The Government have agreed with the Industry a revised limit of — £1,203 million to take account of capital expenditure which the Central Electricity Generating Board expects to incur in 1987–88 in relation to Sizewell B, now that consent to construct has been granted. The increase of £102 million will be charged to the reserve and so will not add to the public expenditure planning totals. It reflects expenditure which the hoard will incur in 1987–88 rather than in later years as a result of the timing of consent. This rephasing will not add to the overall cost of the project.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether the terms of the assurance about Government financial support for the British Coal Corporation given by his predecessor in an answer on 2 July 1986, Official Report, column 553, to the hon. Member for High Peak (Mr. Hawkins), apply to 1987–88 also.

Further weakening in the market has continued to put pressure on British Coal's financial position. Nevertheless British Coal still aims to achieve the objective agreed with Government of breaking even for the year 1988–89 as a whole and thereafter generating an increasing surplus on revenue account.Although I anticipate that this assurance should not be required indefinitely, I can confirm that, subject to Parliament's approving the necessary provisions, the Government will continue to make available funds to enable the corporation to meet its obligations as they fall due during the current financial year to 26 March 1988.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates there are, for the last year for which figures are available, of the number of road accidents caused by stray dogs; how many people were injured as a result; and how many people were killed.

The "Stats 19" road accident report form does not record the causes of accidents.Information is available for personal injury accidents in Great Britain where a dog was present on the carriageway. In 1985 there were 1,221 such accidents, in which three people were killed and 1,458 were injured.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what esimates he has made, or obtained, of the construction costs of the London docklands light railway City extension and the additional costs incurred by consequential upgrading of that part of the railway due to be opened on 30 July.

London Regional Transport's latest budgeted cost for the project is around £135 million at outturn prices. This includes the cost of upgrading works to the Initial railway which are necessary for the effective operation of the City extension.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of the regulations with which an operator is required to conform in operating a cross-Channel ferry.

Operators of cross-channel ferries have to comply with those regulations, contained in international conventions, applicable to passenger ships engaged on short international voyages (that is, international voyages in the course of which a ship is not more than 200 miles from a port or place in which the passengers and crew could be placed in safety).The principal international conventions relating to safety include—The 1974 Solas Convention and the 1978 protocol relating thereto incorporating the 1981 and 1983 amendments.The relevant chapters are:—

Chapter I	—General Provisions
Chapter II-1	—Construction—Subdivision and stability, machinery and electrical installations.
Chapter II-2	—Construction—Fire protection, fire detection and fire extinction
Chapter III	—Life-saving appliances and arrangements
Chapter IV	—Radio and radiotelephony
Chapter V	—Safety of navigation
Chapter VII	—Carriage of dangerous goods;

The International Convention on Load Lines, 1966;The Convention on the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, 1972 and the 1981 amendments relating thereto:The International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978.The requirements of these international conventions are normally incorporated in the national legislation of the flag state administration. For the United Kingdom, the principal statutory instruments relating to safe operation of cross-channel ferries are:

Title of Merchant Shipping Statutory Instrument		S.I. number(s)
MS	(Certification of Deck Officers) Regulations	1985/1306
MS	(Certification of Marine Engineer Officers) Regulations	1980/2025
MS	(Certification of Competency as AB) Regulations	1970/ 294
MS	(Official Log Books) Regulations	1981/ 569
MS	(Official Log Books) (Amendment) Regulations	1985/1828
MS	(Medical Examination) (Amendment) Regulations	1985/ 512
MS	(Dangerous Goods) Regulations	1981/1747
MS	(Dangerous Goods) (Amendment) Regulations	1986/1069
MS	(Life-Saving Appliances) Regulations	1980/ 538
		1986/1066
MS	(Life-Saving Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations	1981/ 577
		1986/1072
MS	(Musters and Training) Regulations	1986/1071
MS	(Musters) (Amendment) Regulations	1981/ 578
MS	(Passenger Ship Classification) Regulations	1981/1472
MS	(Fire Appliances) Regulations	1980/ 544
MS	(Fire Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations	1985/1194
		1981/ 574
MS	(Fire Protection) Regulations	1984/1218
		1985/1218
MS	(Fire Protection) (Amendment) Regulations	1985/1193
MS	(Fire Protection and Fire Appliances) (Amendment) Regulations	1986/1070
MS	(Load Line) Rules	1968/1053
MS	(Carriage of Nautical Publications) Rules	1975/ 700
MS	(Signals of Distress) Rules	1977/1010
MS	(Distress Signals and Prevention of Collisions) Regulations	1983/ 708
MS	(Automatic Pilot and Testing of Steering Gear) Regulations	1981/ 571
MS	(Code of Safe Working Practices) Regulations	1980/ 686
MS	(Means of Access) Regulations	1981/1729
MS	(Safety Officials and Reporting of Accident and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations	1982/ 876
MS	(Safety Officials and Reporting of Accident and Dangerous Occurrences) (Amendment) Regulations	1984/ 93
MS	(Health and Safety: General Duties) Regulations	1984/ 408
MS	(Radio Installations) Regulations	1980/ 529
MS	(Radio Installations) (Amendment) Regulations	1981/ 582
		1984/ 346
		1984/1223
		1985/1216
		1986/1075
MS	(Navigational Equipment) Regulations	1980/ 530
		1984/1203
MS	(Navigational Equipment) (Amendment)	1981/ 579
	Regulations	1985/ 659
MS	(Radio Installations Survey) Regulations	1981/ 583
	Anchors and Chain Cables Rules	1970/1453
MS	(Passenger Ship Construction) Regulations	1980/ 535
MS	(Passenger Ship Construction) (Amendment) Regulations	1981/ 580
		1985/ 660
MS	(Passenger Ship Construction and Survey) Regulations	1984/1216
MS	(Application of Construction and Survey Regulations to Other Ships) Regulations	1985/ 661
MS	(Passenger Ship Construction) (New and Existing Ships) (Amendment) Regulations	1986/1074
MS	(Closing of Openings in Hulls and in Watertight Bulkheads) Regulations	1980/ 540

asked the Minister for the Arts what is his best estimate of the total number of people attending museums and galleries in the United Kingdom in 1986.

The information collected by the Museum Association suggests that some 73 million visits were made to museums and galleries in the United Kingdom in 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of vacant prison officers' houses, flats and dwellings on the Isle of Wight that are not required for future use; and what steps are being taken to dispose of those that are surplus to requirements.

Approximately 60 prison officers' houses on the Isle of Wight are vacant, of which nine are in process of being sold on the open market. The need to retain the remainder will be reviewed and any which can be declared surplus will be sold on the open market or to prison officers under a newly introduced discount sales scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will describe the new uses of the personal data that will result from a new police national computer; what additional indexes will be linked together; what is the anticipated access rates and performance of each index; and when he estimates that the new police national computer will be fully operational.

Plans for a replacement police national computer have not yet been finalised. We hope to make an announcement later this year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the number of (a) fires in dwellings due to the ignition of upholstery covers, (b) non-fatal casualties from such fires and (c) fatalities from such fires, separately for each year from 1980 to 1985, giving estimates where appropriate; and if he will give the same information under the same headings in relation to bedding.

"Fire Statistics United Kingdom", published annually contains information on fires in dwellings attended by local authority fire brigades in which the material first ignited was upholstery or covers, or bedding. This information is in tables 27, 28, 32, 33 and 35, respectively, of the annual volumes for 1980 to 1984. Publication of 1985 information has been delayed by computer processing problems but provisional figures are:

Materials first ignited
	Upholstery or covers	Bedding
Fires	3,934	4,844
Non-fatal casualties	1,186	1,044
Fatal casualties	167	129

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information has been sought from the relevant United Kingdom authorities by the Swedish authorities involved in the case of Captain Simon Hayward as to whether a British subject, Mr. Gary Forbes Mitchell, recently convicted in Sweden of drug trafficking offences, had any previous convictions for similar or other offences in the United Kingdom; what reply was given to the Swedish inquiries; and if he will make a statement;(2) for what reasons two British police officers travelled to Sweden to interview Captain Simon Hayward, currently being held in custody by the Swedish authorties; what was the outcome of their visit; whether the officers went at the invitation of the Swedish authorities; whether they questioned or made inquiries into other British subjects while they were in Sweden; whether the Swedish authorities made any contribution to the cost of their journey; and what was the total cost to the United Kingdom taxpayer.

It is not in the public interest to comment on whether information has been exchanged through Interpol nor on the reasons for or outcome of the visit to Sweden made by two British police officers. Their visit was made with the agreement of the Swedish authorities who did not contribute to the cost. The total additional cost of the visit was approximately £1,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will withdraw the draft regulations under the Social Security Act which provide that the cost of alarm systems for the elderly or infirm will no longer be eligible for housing benefit.

The draft regulations for the reformed housing benefits scheme to be introduced in April 1988 provide, in line with current policy, that the cost of alarm systems installed in accommodation specifically intended for elderly, sick or disabled people will be eligible for housing benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the main needs of women in the policy areas within the sphere of his Department's activities; what has been done to identify and quantify these needs and to monitor services delivery; what consultation is carried out with women to ensure their views are adequately represented; and what training is given to his staff to raise their appreciation of the needs of women.

Our policies on health, personal social services and social security are designed to benefit both men and women.The particular needs of women are recognised and there have been many specific initiatives designed to benefit them. The maternity services advisory committee, established in 1981, produced three reports on aspects of maternity care, which have been distributed widely within the health service and to interested professional and lay organisations. The committee's advice is taken into account when authorities plan, monitor and review their maternity services. The Asian mother and baby project was launched in 1984 and involved the appointment of link workers to overcome linguistic and cultural barriers and so improve ante and post-natal care for women from the Indian sub-continent.Health authorities have been required to install computerised call and recall schemes for cervical cancer and we are introducing the first nation-wide breast cancer screening system in the world.Particular attention has been paid to women smokers. In 1985 £4½ million was made available to the Health Education Council for a television campaign to discourage smoking among women. The Health Education Council also produced a booklet on women and smoking in late 1986. The latest voluntary agreement on tobacco advertising and promotion prohibits cigarette advertising in magazines where a third or more of the readers are young women, and one of the six new health warnings draws attention to the damage smoking during pregnancy can do to an unborn baby. Although there is considerable work still to be done, smoking amongst women has fallen from 37 per cent. in 1978 to 32 per cent. in 1984.The Health Education Authority, which succeeded the HEC in April 1987 and is largely funded by Government, produces a range of publications aimed specifically at women. The "Pregnancy Book," first published in 1984 by the Health Education Council, received a particularly warm welcome. The Government expect that the Health Education Authority will continue and develop this work.In the social security field, the Department is conscious both of the need to ensure equal treatment between men and women and of the special needs and problems of many women. Equal treatment for men and women in claiming benefits has been extended to almost all aspects of the social security system: where differences remain, they are largely favourable to women. In respect of special needs, a major recent initiative has been the introduction of statutory maternity pay from April 1987 to combine maternity allowance and maternity pay. In addition, those women who do not qualify for SMP may still continue to receive maternity allowance under new conditions designed to target help more closely on those with recent work records. The new arrangements in both cases give pregnant women greater choice about when to give up work without affecting benefit entitlement. Among the reforms of income related benefits which come into effect in April 1988 the introduction of a lone parent premium in income support will be one of the changes of particular benefit to many women. Like other aspects of the social security reforms affecting both men and women the new arrangements will be carefully monitored.Since October last year I have held a special responsibility for women's health. I have called together a small group of officials to look at the range of issues covered by the Department that affect women's health and to gather information on such issues.My ministerial colleagues and I meet many women's groups and organisations, with interests across the whole spectrum of departmental responsibilities, during the course of our duties. Where issues or policy developments of specific interest to women are under consideration we consult a wide range of interested organisations. The Department also gives funding to a number of voluntary bodies dealing with issues of specific interest to women such as the women's national cancer control campaign and the women's therapy centre, and contact with these groups helps to keep us informed of women's needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many health authorities have in operation cervical cancer call and recall schemes covering all women at risk.

Cervical cancer screening for women at risk is routinely offered by all health authorities. Many have had their own call and recall system operating for many years on computer or manually.On 29 April 1985 we asked all health authorities to ensure that computerised call and recall systems were installed. At that time our guidance to health authorities was that they should give priority to women aged between 35–64. To date, 75 health authorities have a computerised system installed and in use.In February this year we asked health authorities to rationalise their existing arrangements for screening younger women by ensuring that call and recall began at age 20. Nineteen of the 75 who already have computerised systems have now met this requirement. We have told all health authorities that we expect them to meet all our requirements by the target date of 31 March 1988.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the future of exceptionally severe weather payments.

We are currently reviewing the exceptionally cold weather provision in the light of last winter's experience.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many registered mental nurses are employed in each distrct health authority; what was the number in 1979; and what has been the percentage change.

I shall let the hon. Member have as much information as is available as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many people in the Leeds, Central constituency are currently in receipt of (a) supplementary benefit, (b) invalidity benefit, (c) housing benefit, (d) sickness benefit, (e) mobility allowance and (f) maternity benefits; and how many people have received single payments in the current financial year.

The Leeds, Central constituency is covered by the Department's local offices at Leeds, east, north, and north-west, but the boundaries are not conterminous. The table shows the number of people receiving benefit from those offices on the latest date for which information is available:

	At 5 May 1987	At 2 June 1987
Supplementary Benefit	149,476	—
Invalidity and Sickness Benefit	—	9,640
Maternity Allowance	—	719
1 Source 100 per cent, count of cases of action.

In the period from 8 April 1987 to 5 May 1987 there have been 3,582 awards of single payments.I regret that information about mobility allowance is not available and that the only information on housing benefit relates to the entire Leeds city council area, and cannot he disaggregated by constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects to lay claims and payments regulations covering all social security benefits.

Copies of draft Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations on claims for and payments of all social security benefits are today being placed in the Library. They set out the common rules which the Government intend will operate from the start of the income support and family credit schemes in April 1988. The draft regulations are being made available to assist preparations for the implemention of the schemes and will be laid before Parliament when final decisions have been taken on the income-related benefit rates in the autumn.The regulations which harmonise and simplify many of the existing rules governing benefit claims and payments introduce several new rules, one of which will limit to one month the period during which benefit can be suspended while the adjudication officer is deciding whether to appeal from a decision of the social security appeal tribunal. A further proposed change is that when the adjudication officer decides that payments on behalf of someone in receipt of income support may be made to a third party for housing costs, fuel costs and water charges, deductions may be made from a range of contributory and non-contributory benefits.The revised time limits for claiming benefits recommended in the report of the Social Security Advisory Committee in March 1987 (Cm 100) have been incorporated in the regulations and in themselves introduce a considerable simplification in the administration of the social security benefits system.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received about the professional standards of private sector companies offering breast cancer screening.

[pursuant to her reply, 30 June 1987, c. 70]: We have received three letters on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been (a) killed and (b) injured by plastic bullets in the Province at the latest available date.

Since the introduction of rubber baton rounds in 1970, and plastic baton rounds in 1973, 15 people have died as a result of their use by the security forces in Northern Ireland. From 17 March 1981, when records were first collated, to 31 May 1987, the latest date for which figures are available, 383 people are recorded as having been injured by them.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the comparative cost of educating (a) a YTP student, (b) a BTEC student and (c) a GCE O-level student in Northern Ireland's further education colleges; and if these courses have been the subject of discussion between the Northern Ireland Office and the Government of the Republic of Ireland at a meeting of the Anglo-Irish Ministerial Conference.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he will be introducing to increase the quality of the educational content of Government training schemes.

Training schemes run by the Manpower Services Commission are primarily designed to give people the competence to compete effectively in the labour market. Most schemes also provide opportunities for trainees to gain recognised vocational qualifications. A training standards advisory service has been established to provide independent quality audits of both youth and adult training schemes. Also, the MSC requires all providers of YTS training to become approved training organisations and there are proposals to extend this requirement to the new job training scheme. These measures are designed to improve the quality of training opportunities for young people and adults.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people, by sex, have been unemployed in the Leeds, Central constituency for (a) less than six months, (b) between six months and one year, (c) between one year and two years and (d) more than two years; and what were the figures for 1986.

The following information is in the Library.

Unemployed claimants—Leeds Central constituency
	10 April 1986		11 April 1987
	Male	Female	Male	Female
Unemployed for under 6 months	1,864	803	1,694	686

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of people unemployed in the Leeds central constituency, by sex, who are (a) under 25 years of age, (b) 25 to 35 years, (c) 35 to 50 years and (d) over 50 years; and what were the numbers in 1986.

The following information is in the Library.

Unemployed claimants—Leeds Central constituency
	10 April 1986		11 April 1987
	Male	Female	Male	Female
Aged under 25	1,867	1,001	1,652	872
Aged 25–34	1,507	377	1,402	365
Aged 35–49	1,392	357	1,321	324
Aged over 50	1,034	266	990	266

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Leeds, West constituency at 1 January for each year between 1979 and 1986 had been unemployed for (a) less than six months, (b) between six months and one year, (c) between one and two years and (d) over two years.

Unemployed Claimants—Leeds West Constituency
	12 January 1984		10 January 1985		9 January 1986
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
Aged under 25	1,355	840	1,488	804	1,454	847
Aged 25–34	1,009	299	1,106	364	1,133	380
Aged 35–49	923	243	992	263	1,010	306
Aged over 50	753	214	764	241	751	265

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his discussions with the United States Government about the publication of Peter Wright's memoirs.

Our discussions with other Governments are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the main needs of women in the policy areas within the sphere of his Department's activities; what has been done to identify and quantify these needs and to monitor services delivery; what consultation is carried out with women to ensure their views are adequately represented; and what training is given to his staff to raise their appreciation of the needs of women.

The main needs of women thoughout the world are set out in the forward-looking strategies for the advancement of women adopted by the world conference at Nairobi in July 1985 to review and appraise the

Following is the available information, which is also in the Library. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the new ward-based system, and are available only from June 1983. Figures are given for the date closest to 1 January for each year for which figures are available.

Unemployed Claimants—Leeds West Constituency
	12 January 1984	10 January 1985	9 January 1986
Unemployed for under 6 months	2,231	2,486	2,494
6 months–1 Year	1,087	1,000	1,020
1–2 Years	1,094	1,011	985
Over 2 Years	1,224	1,525	1,647

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people unemployed in the Leeds, West constituency by sex, who were (a) under 25 years of age, (b) between 25 years and 35 years, (c) between 35 and 50 years and (d) over 50 years, respectively at 1 January for each year between 1979 and 1986.

Following is the available information, which is also in the Library. Statistics of unemployment for parliamentary constituencies are derived from the new ward-based system, and are available only from June 1983. Figures are given for the date closest to 1 January for each year for which figures are available.achievements of the United Nations decade for women. Implementation of the strategies is being monitored by the UN Secretariat and the commission on the status of women.Women are both agents and beneficiaries of our aid programme and their needs are taken into account in drawing up and reviewing expenditure programmes. Aid wing officials hold regular discussions with members of the women's organisations interest group of the National Council for Voluntary Organisations and other women in development experts.Guidance on equal opportunities is a regular part of the Department's internal training. Aid wing staff also receive training in the role of women in development.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of his Department in relation to the self determination of the occupants of the western Sahara.

We fully support efforts currently being made by the United Nations Secretary General to bring about a peaceful solution to the western Sahara dispute which takes account of the views of the people of the territory.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by him to the Government of the Cameroons about human rights.

We have made no recent representations to the Government of Cameroons about human rights.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Cyprus.

There has been no change in Her Majesty's Government's policy towards Cyprus. We recognise only the Republic of Cyprus, of which President Kyprianou is the Head of State. We do not recognise the self-styled "Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the United Kingdom's next report to the European Commission detailing observance of European Community directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds will catalogue the loss and damage to annex 1 bird species and migratory bird species due to afforestation in the Caithness and Sutherland flow country.

Compulsory Purchase Orders
	CPO Title	Approx Area of land affected (hectares)	Purpose for which CPO made
1.	Connaught Crossing	5·96	Highway scheme
2.	East Docklands No 1	301	Land assembly for redevelopment
3.	East Docklands No. 2	5·3	Land assembly for redevelopment
4.	Greenland Dock (East Country Yard)	2·6	Land assembly for redevelopment
5.	Isthmus Site	2·54	Highway scheme and redevelopment
6.	Cannon Workshops Phase II	1·43	Land assembly for redevelopment and highway purposes
7.	Garford Street	0·53	Land assembly for redevelopment
8.	Leslie's Cafe (95 Prestons Road and 51 Coldharbour)	0·06	Highway scheme
9.	Westferry Road-Emmett Street	9·12	Highway scheme and redevelopment
10.	Naval Row	0·7	Land assembly for redevelopment
11.	Westferry Circus	6·13	Highway scheme
12.	Shed 35 Link	0·85	Highway scheme
13.	Billingsgate-Prestons Road	6·1	Highway scheme
14.	Lower Lea Crossing	16·06	Highway scheme
15.	270–286 Poplar High Street	0·13	Highway scheme
16.	Isthmus Site2	0·85	Highway scheme
17.	Phase 6	2·7	Highway scheme
18.	Eastern Gateway Access Road	20·6	Highway scheme
19.	Brunswick Wharf	7·65	Land assembly for redevelopment
20.	Klein's Wharf	0·72	Land assembly for redevelopment
21.	Land to the east of West India Dock Road to the South of Marsh Wall/Market	0·79	Car parking for adjacent development
22.	Johnsons Draw Dock	0·07	Public open space-slipway

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the traffic levels expected on the projected east-west main road in

I am well aware of criticisms which have been expressed of the possible effect on the population of some bird species of afforestation in the Caithness and Sutherland peat lands. The Government are urgently considering ways of ensuring that an appropriate balance between conservation and other land uses is achieved. The United Kingdom will, in accordance with Article 12 of Directive 79/409/EEC be reporting in appropriate terms on the general implementation of national provisions taken under the Directive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report all compulsory purchase notices issued by the London Docklands Development Corporation showing for each the area of land, the projected use of the land, the costs to the corporation where purchase has been completed and the number of those employed who are or have been subject to displacement.

The following table lists the compulsory purchase orders made by the London Docklands Development Corporation, the area of land affected (some of which is the subject of more than one CPO) and the regeneration purpose of acquisition. The remaining information is not readily available but I will write to the hon. Member shortly with more details:Tower Hamlets and Newham in the London docklands; what are the estimated costs of each of its sections, crossings or tunnels; and what status it will be accorded.

The LDDC currently estimates that, by the year 2000. the traffic flows on the busiest section of the network, which is in Tower Hamlets, would be about 7,000 vehicles two-way in the peak hour. The equivalent figure for Newham is about 4,000 vehicles.The total construction cost (excluding land) for the LDDC's road programme is £188 million at March 1986 prices. The major schemes are as follows:

Scheme	Cost
	£ million
Limehouse Link Cut and Cover	40
Poplar Link and Connecting tunnel	26
Lower Lea Road Crossing	20
Connaught Crossing	21
Royal Albert Dock Spine Road	20
Eastern Gateway Access Road	14

No decisions have yet been taken on the final status of each section.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the main headings of gross expenditure of the London Docklands Development Corporation to date including land acquisition, publicity, consultancy, administration and local community grants, together with offsetting income from each principal source and his reasons for seeking to increase borrowing powers from £600 million to £800 million.

LDDC's expenditure and receipts to 31 March 1987 are set out below. Further details will be available in the corporation's annual report and accounts 1986–87, which will be laid before the House before the recess.

	£ million
Gross Expenditure to 31 March 1987
Land Acquisition	79
Reclamation and Treatment	78
Other infrastructure	128
Community and Local Industry Support	19
Administration	27
Estate Management	12
Promotion and General Consultancy	14
Interest and Taxation	16
Total Expenditure	373
Income
Disposal Income	58
Other Income	10
Total Income	68
Net Expenditure
	305

A sum close to the present financial limit for urban development corporations of £600 million will be reached by 31 March 1988. It is therefore necessary to raise the limit provided for by statute before Estimates for 1988–89 can be presented.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now publish his decision concerning the application of the London borough of Newham of December 1986 in respect of the inner area programme for the financial year 1987–88.

I shall write to the hon. Member shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will take steps to provide further protection to beneficiaries of local authority pension schemes against trustees who invest the funds of pension schemes into investments involving undue risk; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will issue advice to local authorities about the investment of their pension funds; and if he will make a statement.

I shall answer these questions shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to make it illegal for councils to evict tenants solely on the basis of allegations of racist behaviour; and if he will make a statement.

Local authorities do not have powers to evict tenants solely on the basis of allegations of racist behaviour. Councils which have been concerned about cases of racial harassment have sought possession orders on grounds laid down in the Housing Act 1985: Ground 1 (breach of tenancy obligations) and Ground 2 (nuisance and annoyance to neighbours). Before granting possession orders, the courts need to be satisfied that the requirements of either ground have been met.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the derelict tin mines in Cornwall where mine spoil has elevated uranium concentrations.

Full information on all sites is not readily available, but it is likely that the uranium concentrations of tin-mine spoils will generally be higher than that for other earth materials in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department has budgeted for the provision of funds to schools that are found to contain a high level of radon gas within the next year.

Investigations of radon levels in schools are being undertaken by the National Radiological Protection Board for the Cornwall county council, and the question of undertaking any remedial measures would be a matter for the County Council. Funds are not normally made available by central Government specifically for local authority remedial work to deal with particular problems, but rate support grant is paid in general support of local authorities' revenue expenditure. It is for the local authorities to decide their individual spending priorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when action will be taken on the 10 schools in Cornwall and Cornwall college at Pool which are above the recommended eventual action threshold for radon gas presence.

Cornwall county council, with the help of other agencies, will be investigating methods of reducing radon levels in six schools during the summer holidays. The results of this work will provide the council with a basis for deciding upon any further work.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when is the recommended action to remove radon gas from a house if it is found to be above the recommended level; and what is his estimate of how much this action would cost the average household.

It is too early to give specific advice on appropriate remedial measures or their costs. The Building Research Establishment is carrying out a programme of research on remedial and preventive measures, and further guidance and advice will be given in the light of this research.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the level of millisieverts of radon gas doses found in each school in the constituency of Truro.

This is a matter for Cornwall county council, for whom the National Radiological Protection Board have measured the average concentration of radon in selected schools, including a number in the Truro constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the agricultural advisory service in Scotland giving the number of advisers in each speciality and in each area of Scotland in 1983 and 1987.

Following the reorganisation of the separate colleges into Scottish agricultural colleges, the structure of the advisory services formerly operated by each college has changed radically. For this reason it is difficult to make direct comparisons. The numbers of field advisers at June 1983 compared with the same month in 1987 are as follows:

	1983	1987
East of Scotland College of Agriculture	24	18
North of Scotland College of Agriculture	38	30
West of Scotland Agricultural College	34	21
Totals	96	69

Individual entitlements to housing support grant
(prices current at time of payment)
Area	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Scotland	213,400,000	228,200,000	161,900,000	104,632,870	72,135,479	67,211,241	64,178,219	44,469,760	46,489,693
Berwickshire	1,304,502	1,306,875	1,038,356	686,226	648,884	486,805	446,429	201,135	261,235
Ettrick and Lauderdale	1,725,856	1,753,749	1,154,679	552,583	373,420	107,262	0	0	0
Roxburgh	1,734,338	1,971,598	1,537,295	1,165,695	1,260,321	1,265,786	1,306,156	951,730	1,225,127
Tweeddale	289,209	285,768	109,055	0	0	0	0	0	0
Clackmannan	1,850,234	1,818,745	1,283,981	689,627	45,021	0	0	0	0
Falkirk	7,957,349	7,479,143	4,428,554	1,494,309	0	0	0	0	0
Stirling	1,929,781	1,916,151	1,016,562	1,335,195	20,431	0	0	0	0
Annandale and Eskdale	1,094,232	1,452,108	1,272,965	1,387,048	1,574,069	1,673.013	1,759,580	1,382,490	1,432,469
Nithsdale	1,147,826	905,200	100	0	0	0	0	0	0
Stewartry	548,774	676,321	542,539	412,797	414,643	359,095	343,80	253,704	425,965
Wigtown	1,046,584	1,154,830	767,726	452,325	255,317	200,315	95,565	0	321,604
Dunfermline	5,391,353	6,079,270	2,800,067	683,115	0	0	0	0	0
Kirkcaldy	6,303,279	6,500,216	3,077,166	696,260	0	0	0	0	0
North East Fife	1,586,114	1.664,141	979,528	829,197	309,583	87,427	0	0	0
Aberdeen	9,749,391	10,733,105	9,533,966	7,089,761	3,724,702	3,053,523	2,260,303	0	0
Banff and Buchan	4,966,010	5,495,862	4,343,622	3,306,069	2,437,206	1,943,394	1,599,685	558,241	794,646

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the numbers employed in Scotland for each year since 1979 and the number in full and part-time employment, respectively.

The latest Department of Employment estimates show the following numbers of employees in June each year :

(thousands )
		All employees in employment	Females in part-lime employment
	1979	2,102	332
	1980	2,082	335
	1981	2,002	336
	1982	1,950	337
	1983	1,899	337
	1984	1,901	347
	1985	1,906	361
	1986	1,892	361

No figures are available for the number of males in part-time employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the level of housing support grant paid by his Department to each local authority in Scotland in each year since 1979 in (a) cash terms and (b) real terms at 1987–88 prices.

The information is given in the tables: