asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many civil servants are employed by his Department in (a) London and the south-east, (b) the south-west, (c) the midlands and (d) the north of England; and what is the budgeted expenditure of his Department for the current year in each of these regions.

The staff employed in the areas concerned, and their estimated budgeted salary and associated costs are

	Staff in post at 1 June 1987	Costs £ million
London and South East (including East Anglia)	4,961	106
South-West	1,018	22
Midlands	1,171	22
North	1,841	39
Total, England	8,991	192

The Department also employs 5,343 staff, at a cost of £114 million, in Scotland and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether there are currently any plans to extend the Docklands light railway to Thamesmead.

At present LRT have no plans to extend the Docklands light railway to Thamesmead. The possibility of further extensions to the railway, including one to Thamesmead, is being considered in the context of a study of the future development of public transport in the Docklands, jointly commissioned by London Regional Transport and the London Docklands Development Corporation. We shall look closely at any proposals which emerge from this work.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the inspector's report of the public inquiry into the east London river crossing.

Early in 1988.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has of the incidence and types of crime committed at motorway service areas.

No statistics are available of criminal offences committed at motorway service areas. The Department has not received any recent complaints about such offences. It would be for local police forces to respond to inquiries about offences at individual service areas. Police posts exist at most of them.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any information about the incidence of injuries to pedestrians caused by cyclists riding on footpaths.

No. The Stats 19 road accident report form does not identify incidences of cyclists riding on footpaths.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is in a position to report on the study undertaken to consider the road link from the M1 to A1 in the South Leeds area; and if he will make a statement.

We hope to make an announcement during the autumn. This should end the present uncertainty.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposes to take to improve coach safety; and if he will make a statement.

New regulations, laid before Parliament today, will require all new single-decked coaches registered in Britain from 1 April 1990 to be built to a new European safety standard governing the strength of coach roofs to reduce the possibility of the roof collapsing in a roll-over accident.From the same date, double-decked coaches will be required to be fitted with a means of escape in both halves of the upper deck. From 1 October 1988 seat belts will be required to be fitted on most front passenger seats and centre rear seats in coaches and to the front passenger seats of minibuses, ambulances and motor caravans. Seat belt anchorages will be required on the seats of heavy goods vehicles.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many (a) disqualified excess alcohol offenders and (b) high risk offenders did not apply for a new driving licence within six months of the end of their disqualification period.

The information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when, pursuant to the answer of 29 June, Official Report, column 33, he expects a decision to be reached on the provision of a rail link to Manchester airport; and if he will make a statement.

I shall make a decision on the application for Government grant towards this project as soon as the necessary evaluations have been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average size of sheep flocks in Scotland.

The average size of the Scottish breeding ewe flock, as recorded at the June 1986 agricultural census, was 232 ewes. The average number of breeding ewes on full time specialist sheep farms in the less favoured areas was 969.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 6 July, Official Report, column 36, why his Department does not hold information concerning properties with lead plumbing in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

I assume the hon. Member is concerned with the health hazard arising from elevated levels of lead in drinking water. The presence of lead plumbing does not necessarily imply that the level of lead in the drinking water exceeds the current standard of 0·1mg/l laid down in the EC directive on the quality of water for human consumption. It is not clear that the considerable cost of surveys which would be required to collect fully comprehensive information of lead plumbing in Scotland would be justified. Water authorities are making good progress in reducing the plumbosolvency of water supplies by treatment processes or by pipe replacement as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to who owns Loch Ness; and how the various rights in the loch are apportioned.

At common law the solum of an inland loch in Scotland is owned by the riparian proprietors. There is nothing in the titles of the two estates which contain the major part of the shores of Loch Ness, Lovat estate and Foyers estate, to indicate any departure from the common law with respect to Loch Ness. The cost of a search. to identify and examine the titles of all parties who might have an interest in the loch would be disproportionate to the results achieved. Such a search could not be guaranteed to be exhaustive because the land register of Scotland, which is map-based, has not yet been extended to the Highlands, and the Register of Sasines relies on verbal descriptions of land which are frequently not sufficiently detailed to permit accurate location of the land.Salmon fishings can be owned separately from the land and held on a separate title. Other fishings cannot be separately owned, but can be let.Loch Ness, of course, forms part of a navigable waterway and the rights of all parties having an interest in the loch are subject to rights of navigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of the capital cost of the Ballachulish bridge requires to be expended on regular maintenance; how frequently maintenance is required; and how this compares with the bridges, at Kessock and Kylesku.

Over the last three years the equivalent of 5 per cent. of the capital cost of the bridge has been spent on maintenance work (involving surface treatment of the structure) but this is the first major outlay on the bridge since it was completed in 1975. As regards other bridges, Kessock bridge has had no significant expenditure on maintenance since opening in 1982; the Scottish Development Department does not hold information on the Kylesku bridge, which falls within the responsibility of Highland regional council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many closures have been reported in Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency in each year since 1979; and how many jobs have been involved.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent by the Scottish Development Agency in each year since 1979 in Renfrew, West and Inverclyde constituency; and what proportion of all spending by the agency this figure represents.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Dumfries on Tuesday 7 July, if he will list the areas and farms where his Department has identified elevated readings of radiation among lambs; and how many lambs are in the affected areas.

The order was made on 7 July designated three areas in Dumfries and Galloway region. These areas comprise seven farms in the parishes of Ruthwell, Kirkgunzeon and New Abbey. In all, about 6,000 sheep are affected. Testing continues in a few other hill areas to determine whether restrictions need to be introduced. Action will be taken as necessary to protect the consumer and the monitoring results will be published in full.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many are registered out of work at each benefit office in Renfrew West and Inverclyde constituency; and how many were registered out of work in June 1983.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. However, on 14 May 1987 (the latest date for which information is available) and 9 June 1983 the number of unemployed claimants in the Renfrew West and Inverclyde parliamentary constituency totalled 3,632 and 3,472 respectively. The figures are not comparable due to the changes which have taken place in the compilation of the statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to pursue action to reduce the rates of any Scottish local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

I am today laying before Parliament reports under section 5 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 setting out my proposals for reductions in the rates of Lothian regional council and Edinburgh district council of 3·9p and 2·8p respectively. Clackmannan district council has offered to reduce its rate by 1·8p and I have today written to the council accepting its proposal.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what level of petroleum tax revenue is anticipated for the current financial year assuming that the present price of $19.20 for Brent crude is maintained; and how this figure compares with the previous financial year.

North Sea tax revenues depend on other factors such as the exchange rate and oil production as well as on the dollar oil price. The sensitivity of oil revenue forecasts to various changes in the underlying assumptions is described in Chapter 6 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1987–88." Total North Sea revenues in 1986–87 amounted to some £4.8 billion, and were forecast to be £3.9 billion in 1987–8 in the FSBR.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, as part of Her Majesty's Government policy to encourage the redevelopment of the inner cities, he proposes to extend to urban development corporations 100 per cent. allowances for corporation and income tax purposes for capital expenditure on industrial and commercial buildings; and if he will make a statement.

I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

To ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, what proprtion of shareholders now owning shares in companies privatised since 1979 are (a) current or (b) former employees of that company.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1987, c. 159]: In total, 430,000 employees have taken up shares when their companies have been privatised. Most have kept their shares.

asked the Attorney-General what are the main needs of women in the policy areas within the sphere of his Department's activity; what is being done to identify and quantify these needs and to monitor implementation; what consultation is carried out with women to ensure their views are adequately represented; and what training is given to staff to raise their appreciation of the needs of women.

The policies of the Lord Chancellor's Department are designed to meet the needs of men and women equally. The Department contributed to the "Review of the Nairobi Forward-Looking Strategies for the Advancement of Women" published by the Home Office on 29 April, a copy of which was placed in the Library, and especially to the section on Matrimonial and Family law. The only change since the review was drafted is that the Family Law Reform Bill mentioned in that section received the Royal Assent on 15 May. The Lord Chancellor and his officials consult regularly organisations with an interest in the work of the Department and are happy to hear from any organisation representing women. Equal opportunities, including those for women are discussed on management and other staff training courses including the panel interview arid selection interviewing courses.My own Department, the Law Officers' Department, has no policy making functions.

asked the Attorney-General what proposals he has to instruct the legal aid authorities to ensure that persons detained in custody and transferred from their local remand prison are entitled to be visited by their solicitors and advisers so that their cases can be prepared for trial.

I am not aware of any problems concerning legal aid for solicitors to visit clients transferred away from their local remand prison. If the hon. Gentleman has a particular case in mind he should write to the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects to make a decision on the possible prosecution of the hon. Member for Torbay (Mr. Allason) in relation to his alleged possession of certain security documents.

This matter has been invetigated by the police. The Director of Public prosecutions has now decide that the investigation has not disclosed evidence justifying the bringing of proceedings. The Director has consulted me and I have agreed with his decision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment his Department has made of possible links between lack of maintenance and inadequate school buildings and education standards; and if he will make a statement.

Many factors influence the standards attained in schools and there is no means of identifying the contribution made by any one alone. It is for LEAs to ensure that schools provide an appropriate physical environment for teaching and learning.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many United Kingdom further education places with free tuition are currently filled by European Community nationals.

Under arrangements announced in Parliament on 1 July 1986, students from European Community (EC) countries attending courses designated for mandatory awards purposes in the United Kingdom are eligible to have their course fees reimbursed by the Government, if they satisfy conditions for eligibility corresponding to those which apply for United Kingdom students. Interim figures for the academic year 1986–87, the first year to which these arrangements apply, indicate that about 3,100 EC students at United Kingdom institutions have had their fees reimbursed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) which European Community countries offer free tuition in higher education for members of other European Community countries;(2) which European Community countries levy charges for fees for higher education students coming from other European Community countries.

Drawing on the available information, my understanding of the situation in each member state is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to increase the number of women members, from seven out of the total membership of 29, on his principal advisory body on the school curriculum, the consultative committee on the curriculum.

This is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of (a) three-year olds, (b) four-year olds and (c) rising five-year olds included in official calculations of the number of three to five-year-olds in education who attend primary school classes, in contrast to attending nursery schools specifically designed and staffed for the particular needs of three-to-five-year olds.

The number of three-year-olds. four-year-olds and rising five-year-olds who attended maintained nursery schools, and nursery classes and infant classes in primary schools in England in January 1986 was as follows:

	Nursery Schools	Primary Schools
Pupils age1		Nursery Classes	Infant Classes
Three	33,376	155,960	2,350
Four2	8,777	48,780	233,517
Rising five3	48	1,153	192,376
1 Full and part-time pupils. Ages at 31 August 1985.
2 Excludes rising fives. (See note 3).
3 Pupils aged four at 31 August 1985 who became five by 31 December 1985 and were, therefore of compulsory school age on the day of the census count in January 1986.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of children under the age of 16 years are educated in state schools.

The proportion of children under the age of 16 who were educated in maintained schools in England in January 1986 was 94 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for changing the menbership of governing bodies of polytechnics.

We plan to re-establish polytechnics and other maintained colleges predominantly concerned with higher education as corporate bodies. The Boards of Governors will assume wide powers to determine the affairs of the institution. The membership of the boards will reflect the institutions' new status and the governors' new role. There will be a strong voice for employers and other lay representatives. We have sought views on the detailed composition of the Boards and are considering responses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students from Wales are at present studying as undergraduates at universities in England; and what proportion of all students from Wales studying as undergraduates in universities they represent.

In 1985, there were 6,200 full-time students from Wales studying as undergraduates at universities in England. This represents 57 per cent. of all University undergraduates from Wales in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many students from Wales are studying as undergraduates in each of the constituent colleges of the University of Wales; and what proportion of the undergraduate students at each college they represent; (2) how many students from Scotland are studying as undergraduates in each of the Scottish universities; and what proportion of all undergraduates, at each university, they represent.

The information is as follows:

Full-time undergraduates from Scotland at universities in Scotland, 1985
	Total	As per cent. of all undergraduates at each university
Aberdeen	3,700	76
Dundee	1,600	56
Edinburgh	5,100	59
Glasgow	7,900	86
Heriot-Watt	1,900	66
St. Andrews	1,100	34
Stirling	1,300	60
Strathclyde	5,300	86
Total Scotland	28,000	70

Total full time academic staff
	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985
Aston	568	606	640	644	617	534	468	396	357
Bath	373	417	453	453	453	457	462	472	465
Birmingham	1,404	1,400	1,498	1,505	1,455	1,398	1,396	1,430	1,479
Bradford	523	543	547	590	574	548	513	481	492
Bristol	1,035	1,073	1,104	1,127	1,145	1,117	1,101	1,109	1,160
Brunel	327	332	345	366	356	316	344	359	374
Cambridge	1,164	1,177	1,196	1,200	1,213	1,680	1,656	1,671	1,751
City	351	352	360	355	341	301	340	335	362
Durham	502	513	563	580	587	577	588	581	586
East Anglia	351	364	389	461	506	521	531	506	520
Essex	305	330	336	340	340	336	333	346	380
Exeter	489	563	595	603	593	554	524	513	534
Hull	520	541	575	582	587	541	525	513	511
Keele	325	337	343	348	334	313	300	299	302
Kent	442	467	480	475	461	466	476	436	459
Lancaster	499	525	552	557	547	526	534	571	590
Leeds	1,311	1,334	1,391	1,395	1,367	1,321	1,331	1,434	1,465
Leicester	549	576	611	622	616	612	608	647	683
Liverpool	1,048	1,071	1,120	1,148	1,160	1,106	1,069	1,061	1,096
London Business School	65	67	72	66	62	60	60	71	70
London	7,259	7,444	7,764	7,891	7,899	7,691	7,816	7,971	8,224
Loughborough	568	571	581	590	620	635	654	691	719
Manchester Business School	40	40	51	49	50	46	42	42	48
Manchester University	1,555	1,598	1,666	1,655	1,646	1,557	1,591	1,670	1,705
Manchester Institute of Science and Technology	521	539	581	622	649	617	648	643	656
Newcastle	1,062	1,092	1,127	1,140	1,114	1,086	1,136	1,172	1,192
Nottingham	840	884	923	948	944	935	951	998	1,085
Oxford	1,865	1,937	1,926	1,994	1,989	2,012	2,050	1,976	2,000
Reading	737	742	747	753	743	744	738	716	739
Salford	510	510	521	508	502	420	373	365	431
Sheffield	918	995	1,039	1,088	1,098	1,059	1,025	1,007	1,056
Southampton	916	925	974	1,020	1,041	977	996	1,057	1,074
Surrey	417	449	476	498	489	477	508	535	560
Sussex	665	672	661	660	634	602	608	603	634
Warwick	476	584	613	637	640	652	623	651	735
York	395	402	419	407	397	418	431	442	463
Total England	30,895	31,972	33,239	33,877	33,769	33,212	33,349	33,770	34,957

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will state the total number of full-time staffed academic posts at each university in England; and if he will give the corresponding figures for each year since 1977–78;(2) if he will state the total number of full-time staffed academic posts at each of the colleges of the University of Wales; and what are the corresponding figures for each year since 1977–78.

The following table gives the numbers of full-time academic staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out his timetable for consultation on his proposed Education Bill and education Green Papers.

Consultation has already taken place on the proposed Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council, which were announced in the White Paper "Higher Education: Meeting the Challenge" (Cm 114). Consultation papers have been issued this week on the arrangements for collective worship and on the Governmant's proposals for more open enrolement. Copies are available in the Library. Further consultation papers will be issued over the coming weeks on financial delegation to schools, grant-maintained schools, the national curriculum, the Government's proposals to allow inner London boroughs to take onthe responsibilities of local education authorities, and in due course probably certain other issues. Like those already issued, these further papers will seek comments by the early autumn. The Government also intend to publish a Green Paper on the structure of new permanent machinery for determining schoolteachers' pay and conditions, and to enter into detailed discussions with interested parties later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his response to the recommendation that a national committee on special educational needs be established, made in the third report of the House of Commons Select Committee on Education, Science and Arts on "Special Educational Needs: Implementation of the Education Act 1981," HC201; 1986–87

We are giving careful consideration to all the recommendations of the Select Committee report on special education needs. I do not wish to anticipate the response which my right hon. Friend will be making to the Committee later in the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to set up working groups to recommend attainment targets and programmes of study for mathematics and science, within the framework of the Government's proposals for a national curriculum.

I am grateful to Professor Roger Blin-Stoyle FRS for agreeing to take the chair of the mathematics working group; and to Professor Jeff Thompson for agreeing to take the chair of the science working group. Each group will have a small membership composed largely of professionals: head teachers, teachers, teacher trainers, academics, experts in assessment and Local Education Authority advisers. The groups will also have members from LEA administration and from the world of business.The groups will advise, in their respective fields, on the knowledge, skills, understanding and aptitudes which pupils should be expected to have acquired at specific ages, taking account of differences in ability. The groups will also advise on the essential content which should be covered to enable pupils to reach agreed attainment targets.The groups will start work immediately. I am asking them to give me interim advice within four months and their final advice within 12 months. My Department will be announcing details of the groups' formal terms of reference and membership later today, and copies of these will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the renewal by the United Nations of the UNIFIL mandate in the Lebanon as well as the implementation of United Nations resolution 425.

We fully support UNIFIL and deplore its continued inability to carry out its full mandate. We should be prepared to consider sympathetically a proposal to renew its mandate, which expires on 31 July.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total number of persons in his Department for each year since 1984 (a) at home and (b) abroad.

The provision for staff employed (at home and abroad) by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (including the Overseas Development Administration) for each year since 1984 is as follows:

	Home	Abroad	Total
1984	7409	2802	10,211
1985	7109	2810	9,919
1986	7014	2716	9,730
1987	7070	2823	9,893

The provision for staff employed overseas in a locally engaged capacity is:

	Number
1984	6927
1985	6855
1986	6837
1987	7074

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign sand Commonwealth Affairs (1) to which firms his Department has awarded contracts for computer hardware for each year since 1984; and what was the value Rank of each contract;(2) what his Department has spent on

For reasons of commercial confidentiality, details of individual contracts cannot be given. However, total annual expenditure for financial years 1984–1985 to 1986–1987, and companies to whom contracts for hardware have been awarded, are shown in the attached tables, plus projected expenditure for 1987–1988.Separate figures for hardware and software are not available.Separate figures are given for purchase and maintenance of hardware and software.The figures include expenditure by both the Diplomatic and Aid Wings of the FCO.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why, pursuant to his answer of 3 July, Official Report, column 189, his discussions with the United States on the publication of Peter Wright's memoirs are confidential.

My anwer of 3 July related to discussions with other Governments generally. It is an essential principle of Government-to-Government exchanges that their confidentiality should be preserved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has made any provisions for the participation of local women in the preparation, implementation or evaluation of aid projects; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. ODA staff work on the basis of guidance designed to ensure that the scope for local women to participate in aid-funded projects is fully considered. I will send a copy of this guidance to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to ensure equal participation of women in all aspects of his Department's aid programme; if he will list the ways in which they are employed; how many women are involved in the programme; what percentage they are of the programme's work force; if he will assess whether the appraisal, monitoring and evaluations of his Department's programme have fully taken women into account; and if he will list the relevant reports and their dates in the Official Report.

It is our policy to aim at equal opportunities for women's participation in the aid programme. We recognise the importance of taking women fully into account in all aid projects as both agents and beneficiaries of development. We wish to increase the involvement of women's groups in shaping and implementing change in developing countries and to see more women trained under the aid programme.Figures are not available on the number of local women involved in projects and programmes financed by the aid programme. As a member of the DAC expert group on women and development we are considering how best to devise standard statistics for measuring women's participation. Of the ODA's own staff, 640 (42 per cent.) are women. Women also participate in the aid programme as technical co-operation officers, supplementees, associate professional officers, volunteers serving overseas and consultants. Gender differentiated statistics are available for the first four categories. At the end of 1986, 85 (4·81 per cent.) of technical co-operation officers and supplementees were women. Currently 20 (31 per cent.) of associate professional officers and 508 (48 per cent.) of VSOs are women. Women are also engaged in ODA-funded research. All major projects are assessed for their impact on women. We are currently seeking to improve our appraisal techniques to give fuller consideration to gender and we require evaluation studies to take account of the impact on women. In consultation with other members of the development assistance committee of the OECD we are continuing with further work to improve evaluation in this regard. A list of appraisal, monitoring and evaluation reports could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his Department's current projections on energy prices.

Given the uncertainties associated with energy price projections, the Government's approach is to continue taking measures to stimulate competition and encourage efficiency. These measures, along with international market forces, have contributed to the fall in energy prices in real terms over recent years and offer the best chance of securing competitive and stable prices in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department has carried out studies into the efficiency of the filtration system for gaseous discharges from magnox nuclear reactors; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy which magnox nuclear reactors have experienced pin loading problems and on which occasions; and if he will make a statement.

This is an operational matter and falls within the responsibilities of the CEGB and BNFL. I have asked the respective chairmen to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy on which occasions since 1979 radioactive carbon dioxide has been discharged through leakage at Trawsfynydd magnox nuclear power station; what volumes were involved; and if he will make a statement.

I have asked the chairman of the CEGB to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what methods are used to measure the activity in cooling ponds of (a) magnox nuclear power stations generally and (b) Trawsfynydd station.

I have asked the chairman of the CEGB to write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table of the annual amount of spent nuclear fuel dispatches, by date and amount, for each year since 1979, including the first half of 1987 for the Trawsfynydd magnox nuclear station: and which local emergency planning authorities in Wales are given prior notice of spent fuel consignments transported through their area of responsibility from both the Trawsfynydd and Wylfa nuclear plants.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he expects to be able to begin the publication of full information on civil plutonium production in the United Kingdom: and if he will make a statement;(2) with whom his Department has held discussions on the publication of records relating to future plutonium production from United Kingdom civil nuclear reactors; and on what occasions such discussions have taken place.

Discussion are continuing, and I will make an announcement in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy who is responsible to his Department for (a) information on the production of plutonium for defence purposes, (b) the safe operation of Calder Hall and Chapel Cross magnox nuclear reactors, (c) the safety of operation of the Sellafield nuclear complex and (d) the decommissioning of the Windscale piles at the Sellafield complex.

The supply of all materials for defence purposes is the responsibility of the Ministry of Defence. The safe operation of nuclear installations in the United Kingdom is the responsibility of the operator: BNFL. in the case of Calder Hall, Chapelcross and Sellafield. The responsibility for enforcing the licence conditions attached to those sites rests with the independent Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive.The decommissioning of the Windscale piles will he undertaken by the UKAEA.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why, and by how much, the budget for the community programme has been reduced; to what programmes the funds thus saved have been diverted; and what are his proposals for the future of the community programme.

We are providing £1,045 million for the community programme in 1987–88, broadly the same level of resources as last year. This will enable us to provide opportunities for 300,000 people over the year, the same as in 1986–87. As was announced in the House on 30 June we plan to improve the community programme in a number of ways. We intend that it should be full-time and that participants receive a premium over their benefit entitlement. This will make the programme much more attractive to unemployed people with family commitments. We also propose to enhance significantly the training and job search content of the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many civil servants are employed by his Department in (a) London and the south east, (b) the south-west, (c) the midlands and (d) the north of England; and what is the budgeted expenditure of his Department for the current year in each of these regions.

The number of established civil servants employed on 1 June 1987 in the Department of Employment group in the regions requested are:—

	Number
(a) London and the South East	14,621
(b) South West	4,189
(c) Midlands	9,329
(d) North of England	12,653

Additionally there are nationally 300 civil servants working for the MSC's professional and executive recruitment service who cannot be allocated to regions. Because departmental boundaries are not always conterminous with standard regions, these figures are only approximate.It is not possible to allocate Departmental expenditure by region by total national expenditure for 1987–88 is expected to be £4,141 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the complete list of those bodies and organisations which have been contracted as managing agents for the job training scheme in each Manpower Services Commission area to be available; and if he will publish it in the Official Report.

The Manpower Services Commission is producing a directory of managing agents contracted to deliver the new job training scheme within the next few days.I will send a copy of the directory to the hon. Member as soon as it is available, and a copy of it will be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to decrease the strength of the wages inspectorate.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total allocation from the European social fund to the United Kingdom in the current financial year; and how much the 20 per cent. reduction is in cash terms, on voluntary organisations.

The United Kingdom has been allocated £435 million from the European social fund in respect of operations beginning in 1987.The total amount of the linear reduction of 20 per cent. on voluntary sector applications for projects for over 25-year-olds, is some £1·1 million.The linear reduction on similar applications from other organisations is 50 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the linear reductions in the European social fund and the implications for voluntary sector schemes.

The European Commission has, this year, had to impose a sizeable linear reduction on applications to that part of the European social fund that is allocated to adult projects. The overall reduction that the Commission has imposed on the adult budget for adult projects is just under 50 per cent. The Government decided this year to impose a reduction of 20 per cent. on applications from the voluntary sector. Other organisations are bearing a reduction of 50 per cent.The Commission also imposed a linear reduction of 0·5 per cent. on the budget for applications in respect of young people under 25, and this is being borne by all organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the English Tourist Board about its proposal to grant-aid to the amount of £500,000 a development scheme at Slaley in Northumberland involving the building of 65 houses in the green belt; and if he will make a statement.

The English tourist board is currently discussing with my Department and the Treasury a proposal to offer grant assistance to aid the construction of a hotel with conference, golf and leisure facilities at Slaley hall. The developers are also in the process of seeking planning permission from the local authority to build residential houses on part of the estate.

asked the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 6 July, Official Report column 3, on what evidence she based her statement concerning the level of understanding of the public about the difference between the repective situations in Nicaragua and Afghanistan as they affect Her Majesty's Government's policy towards those countries; and if she will make a statement.

My statement was based on views expressed to me in many individual contacts.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what success he has had in eliminating the organised poaching of salmon and sea trout; what further measures he intends to take; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Lady to the reply given to her today by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

asked the Secretary for Wales what instructions have been given by his Department to the national museum of Wales about the circumstances in which permission should be sought from his Department to raise funds voted for museum purposes.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated number of surplus places in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each Welsh county at the latest available date; and what is the estimated cost of these places in each Welsh county.

Up-to-date figures for the number of surplus places in individual counties are not available: the Department will be writing shortly to the counties to seek current information. The latest available estimate for Wales as a whole—based on pupil numbers at January 1986 and school places at January 1984—is that there are 87,000 surplus places in primary schools and 32,000 in secondary schools. The estimated cost is £10·4 million for primary places and £6·4 million for secondary.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many civil servants are employed in his Department; and what is its budgeted expenditure for the current year.

At 1 July 1987 there were 2,239·5 staff in post; details of the budgeted expenditure for my Department are set out in the Supply Estimates 1987–88 booklet class XVII vote 9.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount paid under the sheep variable premium to farmers in Wales in each year since the inception of the scheme.

Payments to producers in Wales under the sheep variable premium schemes are as follows:

Marketing Year	£ million
1980–81	7·5
1981–82	12·6
1982–83	25·0
1983–84	30·3
1984–85	21·4
1985–86	21·0
1986–87	22·8

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many agricultural holdings in each county in Wales engage in sheep rearing; and what proportion of the total number of holdings in each country each number represents.

The number of holdings in each county in June 1986 with breeding ewes, and the proportions of the total number of holdings in each county that these represent are shown in the following table:

	Holdings with breeding sheep June 1986	Percentage of all holdings June 1986
Clwyd	2,192	56·7
Dyfed	4,582	40·2

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh agricultural holdings have a sheep enterprise on the farm; and what proportion of the total number of holdings this represents.

There were 16,900 holdings with sheep in Wales in June 1986, of which 16,500 had breeding sheep. These numbers represented 56 per cent. and 55 per cent. of all holdings in Wales respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are directly employed in sheep farming in Wales.

It is not possible to quantify the number of persons employed solely in sheep farming in Wales. However, in June 1986, 39,800 people were employed on holdings which contained breeding sheep.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average size of sheep flocks in Wales.

The size of the average sheep flock in Wales in June 1986 was 274 breeding ewes.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the gross output of Welsh agriculture in the last year for which figures are available; and what proportion of the total was contributed by the sheep sector.

Based on provisional figures, the gross output of Welsh agriculture in 1986 was £786·3 million: of which sheep and wool accounted for 18·8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many agricultural holdings in areas designated as (a) marginal and (b) hill areas engaged in sheep rearing; and what proportion of the total number of holdings in such areas in Wales these numbers represent.

The number of holdings in June 1986 with breeding ewes in areas classified as "severely disadvantaged" (which is closely synonymous with the hill and upland areas) was 10,390 or 74·4 per cent. of all holdings in those areas. The number of holdings in June 1986 with breeding ewes in areas classified as disadvantaged (which is closely synonymous with marginal land) was 3,111 or 54·6 per cent. of all holdings in disadvantaged areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions planning permission has been granted for residential housing developments on appeal to his Department, in each district authority area in Wales, in each year since 1979; and, in each case, how many housing units were involved.

This information is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will estimate the numbers of dwellings with lead plumbing by county and district in Wales.

Informaton is not available on a district basis, but the Welsh house condition survey for 1981 estimated the numbers of dwellings with lead plumbing for each county in Wales as follows:

	Number
Clwyd	33,200
Dyfed	20,700
Gwent	42,600
Gwynedd	21,700
Mid Glamorgan	64,600
Powys	4,900
South Glamorgan	62,100
West Glamorgan	44,100

asked the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 6 July, Official Report, column 3, if he will provide further details of the Welsh water authority's programme to improve the quality of water in Wales with regard to lead content.

The details of the Welsh water authority's programme to reduce the lead content in drinking water is a matter for that authority. I have asked the chairman to write to you the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the effect the privatisation of the water industry will have on areas of natural beauty, on recreation on and by water, on bird-watching, on rambling and on other recreational activities.

Last year the Government published proposals to strengthen, at the time of privatisation, the statutory framework for protecting and enhancing the water environment. These include the retention of statutory duties towards nature conservation, access, recreation and amenity, the introduction of statutory river quality objectives, a policy for protection zones and the preparation of a statutory code of practice. Proposals for the establishment of a national rivers authority which will have an important role in this field, will be published in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will press for the new select committee of the International Cricket Conference to introduce a test ban for players with sporting links with South Africa, in line with the principles of the Gleneagles agreement.

The possible introduction of a test ban for players with sporting links with South Africa is a matter for the Test and County Cricket Board and the International Cricket Conference. Both bodies are aware that the Government arc fully committed to the Gleneagles agreement and take all practical steps to discourage sporting links with South Africa.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent discussions he has had with sporting authorities regarding the Olympic Games.

There have been no recent formal discussions but the Department and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office liaise regularly with the British Olympic Association about the winter and summer Olympic Games.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list (a) the Government support programmes or finance available to rural development areas and (b) the basic services that his Department treats as necessary for assessing grants to rural development areas.

(a) Government support and finance specifically available in rural development areas is channelled through the Development Commission which provides the following main programmes of support:

1. 100 per cent. financed advance factory building programme;

2. 50 per cent. financed factory building programme in partnership with local authorities;

3. 25 per cent. grants to the private sector for redundant building conversions;

4. technical, managerial and business advice to small firms and the provision of loans;

5. grants to help the establishment of local enterprise agencies;

6. grant aid for rural tourism projects;

7. grant aid towards special projects where there are clear employment benefits;

8. grants towards community development projects.

In addition grants offered by other bodies may be available in rural development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the water boards and their ancillary companies which will be privatised.

The Government propose to transfer the water supply and sewerage responsibilities of the 10 existing water authorities in England and Wales to new public limited companies, which will be then be offered for sale.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has about the effects on industry and housing of the rise in the water table in the Birmingham area.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is aware that there has been a significant rise in Birmingham's water table over the last few years as the extraction rate has declined. The effects of this appear, however, to be very localised and remedial action is being taken by those affected as necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the reasons for delay in the purchase by Mrs. G. C. Mells of her council home at 6 Steen Way, East Dulwich Grove. S.E.22; and when he now expects Southwark council to complete the transaction.

I understand that the purchase is held up pending a survey of the building. I am concerned over the delays suffered by tenants of Southwark borough council in exercising their right to buy and await the council's proposals for improving its performance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total amount of public funds (a)committed and (b)spent to date on or in connection with the proposed Canary wharf development, broken down by category of expenditure.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many housing associations are operating in the area of (a) the Normanton constituency and (b) the Wakefield district council; and if he will list the names of the housing associations concerned.

Anchor housing association and Castle Gate housing society operate in the Normanton consituency; the following 21 associations operate in the area of Wakefield district council:

Ackworth Almshouse, Anchor Housing Association, Bradford and Northern Housing Association, Castle Gate Housing Society, Charlesworth Charity, Church Housing Association, Consolidated Charities, Ebor Housing Association, Freeston and Sagars' Almshouse, Habinteg Housing Association, Harrisons Almshouse, Headrow Housing Group, Jephson Housing Association, Leeds and Yorkshire Housing Association, Major Barker's Homes, North British Housing Association, Northern Counties Housing Association, Royal British Legion, Stonham Housing Association, West Yorkshire Housing Association, Yorkshire Metropolitan Housing Association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings are operated by housing associations in the Normanton constituency; and if he will break down the number into categories and type of dwellings.

I shall answer this question shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to support the Uruguayan proposal for a complete suspension of international commerce in wild-caught parrots for the pet trade at the forthcoming convention on international trade in endangered species in Ottawa; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 9 July 1987.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the chairman of the Development Commission about the Development Commission's offer to grant-aid to the amount of £300,000 a development scheme at Slaley in Northumberland involving the building of 65 houses in the green belt; and if he will make a statement.

The Development Commission has received an application for grant aid for a development at Slaley in Northumberland. It has consulted the Department which is considering the proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what impact the proposed community charge will have on those parish councils which have large industrial plants in their areas;(2) what is the number of parish councils likely to be affected by loss of revenue as a result of the introduction of the community charge; and how many people live in these parishes in the United Kingdom.

Under the new local government finance system, parish councils will finance their expenditure by a precept on the community charge, levied as an equal amount per parish resident. Like other local authorities parish councils will cease to levy a variable non-domestic rate; instead, non-domestic rates will be levied at a uniform poundage, and pooled and redistributed as an equal amount per adult. This, together with central grant, will go towards reducing the cost to residents of the services provided by all tiers of local government, including parish councils.Parish councils will neither gain nor lose from these arrangements. They will remain free to raise their income by precept on the rating authority. However, I remain ready to discuss particular problems with representatives of the National Association of Local Councils if they wish.