To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received on the further development of wind power.

My Department received earlier this year a copy of the British Wind Energy Association's position paper "Wind Power for the UK". This presented a case for a substantial increase in the United Kingdom wind energy programme and emphasised that the programme's aim should be to demonstrate the economic viability of using wind turbines to generate electricity for the national grid. In response, the BWEA was invited to discuss details of its report with departmental officials.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he intends to introduce a further redundancy scheme in the mining industry when the present scheme ceases in March 1988.

The British Coal Corporation and other companies in the coal industry are responsible for their own redundancy arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether he intends to intervene in the current lecturers' pay dispute; and if he will make a statement;(2) what plans he has to seek to raise the morale of lecturers in further education colleges in order better to meet the needs of industry and commerce.

The Secretary of State has no plans to intervene in the current further education lecturers' pay dispute. The Teachers' Pay and Conditions Act 1987 abolished the Burnham (FE) committee, and both the pay and conditions of service of further education lecturers are now dealt with in the National Joint Council for Lecturers in Further Education in England and Wales, on which the Department of Education and Science has only observer status. Many further education lecturers are now benefiting substantially from a pay restructuring agreed as part of the 1985 settlement. The local authority employers have made a pay offer worth 9·3 per cent. in a full year in return for which they are seeking agreement on more cost-effective working arrangements, the need for which was accepted by the lecturers in the context of the 1985 settlement, but on which no progress has so far been made. It is regrettable that the National Association of Teachers in Further and Higher Education is nevertheless continuing to encourage its members to take industrial action damaging to the interests of students. I hope that a settlement will be reached soon, in the best interests of the students and of industry and commerce as well as the lecturers themselves.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list, by local education authority, the proportion of the total number of under fives in pre-school education represented by (a) three-year-olds and (b) four-year-olds.

The information requested for each local education authority in England in January 1987 is given in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Medical Research Council has commissioned any studies of the effect of ampligen; what information the council has on studies carried out elsewhere; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Medical Research Council (MRC) has not commissioned any studies of the effect of ampligen. The Council is aware of a preliminary study in the United States of America on a small number of patients with AIDS and related conditions. The MRC is always willing to consider soundly based research proposals for support through its grants schemes in competition with other applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking to ensure that his proposals for changes in the management of schools, colleges and universities will not be forestalled by decisions taken before the provisions of the proposed Education Reform Bill come into effect.

In accordance with the statement I made to the House on 22 July, the Education Reform Bill —which is being published today—contains provisions which require my consent to the disposal by LEAs of land used by or held or obtained for or in connection with the purposes of polytechnics and colleges to be transferred from local authorities (clause 95). That requirement applies to all such disposals after 22 July 1987. Similar provisions apply, in the case of the Inner London education authority, in relation to disposals of land which may be required by an inner London borough if it successfully applies to assume education responsibilities for its area (clause 121), and to contracts over £15,000 (clause 120). Similar controls on the disposal of property will apply in respect of schools whose governing body has informed the LEA that a ballot of parents is to be held on the question whether grant-maintained status should be sought (clause 59). LEAs will also be prevented from transferring staff into or out of such schools except with the agreement of the governing body. The Bill further provides that any new agreements or contracts made after 20 November 1987 by any local education authority or by the governing body of any polytechnic, college or school, which would protect members of the staff from compulsory redundancy or guarantee members of staff redundancy compensation above the statutory minimum, shall be void (clause 138). This will ensure that the ability of future governing bodies to manage their institutions effectively is not constrained by inappropriate commitments to the staff. The provision will not preclude the payment of compensation above the statutory minimum where individuals are identified for redundancy.In the case of universities, the Government's policy is that newly appointed staff should no longer be given "tenure", that is, special protection against dismissal on grounds of redundancy or financial exigency. The Bill provides (clause 132) that staff currently in post who have tenure should retain it as long as they continue in their present appointments, but that those newly appointed or promoted to permanent posts after 20 November 1987 should no longer have this special measure of protection. This approach will provide on an equitable basis for tenure to he phased out as quickly as reasonably possible, without the creation of substantial numbers of new tenured appointments in the period before the commissioners who will be responsible for the required amendments to university statutes have completed their work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the means by which the provisions of the Education Reform Bill will strengthen the protection of academic freedom.

We have recently reaffirmed the Government's view that academic staff should have freedom within the law to question and test received wisdom and to put forward new ideas and controversial or unpopular opinions without placing themselves in jeopardy of losing their jobs or the privileges they may have at their institutions. The precise content of the idea of academic freedom in any particular situation depends, however, among other things, on the type of institution and the subject taught or researched; we do not believe that it can be said to have a single clear definition applicable in all circumstances. The Government therefore consider it more appropriate for the requirements of academic freedom to be taken into account by the university commissioners, in consultation with individual universities and colleges, when statutes are amended to provide appropriately for the definition of good cause for dismissal and for arrangements for appeals against dismissal. The existence of suitable and disinterested appeals arrangements will represent an important element of protection for academics from victimisation on account of their views. It will be for the Privy Council, in considering whether to recommend to Her Majesty that amendments to university statutes put forward by the

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what are the changes in disposable income after meeting housing costs of the following client groups receiving income-related benefits in Northern Ireland, as a result of changes announced in the reformed structure of income-related benefits (a) pensioners aged 80 years and over, (b) pensioners aged 60 to 79 years, (c) sick or disabled, (d) lone parents, (e) couples in full-time work with children, (f) others in full-time work and (g) others; if he will show the increases in disposable income and decreases of disposable income by bands of £1, £2 to £3, £3 to £4, £4 to £5, and £5 plus; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will publish in the

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many nights each of the Ministers in his Department spent in Northern Ireland during each of the months of June, July, August, September and October, respectively.

The information is as follows:(6) what will be the combined effects of the reformed structure of income-related benefits on the disposable incomes of all people receiving income-related benefits, by family status and age;(7) what will be the average changes in disposable income for

The information requested is not at present available, but consideration is being given to the possibility of obtaining relevant figures. In broad terms, the impact of the reform will be much the same in Northern Ireland as in Great Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated daily tonnage of (a) untreated foul sewage presently entering Strangford lough and (b) additional sewage from the proposed salmon farms in Strangford lough; and if sewage effluent was a factor in his refusal of the salmon farm application for Strangford lough.

[holding answer 19 November 1987]: Of the 19,500 tonnes of sewage effluent discharged each day into Strangford lough, 1,030 tonnes, estimated to include 0·4 tonnes of solid waste, receive no treatment at present. However, when the new sewage works now under construction at Killyleagh, at a cost of some £1·4 million, are fully operational, the currently untreated discharge will be receiving full biological treatment. Salmon farming on the scale proposed for Strangford lough could have produced 0·5–14 tonnes of solid waste daily. The possible effect of such a quantity of waste was a factor in the decision to refuse a consent under the Water Act (Northern Ireland) 1972.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will place in the Library the reports from groups of officials given to the Anglo-Irish Conference on 21 October and mentioned in the joint statement of that date; what meetings of Ministers of both Governments took place and on what specific issues before this meeting of the conference, as reported in the penultimate paragraph of the joint statement of 21 October; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 13 November 1987]: It is not our practice to publish such reports. My hon. Friend the member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers) met the Irish Ministers for Tourism and Transport, and for Industry on 29 July, for a general discussion largely on tourism matters; my noble Friend Lord Lyell met the Irish Minister for Agriculture on 12 October to discuss agriculture matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases have been brought to his attention where the Commissioner for Local Administration has considered a matter and reported on it, has then reconsidered the case when the local authority has refused to rectify the complaint and again urged the local authority to take action and it has refused for a second time to do so; if he will list the authorities concerned and the number, for each authority, of such cases; and whether he is considering any action which could help those individuals who according to the local government commissioner have still not had their complaint properly settled.

I understand from the Commission for Local Administration in England that, since it was set up in 1974, there have been 120 cases where the local authority concerned has failed to provide a satisfactory remedy following the issue of a second report by one of the commissioners. A list of the authorities is in the table: where more than one such case has occurred, the number is indicated in brackets.The Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administraton and the Widdicombe committee on the conduct of local authority business have both put forward proposals for remedying this problem. My right hon. Friend is considering these proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Ordnance Survey commercial products have failed to show a profit since the introduction of the Ordnance Survey commercial arm in 1981.

While recognising the need for a reasonable balance between adequate disclosure and commercial discretion in relation to Ordnance Survey trading activities, I believe that it would not be proper to disclose this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will instruct the Ordnance Survey not to attempt to influence local authorities against providing map-revision information, which the local authority has itself surveyed, to private sector map-makers; and if he will make a statement.

Ordnance Survey has no interest in the use of surveys made by local authorities provided they are not supplied simultaneously with a copy of an Ordnance Survey map.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the competitive consequences of the Ordnance Survey's tax position in relation to the profit it makes from its commercial products.

As a Government Department, all the revenues of Ordnance Survey serve to reduce its net Vote. There can therefore be no direct comparison with the profits made by private sector companies.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the practice of the Ordnance Survey with regard to reserving the right to prevent publication of a product by a private sector map-maker if the Ordnance Survey itself markets, or intends to market a competing product; and what assessment he makes of the implications of this practice for fair competition between the Ordnance Survey and private sector map-makers.

Ordnance Survey claims only the right given to any copyright owner to protect his work. To waive that right would jeopardise the aim of Ordnance Survey to minimise its call on public funds, as required by Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if- the commercial arm of Ordnance Survey is automatically provided with confidential information, including the design and print run, of all publications which the private sector map-makers plan to produce based on public sector mapping; and if he will make a statement.

Prior permission is required from Ordnance Survey before a publisher may use Ordnance

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the commercial arm of the Ordnance Survey has access to the periodic sales statistics which the private sector map-makers are required to notify to the copyright section of the Ordnance Survey; and if he will make a statement.

Publishers whose products are based on Ordnance Survey information are required to notify Ordnance Survey of their sales so that the royalties due can be assessed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for an independent audit of the Ordnance Survey's commercial trading accounts.

The Comptroller and Auditor General is responsible for the audit of the Ordnance Survey's trading accounts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by whom the accountants commissioned to review the Ordnance Survey trading accounts were given their terms of reference, and what factors governed this choice.

The terms of reference for the review of the format and design of the Ordnance Survey trading accounts were agreed by Ministers to ensure that there is no cross-subsidisation of Ordnance Survey's commercial activities from its Exchequer Vote.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what criteria he appoints members of the Peak park planning board; and what notice he takes of the locality of origin of local government appointments to the board.

In making his appointments to national park authorities, my right hon. Friend has regard to purposes for which the parks have been designated and looks for candidates with experience in a range of relevant fields, and preferably local knowledge. Residences of local government appointees are not taken into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many of the members of the Peak park planning board live within the area of the Peak park; and, of those which were appointed by local authorities and which by himself;(2) if he will list the present members of the Peak park planning board, together with the body that appointed them, their qualifications, and place of residence.

Three out of 23 appointed by local authorities and seven out of 11 appointed by my right hon. Friend. Current membership and places of residence are:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many members of the Peak park planning board, as a percentage of the total, lived outside the area of the park, in the year the board first met, and at subsequent three-year intervals until the present day.

At present 70 per cent. Records of the addresses of local authority members in previous years are not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list how many members of each national park planning board live within the area of that park as a percentage of the total numbers on each board.

The information for the seven English national parks is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much the London Docklands development corporation has spent on education and training for each of the years it has been in existence; and how much it intends to spend in 1988.

The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from residents of the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham over the proposed development by Chelsea football club at Stamford bridge; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Fulham to discuss the setting up of a planning inquiry.

My right hon. Friend has received a number of letters from local residents about these proposals, including those forwarded by my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham. After careful consideration of these representations we concluded that calling in the planning applications for a public inquiry would not be justified. I have recently written to my hon. Friend setting out more fully the reasons for this decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what remuneration the current chairman of the Sports Council receives; and how many days per month he is expected to devote to the business of the Sports Council.

The chairman of the Sports Council receives £14,800 per annum, for a time commitment of two days per week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures the Government intend to introduce to meet their stated aim of reducing sulphur dioxide emissions in the United Kingdom to 3·27 million tonnes by 1990; and what are the implications for this aim of his forecast that emissions in 2000 may be 3·5 million tonnes.

We have authorised the CEGB to retrofit 6000 MW of coal-fired generating capacity with flue gas desulphurisation equipment, and have announced that all new coal-fired power stations will have the technology to control sulphur emissions.The forecast range of emissions in the year 2000 range from 2·6 million tonnes to 3·5 million tonnes. This range of estimates reflects the considerable uncertainty about future emission levels which are dependent on factors such as economic growth and energy demand.We continue to expect to meet our stated aim of policy. The action outlined above will help to ensure that we do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reasons were advanced by the Nature Conservancy Council for its recommendation that licences should not be granted for taking from the wild any diurnal birds of prey after 1988.

The Nature Conservancy Council's recommendation was made on the grounds that the numbers of diurnal birds of prey being kept and bred in captivity should be sufficient to satisfy the needs of falconers after 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the qualification by the Comptroller and Auditor General of his Department's appropriation accounts in respect of the urban programme.

The Comptroller and Auditor General has qualified his certificate for the Department's Appropriation Accounts for 1985–86 and 1986–87, which have been prepared and audited in the normal way. This is because of continuing uncertainty about a considerable backlog of uncertified expenditure by local authorities supported by grant aid from my Department under the urban programme (class X, vote 3).A backlog of urban programme claims built up during the early 1980s. Local authorities are paid grant on account while urban programme schemes are in progress. They are then required to submit final claims, which are subjected to audit by the local authority's auditors. Some claims were submitted very late. In September 1986, 215 claims awaited certification, covering expenditure up to 31 March 1985 of £345·9 million.In his report on the accounts for 1986–87, the Comptroller and Auditor General recognises that the Department has made "significant progress" over the last year in reducing that backlog. By September this year, the backlog had been reduced to 78 claims covering uncertified expenditure of nearly £210 million. The report notes that changes had been made in the management of the urban programme, and are proving successful in preventing any further backlog from accumulating. The core of the remaining backlog concerns claims from the abolished Greater London council and some of the Metropolitan county councils, and 16 Labour-controlled authorities.The backlog of claims does not mean that money has been lost or misappropriated. It was paid to local authorities for schemes that have been completed. Certification by the local authority auditors is required to show that the grants have been used for the purpose for which Parliament voted them. The auditors require detailed material from individual authorities to enable them to issue those certificates. The Department is continuing with the full co-operation of local authority auditors to reduce the backlog further.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to control investment programmes by local authorities in sports and leisure facilities.

[holding answer 19 November 1987]: At present, local authority capital expenditure on sport and recreation falls within the other services block. The Government intend in the near future to publish proposals for reform of the legislation which regulates capital expenditure, including expenditure on sport and recreation, by local authorities in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advertising agents have been appointed by his Department, or by the Central Office of Information on behalf of his Department, to handle campaigns involving the communication of information on subjects for which his Department is responsible to Parliament during the year 1985–86; what was the subject of each campaign; and how much was spent on each campaign.

The Ministry of Defence engaged the services of a number of advertising agencies in 1985–86 for the purpose of recruiting to the armed forces and the Civil Service. The agencies concerned and the subject of each campaign are listed in the table. It is not our general policy to divulge the costs of individual contracts, which are commercially confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will make a statement on the crash of the Red Arrows team in Lincolnshire on 16 November;(2) whether he intends to set up a board of inquiry into the accident of the Red Arrows team in Lincolnshire on 16 November;(3) if he will ensure that safety procedures are reviewed with a view to preventing a repetition of the accident of the Red Arrows team in Lincolnshire on 16 November.

Two aircraft from the Royal Air Force Red Arrows display team collided over Welton in Lincolnshire on 16 November while practising manoeuvres for their performance in the display season next year. Both aircraft crashed to the ground immediately after the collision; the pilots ejected safely, and no civilians were hurt as a consequence of the accident. Claims for damage to property will be carefully considered according to normal rules.The Royal Air Force has convened a board of inquiry into this accident, which will examine fully all the circumstances with a view to establishing its cause, and preventing recurrence. A summary of the board's findings will be published in due course in the usual way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that full compensation is given to the residents of Welton, Lincolnshire, affected by the crash of the Red Arrows team, both in terms of compensation for damage to property and in terms of shock.

All claims for compensation received by my Department will be considered carefully on their merits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what construction work is being carried out on behalf of his Department near Lydford in the Dartmoor national park; and what planning procedures have been or will be invoked.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) on 14 July at column 434. No construction work is at present being carried out at Lydford on behalf of the Ministry of Defence. Outline proposals for the replacement of Willsworthy camp were put to the Dartmoor national park authority on 19 October 1987, and the normal planning procedures are being followed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any residential accommodation is provided for Ministers in his Department and charged to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

No residential accommodation is provided for Ministry of Defence Ministers and charged to public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those units in which Army horses are not allocated, but in which personnel are permitted to hunt in duty hours; and if he will make a statement.

Personnel in non-mounted units are not normally permitted to hunt in duty hours.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the costs to public funds of equestrian activity in the Army.

The information is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many horses used by (a) the Household Cavalry and (b) other regiments and retired in each of the past three years have been sold for the purposes of serum production or research or for other experimental purposes; and what are the other destinations for horses unwanted for military purposes.

No Army horses have been sold in the past three years for serum production or research or other experimental purposes. Horses that are no longer suitable for military purposes are sold to Army saddle clubs, sold to their riders on grounds of sentiment, sent to a home of rest for horses or humanely destroyed. There are also seven horses which are no longer able to carry out normal ceremonial duties and which are detached to CDE, Porton Down for serum production.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the relative participation rates of (a) officers and (b) other ranks in playing polo and hunting on Army horses in duty time.

Army horses are not used for playing polo. No central record is kept on the relative participation rate of officers and other ranks in hunting on Army horses in duty time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the contract for the battlefield artillery target engagement system with Marconi is a fixed-price contract; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 12 November 1987]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 2 November at column 605.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there have been any cost over-runs to his Department on the procurement of the battlefield artillery target engagement system; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 12 November 1987]: The costs of the project have been estimated more accurately as it has progressed and reassessed at the various stages of approval. Since the introduction of the present incentivised contract arrangements in 1985, costs remain within forecast levels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what penalty clauses in the contract for the battlefield artillery target engagement system have been exercised.

[holding answer 12 November 1987]: The contract contains no "penalty clauses" as such. Discipline over the prime contractor is exercised through the target cost-maximum price incentive arrangement. If cost overruns take the contract cost above the target cost the prime contractor's profit will be eroded. Should the contract price reach the maximum price, all further costs to complete the contract will fall to the prime contractor. The contract also contains the standard default clause, standard condition 14, which enables the MOD to purchase the goods elsewhere if the prime contractor does not produce on time or to specification, and to recover the extra cost from the prime contractor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the original specifications on the battlefield artillery target engagement system project, as negotiated at the time the contract was given, will be met when the equipment is delivered to his Department; and if he will make a statement;(2) what was the cost of each change from the original contract specification in the case of the battlefield artillery target engagement system project;(3) how many changes to the battlefield artillery target engagement system were negotiated by Marconi with his Department after the original contract was placed;(4) why changes to the contract for the battlefield artillery target engagement system were not submitted for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 12 November 1987]: The current contract requires that the full specification be met. Since the placing of the contract in 1985. a large number of minor revisions to the specification have been agreed, some at the company's instigation and some at the MOD's. This process is not unusual in a project as large and complex as BATES. The value of these changes is estimated at less than 1·5 per cent. of the total project cost. To reopen the prime contract to competition for every minor change would be wholly impracticable.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the original contract cost of the battlefield artillery target engagement system to his Department at the time the original contract was let.

[holding answer 12 November 1987]: The original contract was placed at an estimated cost of some £30 million at 1981–82 prices for full development on a cost-plus basis. The scope, terms and conditions of that contract are not comparable with the present contract which is let against a full technical specification on a target-cost/maximum price incentive basis, and includes the first slice of production.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when Marconi Command and Control Systems secured the contract for the battlefield artillery target engagement system.

[holding answer 12 November 1987]: The current contract (for full development and initial production) for the BATES project was let from 1 April 1985. This contract subsumed the earlier full development contract which had been let in 1982.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many candidates from maintained secondary schools in Wales entered for O-level Latin in the Welsh Joint Education Committee summer examinations in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987;(2) how many candidates from maintained secondary schools in Wales entered for A-level Latin in the Welsh Joint Education Committee summer examinations in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987;(3) how many candidates from maintained secondary schools in Wales entered for O-level classical studies in the Welsh Joint Education Committee summer examinations in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987;(4) how many candidates from maintained secondary schools in Wales entered for A-level classical studies in the Welsh Joint Education Committee summer examinations in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987.

The information, as supplied by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the total number of candidates entered for O- level subjects in the Welsh Joint Education Committee summer examinations in 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987;(2) what was the total number of candidates entered for A-level subjects in the Welsh Joint Education Authority summer examinations of 1975, 1980, 1985 and 1987.

The information, as supplied by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list in the Official Report the capitation per head in each of the counties of Wales of primary and secondary schools; and if he will make a statement.

This information is not collected centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many language units (speech therapy) there are in Wales, by county; if he is satisfied with the level of speech therapy provision in each of the Welsh counties; what is his estimate of the numbers of children in each of the Welsh counties with speech or language disorders; how many speech therapists work (a) full-time and (b) part-time in the counties of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Information about numbers of langage units is not held centrally. The level of speech therapy provision is an operational matter for individual district health authorities to determine in the light of their priorities and the resources available to them. I am greatly encouraged by the increase in the number of full-time equivalent speech therapists employed in the NHS over recent years, which has doubled since 1979.Information on numbers of children with speech or language disorders is available only in relation to those pupils for whome a statement of special educational needs has been issued by local education authorities. The latest information is taken from LEA returns in January 1987 and is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the nurse-to-patient ratio for each year since 1979 in (a) Clwyd area health authority and (b) Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Such information as is available is given in the table. Both the numbers of nurses employed and inpatients treated have increased significantly since 1979. The following figures reflect the more intensive care given to patients by nursing staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many job clubs have been opened in (a) Wales and (b) Clwyd, expressed in travel-to-work areas.

Seventy four job clubs have opened in Wales since August 1985, and 11 of these are in Clwyd. The table shows the distribution of these job clubs in Welsh travel-to-work areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of job training scheme participants in Wales have gained full-time employment since joining the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The information is not yet available. The job training scheme has been operating in most places for less than six months. The Manpower Services Commission has commissioned a follow-up survey of leavers to look into the destination of trainees. The first results will be available in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present level of job vacancies reported at jobcentres in (a) Wales, (b) Clwyd and (c) Shotton travel-to-work areas.

On 2 October 1987 the number of vacancies notified to jobcentres in Wales, Clwyd and the Shotton, Flint and Rhyl travel-to-work areas were 14,949, 2,293 and 937 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress of the two-year YTS in Wales.

At the end of September 1987, there were some 25,300 young people in training on YTS schemes in Wales. All those taking part will receive up to two years' high-quality training with related work experience. All schemes in Wales are introducing opportunities to obtain a vocational qualification, or credit towards one.The latest information on those young people leaving YTS between April 1986 and May 1987 shows that 66 per cent. were going into work or further education and training. With the Government guarantee of a place on YTS for all 16 and 17-year-old school leavers, no young person under 18 need choose to remain unemployed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals with regard to the reorganisation of structure plans for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's proposals for changes to the system of structure and local plans were issued as a join consultation paper "The Future of Development Plans" by the Welsh Office and the Department of the Environment in September 1986. The responses to that consultation paper are now being considered and a further statement will be issued in due course.

To ask the Prime Minister what issues she intends to raise at the forthcoming meeting of the European Council in Copenhagen; and if she will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 19 November.

To ask the Prime Minister what information she has received from the European Economic Commission about the items on the agenda for the forthcoming European Council meeting in Copenhagen; and if she will make a statement.

The European Council at Copenhagen will be discussing the financial situation of the Community, the reform of the common agricultural policy and the strengthening of budgetary discipline.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on the proposals she intends to submit to the December meeting of the European Council on budgetary control and the common agricultural policy.

At the European Council I shall continue to make clear the need for agreement on effective and binding control over Community spending, in particular agricultural spending, through the strengthening of budgetary discipline and the introduction of stabilisers on agricultural commodities.

To ask the Attorney-General what percentage of the Crown Prosecution Service's court work is being covered by agents; what was the total of fees paid to agents in September and in October; and what is the average salary of a solicitor employed by the service to cover court work.

During the last quarter, July to September 1987, 45 per cent. of magistrates' court sessions were undertaken by agents. The total of fees paid to agents during September was £1,425,000; in October it was £1,209,000. It is impossible to provide an average salary figure for lawyers employed by the service to cover court work. Court work is undertaken largely by solicitors and barristers in the crown prosecutor and senior crown prosecutor grade. Salaries for these grades range from £11,603 to £16,576 and from £15,030 to £21,092 respectively and certain additional allowances are available.

To ask the Attorney-General by what percentage the number of criminal prosecutions has changed since the introduction of the Crown Prosecution Service.

I have been asked to reply.The information requested is given in tables 1 and 2 and paragraphs 5 to 7 of "Home Office Statistical Bulletin 21/87" a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of all landing charges in British Airport Authority-owned airports.

The information required is not held by the Department of Transport. I suggest that the hon. Member contacts BAA plc direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has been asked to approve any further development at Manchester International airport.

Since 1979 the Government have facilitated investment of over £100 million on developments at Manchester International. Further bids — including expenditure to prepare the way for a second passenger terminal—are being considered as part of the annual round of capital expenditure allocations for local authority airports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many weight-testing stations are being operated on the M25; how many lorries have been tested in each year since the M25 opened; and how many prosecutions have been initiated for overloading.

One weighbridge site has been provided on the M25 at junction 9 (Leatherhead interchange). It came into operation earlier this month and is being used for checking heavy lorries by the Department's traffic examiners, vehicle examiners, Surrey trading standards officers and the police. Surrey trading standards department have weighed 61 vehicles of which 14 were found to be overloaded, and some prosecutions will follow. All enforcement agencies will be making regular use of the weighbridge site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received from the London borough of Haringey concerning consultation on the East London road assessment study, stage II; and if he will make a statement;(2) when consultations on the second stage of the East London road assessment study will be complete; and when will he make a statement on the future of the scheme.

The London borough of Haringey commented in May 1987 on the consultation arrangements for stage 2 and was party to the joint response by the four boroughs in the East London study area. It was also associated with the response by the London strategic policy unit on the terms of reference for stage 2, which touched on consultation. The chief executive of Haringey wrote to me on 2 November about the borough's participation in the consultation process.Consultations with the relevant local authority associations, the London planning advisory committee, and boroughs in the study areas will take place regularly throughout stage 2. The consultants' final report on options will be published for comment at the end of stage 2.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to extend the night-time lorry ban on London's roads; and if he will make a statement.

The London night-time and weekend lorry ban is the responsibility of the London boroughs. It is for them to consider its future, and its value-costs and benefits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the research (a) his Department and (b) the Civil Aviation Authority are currently funding into the use of smoke hoods on civil aircraft; at what cost; what applications for further research are currently before him; when he expects to reach a decision on them; and if he will make a statement.

Following the B737 accident at Manchester, the air accidents investigation branch of the Department has spent £200,000 on feasibility studies to demonstrate the potential of hoods to protect passengers from the smoke produced in aircraft fires. The branch has no plans for further expenditure. The Civil Aviation Authority is expecting to spend in the region of £150,000 on cabin safety research in 1987–88, much of which has relevance to smoke hoods.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the implications for charter companies at Gatwick airport of the proposed British Airways/British Caledonian merger.

We are aware of the charter airlines' concerns about their competitive position at Gatwick, both from their representations to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission and from general contacts with them.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents have occurred in the approaches to contra-flow systems on motorways for each individual year for which figures are available.

The statistics requested are available only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department will give assistance to the London Regional Transport Authority to encourage an expanded use of the London Dial-a-Ride service in order to provide at least one trip a week for disabled people.

I explained the Government's position in the Adjournment debate on transport for people with disabilities on 12 November at columns 676–80. As to funding for next year, I refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, Acton (Sir G. Young) on 17 November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a list of incidents on the railways of London Underground Limited since 1 January 1986 when electrical, mechanical or human failure put passengers' safety at direct risk.

Prescribed accidents that occur on the railways of London Underground Limited (LUL) are reportable to the Secretary of State under statutory instrument. Many of these incidents are of a minor nature and are not required to be reported individually. All reported accidents are contained within the statistics published in the Department's annual report on the safety record of the railways in Great Britain, a copy of which is in the Library. The table lists those incidents where passenger safety was put at direct risk: only two resulted in serious injury to a passenger.Subsequently I am only too sadly aware of the serious fire that occurred at King's Cross on 18 November. This incident is not included in the table; it will, however, be the subject of a formal inquiry and a report will be published in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to impose restrictions on the size of engine of cars and the maximum speeds that can be driven by people in the first 12 months after passing their driving test: and if he will make a statement.

No. There is no evidence that this would lead to significant road safety benefits and there would he difficulties in enforcing such arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents involving personal injury or

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what criteria the Government fund (a) 12 per cent. of West Yorkshire's public transport expenditure and (b) 36 per cent. of the expenditure of most other passenger transport authorities.

Like all other local authorities, the block grant allocation of each passenger transport authority death, excluding motor cycles, were recorded in England and Wales involving drivers between the ages of 17 and 18 years for the latest available year.

In 1986 there were 16,378 recorded accidents in England and Wales where (a) one or more drivers or cyclists were aged 17 or 18; and (b) no two-wheeled motor vehicle was involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents involving personal injury or death, excluding motor cycles, were recorded in England and Wales for the latest available year.

In 1986 the number or recorded accidents in England and Wales involving death or personal injury which did not involve a two-wheeled motor vehicle was 215,240.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the numbers of children travelling in (a) the front seat or (b) the rear seat of passenger cars who were killed or injured; and how many were (i) restrained or (ii) carried unrestrained, for each year since 1983.

The relevant information is in the table:depends on its grant-related expenditure per head, its rateable value per head and its expenditure per head in excess of its GRE. West Yorkshire's GRE is significantly lower than four of the other five PTAs, and its expenditure is substantially in excess of its GRE.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish his proposals for driving licence tests.

[pursuant to his reply, 18 November 1987]: The aim of the review was to find ways of improving the driver testing service without prejudicing its integrity. I am determined to cut the queues for tests; to reduce the wastage of resources implicit in a failure rate of over 50 per cent; and to end the situation in which candidates — the customers — cannot get through to booking sections on the telephone.The report has just been submitted. It proposes a strategy for immediate action to cut waiting times quickly and a package of longer-term measures to improve the standard of candidates coming for test and hence increase the pass rate. Provided these improvements can be delivered, I am inclined to accept the review's general conclusion that the best way forward would be to build on the current system rather than to privatise driver testing. I have accordingly asked for an action plan to be formulated as a matter of priority.The review emphasises that too many candidates take the test too soon and fail. That lengthens the queues for everyone else. The worst 20 per cent. of candidates have virtually no chance of passing. If they delayed their tests until they were ready, queues could be halved in a year. Candidates should seek and follow their instructors' advice about whether they are ready to take the test and instructors should give firm and professional advice even where it may be unwelcome.The review also discusses ways of providing learner drivers with a better basis on which to choose a good instructor and of encouraging all instructors to bring their performance up to the standard of the best. These are very important aspects. Good teaching produces good drivers. I am keen to move forward in these areas as quickly as possible and am consulting those concerned with a view to finalising a programme for action early in the new year which might contribute to my general goal of improving driving standards and reducing casualties.I am placing copies of the report in the Library.

To ask the Lord Privy Seal if he will list in full those substantive motions arising from reports of departmental Select Committees which have been agreed to by the House.

The following is the information:

On 5 June 1980 it was resolved, "That this House welcomes the important contribution made by the Report of the Home Affairs Committee relating to section 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824, accepts the need for a change in the law, and looks forward to the imminent publication of the Law Commission's Report on Attempt and to the public response to these reports, as providing the basis for an early decision as to the best way of reforming the law while ensuring adequate protection for the public." (The motion was amended.)

On 5 December 1980 it was resolved, "That this House takes note of the Second Report from the Social Services Committee, Session 1979–80, on perinatal and neonatal mortality (House of Commons Paper No. 663) and the relevant Government Observations (Cmnd. 8084)."

On 6 June 1985 it was resolved, "That this House notes that the period for consultation on the consultative document wages councils is only just ending and representations are still being received; and asks the Government to take into account the views of the Employment Committee, together with very many other responses from interested organisations and individuals." (The motion was amended.)

On 13 May 1986 it was resolved, "That this House welcomes the steps taken by the Government to keep the House and the public informed of the consequences for the United Kingdom of the accident at the nuclear plant at Chernobyl in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; endorses the Government's commitment to the safety of the complete nuclear fuel cycle in the United Kingdom; and in that context approves the Government's first stage response on 2 May to the Environment Committee's report on radioactive waste (House of Commons Paper No. 191), setting out as it does the principles against which current proposals to dispose of low-level radioactive waste can be considered." (An amendment was moved to the motion.)

On 7 July 1986 it was resolved, "That this House endorses the Government's response (HC 457) to the Second Report from the Trade and Industry Committee on the Tin Crisis (HC 305–1); regrets the difficulties brought upon the Cornish tin industry, the International Tin Council's creditors and others as a result of the failure of the International Tin Council to reach agreement with its creditors, despite the considerable efforts made by the Government, and welcomes the Government's package of measures to help employment in Cornwall." (An amendment was moved to the motion.)

To ask the Lord Privy Seal, for each of the years since the establishment of the new Select Committees, if he will list the number of reports published, the number debated on the Floor of the House, and the number voted upon.

A total of 565 reports have been published by the departmental Select Committees since 1979. During the same period, 60 reports from departmental Select Committees have been referred to on the Order Paper as relevant to debates in the House in accordance with the views expressed by the Liaison Committee. Sixteen reports have been debated in relation to the consideration of the Estimates; four on motions for the Adjournment; and six reports have been named in substantive motions. Votes were taken on four of these substantive motions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many beach-cleaning projects have been agreed to with the Manpower Services Commission for community programmes; and how many beach-cleaning projects under the community programme have been vetoed by trades unions.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to amend the law or change the practice which leads the Manpower Services Commission to prevent the YMCA, Penny street, Old Portsmouth. from advertising for an employee to help with Manpower Services Commission training schemes in terms of a supporter of the Christian aims and purposes of the YMCA; and if he will make a statement.

No such restriction has been imposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if any residential accommodation is provided for Ministers in his Department and charged to public funds; and if he will make a statement.

No residential accommodation is provided for Ministers in this Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list community programme schemes which have not been proceeded with as a result of failure to secure trades union co-operation or agreement.