To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, how many housing units the Church Commissioners own, lease or rent; and, of these (a) how many are currently occupied and (b) how many are vacant (i) prior to being let, or repaired or refurbished or (ii) prior to being sold.

The commissioners' property investments include 5,607 housing units as follows:

	Number
Occupied	5,478
Vacant prior to being let	39
Vacant prior to sale	90

To ask the Attorney-General what were the costs to public funds of the recent application to the High Court and Appeal Court for a delay in the trial of Attorney-General v. The Guardian and The Observer in relation to the "Spycatcher" book.

The cost to public funds is not yet known.

To ask the Attorney-General for what reason the Director of Public Prosecutions rejected a request by police investigators to examine the bank accounts of Mr. Evan Evans, a defendant in the alleged conspiracy to kidnap leaders of the African National Congress; and if whether he will make a statement.

The hon. Gentleman has been misinformed. No such request was made.

To ask the Attorney-General what representations the Lord Chancellor has received on the White Paper "Legal Aid in England and Wales: A New Framework"; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 November. The Government have received representations expressing a range of views on the various aspects of its White Paper on legal aid.

To ask the Attorney-General what criteria are used when deciding whether or not to grant immunity from prosecution under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 to persons; writing books about the security or intelligence services.

My policy in relation to the granting of immunity from prosecution in any case is the same as that of my predecessor. He stated, in a reply of 27 January 1986 to a question from the hon. Member for Middlesbrough (Mr. Bell), that his policy was to authorise an assurance being given to a witness that he would himself not be prosecuted only if he was satisfied that it was unlikely that the witness would otherwise be willing to give a full and truthful account of what he knew, and that it was necessary, if the true facts were to be established or, as the case may be, if evidence was to be obtained which might permit proceedings to be instituted against others, that the witness should give that account. Such an assurance was always conditional upon his telling the truth. As my predecessor explained, it is often a relevant consideration that there is no prospect of criminal proceedings being instituted against an individual, whatever his own anxieties on that matter, or that there is no evidence against him upon which such proceedings could be founded other than what he himself may say.

To ask the Attorney-General if immunity from prosecution under section 2 of the Official Secrets Act 1911 has been granted since 1979 to any author publishing books on the work of the security or intelligence services.

No.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will arrange for a complete transcript of the Appeal Court hearing of the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings to be placed in the Library.

Arrangements have been made for a full transcript to be placed in the Library following delivery of the Court of Appeal's judgment and reasons.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will visit the Crewe and Nantwich constituency with a view to discussing its inclusion in a new list of assisted areas.

I have no plans to do so. The designation of assisted areas is a matter for the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry who has no plans, at present, to review coverage of the assisted areas map.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to the answer of 10 November, Official Report, columns 161–2, what steps she is taking to secure the re-establishment of the former Select Committee on Science and Technology; and if she will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal to the hon. Member for Chislehurst (Mr. Sims) on 16 November 1987, at column 770.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received any representations concerning the implications for security of the publication of "Web of Deceit" by Mr. Chapman Pincher.

I take it that the hon. Gentleman is referring to "A Web of Deception" by Chapman Pincher. I have not received any such representations, as far as I am aware.

To ask the Prime Minister if it is now intended that a uniform business rate should be introduced throughout the United Kingdom; and if she will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham) on 17 November 1987, at column 469.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will announce the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe will be meeting in Strasbourg on 25 January 1988. The delegation from the United Kingdom this year will consist of twelve Members of the Conservative party, five Members of the Labour party and one Member of the Liberal party. I have also appointed a number of substitute delegates.The appointments of representatives and substitutes have been made on the basis of nominations by the leaders of those parties concerned.The same delegation will be representing the United Kingdom Parliament at the Assembly of the Western European Union, which meets in Paris on 30 November.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made in his Department on the initiative to improve the language, design and relevance of Government forms.

Government Departments are making good progress. In the last two years 11,000 forms have been scrapped, and a further 20,000 have been improved. A copy of the latest progress report on this work has been placed in the Libraries of Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information is available to the Overseas Development Administration about the spread of HIV infection and AIDS in African countries; what recent requests for United Kingdom aid have been made; and what response the Overseas Development Administration has made to such requests.

Accurate information on the spread of HIV infection is not available. The World Health Organisation estimates that for every AIDS case, 50 to 100 people may be infected with the virus. At 11 November 1987, 36 African countries had reported 6,298 cases of AIDS to the WHO.The WHO is taking the lead in mobilising and coordinating external assistance for AIDS control programmes in developing countries. We have so far provided £3·25 million to support its work. In addition, the ODA has recently participated in donor meetings in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda and has agreed to assist their national AIDS programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out in the Official Report details of United Kingdom medical and other assistance to countries in Africa (a) to seek to control the spread of AIDS, (b) to assist in the treatment of patients suffering from AIDS and (c) to assist in the prevention or treatment of other diseases.

We believe that support for programmes co-ordinated by the World Health Organisation is the most effective way of helping developing countries to combat AIDS. We have already contributed £3·25 million to the WHO's special programme on AIDS, which is working with 44 African countries. In addition, we have pledged bilateral support for WHO-co-ordinated AIDS control programmes in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Some equipment, training and information materials have been supplied elsewhere in Africa.In the absence of a vaccine or a cure for the disease, information and education programmes offer the best hope of limiting the spread of the infection. In recognition of this, Her Majesty's Government and the WHO are holding a world summit of Ministers of Health on programmes for AIDS prevention in London in January 1988. We are sponsoring a number of African delegates to the summit. We are also providing £1·6 million to the International Planned Parenthood Federation to help provide its educational materials on AIDS; Africa is a priority for this work.The ODA spends about £38 million a year on health and population programmes designed to strenthen health services in developing countries. The provision of manpower is a key element in our health assistance programmes in Africa. In 1986 we supported over 100 doctors, nurses and other health workers in the region.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent communications he has received from Mr. Richard Kennedy, President Reagan's ambassador-at-large on non-proliferation, on Pakistan's enriched uranium capacity; and if he will make a statement.

We have had no recent communication from Ambassador Kennedy on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what procedures exist for the investigation of complaints of racial discrimination, including cultural discrimination, on the part of entry clearance officers.

Any complaint of any nature about the conduct of staff overseas is fully investigated at senior management level appropriate to the seriousness of the allegation. If necessary, the head of post himself will undertake the investigation and report to London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about Her Majesty's Government's position regarding the imminent negotiations on sugar quotas to the EEC.

On 22 October the Commission openea negotiations with the ACP on the guaranteed prices to apply to cane sugar deliveries from the ACP states listed in Protocol 7 annexed to the third ACP/EEC (Lome) Convention during the 1987–88 delivery period. The Commission is negotiating on the basis of a mandate agreed by all member states, including the United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his replies of 9 November, Official Report, columns 16–17, why the firm Chine Kit was suspended from trading on the Hong Kong futures exchange; whether any of the staff or officials of the Hong Kong futures exchange or the Hong Kong stock exchange have any connection with any of the 33 firms currently being sued by the Hong Kong Futures Guarantee Corporation; whether these firms have been suspended from trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange; and what interest Mr. Ronald Li has in the firm Chine Kit.

Chine Kit Ltd. was suspended from trading on 27 October because it had failed to pay margin calls. The company subsequently paid the calls and was reinstated on 29 October. We are not aware that any staff of the futures exchange or the stock exchange are connected with any of the 32 firms being sued by the Hong Kong Futures Corporation. None of these firms has been suspended from trading on the Hong Kong stock exchange. The Hong Kong companies registry records that Chine Kit Ltd. has a paid-up share capital of 2,000,000 HK$1 shares, of which 1,999,997 are held by Mr. Ronald Li.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will protest to the Malaysian Government about the detention without trial of many Government critics and in particular about the arrest of women's rights campaigner Cecilia Ng Choon Sim; and if he will make a statement.

The Malaysian Prime Minister has stated that the recent detentions were necessary in a situation of increased ethnic tension to prevent a slide into public disorder. We hope that circumstances will soon permit the release of those detained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he intends to support the initiative by Prince Sihanouk of the Democratic Kampuchean Coalition and Hun Sen of the Government in Phnomn Penh in Paris in December to begin the process of negotiating for peace.

We welcome any moves which lead to genuine progress towards a peaceful resolution of the conflict in Cambodia, consistent with our long-held wish to see the withdrawal of Vietnamese forces and freedom for the Cambodian people to determine their own future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether time off in lieu is available to shop stewards undertaking training courses at Government expense; and if he will make a statement.

Section 27 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978, which provides for time off for employees who are trade union officials to receive training relevant to their duties, does not differentiate between officials whose training is assisted by Government grant and officials who receive assistance from other sources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish figures for unemployment in Southwark and Bermondsey constituency expressed as a percentage of the percentage rate of unemployment in Great Britain for each year since 1983;(2) which parliamentary constituencies in England had a higher percentage rate of unemployment than Southwark and Bermondsey for each year since 1983.

The information requested is not available. Unemployment rates are not calculated for areas smaller than travel-to-work areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many parliamentary constituencies in England have had (a) an increase or (b) a smaller percentage decrease in unemployment than Southwark and Bermondsey over (i) the past three years (ii) the past two years and (iii) the past year.

The following information is available from the Library. On 8 October 1987 the numbers of parliamentary constituencies in England where the unemployment figures show an increase or a smaller percentage decrease in unemployment than the Southwark and Bermondsey constituency over the past three years, two years and one year were 14, 54 and 58 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in employment in manufacturing industry in the United Kingdom, Scotland and Wales since 1979; and what information he has as to comparable figures in other manufacturing countries.

Between June 1979 and June 1987 (the latest date for which comparable figures are available) the percentage changes in the numbers of employees in the manufacturing industries for the areas specified are as follows:

	Percentage change
United Kingdom	-29
Scotland	-34
Wales	-34

Some of the decrease in the figures will be the result of the reclassification of jobs such as industrial cleaning, computer services, and road haulage, previously done by manufacturers' own employees and now done by subcontractors. This developing feature of our economy has the effect of exaggerating the extent of the move from manufacturing to service sector employment.Annual average figures for other manufacturing countries have been published by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and the latest available are for 1985. In the period 1979 to 1985, the percentage changes in the numbers of employees in the manufacturing industries of six principal countries are as follows:

	Percentage change
United States	-8
Canada	-5
Japan	9
France	-14
Germany	-9
Italy	-10

The shift in employment from manufacturing to service industries is happening in most other developed industrial nations. Manufacturing employment expressed as a percentage of all employees in the United Kingdom in 1985 was higher than in Canada or the United States.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to decide whether he will publish his review of student financial support.

The Government hope to publish proposals for consideration in the first half of next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) why the qualifications of Miss Sharon McGleave, BA, (Hons), MA, PGCE, have not yet been recognised as teaching qualifications by his Department;(2) on what date he received copies of O-Level English language and mathematics certificates from Miss Sharon McGleave, presently employed as a teacher in St. Thomas More upper school, Bedford; and on what date he requested these copies;(3) how many times his Department sought from Queen's University, Belfast, verification of the teacher training qualifications of Miss Sharon McGleave, presently employed as a teacher in St. Thomas More upper school, Bedford; how many times such information was received; and what was the nature of that information.

Applications for qualified teacher status from people trained outside of England and Wales are considered initially under paragraph 2(b) of schedule 5 to the Education (Teachers) Regulations 1982. To be acceptable, the course of initial teacher training pursued must be comparable to one available in England and Wales at the same time. In respect of courses completed after 1 September 1984, the applicant must also have attained the standard in English and mathematics required to obtain grade C at GCE O-level. Confirmation of Miss McGleave's training and qualifications were sought from the Department of Education in Northern Ireland on 10 September. A response was received on 6 October. At the same time, information, which had been requested direct by Miss McGleave, was received from Queen's University, Belfast. As the responses did not make clear that she met the mathematics requirement, Miss McGleave was asked on 22 October to provide copies of her GCE O-level certificates. These were received on 4 November and Miss McGleave was notified on 20 November that she is a qualified teacher in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received about the future teaching of home economics in relation to the proposed national curriculum; and what was the nature of those representations.

By 13 November some 8,500 individuals and organisations had responded to the Government's consultation document on the national curriculum. These representations have covered, among other issues, the place of home economics in the national curriculum. Respondents have expressed concern about the time available for home economics and its status as a subject within the national curriculum. In addition to these written representations, I have held a meeting with the United Kingdom Home Economics Federation, which expressed the same concern.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Offical Report the levels of seismic movements which have occurred in each Scottish region in the past 10 years.

Seismographs operated by the British Geological Survey have detected and located natural and mining-induced earthquakes in the past 10 years as follows:

Region	Number of earthquakes located	Number of earthquakes with Richter magnitude of 2 or more
Borders	50	1
Central	182	9
Dumfries and Galloway	37	5
Fife	51	0
Grampian	3	0
Highland	193	48
Lothian	871	7
Orkney	0	0
Shetland	1	0
Strathclyde	118	18
Tayside	45	3
Western Isles	0	0
Total	1,551	91

Earthquakes that have a Richter magnitude of 2 or more can often be felt; seismic movements below this level are not usually noticeable.The distribution of seismograph stations has varied in recent years, and with it the ability to detect and locate seismic events. Prior to 1980 only one seismograph was operated north of Dundee on the Scottish mainland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will give a breakdown by age of the numbers of people attending shop steward training coures in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;(2) what information he has about the incidence of

This information is not available to my right hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether colleagues participating in Government-funded courses for shop stewards are required to provide a balanced curriculum and system of visiting speakers: and if he will make a statement.

The memorandum of arrangements governing Government funded trade union education and training courses specifies in detail the subject areas which eligible courses must cover. It also requires the Trades Union Congress to seek departmental approval of any proposals for additions or amendments to the content of courses. A system of visiting speakers is not specified.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make it his policy to phase out the grant currently paid to the Trade Union Congress for the training of shop stewards; and if he will make a statement.

A decision on continuation of the grant to the Trades Union Congress is taken annually by my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and Employment. They determined earlier this year that the grant should continue for the financial year 1987–88.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total level of Government grant paid to the trade Union Congress in each of the last five years for which figures are available for the cost of training courses for shop stewards; and what is the purpose for which this is intended.

Total grant paid to the Trades Union Congress in each of the last five years was as follows:

	£
1982–83	1,598,570
1983–84	1,545,725
1984–85	1,542,239
1985–86	1,695,510
1986–87	1,704,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many shop stewards have undertaken training courses at Government expense in each of the last eight years.

This question could be answered only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is satisfied that the fees charged by colleges for running shop steward training courses cover the cost of those courses; and if he will make a statement.

The fees charged by colleges for running shop steward training courses are a matter between the colleges and the trade unions. They are not directly related to the Government's rate of grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether there is a requirement for colleges undertaking shop steward training courses at Government expense to have their subject matter approved first by the Trades Union Congress; and if he will make a statement.

The memorandum of arrangements governing Government funded trade union education and training courses specifies in detail the subject areas which eligible courses must cover. This includes democracy at work; the role of members and representatives in industrial relations, including negotiation and consultation; health and safety issues; and the importance of economic realities in the functioning of industry and commerce. The Government expect the Trades Union Congress to ensure that the courses funded meet the requirements of the memorandum of arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the use of Government-funded shop steward training courses to promote the unionisation of school children; and if he will make a statement.

Government funding is made available to unions affiliated to the Trade Union Congress or registered as non-affiliated trade unions for the education and training of representatives of these unions. It is not available for the promotion of trade union activities. If my hon. Friend has information that such funds are being used to promote the unionisation of school children, my right hon. Friend would be concerned to know about it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by section the latest traffic flow figures for those sections of the M4 for which his Department is responsible.

The latest week day 12-hour—7 am to 7 pm—traffic flow figures and date counted for all sections of the M4 motorway in Wales are as follows:

Motorway section	Traffic flow	Date of count
Jn. 22 Newhouse—Jn. 23 Magor	29,900	November 1987
Jn. 23 Magor—Jn. 24 Coldra	25,800	September 1982
Jn. 24 Coldra—Jn. 25 Caerleon	43,900	September 1986
Jn. 25 Caerleon—Jn. 26 Malpas	57,300	November 1987
Jn. 26 Malpas—Jn. 27 High Cross	42,600	June 1984
Jn. 27 High Cross—Jn. 28 Tredegar Park	45,000	May 1985
Jn. 28 Tredgegar Park—Jn. 29 Castleton	53,100	September 1987
Jn. 29 Castleton—Jn. 32 Coryton	27,700	September 1987
Jn. 32 Coryton—Jn. 33 Capel Llaniltern	32,500	September 1985 —September
Jn. 33 Capel Llaniltern—Jn. 34 Miskin	39,700	1987
Jn. 34 Miskin—Jn. 35 Pencoed	30,500	September 1986
Jn. 35 Pencoed—Jn. 36 Sarn	21,200	October 1984
Jn. 36 Sarn—Jn. 37 Pyle	24,100	October 1987
Jn. 37 Pyle—Jn. 38 Margam	24,200	September 1985
Jn. 38 Margam—Jn. 39 Groes	24,500	November 1987
Jn. 39 Groes—Jn. 40 Taibach	27,400	November 1987
Jn. 40 Taibach—Jn. 41 Pentyla	28,200	November 1987
Jn. 41 Pentyla—Jn. 41A Baglan	31,800	October 1987
Jn. 44 Lonlas—Jn. 45 Ynysforgan	21,800	September 1987
Jn. 45 Ynysforgan—Jn. 46 Llangyfelach	21,200	October 1987
Jn. 46 Llangyfelach—Jn. 47 Penllergaer	18,500	April 1985
Jn. 47 Penllergaer—Jn. 48 Hendy	21,000	September 1986
Jn. 48 Hendy—Jn. 49 Pont Abraham	15,400	October 1986

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to promote the setting up of speech therapy training in (a) north Wales, (b) south-east Wales and (c) south-west Wales; what moneys he will make available; and if he will make a statement.

The South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education currently provides a four-year degree course in speech therapy. The institute attracts students from all parts of Wales and offers opportunities for training through the medium of English and Welsh. The Department is currently undertaking a review of the future requirements for and implications for the provision of speech therapists and other staff disciplines in the context of a manpower resource planning exercise for the NHS in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many small firms loan guarantee schemes exist in Clwyd and in the Deeside travel-to-work area.

Responsibility for the loan guarantee scheme rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment. To date, 832 loans, totalling £16·12 million have been guaranteed under the scheme in Wales. Information on individual local authority and travel-to-work areas would be available only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many enterprise allowance schemes are operative in (a) Clwyd county and (b) the Deeside travel-to-work area; and will he make a statement.

The number of enterprise allowance schemes operative on 10 November 1987 in the counties of Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys is 1,812. Figures for smaller areas can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by when he expects all significant colliery derelict land to be removed in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

Current projections suggest that existing dereliction at colliery sites is on course to be cleared substantially by the late 1990s. It should be possible to refine this estimate when the results of the 1988 derelict land survey are available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many vacancies have been notified at the Milford Haven and Haverfordwest job centres for work on trawlers since 1 January 1986.

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sheep have been monitored for radioactivity in each month since 1 September 1986 in each county in Wales.

The information is set out in the table. No sheep were monitored in Gwent, Mid, South or West Glamorgan.

Numbers of Sheep monitored for radioactivity from 1 September 1986 to 31 October 1987 in Wales
	Clwyd	Dyfed	Gwynedd	Powys
1986
September	30	Nil	460	26
October	12	Nil	2,540	60
November	Nil	Nil	3,990	816
December	Nil	80	4,201	1,325
1987
January	7,594	1,365	12,979	862
February	1,624	170	3,458	351
March	126	Nil	329	Nil
April	Nil	Nil	585	100
May	20	Nil	2,304	113
June	140	Nil	4,321	138
July	270	Nil	17,295	487
August	260	Nil	50,399	718
September	971	Nil	71,863	3,451
October	576	267	20,840	1,180

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many representations he has received in the past month concerning the HOTOL project; and if he will make a statement.

Some 31 representations have been received in the past month. The Government have funded a two-year proof of concept study on HOTOL with the costs being shared on a 50:50 basis between Government and industry. This study by British Aerospace and Rolls-Royce is now nearing completion. The companies involved have agreed to continue working at their own expense while discussions take place to determine the next steps.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on current levels of funding for United Kingdom space research.

The total public expenditure provision for 1987–88 for civil space research and development is £112 million, including some £75 million which is expected to be spent through the European Space Agency.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what action he is taking to improve postal deliveries from Britain to civilians working in the Falkland Islands;(2) what representations he has received on the time taken to make postal deliveries from Britain to civilians working in the Falkland Islands.

This is a matter for the Post Office. A petition received last month by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister from the civilian work force at Mount Pleasant airfield about their deliveries of mail from Britain has been forwarded to the Post Office, which I understand is looking into the matter.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what was the total deficit of the United Kingdom in manufacturing trade on the overseas trade statistics basis in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available and what percentage of the total was in respect of trade with the European Economic Community.

In the 12 months to September the deficit on our trade in manufactures was £10·8 billion with the other members of the Community and £9·5 billion overall. Forty six per cent, of our exports and 56 per cent, of our imports are with the Community.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster who he proposes will check on the display of ship radio (VHF) licences; and how this enforcement will be funded.

My Department's radio investigation service is responsible for inspecting ships' radio licences. This work is funded from licence fees.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what tariff or non-tariff restrictions there are on imports into the United Kingdom of (i) instant coffee, (ii) tobacco, (iii) cocoa butter, (iv) margarine made from soyoil and (v) other processed agricultural products from (a) Commonwealth and (b) non-Commonwealth developing countries; what is the purpose of these restrictions; and what proposals Her Majesty's Government or the European Commission have made to revise or abolish them.

There are no specific non-tariff restrictions on imports into the United Kingdom of the products listed. Imports from all sources into the European Community are subject to the appropriate levels of duty laid down in the common customs tariff of the Community. A copy of the tariff is available in the Library of the House.International trade in agricultural products, processed or otherwise, if one of the topics for discussion in the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations in the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, when existing tariffs and equivalent measures will be subject to review. The Community has already put forward negotiating proposals designed to improve market access for tropical products.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) if he has any plans to introduce legislation to prohibit the advertisement, sale, importation or manufacture of furniture made of those materials which are inherently dangerous; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has any plans to introduce legislation for the permanent display of a safety classification system on furniture, in a form easily understandable by consumers; and if he will make a statement.

In reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucester (Mr. French) on 6 November I promised a statement in December about responses to consultation on the code of practice for upholstered furniture. The points raised in the two questions will be covered by that statement and in more detail by the draft regulations which I shall circulate for consultation as soon as possible in the new year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss electricity privatisation.

I meet Lord Marshall, the chairman of the CEGB, regularly to discuss our proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what priority he is giving to consumer protection in his proposals for electricity privatisation.

The protection of consumers' rights is being given a very high priority in the development of my proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry. I am committed to ensuring that the rights of the consumer are safeguarded in the privatised industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the number of gas disconnections in each of the last three years; and what was the percentage change for each year.

Disconnections are a matter for the gas and electricity industries and I have asked the chairman of British Gas plc and of the Electricity Council to ensure that the hon. Members have the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many disconnections of gas and electricity supply have been made in each of the last three years.

Disconnections are a matter for the gas and electricity industries and I have asked the chairmen of British Gas plc and of the Electricity Council to ensure that the hon. Members have the information requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss the financial framework of the board.

I meet the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board frequently to discuss a range of issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has had discussions with local authorities about the operation of combined heat and power schemes.

I recently met members and officials of Sheffield city council at the launch of Sheffield Heat and Power Ltd. This company is responsible for implementing a new district heating scheme in that city. I am also planning to visit Leicester CHP next week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the Combined Heat and Power Association to discuss the promotion of combined heat and power schemes.

I have no immediate plans to do so. However, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State expects to meet this group in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next intends to meet the chairman of British Coal; and what matters will be discussed.

I meet the chairman of British Coal at regular intervals to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal; and if he will make a statement on the subjects discussed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to meet the chairman of British Coal; and what matters will be discussed.

My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Coal at regular intervals to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has about the level of staff costs in the electricity supply industry.

The Electricity Council's annual report for 1986–87 shows that total staff costs amounted to £1,958·7 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many of his Department's staff are currently working on the privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

There are currently 21 members of my Department working specifically on the proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry. This figure includes clerical and secretarial staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what increase in income he estimates the electricity supply industry will enjoy in the financial years 1988–89,1989–90 and 1990–91 as a result of the recent price increases announcement.

The electricity supply industry's external financing limit for 1988–89, which represents the industry's net cash income after capital expenditure, is for a repayment of £1,040 million. The net effect, taking account of a higher level of capital expenditure and payment of tax, is £163 million lower than the corresponding figure for 1987–88 and is consistent with the increase in the industry's financial target. It is not the Government's practice to publish these forecasts for more than one year ahead.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent representations he has received about his proposals for privatising the electricity supply industry; and if he will make a statement.

I have received representations from electricity consumers, unions, other nationalised industries and other interested parties and will take these into account when considering proposals for the privatisation of the industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received any representations from the public proposing differential solutions for the various segments of the industry arising from the preparations to privatise the electricity supply industry.

I have received representations from the public proposing a range of options for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry. I shall take these views into account when drawing up plans for privatisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest timetable for the proposed privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

I am developing proposals and work is proceeding on time. Decisions have not been taken and it would be premature to announce a timetable. However, I anticipate putting details of our proposals to Parliament in the first part of next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received about the implications for nuclear power of the proposed privatisation of the electricity supply industry.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from electricity consumers, unions, other nationalised industries and other interested parties about a wide range of issues related to the proposed privatisation of the electricity supply industry, including the implications for nuclear power. He will take these views into account when drawing up proposals for the industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current rate of return on investment for the electricity supply inustry; and what is the proposed rate of return for the industry for 1988–89 and 1989–90.

The present financial target is an average rate of return of 2·75 per cent, on net assets, calculated on a current cost accounting basis, over the three years 1985–86 to 1987–88. In the last financial year, 1986–87, the return achieved was 3·17 percent. In order to achieve the financial target, the industry is aiming for a return in 1987–88 of 2·45 per cent. In my statement to the House on 3 November, I said that the Government and electricity supply industry had agreed financial targets of 3·75 per cent, in 1988–89 and 4·75 per cent, in 1989–90.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the projected level of investment in the electricity supply industry to the year 2000.

Investment to replace aging capacity and to meet new demand is essential if the electricity industry is to continue to provide customers with a reliable and efficient system of supply. On current forecasts of demand the CEGB envisages that up to 13 gigawatts of new capacity may be needed by the end of the century. Demand forecasts are of course kept under review and, within this framework, orders for individual new power stations will be placed on their merits.The figure of £45 billion, which is at estimated outturn prices, derives from estimates prepared by the electricity supply industry. It indicates the scale of expenditure that may be required to meet the demand forecasts in full. On the same basis, the figure also includes substantial investment in the national grid and in other existing assets, together with investment in new capacity which may be under construction by the end of the century but not commissioned by then.Investment on this scale will provide substantial opportunities for British industry to win orders and expand business.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to be able to announce the vesting date for the privatised electricity supply industry; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Crawley (Mr. Soames) earlier today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from the electricity supply industry about the method of privatisation of the industry.

I have regular meetings with the senior management of the electricity supply industry to discuss our proposals for the privatisation of the industry. I shall take their views into account before making any decisions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current rate of return on capital in the electricity supply industries in the several member states of the European Economic Community; and what is his estimate of the rate of return on capital in the United Kingdom's electricity supply industry in 1988–89.

It is not possible to make a direct comparison of rates of return in different countries, due to substantial differences in accounting practices. The financial target for the ESI in England and Wales is for a current cost rate of return of 3·75 per cent, on net assets in 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the ratio of capital debt to income in the electricity supply industry in each year since 1975.

The ratio of long-term borrowings at 31 March to turnover for the year then ended in the electricity supply industry in each year since 1975 has been as follows:

Year
1975	1·94
1976	1·58
1977	1·35
1978	1·08
1979	0·97
1980	0·86
1981	0·73
1982	0·58
1983	0·50
1984	0·42
1985	0·33
1986	0·38
1987	0·29

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the income derived from an average rate of return for the electricity supply industry of (a) 2·45 per cent, (b) 3·75 per cent, and (c) 4·75 per cent.

These figures represent the electricity supply industry's expected rates of return in the three years to 1989–90. I therefore refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the similar question by the hon. Member for Rother Valley (Mr. Barron) on 23 November 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what priority he accords to diversity of supply in determining the Government's energy policy.

I can confirm that encouraging diversity of supply is a key element in the Government's energy policy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the latest figures for productivity in the coal industry; and what were the comparable figures 10 years ago.

For the week ending 31 October, average deep mined revenue output per man shift was 3·72 tonnes, an increase of some 70 per cent, on the average of 2·19 tonnes for 1977–78.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the future of the opencast coal sector.

Opencast coal is one of the cheapest forms of energy available to this country. It is not for Government to set targets, but it is clearly in the national interest to maximise production where that can be done in an environmentally acceptable way. I therefore welcome British Coal's plans to increase opencast production above its present levels where possible.There is inevitably concern about the impact of opencast mining on the environment. British Coal share that concern and its restoration techniques and its techniques for minimising disturbance while mining takes place are second to none. I would hope that those who oppose opencast mining would look carefully at what British Coal has achieved.Opencast coal is also important for British Coal's deep mines. It enables some deep mine production, which would otherwise be unsaleable, to be made acceptable to customers; and it generates profits which can be used to finance investment in improving deep mine productivity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to publish estimates of future electricity requirements for the United Kingdom.

Estimates of future electricity requirements are the responsibility of the electricity supply industry. The Electricity Council publish adopted load forecasts for England and Wales each year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many jobs have been created in the east Midlands with the help of British Coal Enterprise.

By the end of October British Coal Enterprise Ltd. had helped create a total of 1,524 job opportunities in its midlands region. I regret that sub-regional figures ae not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much he envisages electricity prices having to rise in 1989–90.

The increase for 1989–90 will be a matter for the electricity industry to decide, in the light of the financial target it has agreed with the Government. It is too early to say what such an increase might be, but it is likely to be significantly less than that for 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received protesting at the impact of increased electricity prices upon pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from pensioners' organisations and is making arrangements for a discussion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the average price of electricity in England and Wales compared with France, West Germany, Japan and the United States of America expressed as pence per kilowatt hour.

In its latest "International Comparison of Electricity prices" the Electricity Council calculated the average price of electricity in 1985–86 at 4·78p/kWh in France, 6·18p/kWh in West Germany, 10·51p/kWh in Japan and 6·08p/kWh in the United States of America. The average price in England and Wales was 4·65p/kWh.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from industry about the proposed increase in electricity prices.

Most of the representations I have received from industry have been based on premature speculation about the effect of the increase in electricity prices on industrial tariffs. Tariffs for individual classes of consumer are a matter for the electricity industry to decide, but rises in industrial prices are not expected to be significantly higher than the overall average.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the intended levels of consumer electricity prices upon privatisation.

Privatisation, by introducing competition and increasing efficiency, will have a beneficial effect on prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to discuss the proposed increases in electricity prices with pensioners' organisations.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will review his Department's statistical analysis so that United Kingdom oil companies are differentiated from companies with United Kingdom offices in the published tables of orders placed on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has met the chairman of the Central Electricity Generating Board to discuss the recent structural reorganisation; and if he will make a statement.

The reorganisation of the CEGB into a two-tier management structure was completed in April and I have not had cause to discuss it with the chairman.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much (a) electricity, (b) gas and (c) coal prices have increased since June 1979.

The percentage movement in the average price of each fuel to the domestic and industrial sectors between June 1979 and June 1987 was as follows:

	4Domestic		5Industrial
	Real	Nominal	Real	Nominal
Electricity	+ 5·0	+ 92·3	2-9·5	2+66·8
Gas	+ 21·7	+ 123·1	3-8·3	3+68·9
Coal	+ 10·0	1 + 101·6	-5·6	+ 74·0

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for the improvement of conservation policies.

I recently announced a review of the work of the Energy Efficiency Office to assess strategic options for the future. I hope to consider that assessment by the end of the year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the returns on capital investment in electricity generated by nuclear power.

The electricity supply industry is required to earn a 5 per cent, real rate of return on its new investment programme as a whole. The rate of return on each new generating project must reflect this requirement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has for the further development of wind power following his recent visit to Orkney.

Following my recent visit to Orkney on 10 November to inaugurate the 3 MW, 60 metre diameter wind turbine generator, my Department will continue to press ahead with its research and development programme on wind energy which is intended to provide a basis for commercial exploitation of this renewable resource by the late 1990s.The programme will include extensive monitoring of the experimental Orkney machine as well as support for the design and construction of a 55 metre diameter 1 MW wind turbine generator to be erected at the CEGB's Richborough site in Kent. This machine is being designed and built by James Howden & Co. of Glasgow; the project costs are shared between my Department, the CEGB and the European Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy ifhe will make a statement on future gas-gathering systems in the United Kingdom sector of the continental shelf.

I have received no formal proposals for new projects, although I understand that a number of gas-gathering schemes for the central North sea are under preparation by the oil companies and others. I will give careful consideration to any such scheme which are put forward with the objective of ensuring the full development of our gas reserves without delay and without unnecessary duplication of infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action he is taking to encourage energy efficiency in Government Departments' buildings.

The permanent secretaries in charge of Departments have recently agreed to set up an energy management panel for the civil estate to advise them on consumption trends and action needed to ensure that cost-effective improvements in energy efficiency are made. The panel is actively supported by the Energy Efficiency Office and the Property Services Agency. I shall be taking a close interest in its progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by what date the Central Electricity Generating Board expects to implement the recommendations of the nuclear installations inspectorate in relation to the safety of Bradwell power station.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 29 October 1987, at column 374.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to be in a position to announce whether the Central Electricity Generating Board will retain its monopoly of electricity generation after privatisation.

I am developing proposals for the privatisation of the electricity supply industry; no decisions on the future structure have been taken. However, I have said that the electricity supply industry will not be privatised as a monolith. I intend to introduce as much competition as possible into the industry and am looking at the scope for so doing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the impact of renewed plans to import Norwegian gas on the pace of United Kingdom continental shelf gas development and related industrial activity.

I am not aware of any plan for new imports of Norwegian gas. The oil companies are being outstandingly successful in finding and developing new United Kingdom reserves. By bringing new United Kingdom gas supplies to the market without delay and on competitive terms the oil companies working on our continental shelf are strengthening their position in the home market and providing important opportunities for the offshore supplies industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated value of the publicly owned electricity industry (a) using current cost methods and (b) using historic cost methods.

The net assets employed by the electricity supply industry—England and Wales—as at 31 March 1987 were £37 billion on a current cost accounting basis and £14 billion on a historical cost basis. These figures do not necessarily represent the valuation which will be placed on the industry by the market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to publish an estimate of the potential for electricity generation by renewable energy sources.

A detailed assessment of the potential for electricity generation by renewable energy sources has recently been undertaken by the chief scientist's group at the Energy Technology Support Unit as part of a comprehensive appraisal of United Kingdom energy research, development and demonstration. This appraisal of a wide range of different energy technologies considered to be relevant for the United Kingdom was published in July as energy paper 54. The background papers prepared by ETSU for this study have also been published as ETSU R43: these contain estimates of both the technical potential and the potential contribution for all renewable technologies. Copies of both publications are in the Libraries of the House.As I said in the House on 30 October, as reported at column 623, we are currently preparing detailed strategy papers for each of the renewable technologies currently in our programme. These will be published next year and will incorporate any appropriate revisions to earlier assessments of potential contribution from the renewable technologies. Copies of these papers will also be placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the general secretary of the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunication and Plumbing Union; and what issues were discussed.

I have met the general secretary on a number of occasions since I took office. A range of issues have been discussed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has about progress on reviewing the financial contract between British Coal and the Central Electricity Generation Board in preparation for the lapse of the present coal supply contract; and if he will make a statement.