To ask the Attorney-General whether he has yet taken a decision whether or not to prosecute anyone in relation to project Zircon; and if he will make a statement.

Having considered with the Director of Public Prosecutions all the relevant factors, including in particular the public interest, I have decided not to institute criminal proceedings in respect of any disclosure that has been reported to him of information in relation to Project Zircon. I have consulted my noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate: he does not intend to institute any separate proceedings in Scotland.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the provision of additional assistance for black South Africans in South Africa.

In accordance with the agreements reached at the recent Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, the Government propose to finance from the aid programme 20 new training places in Britain for black South Africans at a cost of an additional £200,000 a year. We shall also increase by £80,000 a year the £270,000 currently available under the heads of mission gifts scheme and the small projects scheme. This will bring our commitment for training and assistance for black South Africans to more than £21 million over five years. Additional assistance is under consideration through non-governmental channels.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to extend the scope of operations of the Commonwealth Development Corporation.

I have agreed to a request from the corporation to include Mozambique in its area of operations. No further extension is at present under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether a decision has been reached on the award of the contract to build a replacement ship for St. Helena.

Subject to contract negotiation, this order will be placed with Hall Russell Ltd. of Aberdeen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to introduce measures requiring the installation of maximum speed limiters for (a) coaches already in use, (b) new coaches and (c) heavy lorries.

New regulations to fit speed limiters to coaches will be made shortly. They will require new coaches to be fitted with a speed limiter from 1 April 1989, coaches first used on or after 1 April 1984 to be fitted from 1 April 1990, and older coaches from 1 April 1991.There are no plans at present to require the fitting of speed limiters to heavy lorries, for which maximum speed limits of 60 mph (motorways) 50 mph (dual carriageways) and 40 mph (single carriageways) already apply. We are examining ways of ensuring greater compliance with these limits.Some lorry operators fit limiters on a voluntary basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any proposals to review the longer-term road needs of the north-west region with particular regard to the primary route network.

We constantly monitor conditions on the existing trunk road and motorway network. In addition I agreed at the recent regional annual consultative committee meeting held in Kendal that the Department would co-operate with the working party which local authorities are to set up to examine road investment needs in the north-west.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any proposals to improve the capacity of the Preston bypass section of the M6.

Yes. Consultants have been appointed to design schemes to widen and improve the M6 between junctions 30 and 32 (Broughton).

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to accept Lancashire county council's proposal for a comprehensive signalling system to be installed on the motorway network in Lancashire, including the use of close circuit television.

We propose to appoint consulting engineers to examine the need for improvements to communications on motorways in Lancashire. The consultants already appointed to design the improvements between junctions 30 and 32 of M6 will advise on the provision of a gantry signalling system and the use of permanent CCTV on this section.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in respect of erecting crash barriers on the central reservation on the A19 from Dishforth to the Tyne tunnel.

Good progress has been made in providing safety fencing to the A19 central reservations between Dishforth and the Tyne tunnel. 15.1 km have been completed.Thirty five km are under construction and works to the remaining 40 km are scheduled to commence in the financial year 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve the road network from the A19 to the Al within the areas of Cleveland, County Durham and Tyne and Wear.

There are no proposals at present for major improvements to the road network from the A19 to A1 within Cleveland, Durham and Tyne and Wear.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent his Department uses recycled paper or provides paper for recycling.

Most types of paper we use contain varying proportions of recycled paper. Comprehensive information on waste paper is not readily available. The waste paper from our London buildings is sent for recycling.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to how much money has been allocated by British Rail for the purchase of the 100 new class 60 locomotives; and how much of this money will be generated entirely by British Rail's own operations.

The British Railway Board has allocated about £130 million for the purchase of 100 new class 60 locomotives. The precise cost will depend on the board's evaluation of the tenders it has received from manufacturers. The cost of the investment will be borne entirely by the board's freight sector which receives no Government grant.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to the level of state subsidy for national railways in France, West Germany and Japan.

So far as France and West Germany are concerned, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 23 October 1987 at column 913. Japanese National Railways was split into regional companies with restructured finances on 1 April this year. This makes it impracticable to make any direct comparisons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has made any study of the relative environmental effects in terms of noise and fuel exhaust pollution of electrically powered trolley buses compared with conventional diesel-engined buses travelling on hilly routes; and if he will make a statement.

There has been no specific study carried out by the Department on this point. We have supported the former West Yorkshire county council in representing the United Kingdom in the European study COST 303 of the economic potential for electrically powered trolley buses, in particular those with auxiliary diesel engines which I understand West Yorkshire favours.Environmental effects as well as economic com-paratives were taken into account in that study the results of which have been published. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether cars presented for vehicle emissions type approval may use unleaded petrol; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Now that unleaded petrol is becoming increasingly available, manufacturers may choose to use it in vehicles emissions type approval tests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to reorganise initial teacher training in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department has any plans to reorganise initial teacher training in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

There are no plans for reorganising provision in the public sector in Wales following my right hon. Friend's announcement on 30 September of entries up to 1989 to all six colleges with initial teacher training courses. Decisions about initial teacher training in the university sector are for the University Grants Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many families are currently on the housing waiting list for each local authority in Wales; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

Information on the number of people on housing waiting lists is not available centrally.Estimates of the percentage of households which contain applicants were published in table 2.20 in the 1986 Welsh intercensal survey report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.Comparable figures for 1979 are not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what system of monitoring he employs to measure the number of jobs created by firms in receipt of regional selective assistance against the number of jobs projected by them at the time of application.

Grants are paid in instalments related to the achievement of the projects' forecast objectives. Each claim for payment is required to include a report on all aspects of project progress, including job creation, certified by an independent accountant. In addition, projects are inspected by officals of my Department at appropriate intervals to verify the details.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what statistics have been collected on the proportion of jobs projected at the time of regional aid approval which actually resulted from (a) projects generally and (b) inward investment projects from overseas.

Statistics collected on projects receiving regional aid include employment achievement against forecasts. For completed projects since 1979, the proportion of jobs achieved against forecast is (a) 87 per cent. for projects generally and (b) 85 per cent. for inward investment projects from overseas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many redundancies the Manpower Services Commission's records show to have taken place as a result of business closures in Wales since June 1979.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: The information is not available in the form requested. I am, however, delighted to say that it is certain that redundancies are at a much lower level this year than they have been in recent years including the years 1977–78 and 1978–79.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes have taken place in numbers employed part-time in Wales in each year since 1979.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: Data from which an annual series can be derived are calculated only in respect of women who make up the bulk of part-timers; the estimates are as follows:

Year: June	Females (Thousands)
1979	165
1980	163
1981	159
1982	157
1983	164
1984	164
1985	171
1986	174
1987	182

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has yet received any recommendation from the Director General of Fair Trading regarding the possible reference of the bookmaking industry to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; and if he will make a statement.

No. I understand that the Director General of Fair Trading is still considering whether he should make a complex monopoly reference of the supply of off-course bookmaking services to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has about the extent and trend of low-priced imports of cigarettes; from which countries they come; by what amount, in pence per 20, such cigarettes are cheaper than United Kingdom-produced cigarettes; and what representations he has received about the implications of these imports for the competitiveness and viability of the United Kingdom cigarette industry.

According to estimates provided by the United Kingdom tobacco industry, imports of cheap brands of cigarettes increased from 0·1 billion pieces in 1983 to 9·6 billion in 1986, but appear to be falling back this year to rather less than 10 per cent. of United Kingdom cigarette consumption. About 80 per cent. of these imports come from the Federal Republic of Germany and West Berlin. The industry estimates that these imports can undercut the United Kingdom retail price of United Kingdom manufactured brands by up to 25p per packet of 20 cigarettes.I personally have not received any representations on this issue, but I understand that colleagues in this and other Departments have, and that meetings with industry representatives have been arranged.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total number of redundancies in the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear during the period from 1 January to 31 December 1986.

It is estimated that there was a reduction in employment of some 16,000 in the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear during the period January 1979 to December 1986.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total number of redundancies in the shipbuilding industry throughout the United Kingdom during the period from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1986.

It is estimated that there was a reduction in employment of some 48,000 in the shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom during the period 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1986.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action is being taken to implement the undertaking which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry gave the House on 20 November, Official Report, columns 1389–92, to consult the cinema and film industries about follow-up action to the 1983 Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of films and the subsequent experimental films release scheme.

I am today beginning such consultation. As my hon, Friend said in the House on 20 November, we have given further consideration to the adverse public interest findings of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report on the supply of films, in conjunction with the results of the experimental film release in the Manchester and Glasgow areas conducted by the Office of Fair Trading. Following that experiment, I am considering making an order under the Fair Trading Act 1973 to implement the two main recommendations of the MMC concerning barring and popular films.I am therefore today writing to interested parties in the cinema and film industries to indicate the terms in which an order under the Fair Trading Act might be framed and to seek their views on this course of action. I am proposing firstly that existing and future long-term arrangements between a distributor and a cinema operator to bar other cinemas locally from showing the same films concurrently might be made unlawful. Secondly, I am proposing that a four-week limit might be placed on the length of time for which "first run" cinemas may exhibit a popular film without making it available to competitors.Copies of the Director General of Fair Trading's report on the experimental films release scheme together with copies of our consultation letter have been placed in the Library of the House and are available in the Vote Office.I am asking that comments on these proposals should be submitted in writing by 31 January 1988.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received about the Consumer Arbitration Agreements Bill introduced by the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth; and if he will make a statement.

I have asked the Department's Advisory Committee on Arbitration Law, chaired by Lord Justice Mustill, to examine the issues raised by the Bill as a matter of urgency. The Committee will consider representations by interested parties. Those interested in submitting evidence should contact the secretary of the committee as soon as possible.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish the programme which Her Majesty's Government were due to submit during the course of the current week in response to the European Commission's liquid containers directive (directive on containers of liquids for human consumption — 85/339/EEC).

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: General publication of the programme would not be appropriate until it has been approved by the Commission as required by directive 85/339/EEC.Meanwhile, copies of the programme in the form submitted to the European Commission will be sent to all interested organisations in the United Kingdom which are known to my Department. Copies will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. They will also be available, from the Department (212 8728) on request, to anyone who wants them.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will give the total number of redundancies in the shipbuilding industry in Merseyside during the period from 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1986.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: It is estimated that there was a reduction in employment of some 3,700 in the shipbuilding industry in Merseyside during the period 1 January 1979 to 31 December 1986.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to (a) the number of shareholders to be given bonus shares in British Telecom, under the loyalty bonus scheme, on 30 November 1988, and (b) the number of shares to be given out under the scheme.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: The qualifying date for eligibility for bonus shares in British Telecom is 30 November 1987. Current estimates are that almost 1 million shareholders will qualify for some 55 million bonus shares in total. These will be transferred as soon as practicable after the qualifying date.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he has any plans to reform regional policy in such a way as to discourage future company relocations from areas of high unemployment to areas of relatively low unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: Relocation by a particular company is a matter for its commercial judgment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what representations he has received from Sheffield city council regarding the decision by Unilever to relocate Batchelor plc headquarters from Sheffield to Croydon; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 30 November 1987]: I have received no representations from Sheffield city council about the decision by Unilever to relocate the Batchelors Food headquarters from Sheffield. This is in any case a matter for the company's own commercial judgment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 26 October, what remedial action will be taken to ensure the safety of the Daya Bay power plant; who has been identified as responsible for the omission of the reinforcement bars from the first concrete layer; what representations he has received from the Government of China on the implications of these faults for the safety of local residents; and if he will make a statement.

Additional bars and concrete reinforcement have been placed in the second layer of the reactor raft in order to ensure that the safety requirements of the original design are met.The omission of bars was due to an incorrect interpretation of technical drawings by the contractor and the inadequate enforcement of quality control checks. Improvements have since been made to the quality control arrangements to avoid similar problems in the future.We have not received any representations from the Government of China on the implications of these faults for the safety of local residents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese refugees are currently in Hong Kong; what plans he has for their resettlement (a) up to 1997 and (b) after 1997; and if he will make a statement.

On 27 November there were 9,359 Vietnamese refugees in Hong Kong. In May we decided to accept into the United Kingdom a further 468 Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong over the next two years. We are pursuing our diplomatic campaign to urge other resettlement countries to take more refugees from Hong Kong. We aim to have fully resolved this problem well before 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his answer of 23 November, whether all the 32 firms that are being sued by the Hong Kong Futures Corporation have been suspended from trading on the Hong Kong Futures Exchange; and if he will make a statement.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 23 November, how many firms have been suspended from trading from each of the Hong Kong stock exchange and the Hong Kong futures exchange; and for how long.

Twelve firms have been suspended from the Hong Kong stock exchange and 35 from the Hong Kong futures exchange. The suspensions remain in effect until further notice.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list, for each year since 1979, the initiatives and consultations he has had with other Economic Community and United Nations members on the implementation of independence for Namibia.

Detailed information is not readily available, and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However, I can assure the hon. Member that during the period in question we have had regular discussions with our EC partners and other UN member states with the aim of securing implementation of the UN plan for Namibian independence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met his Nicaraguan colleague, Father Miguel D'Escoto-Brockman.

My right hon. and learned Friend last met Father Miguel D'Escoto-Brockman at the meeting of the EC, Central American and Contadora Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg in November 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if a copy of the intermediate range nuclear forces treaty will be made available to hon. and right hon. Members; and if he will make a statement about the implications for the United Kingdom of the version finally agreed.

A copy of the United States/Soviet treaty, once signed, will be made available to the House. Copies of the United Kingdom agreements with the United States and Soviet Union on the arrangements for inspections in the United Kingdom will also be made available once these agreements are signed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the light of the fact that, under the proposed intermediate nuclear forces treaty, he will permit foreign observers to inspect military facilities on United Kingdom soil, Her Majesty's Government will (a) be a signatory to any part of the treaty and (b) enjoy reciprocal rights to take part in the teams inspecting facilities in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

The intermediate nuclear forces treaty is a bilateral one between the United States and Soviet Union. We will not be a signatory to any part of the treaty. But we will conclude a separate agreement with the United States concerning the inspection arrangements in this country and a further separate agreement in the form of an exchange of notes with the Soviet Union to safeguard our sovereignty and security. Compliance with the treaty will be entirely a matter for the United States and the Soviet Union; the inspection teams will comprise United States and Soviet personnel.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community Council of Ministers.

The usual forecast was deposited in the House earlier today. At present, 12 meetings of the Council of Ministers are planned for December.The Council of Labour and Social Affairs Ministers, which meets on 1 December, will discuss action to combat long-term unemployment; a progress report on the action programmes for the preparation of young people for adult and working life and for the integration of people with disabilities; and article 118A of the treaty of Rome concerning health and safety at work. The Council will consider a common position under the co-operation procedure on the draft directives on benzene and on the proscription of four specified carcinogens. A progress report on the draft directive on exposure limits and a communication on a women's research institute may also be considered.The Environment Council will meet on 3 December and will discuss emissions from large combustion plants; three draft directives on vehicle emissions; dumping of waste at sea in the light of the recent North sea conference; two separate proposals for the control of the discharge into water of HCB and HCBD (two uncommon but very hazardous list I substances) and chromium. A proposal to establish a notification procedure for the export of dangerous chemicals; a proposal to establish a programme illustrating the link between environmental projects and employment creation; controls on cadmium usage and a proposal to extend the marine pollution information system to inland waterways.The European Council, which will be held in Copenhagen on 4/5 December, is expected to concentrate on the financial situation of the Community, in particular the reform of the common agricultural policy.The Economic and Financial Council is expected to meet on 7 December to discuss the Commission's annual report on the economic situation in the Community.The Transport Council will meet on 7 December. Ministers are expected to continue discussions on the air transport liberalisation package covering fares, capacity, market access and the application of competition rules. Transport infrastructure, summertime, liberalisation of road transport and road haulage issues will be discussed as time permits.The Industry Council meets on 8 December and will discuss Commission proposals on the future of the EC steel regime.The Budget Council is expected to meet on 9/10 December to continue discussions on the establishment of a draft budget for 1988.The Agriculture Council meets on 10/11 December to follow up the recent discussions on agricultural stabilisers. The Council may also discuss beef tariff quotas, quick frozen foods and maximum pesticide residues in cereals, fruit and vegetables.The Foreign Affairs Council meets on 14/15 December. The agenda will include the proposed Commission amendments concerning the extension of the regulation governing the Community's food aid programme, the 1988 guidelines for the Community's programme of aid to Asia and Latin America, and the content of a Community submission on services in the Uruguay round. Arrangements for a special Community programme to assist poor, heavily indebted African countries that are taking action to adjust the structure of their economies are expected to be finalised. The Council will again consider a regulation laying down the maximum permitted levels of radioactivity in foodstuffs after a nuclear accident, together with a proposal to extend the arrangements governing food imports following the Chernobyl accident. A Co-operation Council under the terms of the EC/ Yugoslavia co-operation agreement will also be held during the meeting.The Fisheries Council is expected to meet on 14–15 December and is likely to discuss total allowable catches and quotas, and relations with third countries. The Council may also discuss amendments to marketing regulations.The Consumer Council will meet on 18 December to discuss toy safety, unit pricing, integration of consumer protection into other Community policies and consumer participation in setting of standards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has had any communication from the United States Government, indicating whether the production of United States binary chemical weapons is due to commence;(2) if he has received any communication from the French Government, indicating whether French binary chemical weapons will be stored outside France;(3) if he has had any communication from the French Government, indicating whether the production of French binary chemical weapons has begun.

Pursuant to my answer of 24 November, at column 101, following is the corrected version.We have received no communication from the French Government about the production or storage of French binary chemical weapons.We understand that the production of United States binary chemical weapons can begin on 17 December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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 in Parliament during the year 1985–86; what was the subject of each campaign; and how much was spent on each campaign.

During 1985–86, the Central Office of Information reappointed Davidson Pearce Ltd. as my Departments sole advertising agency. In the course of that year Davidson Pearce conducted the following campaigns for my Department:

Campaign	Tolal Cost £
Part-time Job Release Scheme	28,150
Career Development Loans	21,250
Action for Jobs	29,750

In addition the Central Office of Information retained the following agencies on behalf of the Manpower Services Commission's campaigns for which I have responsibility in Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many loans have been made under the loans guarantee scheme; what number of firms in receipt of such loans have failed; and what is the estimated cost of each job created by recipient companies under the schemes.

From May 1981 to 31 October 1987, 18,633 guarantees have been issued under the scheme; 6,164 guaranteed loans have ended in default by borrowers. The net Exchequer cost per person leaving the unemployment count as a result of the scheme is estimated at approximately £400. This estimate uses information derived from a review carried out by Robson Rhodes in 1983–84. A further review of the effects of the scheme is currently being undertaken by National Economic Research Associates Ltd. and is expected to be completed in June 1988. The cost figures may be revised in the light of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the responses to the Green Paper "Trade Unions and Their Members" were in favour of the proposal that the provisions of the Trade Union Act 1984 should be extended to the election of all general secretaries, presidents, and members of union principal executive committees.

24 of the 67 comments received on the Green Paper proposal were in favour of extending the statutory election requirements to cover all members of trade union principal executive committees, general secretaries and presidents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the responses to the Green Paper "Trade Unions and Their Members" were in favour of the proposal that there should be a statutory provision made for members of a union to be entitled to inspect the current accounting records of that union and to be accompanied by a professional adviser.

Of 48 comments on the proposal to give trade union members and their professional advisers a statutory right of access to their union's accounts, 32 were in favour.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the responses to the Green Paper "Trade Unions and Their Members" were in favour of the proposal that there should be a right for all union members not to be expelled or otherwise disciplined for refusing or failing to take industrial action.

16 of the 67 comments received on the Green Paper proposal were in favour of giving trade union members protection against disciplinary action for refusing or failing to strike or take other industrial action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the total number of restart interviews which have taken place in England, Scotland and Wales in each month since the commencement of the restart scheme.

The number of people interviewed under the restart programme in each month since the programme began is shown in the table.

	England	Scotland	Wales
1986
June	37,807	9,102	4,446
July	91,817	12,034	6,536
August	69,924	11,374	5,031
September	84,537	11,714	5,722
October	133,105	17,162	8,925
November	130,507	16,482	8,273
December	94,283	8,354	4,197
1987
January	159,812	24,663	13,690
February	152,198	21,381	10,952
March	103,781	15,298	7,508
April	70,798	10,325	5,343
May	112,304	21,461	8,617
June	147,053	22,129	11,402
July	197,244	28,189	15,107
August	158,478	23,239	10,135
September	148,926	23,151	10,085
October	207,487	30,435	13,426

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to amend employment protection legislation so as to remove the requirement on an employer to hold full consultation procedures with employees where 10 or more employees request redundancy rather than temporary lay-off; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have no plans to amend the legislation on redundancy consultation. The present provisions which are contained in section 99 of the Employment Protection Act 1975 implement EC directive 75/129 on collective redundancies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the review of the industrial language training service will be completed; when he will begin consulting other interested bodies, including local authorities, over the future of the industrial language training service; and when he expects to announce a decision on the future funding of the industrial language training service.

In the light of the issues raised in the review of the industrial language training service and subsequent consultations, I am considering its management and funding after the current financial year. I have agreed to the request of the local authority associations that I meet them shortly to hear their views before reaching a decision. We consider all representations from interested bodies about the work of the Department or of the Manpower Services Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what instructions have been issued to local unemployment benefit offices following the decision of the social security commissioner that ex gratia payments made by British Shipbuilders did not disqualify recipients from receiving unemployment benefit, commissioner's file number CU/364/1985.

Instructions have been issued for the offices concerned to alert staff to the consequences of the decision; to explain the action being taken centrally to establish the extent to which the decision affected other redundancies within the British Shipbuilders Group; to arrange for the issue of questionnaires to claimants who may have been affected by the decision; to give advice on how to deal with completed questionnaires and establish whether payment under the provisions of the Social Security Act 1975 was due; and to advise on the conditions

(i) Under Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983
Date of Hearing	Informations Laid	Convictions	Total Fines ( )	Average per Conviction ( )
1983	—	—	—	—
1984	2	2	1,000	500
1985	80	71	30,390	428
1986 (January to March)	15	7	2,050	293
1986 (April to March)	43	38	14,000	368

(ii) Under Asbestos Regulations 1969.
Date of Hearing	Informations Laid	Convictions	Total Fines ( )	Average per Conviction ( )
1983	60	55	14,150	257
1984	69	55	20,160	367
1985	30	25	12,050	482
1986 (January to March)	7	7	4,530	647
1986–87 (April to March)	19	13	5,700	438

(i) Under Asbestos (Licensing) Regutations 1983
Date of Issue	Improvement	Deferred Prohibition	Immediate Prohibition	Total
1983	—	—	—	—
1984	3	—	9	12
1985	3	1	28	32
1986 (January to March)	1	—	5	6
1986–87 (April to March)	—	—	7	7

(ii) Under Asbestos Regulations 1969
Date of Issue	Improvement	Deferred Prohibition	Immediate Prohibition	Total
1983	10	7	42	59
1984	10	1	60	71
1985	10	6	48	64
1986 (January to March)	6	—	21	27
1986–87 (April to March)	7	1	17	25

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list (a) the number of prosecutions to be applied and procedure to be followed in considering special payments to certain claimants affected by the decision who do not qualify for benefit under the Social Security Act 1975.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report(a) the number of imprisonments, (b) the number of prosecutions and average fines and (c) the number of improvement and prohibition notices issued under the various asbestos regulations for each year from 1983 to the latest available date.

(a) One person was given a suspended prison sentence in 1987. To date no persons have actually been imprisoned as a result of contravening asbestos regulations.

(a) The table shows the number of informations laid and average fines under the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983 to the latest available date. Figures for 1986–87 are provisional.

Year	Informations laid	Average fine
1983	—	—
1984	2	500
1985	80	428
1986 (January–March)	15	293
1986–87 (April–March)	43	368

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report(a) the number of convictions on indictment, and the average fine, for each year from 1984 to the latest available date, under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1984 and (b) the number of registered premises, workplace visits, accidents investigated and the number of improvement

Year	Number of licences issued	Number of licences revoked
1983	0	0
1983	1,313	0
1985	1,588 (including 1,017 renewals)	1
1986	936 (including 608 renewals)	2
1987	420 (including 217 renewals) (up to 30 October)	2

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report(a) the number of appeals and results of appeals against improvement and prohibition notices for each year from 1985 to the latest available date and (b) the number of (i) applications to industrial tribunals and (ii) prosecutions made under the 1977 Safety Representative and Safety Committee Regulations for each year from 1984 to the latest available date.

The number of appeals and results of appeals against improvement and prohibition notices for each year from 1985 to the latest available date is as follows:and prohibition notices issued by the Health and Safety Executive for each year from 1985 to the latest available date.

Information for convictions on indictment for each year from 1984 is as follows:

	1984	1985	1986	1987
Number of convictions on indictment (HSW Act)	12	11	18	8

The figure for 1987 is to 1 November, six other prosecutions are pending. Figures for average fines are not available immediately. I shall write to the hon. Member when the information is available.The table gives information on workplace visits, accident investigations and improvement and prohibition notices issued for the financial years 1985–86 and 1986–87. More recent information is not available.

	1985–86	1986–87
Workplace visits	252,600	1245,100
Accident investigations	21,900	21,850
Improvement notices	5,585	6,570
Prohibition notices	2,343	2,900
1 Data provisional.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how frequently the average (i) factory, (ii) building site and (iii) office is inspected by the Health and Safety Executive.

Year	Number of Prosecutions: informations laid			Number of Convictions obtained			Average fine per conviction
	All1 2	FAID3	FI4	A111 2	FAID3	FI4	All1 2	FAID3	FI4
1975	—	—	2,956	—	—	2,732	—	—	81
1976	—	—	2,174	—	—	2,010	—	—	94
1977	—	—	2,814	—	—	2,546	—	—	105
1978	—	—	2,603	—	—	2,364	—	—	134
1979	—	2,427	—	—	2,227	—	—	184	—
1980	—	2,624	—	—	2,416	—	—	180	—
1981	—	1,892	—	—	1,654	—	—	189	—
1982	—	2,342	—	—	2,057	—	—	233	—
1983	2,238	—	—	1,941	—	—	252	—	—
1984	2,207	—	—	1,942	—	—	310	—	—
1985	2,313	—	—	1,915	—	—	437	—	—
1986–875	2,175	—	—	1,756	—	—	427	—	—
1 Data include prosecutions taken by factory and agricultural inspectorate, explosives inspectorate, Her Majesty's mines and quarries inspectorate. railway inspectorate and the petroleum engineering division of the Department of Energy, but exclude the pollution inspectorate (formerly the industrial air pollution inspectorate).
2 All figures exclude the results of prosecutions taken by local authorities. The latest information for local authorities relates to 1985, for which we know of about 250 informations laid under the Health and Safety at Work Act, and 200 under other associated legislation. For 1985, the number of convictions was about 420 in total. No information is collected on the average fine.
3 Factory and agricultural inspectorate only.
4 Factory inspectorate only.
5 Provisional data for the 12 month period April 1986 to March 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many places have been available on the

A record of the information requested is not kept and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report(a) the number of prosecutions and the number of convictions under the Health and Safety at Work, Etc. Act 1974, with the average fine, for each year from 1974 to the latest available date, (b) the number of convictions, and the average fine, under the Health and Safety at Work, Etc. Act 1984 against (i) employees and (ii) employers for each year from 1984 to the latest available date and (c) the number of imprisonments under the Health and Safety at Work, Etc. Act 1984 for each year from 1984 to the latest available date.

(a) The table shows the available information for 1975 to 1986–87.job training scheme in the Dundee area for each week since it started; how many of these were occupied; and what was the weekly drop-out rate.

I have been asked to reply. Information is not available in the form requested. The number of new job training scheme places contracted in Dundee to March 1988 (including the pilot period from November 1986 to March 1987) total 1,700 of which 649 places have been occupied and 525 people have left before completing the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up a public inquiry into the way in which the Risley remand centre is being run, with particular reference to the suicides which have occurred there in the recent past.

No, but Risley is to be inspected next year by Her Majesty's Inspector of Prisons, and we shall be studying his report with particular care. Each incident of suicide is carefully analysed to see whether there are any lessons to be learned for prevention.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the level of resources devoted to the fire services.

We have received applications from six of the seven fire and civil defence authorities to have their expenditure levels for 1988–89, which my right hon. Friend announced last July, re-determined at a higher amount. In addition to meeting delegations from two fire and civil defence authorities, my noble Friend the Minister of State has seen a delegation of hon. Members representing west Yorkshire constituencies to discuss the provision for that authority. In addition, we receive from time to time representations from individuals and organisations about a variety of matters relating to fire service resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions have been instigated under regulation 29 of The Representation of the People Regulations 1986 in respect of failure to complete registration form A.

Regulation 29 of The Representation of the People Regulations 1986 came into effect on 11 July 1986. The information held centrally, which may be incomplete, shows no prosecutions under regulation 29 in 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were (a) the categories of and (b) the numbers of individual doses of drugs administered to inmates at Her Majesty's prison Holloway in the latest available year.

The following information relates to the financial year 1986–87.

Number of doses of medicine administered lo inmates of Her Majesty's prison, Holloway
	Number
(1) Medicines available without prescription in the community	120,844
(2) Psychotropic drugs (ie. antidepressants, sedatives and tranquillisers)	77,841
(3) Hypnotic drugs	21,911
(4) Drugs acting on the central nervous system other than those shown in (2) and (3)	28,237

Restricted patients discharged from Rampton 1979–86
	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986
Conditional discharge:
By Home Secretary	10	14	16	3	9	8	1	1
By Mental Health Review Tribunal	—	—	—	—	—	7	5	8
Absolute discharge:
By Home Secretary	—	—	1	—	—	—	—	—
By Mental Health Review Tribunal	—	—	—	—	1	2	5	6

	Number
(5)Other drugs and medicines	132,079

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of inmates in Her Majesty's prison Holloway are imprisoned for drug-related offences.

Information on offences is not complete. However, on 30 June 1987 about 30 per cent. of the sentenced population of Holloway prison was known to be serving sentences for drugs offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost of drugs dispensed to inmates of Her Majesty's prison Holloway.

Information in the form requested is not available. In the financial year 1986–87 the cost of procuring medicines and other pharmaceutical items, including small items of equipment for surgical and other medical uses, was £58,749.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to define the proportion of total value of sales by a shop, other than a licensed sex shop, for it to be regarded as sufficiently significant for the sex shop licensing provisions to be applied.

We do not believe that such legislation would be helpful.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from local authorities on the increase in the number of shops, other than licensed sex shops, selling sex toys; and if he will make a statement.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many patients released from Rampton hospital since 1979 have committed crimes of violence and have been returned to safe custody; and what is the total number released for each year since 1979.

The only information readily available is that during the period 1971–80 there were 77 restricted patients conditionally discharged from Rampton hospital. Of these, four were convicted within five years of their discharge of a further serious offence and given a prison sentence. None were given a further hospital order (with or without restrictions). Information on the number of restricted patients released from Rampton hospital is as follows:

	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986
Other discharge into the community	1	—	—	—	—	1	—	—
	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total	11	14	17	3	10	18	11	15

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations were made to his Department by Bradford probation service regarding Sidney John Manley.

In October 1986 the west Yorkshire probation service sought the views of the Home Office on the possibility of recalling Mr. Manley to hospital following breach of the conditions of his probation order. It was decided that recall to hospital was not justified.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of the conviction of Sidney John Manley for manslaughter, he will institute a review of release procedures from Rampton hospital and other secure hospitals to take into account representations by patients to stay inside such prisons rather than accept release; and if he will make a statement.

A review was conducted earlier this year of the handling of Mr. Manley's case. As a result, we were satisfied that on the basis of information available at the time (which included Mr. Manley's views on his discharge to a hostel) it was right to agree to his conditional discharge from Rampton in November 1981. We were also satisfied that at no time subsequently was Mr. Manley regarded as a sufficient risk to the public to justify recalling him, under the Mental Health Act, to hospital. We are, nevertheless, looking at the case again to see if there are any lessons to be learned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to bring crossbows under similar control as firearms; and if he will make a statement.

The Crossbows Act 1987, which came into effect this year on 15 July, introduced controls on the sale of crossbows to, and the purchase and unsupervised possession of crossbows by, persons under the age of 17. We shall continue to keep under close review the need for any additional measures.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit the Republic of South Africa in 1988.

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the recent report of the European Court of Auditors regarding the legality of the transfer of responsibilities for the cost of subsidised exports of butter surplus to member states; and if she will make a statement.

No. The EC Commission does not consider that the measure contravenes any financial rules. It will permit disposals of surplus butter, which would otherwise not have been possible, without adding to the immediate pressures on the Community budget.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to propose a review of the criteria governing eligibility for assistance through the EEC shipbuilding intervention fund; and if she will make a statement.

No. Only in very exceptional circumstances, in particular where vital defence interests were at stake, could intervention fund support be available to any of the yards recently disposed of by British Shipbuilders.

To ask the Prime Minister what steps she has taken to investigate the alleged passing of information from the security services to the News of the World regarding the suspension of a security pass for the research assistant of the hon. Member for Islington, North.

None.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list all official visits made by Ministers to the area of the London Docklands development corporation since May 1979.

Ministers have made a large number of visits to London's docklands. Not all are organised by the London Docklands development corporation, and no central list is therefore available. Visits during 1987 have included the following:

To ask the Prime Minister if there has been any change of policy since May 1979 regarding the export of equipment and know-how to make weapons grade plutonium to other countries; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 27 October 1987 at column 217.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the United Kingdom Government has entered into any contract with (a) Saladin Security and (b) Keenie Meenie Services since 1979; and if she will make a statement.

Details of contracts placed by other Government Departments are not recorded centrally. Records for my office are readily available only from April 1984. No contracts have been placed with, or payment made to, Saladin Security Ltd., or Keenie Meenie Services Ltd. by or on behalf of my office during that period.As far as KMS is concerned, I also refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers given to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) on 10 March 1987 and 17 March 1987, and to the hon. Member for West Bromwich, West (Miss Boothroyd) on 24 March 1987 at column

To ask the Prime Minister on what occasions since 1979 representatives of Her Majesty's Government discussed the use of Keenie Meenie Services or Saladin Security with Colonel Oliver North; and if she will make a statement.

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to answer questions about the details of discussions which may have taken place with foreign Governments.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 December.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 December.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 December.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 December.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 1 December.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the Prime Minister of Denmark.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the level of investment and depreciation by the Central Electricity Generating Board in each of the years since 1975; and how much of the investment programme is funded by the depreciation programme.

The purpose of the depreciation provision is to write down the value of existing assets over their estimated useful lives. The CEGB has not created a fund for future investment. Depreciation does contribute to the CEGB's cash flow but as the table demonstrates, the level of depreciation does not determine the rate of investment or vice versa.

£ million
	Capital expenditure	Depreciation
1975–76	462	262
1976–77	534	266
1977–78	501	386
1978–79	515	401
1979–80	603	424
1980–81	688	690
1981–82	836	805
1982–83	909	922
1983–84	965	844
1984–85	880	892
1985–86	745	958
1986–87	616	1,082

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much of the depreciation fund of the electricity supply industry will be used towards the cost of the investment programme to offset the replacement of existing assets.

Depreciation has been provided by the industry to write off existing assets over their estimated useful lives. The electricity supply industry does not have a depreciation fund which is available for future investment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when his Department last surveyed the energy efficiency of the lighting of his Departments buildings; and what were the conclusions.

My Department regularly monitors the efficiency of the lighting in our main building where we are the principal tenant; savings attributable to this cannot be identified separately from the overall savings in electricity consumption, which are 7 per cent. in 1986–87.