To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Gloucestershire's neighbourhood watch programme, with particular regard to its involvement with the Manpower Services Commission and the community programme.

I understand that there are now 228 neighbourhood watch schemes in the county of Gloucestershire. In an effort to sustain these schemes and to initiate new ones, the Gloucestershire community programme home watch project was launched on 25 January with the appointment of the project co-ordinator. The project is funded as part of the Manpower Services Commission community programme crime prevention initiative. It is managed on behalf of Gloucestershire police by Gloucestershire county council and, when recruiting is completed, will comprise the co-ordinator, an assistant co-ordinator and 11 workers. They will help to arrange the first meetings of new schemes, provide speakers for neighbourhood watch meetings and produce a quarterly news journal. I welcome, and commend, this imaginative scheme. Like similar schemes in other parts of the country, it will provide valuable support to the police in managing the growth of neighbourhood watch.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what are their average weekly working hours, and how many are (a) on flexitime, (b) on job-sharing schemes, (c) on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight and (d) able to retire with full pension rights at 60 years.

There are some 38,600 staff in the Home Office. Conditioned hours are 41 hours a week in London and 42 elsewhere, inclusive of meal breaks. Prison officers' hours are 39 hours a week net of meal breaks, but they can opt to work a 48-hour week and the majority do so. About 11,000 members of staff are eligible to participate in flexible working hours schemes and some 8,000 do so. At least 32 members of staff are on job-sharing schemes. Information is not readily available about the number of staff who are on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight. About 18,500 members of staff — in prison service grades — have a minimum retiring age of 55 years. Most of the rest have a minimum retiring age of 60, except for some 3,000 industrial staff, whose retirement age is 65. It is not possible to estimate the number of staff who could achieve 40 years' reckonable service for pension purposes by the age of 60.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with Phonographic Performance Ltd. about alleged needle time restrictions on the broadcast of music on independent radio stations; and what assurances have been received from Phonographic Performance Ltd. that needle time restrictions no longer exist.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions his Department has had with Phonographic Performance Ltd. about alleged needle time restrictions on the broadcast of music on independent radio stations; and what assurances have been received from Phonographic Performance Ltd. that needle time restrictions no longer exist.

Discussions have taken place with Phonographic Performance Ltd. on a range of issues. Phonographic Performance Ltd. has made it clear that, while the present nine-hour needle time limit is not immutable, it would expect to secure substantial payment from substantial users for any increase.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he as as to how many independent radio stations pay £30 or more per record to Phonographic Performance Ltd. for the broadcast of single play records.

I understand that no station pays Phonographic Performance Ltd. £30 or more per record.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has as to the average price per record paid by independent radio stations to Phonographic Performance Ltd. for the broadcasting of single play records;(2) what information he has as to the highest price per record paid by independent radio stations to Phonographic Performance Ltd. for the broadcasting, of single play records; and by how much this exceeds the average.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what information he has as to the average price per record paid by independent radio stations to Phonographic Performance Ltd. for the broadcasting of single play records;(2) what information he has as to the highest price per record paid by independent radio stations to Phonographic Performance Ltd. for the broadcasting of single play records; and by how much this exceeds the average.

I understand that Phonographic Performance Ltd. has estimated that the average fee for the broadcasting of single play records by independent local stations is £1·26 per play. The highest fee paid is over £17. Broadly similar fees are also payable to the Performing Rights Society.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the overall percentage of net advertising revenue paid by independent radio stations to Phonographic Peformance Ltd for the broadcast of recorded music.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the overall percentage of net advertising revenue paid by independent radio stations to Phonographic Performance Ltd for the broadcast of recorded music.

The fees were determined by the Performing Right Tribunal in 1986. Established independent local radio stations are required to pay Phonographic Performance Ltd 4 per cent. of the first £1·25 million of net advertising revenue, and 7 per cent. thereafter, for the right to broadcast nine hours of recorded music each day. Broadly similar fees are also payable to the Performing Right Society.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to how many independent radio stations pay £10 or more per record to Phonographic Performance Ltd for the broadcast of single play records.

I understand that one such station now pays Phonographic Performance Ltd above this rate.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the address of the radio authority that is to issue licences to run community radio stations; and if he will make a statment.

The radio authority will be established under legislative proposals which my right hon. Friend has yet to bring before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many murders were committed in 1987.

In the absence of a court decision it is not always possible to distinguish between offences of murder, manslaughter and infanticide; they are known collectively as homicide. Statistics on offences initially recorded as homicide and on offences decided to be murder are published in table 4.2 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", Cm. 233—for data up to the end of 1986—copies of which are available in the Library. Statistics on offences recorded as homicide for 1987 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer to the Broadcasting Complaints Commission the risk that obscenities may be broadcast as a result of the implantation of microphones in cricket pitches; and if he will make a statement.

It is the responsibility of the broadcasting authorities to ensure that nothing is included in programmes which offends against good taste or decency. The commission is limited to considering and adjudicating on complaints of unjust or unfair treatment or unwarranted infringement of privacy arising out of broadcast programmes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to what needletime restrictions exist to limit the air play of recorded music on independent radio.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to what needletime restrictions exist to limit the air play of recorded music on independent radio.

In general, independent local radio stations are limited to broadcasting nine hours of recorded music within the repertoire of Phonographic Performance Ltd. each day, even though most ILR stations now broadcast for 24 hours a day.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many previously convicted murderers, having been released from prison, have committed a further murder, since the abolition of capital punishment.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 5 November 1987, at columns 1054–55.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were waiting to be interviewed by immigration in Birmingham in connection with applications for entry clearance for members of their family to join them in the United Kingdom at 31 December 1987.

At 31 December 1987, there were 130 outstanding entry clearance applications awaiting interview of persons living in the Birmingham area. All have either now been completed or have appointments arranged before 31 March 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed in interviewing people whose relatives have applied for entry clearance to join them in the United Kingdom and whose applications have been referred to his Department by entry clearance officers abroad; and where these interviewers are located.

The information requested in the first part of the question is not available. The number of immigration service staff employed in such interviews varies daily and they form only part of the responsibility of the officers involved.The majority of interviews are conducted by officers based at the following immigration offices: Aberdeen, Avonmouth, Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dover, Edinburgh, East Midlands airport, Felixstowe, Folkestone, Glasgow, Gravesend, Hartlepool, Hull, Immingham, Liverpool, Luton airport, Manchester airport, Middlesbrough, Newcastle airport, North Shields, Norwich airport, Plymouth, Preston, Prestwick airport, Ramsgate, Sheerness, Southampton, Southend airport and Stansted airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has to which police forces in England and Wales produce separate figures on the number of reported domestic assaults each year.

No regular information on the number of domestic assaults is reported separately to the Department by police forces in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the percentage of independent radio air time taken up by the playing of recorded music.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the percentage of independent radio air time taken up by the playing of recorded music.

This information is not readily available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the length of time for which the public enumerator board has been out of action at the public inquiry office at Lunar house, Croydon; and what steps he is taking to ensure that it is operative.

The enumerator board in the immigration public inquiry office at Lunar house was out of action for three months. It is now fully operational.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the purpose of the visit by the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) to Lunar house, Croydon, on Friday 12 February; and how long he spent in meetings with the trades unions.

I visited Lunar house on Friday 12 February to discuss with officials in the immigration and nationality department proposals to speed up the handling of the backlog of citizenship applications. I announced the specific steps we are taking on Tuesday 16 February at columns 862–63. I did not meet the trades unions on 12 February but, because of their great concern, which was reported to me, I plan to do so on Tuesday 23 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate how many of the unopened items of mail presently at Lunar house, Croydon, relate to (a) applications for citizenship and (b) variations of leave.

Ninety five thousand applications for citizenship are unopened and a further 54,000 applications for citizenship have been opened but not acknowledged; 58,000 other items of mail, many of them relating to variations of leave, are unopened.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the numbers of visas granted to visitors at immigration control for the full six-month period, the numbers of visitors' visas refused and the numbers of visitors' visas granted for a period of less than six months for (a) the week commencing 2 February and (b) the week commencing 9 February.

The information requested is not available. Figures on passenger admissions by period of leave granted for the whole of February will become available later this year when all the relevant landing cards have been received and counted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the conduct of horse rodeos in south-west England; what action he is taking to prevent cruelty to horses used in such rodeos; and if he will make a statement.

We have no information on such events. However, under the Protection of Animals Act 1934 it is an offence to promote or permit a public performance which includes throwing or casting, with ropes or other appliances, any unbroken horse; or to ride or attempt to ride any horse which has been cruelly stimulated to make it buck. More generally, the Protection of Animals Act 1911 makes it an offence to cause, or being the owner permit to be caused, any unnecessary suffering to any domestic or captive animal.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will issue guidelines for chief constables to the effect that they should encourage the voluntary introduction an use of wall-mounted coin-in-the-slot breathalysers and breathalyser ignition locks; and if he will make a statement.

The clear message must be that drinking and driving do not mix. We welcome the way in which chief officers are helping to get this message across but are not convinced that their efforts would be assisted by asking them to encourage the use of self-testing devices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the working of the Interception of Communications Act, with particular regard to mobile telephones; and if he will make a statement.

I have no reason to believe that there are any difficulties over the working of the Interception of Communications Act in this respect. The interception of calls on mobile telephone systems which have been designated as public telecommunication systems under the Telecommunications Act 1984 is covered by the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will end the requirement for two doctors to sign cremation certificates; and by how much funeral costs would be reduced if this requirement ceased, as recommended in the Broderick report.

We arc considering this possibility. The fee currently recommended by the British Medical Association for the completion of the confirmatory medical certificate for cremation is £19·65.

To ask the Attorney-General if the Lord Chancellor will take steps to ensure that solicitors, when attending their clients at remand centres, have their costs fully met under the legal aid schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Solicitors who attend clients at remand centres are entitled to their costs under a criminal legal aid order provided that the determining officer who considers their claim is satisfied that the attendance was reasonable. The solicitor is allowed either his own reasonable costs or the costs reasonably incurred in instructing a solicitor local to the remand centre to attend on his behalf.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will take steps to expedite the hearing of appeals under section 13(ii) of the Immigration Act 1971.

Following the transfer of administrative responsibility for the immigration appellate authorities to my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor, the working methods and procedures of the authorities have been under review. Once an appeal has been lodged with the immigration appellate authorities, it is open to any party to that appeal to apply for an early hearing.

To ask the Attorney-General what information he has as to whether the Director of Public Prosecutions has yet reached a decision on the possible prosecution of Nottingham city councillor Mrs. Angela Pink; and if he will make a statement.

I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as I am able to inform him of the outcome of the Director's consideration of this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with aid Ministers of the European Economic Community as to the future use of food surpluses.

I discuss food aid with other European Community aid Ministers at regular intervals. But food surpluses and the common agricultural policy are a matter for agriculture Ministers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made on the development of infrastructure projects in the Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference region.

SADCC has commended to donors a large number of infrastructure projects, in particular in the regional transport field. Good progress is being made with support from Britain and other countries on rehabilitating rail routes through Mozambique, and work will begin shortly on the northern transport corridor linking Malawi to Dar-es-Salaam, for which I have approved a British contribution of £12·4 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will consider assisting the World Food Programme in obtaining the powdered milk, vegetable oil and protein-rich biscuits required in Ethiopia for children under the age of 14 years.

No request has been made to us by the world food programme. We are aware of the need for food to supplement the basic diet on Ethiopia and have provided £189,000 to meet the cost of 1,000 tonnes of beans which are being distributed by the International Committee of the Red Cross. We shall also be meeting our share of the cost of the substantial qualities of supplementary food being provided by the European Community.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to ensure that famine aid to Ethiopia is reaching the intended recipients.

The assistance we provide is generally channelled through international and voluntary agencies with extensive experience of getting relief quickly and effectively to those in need. It is carefully monitored to ensure it reaches the intended beneficiaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he plans to make to the Ethiopian Government, in the light of recent consignments of corned beef that have been shipped from that country into the United Kingdom.

I have no plans to make further representations to the Ethiopian Government on the subject of exports of corned beef from that country to the United Kingdom. The availability of corned beef does not seem relevant to the famine problem now affecting large numbers of Ethiopians; and exports of that commodity should bring in much needed foreign exchange.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the proportion of the United Kingdom's gross national product devoted to overseas development in 1960 and for the latest annual period for which figures are available.

The proportion of the United Kingdom's gross national product devoted to overseas development in 1960 was 0·56 per cent. In 1986 it was 0·32 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures the Government are taking to encourage sustainable development in areas of the world where tropical rain forests are at risk.

The Government support the FAO tropical forestry action plan and is a member of the International Tropical Timber Organisation, both of which are concerned with the sustainable use and appropriate conservation of tropical rainforests.Our expenditure on bilateral aid projects in the forestry sector has increased threefold to £13 million in 1986. We provide further support through technical co-operation, research programmes and the joint funding scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the chairman of the World Bank regarding the problem of international debt.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 1 February, at column 459.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in implementing the debt initiative for the most debt-ridden countries, following the endorsement of that initiative at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting and by their finance Ministers.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor's initiative has been well received. Some aid donors have announced the write-off of more aid debt; the United Kingdom has already almost completed this process of converting aid loans into grants and others are following our example. Seven of the poorest, most heavily indebted sub-Saharan countries pursuing sound economic policies have had their official debts rescheduled for longer than normal by the Paris Club. We continue to press our partners to accept lower Paris Club interest rates for countries eligible for the initiative.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many advisers and officials from his Department are currently working in India in connection with phase II of the family welfare project in Orissa; when they went to India; and when he expects them to return.

Two ODA advisers worked in India in connection with the pre-appraisal of this project from 1 to 12 February. One returned on 15 February and I expect the team leader to return on 23 February.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the East African development division of the Overseas Development Administration to complete its assessment of the request for financial assistance with the preparation of the Tanzania 1988 population census; and if he will take steps to ensure that the census is not put in jeopardy as a result of the time taken by the Overseas Development Administration to deal with this request.

The British development division in Eastern Africa will complete the assessment in question by the end of this month. This timetable is compatible with the plans of the Tanzanian authorities to hold the population census later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals for the future provision of offices providing agricultural services in north Wales.

No. I consider the existing provision to be suitable for present purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to include community councils in the distribution of resources to local government from Government grant and the national uniform business rate.

No. Community councils will meet their expenditure requirements by drawing on a collection fund maintained by the district council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when monitoring of live sheep on a general basis was introduced in the restricted areas of Wales following the Chernobyl accident;(2) how many scintillators were available to, and used by, his Department for the live monitoring of sheep in the restricted areas of Wales in each month from May 1986 to May 1987.

The option of live-monitoring sheep became generally available to producers in the north Wales restricted area from the beginning of October 1986. From October 1986 to February 1987, a total of 10 live monitoring machines were generally in use and from March 1987 to May 1987 there were 15 machines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the numbers of unfunded students at universities in (a) Wales arid England and (b) Scotland in each of the past five years; and what is his policy towards such students.

Information is not available in the form requested, but I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils have been enrolled at each primary and secondary school in the Eddisbury constituency in each of the past 10 years; and what has been the pupil-to-teacher ratio in each year.

Information on pupil numbers for areas smaller than local education authorities is not available centrally. The number of pupils on roll in all maintained primary and secondary schools in Cheshire and the pupil-teacher ratios within these schools in each of the last 10 years is given in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library a copy of Her Majesty's inspectorate's report on the effects of abolition of the Inner London education authority.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision he is making to ensure that the community and adult functions obtain full and comprehensive representation on the governing bodies of community schools; and if he will make a statement.

The Education (No. 2) Act 1986 provides for school governing bodies to comprise representatives of parents, teachers, the local authority, the foundation in the case of voluntary schools and, by co-option, the community served by the school. In making their co-options, governing bodies will be able to secure such representation of other interests as is considered appropriate in the light of the school's circumstances.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the amount in money terms by which that part of the rates bill in Cleveland attributable to educational buildings will increase in 1988–89.

None. Authorities finance their expenditure from a variety of sources. It is not possible to attribute any element of the rates bill to a particular item of expenditure.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has received on new buildings for St. Bartholomew's Roman Catholic junior, middle and infants school, Swanley, Kent; and when he expects to make a statement about those schools.

The Department has paid grant in respect of the provision of a mobile classroom at the school. We have received no other proposals from the Kent local education authority, though we understand that a second mobile classroom has recently been provided.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves) of 11 February, Official Report, column 313–4, what is the percentage change in real terms, measured by the gross domestic product deflator, in the funding of each university by the University Grants Committee between 1980–81 and 1988–89, excluding those amounts representing compensation for changes in home student fees, compensation for redundancy and early retirement, changes to take account of minor capital works from the recurrent grant and changes in the level of local authority rates (a) including and (b) excluding additions made for the information technology and new blood programmes;(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves) of 11 February,

Information is not available to make the requested deductions. In any event, like would not be being compared with like since my announcement related only to initial allocations for 1988–89.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has developed any proposals for financing Morley college when the Inner London education authority is abolished.

Adult education is one of a number of issues arising from the abolition of the ILEA on which my right hon. Friend has made it clear that he will wish to seek the views of the boroughs. In doing so he will naturally wish to consider the situation of Morley college.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision his Department is making to ensure an adequate supply of orthotists and prosthetists in the short and long term; and if he will make a statement.

Courses are provided by the Paddington college and the practical training is provided by the London School of Prosthetics and by individual companies.The Disablement Services Authority is responsible for the provision of prosthetic services and it is holding discussions with the Orthotic and Prosthetic Training and Education Council about the most suitable arrangements for the future supply of trained practitioners in these disciplines in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the proportion of school time currently spent on core subjects in (a) inner London and (b) England and Wales.

Information about the percentages of pupil time spent on core curriculum subjects in England is given in the table. No figures are available for indivdual local education authorities in England. Education in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the names, locations and broad areas of work covered by the 10 largest public research organisations in the United Kingdom ranking these according to staff numbers, turnover and net cost to the United Kingdom in 1986–87.

I will write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many new schools have been opened in east Sussex since 3 May 1979 and how many between 3 May 1971 and 3 May 1979.

Since 3 May 1979, nine new schools, including nursery and special schools, have been opened, five of which are replacement schools. From the reorganisation of local government on 1 April 1974 to 3 May 1979, a total of 24 schools were opened, of which nine were replacements. Numbers before 1974 are not available. Replacements include transferred schools and schools opened following school reorganisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the teacher-pupil ratio on the latest available date for infant, primary and secondary schools in England, in east Sussex and in the borough of Eastbourne; and what were the comparable figures for the available date closest to 3 May 1979.

The pupil-teacher ratio in maintained infant, primary and secondary schools in England and east Sussex in January 1979 and January 1987 are given in the table. Information for areas within local education authorities is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has made further progress since 1984 in analysing local educational authority examination results, taking into account socio-economic factors.

The Department has not published any further analysis of the effects of socio-economic factors on local education authority examination results since statistical bulletin 13/84 — "School Standards and Spending: Statistical Analysis".

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in the event of Inner London education authority abolition, what arrangements he intends to make for the supplies service and the percentage of customers who are local education authorities outside inner London.

My right hon. Friend has made it clear that we wish to discuss with the inner London boroughs the future arrangements for services currently provided by ILEA on a Londonwide basis. The Supplies Organisation will be one such service. Information on the customers of the Supplies Organisation is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has for the providing of research and planning resources currently provided by the Inner London education authority should that authority be abolished.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 18 February at column 648.

To ask the Prime Minister, further to her statement on the meeting of the European Council, 15 February, Official Report, columns 705–17, whether she will publish in the Official Report the value of the dollar agreed for exceptional circumstances; and what call would be made on the contingency reserve if the nominal rate for the dollar fell to reduce the real rate, in terms of relative export prices for manufacturers, to the average for 1978–80.

The dollar reference rate for the operation of this reserve has yet to be determined, but the assumption which the Commission has used in revising its preliminary draft budget for 1988 is $1 = 0·85 ecu.On the basis of relative GDP/GNP price movements, this exchange rate appears to imply a real rate of exchange similar to the average for 1978–80. It follows that there would be no call on the monetary reserve in the circumstances postulated.

To ask the Prime Minister, further to her statement on the meeting of the EEC Council, 15 February, Official Report, columns 705–17, whether she will include in the Official Report her estimates of the amount now made available to the EEC under our reserves, including the United Kingdom rebate, in terms of the original value added tax contributions.

The new ceiling on the Community's own resources, excluding the United Kingdom's abatement, of 1·2 per cent. of Community gross national product is equivalent to a 1·9 per cent. value added tax ceiling defined as at present to include the United Kingdom abatement. The corresponding abatement-exclusive VAT figure is 1·72 per cent.

To ask the Prime Minister why Spain and Portugal have been excluded from some of the agricultural arrangements agreed by the EEC Council of Ministers; whether their output will qualify for other kinds of support; what is their production of the items in question and whether it is expected to increase; and whether the EEC will provide any money to support production or dispose of the surpluses.

Separate arrangements apply to Spain and Portugal either because of the provisions of the accession treaty or because of special decisions of the European Council. Although Spain and Portugal currently operate many of the common agricultural policy support arrangements, this is on a transitional basis. Data on production are contained in Document COM(87)1 Final, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister whether she took into account the increase in the value of the pound sterling against the deutschmark in the negotiations in Brussels on 11 to 13 February; what value is placed on the pound sterling in the present level of common agricultural policy prices; to what extent United Kingdom common agricultural policy prices will have to be changed to reflect the value of the pound sterling against the deutschmark; and what would be the effect on United Kingdom common agricultural policy prices if the real value of the pound sterling, measured in terms of relative export prices for manufacturers, fell to the level which obtained in the fourth quarter of 1976.

All relevant considerations were taken into account during the recent negotiations in Brussels.Common agricultural policy prices are set in ecus and converted into sterling using green rates and not market rates of exchange. The United Kingdom green rates are currently:

To ask the Prime Minister what is the definition of arable land used in the set-aside scheme referred to in her statement on the meeting of the European Council, 15 February, Official Report, column 706; how the area of arable land is to be assessed in each case; and what checks there will be against fraud.

Discussions are continuing on the details of the set-aside scheme agreed in principle by the European Council, including the points referred to by the hon. Member.

To ask the Prime Minister whether she will publish in the Official Report the agreement on stabilisers for the eight commodities referred to in her statement on the meeting of the European Council (Brussels), 15 February, Official Report column 705.

As I made clear in my statement to the House on 15 February, agreement on stabilisers for eight commodities — those other than cereals and oil seeds—has been delayed by France until the meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council on 22–23 February. The text to be adopted appears as points 4 to 11 of document SN 461/88 which has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the legal and binding controls which have been agreed for expenditure under the common agricultural policy will operate to terminate the price guarantees once the money has been used up or whether the EEC will be allowed to borrow against the next year's provision or make other arrangements outside the budget of the kind used to finance overspending in the past.

The detailed European Council conclusions provide for legally binding limits on agricultural expenditure, supported by automatic stabiliser mechanisms in the individual product regimes. They further provide that when there is a risk of agricultural expenditure exceeding the budget limits, the Commission shall take remedial action whether by use of its own management powers—including the operation of the new stabilisers—or by making additional proposals to the Council. The Council is committed to acting within two months in order to remedy the situation.

To ask the Prime Minister, further to her statement on the meeting of the EEC Council, 15 February, Official Report, columns 705–17, why the cost depreciation on EEC stocks has not been written off under the guidelines; and under what provision of the treaty of Rome the Commission was entitled not to include real depreciation in the annual budget.

The cost of depreciating old stocks is to be met outside the financial guidelines in order to restrict the resources available within the guidelines and hence to limit agricultural spending for the future. The cost of depreciating old stocks has built up because there has been no legal requirement on the Commission systematically to depreciate stocks to their market level.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the arrangements for agriculture agreed at the Brussels meeting of the EEC Council of Ministers is expected to reduce the difference between common agricultural policy prices and world prices, having regard to the expected increases in yields and labour productivity; and if she will provide a forecast of the effect in each of the principal products.

Reductions in levels of common agricultural policy support consequent upon the agreement reached at the Brussels European Council will result in the difference between Community prices and world prices being smaller than they otherwise would have been. The precise effect cannot be forecast because it will depend on a larger number of factors which cannot be predicted accurately including actual Community and world levels of production.

To ask the Prime Minister what she expects the United Kingdom contribution to the EEC budget to be in each of the next five years on the basis of the decisions made at the EEC Council in Brussels; and if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing the estimated gross contribution under the four heads of (a) the rebate, (b) the amount paid directly for the benefit of farmers, (c) the amount paid indirectly for the benefit to farmers and (d) the amount paid for other purposes.

The overall effect of the agreement reached at the European Council will be to increase the United Kingdom's net contribution after abatement by an estimated £200 to £300 million a year compared with the existing own resources ceiling, and by an estimated £100 to £200 million a year compared with the effective level of spending in 1987. The outcome on individual budget lines will depend on a range of factors, including detailed decisions still to be taken.

To ask the Prime Minister (1) what were (a) the EEC guaranteed thresholds and (b) actual output for vegetable oil and oil seeds over the past 10 years; what is the formula agreed by the EEC Council of Ministers for reducing output; what assessment has been made of its effect on production; and what assessment has been made of As expected effect on imports from (i) the developing countries and (ii) other countries;(2) what is the estimated cost of the new arrangements for agriculture agreed at the Brussels meeting of the EEC Council of Ministers for oil seeds in 1988 and for each succeeding year; what extra payments have been or will be made to Spain and Portugal in respect of agricultural production; what other payments will be made outside the agricultural chapter; what assessment has been made of the expected effect of the price regime on agricultural production; and if she will publish in the

The information requested on output is as follows for the three principal oil seeds. (Details of oil output are not readily available but vegetable oil content of rape seed, sunflower seed and soya beans is about 39 per cent. 40 per cent. and 17·5 per cent. respectively).

To ask the Prime Minister whether she will publish in the Official Report (a) details of the ceiling on agricultural spending in each of the next five years, (b) her estimate of the maximum amount of spending which would have been permitted if the arrangement agreed at Fontainebleau had been adhered to; and if she will make a statement on what will happen under the new formula when the ceiling is reached if there are outstanding liabilities.

The financial guidelines has been set at 27·5 becu — about £19 billion for 1988 and its annual rate of increase must not exceed 74 per cent. of the growth in Community gross national product. No estimates are available for the actual level of the guidelines after 1988. The guideline calculated under the previous arrangements would have been around 23 becu—about £16 billion—for 1988.Expenditure in excess of the guideline would be permitted within limits set by the European Council only in the event of a substantial in-year fall in the dollar/ecu exchange rate which had a budget effect of more than 400 mecu — about £280 million. There is no provision for other exceptional circumstances.

To ask the Prime Minister what arrangements were agreed for milk at the meeting of the EEC Council of Ministers in Brussels; what is her estimate of the increase in price to the United Kingdom consumer per gallon of milk as a result of the quota regime; what is the capital value of the United Kingdom quotas on the basis of the transactions known to have been carried out in 1987; and what is the highest recorded value in pounds sterling per cow in terms of a cow with (i) average milk yield and (ii) upper decile yield.

Final decisions on milk are subject to confirmation by the Foreign Affairs Council on 22–23 February; they are set out in document SN 461/88, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. It is impossible to isolate the effect of quotas on consumer prices, but as supplies for the liquid market remain adequate I would not expect it to be great. The information sought in the remainder of the hon. Gentleman's question is not available.

To ask the Prime Minister whether, in deciding the level of the co-responsibility levy, the EEC Council of Ministers took into account the fall in the cost of production of wheat; what assessment has been made on whether the levy will stop production from rising further; and if she will publish in the Official Report a table showing (a) the difference between the EEC price and the world price of bread wheat and other wheat, (b) EEC production figures for wheat for each year since 1973 and (c) the cost of storing and financing surpluses.

The European Council took account of a wide range of factors in determining the level of the additional cereals co-responsibility levy. The additional levy, together with the reductions foreseen in intervention prices for cereals, will reduce the level of producers' returns and so restrain the production of cereals.The information requested is as follows:

To ask the Prime Minister when was the outset to which she referred in her statement on the European Council (Brussels), 15 February, Official Report, column 705, and whether she will publish in the Official Report a list of the foodstuffs for which effective measures have now been agreed to reduce agricultural surpluses below the level which obtained in the year which preceded that time.

The outset to which I referred was the start of the future financing negotiations in early 1987. The package on which agreement was reached at the European Council in Brussels contains both general measures to reduce surpluses and specific stabiliser measures for cereals, oil seeds and protein crops. The agreement on stabilisers for other products — sugar, wine, fruit and vegetables, tobacco, milk, sheepmeat, olive oil and cotton — is to be confirmed by the Foreign Affairs Council on 22 and 23 February.

To ask the Prime Minister what is the expected cost of depreciating surplus stocks of agricultural products outside the agricultural guideline under the terms agreed at the meeting of the EEC Council in Brussels; which departmental Vote will bear this and over what period of time; whether the same procedure will apply to new surpluses; and how these will be funded.

The expected cost of depreciating existing surplus stocks outside the financial guideline is 6,800 mecu—£4,750 million—spread over the years 1988 to 1992. This amount will be paid to member states from the Community budget in the normal way to reimburse them for the loss in value of stocks which they have purchased. In future new stocks will be systematically depreciated within the guideline to prevent a build-up of commitments.

To ask the Prime Minister what estimate she has of how much expenditure wholly or mainly for the benefit of farmers is to be carried in the future on the non-EC budget as a result of the decisions made at the meeting of the EC Council in Brussels; and what is her estimate of the amount so earned in 1987.

The European Council agreed to accept a new scheme for setting aside agricultural land with a sliding scale of Community contribution depending on the level of provision set by the member state. The cost of this scheme to member states will depend on the levels of premium and the uptake by farmers.

To ask the Prime Minister if, in the light of her reply to the hon. Member for Cambridge (Mr. Rhodes James) of 16 February, Official Report, columns 521–22, she has anything to add to her answers of 23 October and 7 November 1986 to the right hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Freeson) and the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe.

To ask the Prime Minister when it is expected that the inquiry into the six wartime commandos who were executed by the Nazis will be reporting; and if she will make a statement.

A report will be made to the House when the review of the results of investigations carried out in 1986 by the Ministry of Defence into the fate of captured British service men is complete. I can give no precise dates.

To ask the Prime Minister if she now proposes to find out if there were documents being held in the United Kingdom regarding Dr. Waldheim's wartime activities prior to his being appointed Secretary-General of the United Nations.

The review into the results of the investigations carried out in 1986 by the Ministry of Defence into the fate of captured British service men will investigate this.

To ask the Prime Minister if the Yugoslav authorities have been asked if they can assist the inquiry being conducted into the position of the six wartime commandos interrogated by Lieutenant Waldheim between their capture and execution.

No. It is unlikely that the Yugoslav authorities would hold records relating to the activities of German Army Group E—Waldheim's unit—in relation to the treatment of captured British service men captured in the eastern Aegean in 1944.

To ask the Prime Minister if the Defence Ministry and the Foreign Office are now actively seeking documentation from the United States of America and any other Governments that would help to clarify the full position over what occurred at all stages to the six wartime commandos interrogated by Lieutenant Waldheim between their capture and death.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridge (Mr. Rhodes James) on 19 February, at column 752.

To ask the Prime Minister if, in the relevant correspondence between the Defence Ministry and the relatives of the six wartime commandos murdered by the Nazis, the relatives were given all the information that was due to them over what had occurred.

It was the policy to pass on to next-of-kin all reliable information. Where there was conflicting information it was the normal practice, if possible, to resolve the conflict before writing to avoid the distress that a wrong account could cause. The more painful details were omitted unless there was pressure from the next-of-kin for a detailed account of what happened.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many civil servants are employed in his Department; what are their average weekly working hours, and how many are (a) on flexitime, (b) on job-sharing schemes, (c) on a four-day working week or nine-day fornight and (d) able to retire with full pension rights at 60 years.

The provision for staff employed at home and abroad by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, including the Overseas Development Administration, is 9,860.There is no set standard working week for diplomatic wing staff serving overseas. Aid wing staff serving overseas normally work 41 hours each week, but this may vary according to local practice. Conditioned hours for all staff in London are 41 hours gross week.In the diplomatic wing, flexible working hours were introduced in London during 1987 on a voluntary basis. Currently, staff in 21 Departments are operating the scheme. There are no staff operating job-sharing schemes.In the aid wing, 1,021 officers take advantage of flexible working hours and 26 staff operate job-sharing schemes.Neither wing has staff on a four-day working week or nine-day fortnight.With the exception of a few short-term contract staff, all staff in both wings participate in the principal Civil Service pension scheme and, as such, are entitled to full pension rights at 60 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how often the Council of Ministers has discussed the location of the seat of the European Parliament during the past 10 years.

The conclusions of the European Council in the Netherlands in March 1981 record that

"the Heads of State and of Government decided unanimously to confirm the status quo in regard to the provisional places of work of the European institutions".

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimates the Council of Ministers has made of the cost of its failure to determine a single seat for the work of the European Parliament.

No such estimate has been made.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will raise with the Soviet Government the case of Alexei Leim, who wishes to join his sister in Israel.

My right honourable and learned Friend last made representations to the Soviet authorities on behalf of divided Soviet families during his visit to the Soviet Union from 14 to 17 February. Yevgeny Leim, father of Alexei, was included on a list of refuseniks which was handed to the Soviet Foreign Minister at Brize Norton in December.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on death threats to British subjects in El Salvador.

We have received no reports of death threats to British subjects in El Salvador.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the European Economic Community's endorsement of the trade agreement with Turkey.

Additional protocols to the EC/Turkey association agreement, consequent on Spanish and Portuguese accession, were signed in July 1987. The Commission has recently initialled, on behalf of the Community, a voluntary restraint arrangement covering imports of textiles from Turkey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what circumstances resolutions passed by the General Assembly of the United Nations are not binding on member states.

Generally the power of the General Assembly is limited to making recommendations. In certain specific cases, however, it is authorised by the United Nations charter to make decisions binding on the member states—for example, approval of the budget (under article 17) and admission of new members (under article 18).

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he has refused a visa to Hor Nam Hong, the Kampuchean ambassador to Moscow.

We have no diplomatic relations nor official dealings with the PRK. Our normal policy is not to grant visas to PRK officials, although we consider every application on its merits. Hor Nam Hong is the PRK ambassador in Moscow and it would be inappropirate to issue a visa for him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards consulting foreign Governments about applications for visas to enter the United Kingdom from representatives of states which Her Majesty's Government do not recognise.

It is not our practice to consult Foreign Governments in the circumstances described.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there has been any change of policy as to refusal of entry to the United Kingdom to Dr. Waldheim on the grounds that it would not be conducive to the public good for admission to be granted.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations and complaints he has received about delays in completing explanatory statements at the British embassy at Islamabad.

Representations about individual cases, from any source, are kept on the appropriate case file. No analytical record of the nature of such representations is maintained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many extra staff have been sent in the last 12 months from the United Kingdom to the British embassy in Islamabad to tackle the backlog of explanatory statements; when such staff were sent; when he expects the backlog to be reduced; and what scale of backlog he regards as tolerable.

I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 8 December 1987, at columns 115–16. In addition, during December 1987 three temporary additional entry clearance officers were sent to Islamabad in order to help clear the backlog by the start of the busy summer season. Future performance will be closely monitored in an effort to minimise future delays.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many explanatory statements, setting out the reasons for refusing entry clearance to the United Kingdom, are awaiting completion at the British embassy in Islamabad and what has been (a) the shortest and (b) the longest backlog in completing such explanatory statements in each quarter in each of the last five years.

The latest figures available relate to the end of November 1987. The number of outstanding explanatory statements was then:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the average time taken in writing an explanatory statement at the United Kingdom's embassy at Islamabad; and what is the average time taken between completing and despatching explanatory statements from the post.

An average writing time is not available. Each case is different. Once an explanatory statement has been completed, despatch is effected by diplomatic bag within a few days.

'To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment his Department has made of the possible danger to the Dungeness A and B nuclear plants of the near collision of British Airways and Balkan Airways aircraft overhead on Saturday 5 February; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 16 February 1988, at column 592.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the percentage ownership by BNFL of Nuclear Transport Limited; what information he has as to what other partners have a stake in NTL and in what proportions; and what information he has as to the percentage ownership of NTL by Transnuklear GMBH of the Federal Republic of Germany.

I understand that the shares in Nuclear Transport Ltd are held equally by British Nuclear Fuels plc, Transnucleaire of France and Transnuklear GMBH of the Federal Republic of Germany.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Chipping Barnet on 23 November 1987, Official Report, column 23, how often the energy management panels set up by Government Departments responsible for the civil estate have met; what is the total annual energy bill for which they are responsible; what capital investment budget has been set aside for energy efficiency improvements; and if he will report on progress in energy efficiency in Government buildings.

The energy management panel for the civil estate has met twice since it was established last autumn. The total annual energy bill for the civil estate is about £60 million. The Property Services Agency is directing about £3·5 million in both 1987–88 and 1988–89 to capital improvements in energy efficiency. This is in addition to spending by individual Departments within their own works programmes and further energy efficiency improvements which arise from substantial planned maintenance expenditure by the PSA.The panel is monitoring developments across the estate and will advise Departments on how to build on the significant progress already achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those research reports, conference papers and statements made by (a) his Department's officials, and (b) United Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency staff on energy forecasting, including any specific forecasts made for the United Kingdom over the past five years; and if he will place a copy of each in the Library.