To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated area of land devoted to each predominant farming activity in Wales for the latest available date.

The information is based on the June 1986 agricultural census and is as follows:

	Area in hectares
Dairying	320,120
Livestock	1,052,298
Cropping	49,087
Pigs and poultry	8,966
Other	67,216
TOTAL	1,497,687

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated annual total income derived from, and value of each predominant farming activity in Wales for the latest available date.

Total gross receipts from farming activity in Wales in 1987 (including grants and compensation payments) were provisionally estimated to be £827·7 million; of which milk and milk products represented £274·5 million; cattle fattening and rearing, £199·2 million; sheep, lamb and wool, £159·8 million; and other products, £128·5 million. Other receipts (including grants and compensation payments) were £65·7 million.Total net income from farming activities in Wales after taking account of all farming costs including feeding stuffs, fertilisers, machinery, veterinary and medicines and so on and after allowing for depreciation, interest payments, rent and labour costs, was £57·3 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the average value per hectare of agricultural land in Wales for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available.

Based on transactions notified to the Inland Revenue, the average value per hectare of agricultural land in Wales for each of the last 10 years was as follows:

Year	£ per hectare
1978	1,215
1979	1,655
1980	2,418
1981	2,212
1982	2,032
1983	2,261

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 17 November, Official Report, column 466, what is the latest information on the numbers of establishments accepted for crown hotel classification; how many hotels have failed to meet the specifications; and if he will make a statement.

According to the Wales tourist board the information as at 21 March 1988 is as follows:

Category	Number
Listed	130
1 crown	46
2 crowns	305
3 crowns	275
4 crowns	177
5 crowns	31
Awaiting classification	16
Total	980

Since the Wales tourist board introduced classification, 55 hotels have failed to meet the criteria, with 11 establishments having been rejected since 1 April 1987.The Wales tourist board, following wide consultation, has announced its intention to introduce a qualitative grading scheme for hotel and other serviced accommodation by 1990. The new system is similar to that in operation in Scotland, and will supplement the present crown classification scheme under which establishments are classified by available facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total area of land approved for forestry planting grants in Wales in each of the last four financial years for which figures are available; and what was the figure for the period 1 April 1987 to 31 January 1988.

The information is as follows:

Year ended 31 March	Area of land (hectares)
1984	2,175
1985	1,811
1986	2,466
1987	4,580

The total area of land approved for planting in the period 1 April 1987 to 31 December 1987 was 2,406 hectares. Figures are not yet available for January 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what environmental guidance he will be giving to the Forestry Commission concerning grant approval for new forestry planting in the uplands of Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The existing consultation arrangements, the effectiveness of which will be enhanced by the proposed new grant regime, will continue to balance the environmental and forestry planting objectives in the upland areas of Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what time table the Government envisage for an agreement in the forthcoming conventional arms talks in Vienna; and whether he will make a statement.

We hope the Vienna discussions on a mandate for conventional stability negotiations will reach early agreement and that substantive talks will begin later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's response to the recent events in Panama.

We have followed closely recent events in Panama. On 2 March, together with our European Community partners, we issued a statement expressing deep concern at developments and appealing to the present rulers of Panama to open the way for internal peace and democracy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the current agreements by (a) the European Community Council of Ministers and (b) the Commonwealth Heads of State on the import of uranium originating in (a) South Africa and (b) Namibia for processing and subsequent re-export for use in a third state, in each state party to such agreements.

None specifically. A package of restrictive measures agreed by the European Community Council of Ministers in September 1985 included a prohibition on all new collaboration with South Africa in the nuclear sector. The package of economic measures agreed by the Commonwealth Heads of Government in October 1985 included a ban on new contracts for the sale and export of nuclear goods, materials and technology to South Africa.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he possesses concerning the rules currently adopted by the United States Treasury Department pursuant to the comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act 1986 covering the import and safeguarding of South African and Namibian origin uranium (a) processed in the United Kingdom before re-export and (b) contracted before 1 July 1987.

The United States Comprehensive Anti-Apartheid Act of 1986 prohibits the import of South African origin uranium ore or uranium oxide to the United States. However, articles such as uranium hexafluoride, which are produced from uranium ore or uranium oxide, and which the United States customs service determines to have been substantially transformed outside the United States, are not subject to the import prohibition.

To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet the Prime Minister of Turkey.

I expect to meet the Prime Minister of Turkey when I visit that country next month.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Granborough, near Rugby.

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Port Glasgow in the near future.

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 22 March.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 22 March.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 22 March.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 22 March.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, and I also attended the launch of the Tidy Britain Group's litter initiative. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the Prime Minister of Kuwait. This evening I hope to have an Audience of Her Majesty The Queen.

To ask the Prime Minister what plans she has to pay an official visit to Gwynedd.

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if there has been any slippage in the timing of the announcement of the placing of a contract for a floating jetty for the RNAD, Coulport; and if he will make a statement.

The tendering period has been extended by six weeks at the request of the tenderers. A decision on the placing of a contract is expected in the late summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken by the London Docklands development corporation to set up the employment monitoring group incorporating the local boroughs and the docklands forum as prescribed in the master building agreement with the Canary wharf developers Olympia and York; and if he will make a statement.

The master building agreement allows for the monitoring of local employment. Olympia and York Ltd has instituted written procedures which will be contractually enforced on all companies working on Canary wharf to submit, on a monthly basis, returns of people employed locally and people undertaking training from local areas. These will be submitted directly to the LDDC and the London borough of Tower Hamlets. The LDDC will then at regular intervals provide this information to the docklands forum.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many square feet of offices on Canary wharf the master builder agreement between the London Docklands development corporation and Olympia and York commits the developer to build; and if he will make a statement.

The master building agreement commits the developers of Canary wharf to build 5·4 million sq ft of development in phase 1. The whole development provides in aggregate 12·2 million sq ft of office, retail and hotel floor space. This is a bold and innovative development. It will provide an enormous increase in employment opportunities in docklands, and will add further impetus to the regeneration of docklands as a whole.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average value of land per acre when invested in each of the currently existing urban development corporations; and at what average price it is currently being sold to developers.

Nature of Derelict Land
Hectares
	Spoil Heaps	Excavation and Pits	Military etc. Dereliction	Derelict Railway Land	Other Forms of Dereliction	Total of Derelict Land Not Justifying Reclamation
Beverlcy	—	—	—	8	—	8
Boothferry	—	—	—	19	—	19
Cleethorpes	—	—	—	—	—	—
Glanford	—	21	—	—	1	22
Grimsby	—	—	—	9	62	71
Holderness	—	22	—	—	—	22
Kingston Upon Hull	—	—	—	—	—	—
East Yorkshire	—	—	—	112	—	112
Scunthorpe	—	—	—	—	—	—

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report(a) the number of projects approved under the urban development grant programme. (b) the amount of funds provided, (c) the number of jobs created, (d) the number of homes built and (e) the number of acres of derelict land reused since the programme began in 1982.

Land has been vested in two of the six English urban development corporations. For information on the London Docklands development corporation I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Banks) on 8 March at column 118.The average value of land vested in Merseyside development corporation was £9,200 per acre. Land prices in the urban development area currently range from £35,000 per acre to approximately £250,000 per acre, depending on size, location planning use and MDC expenditure on site preparation and infrastructure.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the 632 hectares of derelict land in Humberside that was thought to justify reclamation during the 1982 survey of derelict land in England has been reclaimed and developed; why the remaining 254 hectares of derelict land in Humberside was not thought to justify reclamation; and where this land is located.

Information on how much of the 632 hectares of derelict land has been reclaimed since April 1982 is not presently available. The 1988 derelict land survey is currently under way and the results are expected to be published next year. The information sought will than be readily available.The decision that 254 hectares of derelict land did not justify reclamation was based on local authorities' own assessments at that time and would include those sites in remote rural areas which were not sufficiently obtrusive to warrant expenditure and sites for which it would be impracticable to consider reclamation because of technical and—or financial reasons.The location of the land and the nature of the dereliction is as follows:

Since 1982, a total of 282 urban development grants have been approved. A total of almost £137 million of grant has been offered securing private sector investment of £545 million. The grants approved will lead to 25,700 jobs, the construction of 4,700 new homes, the refurbishment of a further 1,900 homes and the reuse of 1,100 acres of land.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state (a) the estimated increase in the level of rates that businesses in each of the district council areas of Devon will face when unified business rate is introduced and how that increase will be phased in, and (b) the estimated effect of the proposed rates revaluation on Devon businesses.

A national non-domestic rate (NNDR) set at the 1987–88 average level would have been set at 224·1p in the pound. This compares with the present poundages in the district council areas of Devon as follows:

District Councils	Pence	Percentage difference
East Devon	207·4	8·0
Exeter	203·3	10·2
North Devon	212·7	5·4
Plymouth	207·0	8·3
South Hams	212·3	5·6
Teignbridge	211·9	5·8
Mid Devon	210·6	6·4
Torbay	220·8	1·5
Torridge	215·6	3·9
West Devon	209·2	7·1

Annual changes in business rates in Devon percentage
	1980–81 to 1981–82	1981–82 to 1982–83	1982–83 to 1983–84	1983–84 to 1984–85	1984–85 to 1985–86	1985–86 to 1986–87	1986–87 to 1987–88
East Devon	8·6	14·3	5·5	8·0	4·8	18·8	6·3
Exeter	9·3	13·4	5·4	6·2	4·7	18·0	6·7
Mid Devon	11·2	14·4	5·5	8·3	4·8	19·4	6·5
North Devon	8·2	14·8	5·5	8·3	6·2	18·3	6·0
Plymouth	8·7	15·4	5·8	7·6	5·1	17·5	6·6
South Hams	9·1	14·1	5·7	8·0	5·8	18·5	6·8
Teignbridge	8·6	14·0	6·4	8·3	4·8	17·8	6·3
Torbay	6·7	13·4	5·4	9·2	6·5	19·9	8·0
Torridge	8·0	14·7	6·3	8·6	5·9	18·6	7·1
West Devon	9·0	14·6	5·7	7·4	5·6	19·0	7·4
Increase in inflation (RPI index at April)	12·0	9·4	4·0	5·2	6·9	3·0	4·2

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the cost to the borough of Rushmoor in Hampshire to effect the major technical repair programme on the Prospect estate for 1988–89 and subsequent years will be met by subsidy.

In the first place, this will depend upon the cost of the work undertaken by Rushmoor borough council. The Department is considering a request by the council that the subsidy rules be relaxed in this particular case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to publish regularly updated lists of cars which run on lead-free petrol.

A list of cars capable of running on unleaded petrol without adjustment was prepared by the

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the total rates increase for businesses for each of the years in the period 1980 to 1987 in each of the district council areas of Devon; and what was the increase in the rate of inflation in each year.

Following is the available information:Department in September 1987. This list and a simplified chart have been made freely available to interested organisations and inquirers. An updated list will be available by the end of this month. Details for all new cars are now published twice a year in the Department of Transport's "New Car Fuel Consumption" booklet.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what percentage of cars at present on British roads have been designed to operate both on leaded and unleaded petrol;(2) what percentage of cars cannot run on unleaded petrol due to risk of engine damage;(3) what information he has on the locations in England and Wales where unleaded petrol may be purchased;(4) if he will estimate the number of cars that are fitted with three-way catalytic converters;

[holding answer 21 March 1988]: Figures provided by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders on the ability of cars to run on unleaded petrol are as follows:

Per cent.
	R	U	L	E
Vehicles on the road at December 1986	56	—	35	9
New vehicles registered during 1987	57	—	20	23

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what new proposals he has to tackle the litter problem: and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 March 1988]: The Government have supported the Tidy Britain Group (formerly the Keep Britain Tidy Group) for many years in its educational and promotional programmes for litter abatement. At my suggestion, the group has rethought its strategy and approach. Over the next 12 months, the group will launch a series of pilot projects across the country which will try out different approaches to demonstrate what can be done and how best it can be done. I shall, with parliamentary approval, increase the grant made by my Department to the group to £1·254 million in 1988–89 to include a contribution to finance the necessary managerial and co-ordinating effort.The projects, which will be selected by the group, will aim to enlist the support of all sectors of the community—commerce and industry at both national and local levels, local authorities, public utilities and voluntary groups. Each project will incorporate "before" and "after" studies so that their success can be evaluated. Lessons drawn from the pilot projects will be reviewed at the end of the year, to form the basis for the group to develop a major national effort in subsequent years. Litter and public untidiness are neither necessary, nor inevitable. This new experimental initiative by the Tidy Britain Group offers the prospect of a cleaner, tidier Britain in the nineties. To be successful, it will require practical support and commitment from everyone. I am sure that all sections of the House wish to give theirs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has of the completion date of the inquiry into the Harrogate and Knaresborough southern bypass.

The reopened inquiry closed on 19 February. We await the inspector's report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to construct a fourth lane on the M1 to act as a feeder into the M25.

We have no such proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) on how many occasions since 1981 individual lanes of the Bridgwater-Exeter section of the M5 motorway have been closed for repair; whether he will estimate how long each such lane closure lasted, excluding temporary lane closures resulting from road accidents; and what representations he has received since January 1987 regarding any inconvenience caused by such lane closures;(2) what representations he has received since 1 January 1987 about the condition of the fabric of the M5 motorway between Bridgwater and Exeter; whether it is now in a satisfactory state of repair; and if he will make a statement;(3) what was the cost of repair works to the M5 motorway between Bridgwater and Exeter in each financial year since 1976; and what was the cost of the original construction of that section of the motorway, in cash prices and in 1987 prices.

Since 1981 contraflow systems have been in operation on seven occasions with a total duration of about 420 days. Records of other lane closures for routine maintenance operations are not kept.Three representations have been received since 1 January 1987 about the Bridgwater-Exeter length of the M5. These related to the inconvenience caused by the works currently in progress on the Taunton bypass section.Construction costs of the M5 motorway between Bridgwater (junction 23) and Exeter (junction 30) amounted to £41 million in cash terms. This represents expenditure of the order of £153 million in 1987 prices.Maintenance costs since 1976 are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why Royal Army Ordnance Corps, Moretonunder-Lugg, Herefordshire, was used to store approximately 3,000 drums of contaminated soil from Channel tunnel workings.

It provided a suitable site for the necessary secure temporary storage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has had from Suffolk and Norfolk on roads; what responses he has given; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend receives a wide variety of representations both in the context of the statutory procedures for trunk road proposals and otherwise.There have been continuing representations from various sources seeking improvements to the trunk road network in East Anglia and in particular that the A11-A47 route between M11 and Great Yarmouth should be dualled throughout. Our positive response to this is demonstrated by the 30 schemes in various stages of preparation valued at £177 million for the three East Anglian counties (including Cambridgeshire). Fifteen schemes currently in the planning process or recently completed, and valued at £130 million for the A11-A47 mean some three quarters of that route will be dual carriageway by the early 1990s. Further improvements will be considered as candidates for the programme when they can be justified, subject to the availability of resources.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish the findings of Dr. North's review of road safety law.

Dr. North has submitted his report on the work of his review over the past three years. Arrangements are being made to get this printed and published so that all concerned and interested can have an opportunity to read it and comment on it.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many applications under the enterprise initiative have been received by his Department's regional office in Newcastle.

DTI/NE Newcastle had received 138 applications for consultancy assistance under the enterprise initiative up to and including 17 March 1988.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many officials of his Department presently employed at the Billingham office in Stockton-on-Tees will be redeployed (a) within Cleveland and (b) in the northern region.

We are still considering the DTI's continued presence in Teesside although the bulk of the work at present carried out at the Billingham office will come to an end over the next few years. We will make every effort to redeploy officials presently employed in Billingham to other work or to other offices in the north-east, but I cannot at this stage guarantee redeployment to every official involved.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many officials will be employed at the new satellite office of his Department to be established in Middlesbrough under the enterprise initiative.

One official will inaugurate this satellite office but the final staffing level remains to he decided in the light of its emerging role.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster where the new satellite office of his Department in Middlesbrough will be situated.

The satellite office will begin operation in Rede house, Corporation road, Middlesbrough. Its longer-term location will be reviewed in line with its emerging role. It will work closely with others concerned with enterprise in Cleveland.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next intends to visit his Department's office in Billingham.

I keep in close touch with the work of my regional offices, but I cannot say when it will be possible for me to visit Billingham.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list all the relevant goods made the subject of prohibition notices under section 13 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and the similar provisions under previous acts.

No prohibition notices have been made under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. Three were made under the Consumer Safety Act 1978:

• Automatic Rice Cooker (1983)
• Sprint 0·6 TA Scissor Jack (1984)
• Expanding Novelties, New Grobots, New Grobugs and New Grobeasts (1985)

Normally suppliers agree to remove hazardous products from the market voluntarily.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will call for a report from the chairman of the Post Office on action taken by the Post Office following a letter dated 22 January from the area manager, counters, to sub-postmasters, in response to advice from the Department of Health and Social Security that recipients of pensions and benefits might receive those benefits through a bank or building society; and what expenditure the Post Office plans to incur in this respect.

No; these are commercial matters for the Post Office.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current position of the Rio Tinto Zinc Corporation plc tin mining operations in Cornwall.

In 1986 the Government agreed to provide to the RTZ Corporation's subsidiary Carnon Consolidated Ltd. an interest-free loan of up to £15 million and guarantees of commercial loans of up to £10 million. This finance was to assist RTZ to undertake a £31 million capital development programme covering the next five years. It was clear at the outset that the prospects for the tin mines in the longer term were heavily dependent on the course of the price of tin.Because of severely depressed tin prices in the last year — particularly over the last few months — Carnon Consolidated Ltd. is again facing serious difficulties. I understand that today the company is announcing the redundancy of some 200 of the present 720 staff employed in their two mines.Over the past few weeks, I have had several discussions with RTZ and my officials have been holding detailed talks with RTZ and the management of Carnon Consolidated Ltd. I am pleased to announce that heads of agreement have today been signed between the parties.Under the heads of agreement, subject to the parties obtaining various consents, RTZ will sell its interest to a new company to be owned 80 per cent. by present management and 20 per cent. on behalf of employees. RTZ has agreed to provide £10 million in interest-free loans to the new company. The Government have agreed to convert our £10 million guarantees to an interest-free loan in addition to our original £15 million loan which will remain in place.I am satisfied that, although the inherent risks of tin mining remain, this help is justified to secure the continuation of mining and employment in Cornwall. It will enable the main elements of the modernisation programme begun in 1986 to be completed and will save at least 500 jobs in the two mines.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy towards the proposal made by the European Commission, on behalf of the continental partners of Airbus, that there should be a clause in the civil aviation agreement to permit support to compensate Airbus Industrie for exchange rate movements of the United States dollar, as revealed in the statement before the European Parliament by M de Clercq on 9 March; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 March 1988]: The European position described by Commissioner de Clercq is jointly agreed by the Commission and the four Airbus partner Governments. The Airbus partners and the Commission consider that Government supports to the aircraft industry are consistent with our obligations under the GATT agreement on trade in civil aircraft. How and in what circumstances support is given is a matter for individual Governments; in the United Kingdom, exchange rate movements were one of the risk factors taken into account by the Government in agreeing to provide launch aid.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on what dates the latest annual return and accounts for IHV Industrial Investments Ltd., Industrial Heating and Ventilation Ltd., MPCS Ltd., and Midland Professional Cleaning Ltd., were received.

[holding answer 21 March 1988]: The information requested is as follows:

(a) IHV Industrial Investments Ltd.

Annual return for 1986 received on 5 February 1988.

Accounts for year ending 28 February 1986 received on 5 March 1987.

The Registrar of companies is taking action to secure delivery of the 1987 annual return and accounts for the year ending

28 February 1987.

(b) Industrial Heating and Ventilating Ltd. Annual return for 1985 received on 9 May 1986. Accounts for year ending 28 February 19:35 received on

13 May 1986.

This company is in the process of being wound up following an order of the High Court dated 28 July 1986.

(c) MPCS Ltd.

Annual return for 1987 received on 12 January 1988.

Accounts for year ending 31 October 1987 received on

11 February 1988.

(d) Midland Professional Cleaning Services Ltd. No annual returns for accounts have been received from the company since its incorporation on 6 November 1985. The Registrar of Companies is currently considering whether to strike this company from the register of companies using his powers under Section 652 of the Companies Act 1985.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for each year since 1979, how many prosecutions have been brought against (a) EEC nationals and (b) non EEC nationals for contraventions of fishing regulations.

The number of prosecutions which have been brought by United Kingdom authorities against (a) EEC nationals and (b) non-EEC nationals for offences connected with fishing, for each year since 1979, is shown in the table.

	(a) EEC nationals	(b) non EEC nationals	Total
1979	37	6	43
1980	75	3	78
1981	79	10	89
1982	48	7	55
1983	65	4	69
1984	63	13	76
1985	68	16	84
1986	61	—	61
1987	87	—	87
Total	583	59	642

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by Civil Service grade the number of officials in his Department located outside of London; and what proportion they represent of all officials employed by his Department.

The information requested is as follows:

Deployment of permanent staff
Grade level non-industrial staff	Total staff in grade	Number outside Greater London	Percentage of grade out of London
Grade 1	1	0	—
Grade 2	5	0	—
Grade 3	24	0	—
Grade 4	18	7	39
Grade 5	110	28	25
Grade 6	100	36	36
Grade 7	678	399	59
SEO and equivalent	1,219	981	80
HEO and equivalent	1,674	1,204	72
EO and equivalent	1,809	1,264	70
AO and equivalent	2,070	1,326	64
AA and equivalent	2,201	1,562	71
Non-industrials	9,909	6,807	69
Industrial staff	586	502	86
MAFF totals	10,495	7,309	70

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions exist on the issuing of British visitors' passports by post offices on Saturdays.

British visitor's passports, which are obtainable from main post offices in Great Britain, are not at present issued on Saturdays, but we hope to introduce procedural changes which will enable this restriction to be removed.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many remand prisoners were being held in London prisons at the latest available date who are (a) over and (b) under 21 years of age;(2) how many remand prisoners were being held in London prisons at the latest available date.

The most recent readily available information is given in the table.

Untried and convicted unsentenced prisoners in Greater London1prisons on 31 January 1988: by age and type of prisoner
Number of prisoners2
Type of prisoner	Under 21	21 and over	All ages
Untried	161	1,779	1,940
Convicted unsentenced	42	295	337
Total	203	2,074	2,277
1 Brixton, Feltham, Holloway, Latchmere House, Pentonville, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs.
2 In addition 734 prisoners from the whole of the South East Prison Department Region, most of whom were on remand, were held in police cells.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether for the longer term planning purposes of prison building, any consideration has been given to, or plans exist for, the sale of sites of Her Majesty's prisons at Cardiff, Reading and Swansea;(2) what steps would have to be taken to make the proceeds of the sale of existing sites of Her Majesty's prisons for redevelopment purposes available for prison building;(3) where, under present rules, the proceeds of the sale of prison sites go.

Under long-standing Treasury rules, proceeds from the sale of prison sites would be surrendered to the Consolidated Fund. Changes to these rules would require detailed discussions with my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. Whether any such changes to the rules should be proposed is a question to be considered in the first instance by the Prison Building Board; as is the question whether in the longer-term consideration should be given to selling prisons on city centre sites. The seven-member board includes three from the private sector, and its task is to ensure that the prison building programme is delivered as effectively and efficiently as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy guidance to police authorities regarding the provision of names of people who admit to crimes and who are serving terms of imprisonment; and if he will make a statement.

We have issued no guidance to police authorities about the provision of names of people who admit to crimes and who are serving terms of imprisonment. The disclosure of police information is a matter for individual chief officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to authorise increases in Metropolitan police manpower for 1988–89; and if he will make a statement.

Under the four-year programme of police manpower increases announced in May 1986, I said that I would be prepared to authorise annual increases in Metropolitan police manpower of up to 300 in the police establishment and 150 in the civil staff ceiling, subject to my being satisfied that earlier increases had been properly used. In 1986–87, I authorised the first of these increases; and for 1987–88, I authorised the second, with the addition of 100 civil staff brought forward from 1988–89 to help with civilianisation.I have reviewed manpower in the Metropolitan police. In 1987 officers serving at headquarters were reduced by 344 and the number of officers in areas with direct local responsibility for operations has increased by 752. I have decided to authorise the increase of 300 police officers as envisaged in the programme, and the 50 additional civil staff for 1988–89 not already authorised. These increases will bring the police establishment and civil staff ceiling for 1988–89 to 28,115 and 13,701 respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement concerning openness in the proceedings of magistrates courts and the possible scope for improved access to the records of such proceedings.

My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and I are concerned about the allegations of insufficient openness in the magistrates courts which have been published recently in the press and the survey by the Association of British Editors on which they are based.It is a well-established principle that, subject to certain exceptions, the administration of justice in this country should take place in open court, to which the public and the press have access, and that any attempt by anyone to circumvent this principle is to be condemned. My noble and learned Friend and I have arranged for officials of our two Departments to meet representatives of the press, the Magistrates Association and the Justices Clerks Society to discuss relations between magistrates courts and the press relevant to the reporting of proceedings, including access to the records.I should add that, though I am in no position to comment on them, I understand that the details of the cases mentioned in recent allegations in the press are not accepted as accurate by the clerks of the courts concerned, and that a complaint has been made to the Press Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science pursuant to the answer of 4 March, Official Report, column 718, if he will list by Civil Service grade the number of officials in his Department located outside London; and what proportion they represent of all officials employed by his Department in each grade.

The details requested are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy that responses received to consultative documents issued by his Department be made publicly available in his Department's library, except where the respondent has specifically asked that this he not done; and if he will arrange for this procedure to be made clear when future consultative documents are issued.

Consultative documents vary widely in form and purpose and accordingly each such case needs to be considered on its merits. However, I will bear in mind the hon. Member's suggestion.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) who will be liable to bear the costs and responsibility for the safe disposal of nuclear waste after privatisation of the electricity supply industry;(2) whether the decommissioning of nuclear power stations will be the responsibility of the private company which takes them over; and by whom the cost will be borne.

The operators of nuclear power stations will continue to be responsible for decommissioning and management of radioactive wastes, within the guidelines on safety and environmental protection set by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive and Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution, and for their costs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if uranium imported to the United Kingdom from Namibia for processing by British Nuclear Fuels Limited and re-export for Chubu Electric Company of Japan, is covered by (a) the International Atomic Energy Authority, (b) Euratom and (c) bilateral safeguards agreements;

All civil nuclear material in the United Kingdom is subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the United Kingdom/Euratom/IAEA agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps the Government have taken to find young people the YTS scheme of their choice within the time recommended.

Since 1983 the Government have guaranteed that all unemployed school leavers would be offered a YTS place by Christmas and each year this guarantee has been effectively met. This achievement reflects great credit on the Manpower Services Commission which is responsible for providing an appropriate range of places in each locality and the careers service which is responsible for placing young people on YTS within the guarantee period.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish what information he has about unemployment by ethnic group at regional and metropolitan county level.

Information about unemployment by ethnic group is available from the labour force survey, but the amount of detail that can be provided is limited by small sample numbers. Estimated unemployment rates by ethnic origin for regions and metropolitan counties, averaged over spring 1984, 1985 and 1986, were published in the March 1988 issue of Employment Gazette (Table 12 on page 177), a copy of which is in the Library. Later estimates will be published when the final results of the 1987 labour force survey become available later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new provision he is intending to make to encourage young unemployed people to study whilst unemployed.

From September all young people aged 16 and 17 will be guaranteed a place on the youth training scheme if they want one, up to their 18th birthday. All trainees on the scheme take part in off-the-job training and have the opportunity to study for a recognised vocational qualification or a credit towards one.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply of 19 November, Official Report, column 621, what is the latest information on the numbers of establishments accepted for crown classification in each category including five gold crowns; how many hotels have failed to meet the specification; and if he will make a statement.

According to figures for England produced by the English tourist board, the information as at 23 February 1988 is as follows:

Category	Number
Listed	2,147
1 crown	573
2 crowns	3,009
3 crowns	1,801
4 crowns	1,215
5 crowns	251
Total	8,996

Six of the 5-crown graded hotels have also been given the five gold crown award. Of those establishments which have applied, 125 have failed to meet the criteria for classification.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will itemise, by applicant organisation or body, the source of public authority matching funds, including local authority spending powers where relevant, for European social fund schemes based in Greater London which have been submitted to the European Commission to operate in 1988;(2) if he will itemise by recipient organisation or body, the source of public authority matching funds, including local authority spending powers where relevant, for European social fund supported projects based in Greater London in 1987.

I regret that I cannot provide the information that the hon. Member requests. In submitting applications for European social fund assistance to the European Commission through my Department, organisations are required to provide details some of which they may understandably regard as confidential. It would be wrong of me to publish these without their prior approval.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken to implement the a la carte co-operation proposed in the document entitled "European Integration in Education and Culture," which appears in bulletin EC 3–1987, page 111; and if he will make a statement.

The document to which the hon. Member refers was circulated by the French Prime Minister to his European counterparts last March, but no conclusion has yet been reached on its implementation.We shall continue to participate in the Government's overall consideration of the proposals for a la carte co-operation contained in the document.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on funding for schemes to allow nursing staff to update their skills to enable them to return to work.

Former nursing staff can update their skills to enable them to return to clinical practice in the NHS through attending "Back to Nursing" courses, or through participation in nurse banks which offer them temporary postings. These schemes are the responsibility of, and are funded by, individual health boards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the shortfall in nursing staff in each health board in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

Authority	District	Region (including community water charge)	Total
Borders Region	36	172	208
Berwickshire	33	172	205
Ettrick and Lauderdale	35	172	207
Roxburgh	39	172	211
Tweeddale	33	172	205
Central Region	61	185	246
Clackmannan	59	185	245
Falkirk	48	185	233
Stirling	84	185	270
Dumfries and Galloway Region	37	172	209
Annandale and Eskdale	38	172	210
Nithsdale	38	172	210
Stewartry	38	172	210
Wigtown	31	172	203
Fife Region	50	205	255
Dunfermline	42	205	247
Kirkcaldy	53	205	258
North East Fife	55	205	261
Grampian Region	41	170	211
Aberdeen City	50	170	220
Banff and Buchan	38	170	208
Gordon	36	170	206
Kincardine and Deeside	31	170	201
Moray	31	170	201
Highland Region	33	172	205
Badenoch and Strathspey	29	172	201
Caithness	30	172	202

Management information of this kind is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the level of community charge for each (a) regional, (b) islands and (c) district council in Scotland taking account of proposed rates levels for the financial year 1988–89.

The table shows the estimated levels of community charge which would be necessary to replace domestic rate income in 1988–89. The figures may need to be adjusted if in due course my right hon. and learned Friend proposes a rate reduction in relation to any authority and this is approved by Parliament. They are provisional figures calculated on the same basis as those produced by the Scottish Office in respect of earlier years and reflect the latest available information on rate poundages for 1988–89. They do not represent forecasts of the level of community charge when the new system is introduced in 1989–90 and take no account of the proposals for grant safety nets which are under discussion at present between the Scottish Office and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many children received primary school education in (a) Fife and (b) north-east Fife in the last five years for which information is available;(2) how many children have received nursery school education in

The information requested in respect of education authority schools in Fife is set out in the table. Information for Fife, North-East can be obtained from Fife regional council.The figures for 1987 are provisional. Teacher numbers have been provided in full-time equivalent terms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what the rates of grant will be under the new forestry grant arrangements announced in the Budget statement; and if he will make a statement.

The rates of grant will be announced later this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the adequacy of the training programmes available in Greenock and Port Glasgow, with particular reference to whether the unemployed persons will be able to respond to new job opportunities, especially with regard to the Inverclyde initiative.

Yes. The full range of Manpower Services Commission training and employment measures is available in Greenock and Port Glasgow and, together with other training initiatives supported by the Scottish Development Agency and the Inverclyde Enterprise Trust, should greatly enhance the job prospects of local unemployed people in the more buoyant labour market now prevailing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the latest unemployment figures for Greenock and Port Glasgow; and if he will break these figures down by district council ward.

On 11 February 1988 (the latest date for which information is available) the number of unemployed claimants in each electoral ward of the Greenock and Port Glasgow parliamentary constituency was as shown in the table.

Ward name	Unemployed claimants
Port Glasgow East	760
Port Glasgow South	664
Clune Brae	583
Port Glasgow West	381
Gibshill	735
Blairmore	434
Bellville	521
Greenock East Central	665
Broomhill	329
Gateside	367
Bow	537

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply of 17 November, Official Report, column 540, what is the latest information or he numbers of establishments accepted for crown hotel classification; how many hotels have failed to meet the specifications; and if he will make a statement.

The figures given in my answer of 17 November, at columns 539–40, represented the final results of the classification and grading inspections carried out in 1987. The Scottish tourist board has commenced this year's round of inspections, and results for 1988 will be available in the autumn.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Scotland) area of land referred to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Scotland) by the Forestry Commission, in total and for each regional conservancy in Scotland, under forestry grant consultation procedures during the period 1 April 1987 to 31 January 1988; and if he will list in each case the area of land for which the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (Scotland) advised it was (a) acceptable to award planting grant approval and (b) inappropriate to award grant on agricultural grounds.