To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the location of any official gipsy caravan sites within an area of outstanding natural beauty in Wales.

There are no official gipsy caravan sites within a designated area of outstanding natural beauty in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to publish an updated programme for trunk road improvements in Wales to replace the report "Roads in Wales 1985".

I expect a new edition of "Roads in Wales" to be published later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which regions of Wales come under the jurisdiction of the East Dyfed health authority; and if he will make a statement.

East Dyfed health authority is responsible for the provision of health services in the districts of Carmarthen, Ceredigion, Dinefwr and Llanelli.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 identified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The overseas travel costs of Ministers and Officials could be separated only at unjustifiable cost. The total expenditure on overseas travel by Ministers and Officials of my Department in the financial year 1987–88 was £47,551·10.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those primary schools in Dyfed which (a) have classes where Welsh is the sole or main medium of instruction of first or second language pupils, (b) have classes of first or second language pupils where some of the teaching is through the medium of Welsh and (c) teach no Welsh, or where there are classes where Welsh is taught as a second language but not used as a teaching medium.

[holding answer 15 April 1988]: The information is as follows:

To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of the manual of guidance issued to Crown prosecutors in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement as to the criteria upon which a decision to prosecute is based, as set out in the manual.

The criteria upon which such a decision is based are set out in the code for Crown prosecutors issued by the Director of Public Prosecutions pursuant to section 10 of the Prosecutions of Offences Act 1985. Copies of that code are available to the public. My predecessor caused a copy to be placed in the Library on 25 June 1986, as he announced in his answer of the same date to the hon. Member for Cannock and Burntwood (Mr. Howarth). Crown prosecutors are issued also with manuals of guidance. I am discussing with the Director of Public Prosecutions whether it would be proper to cause copies to be placed in the Library.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will state the total costs incurred by (a) his Department and (b) the Lord Chancellor's Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 identified by (i) ministerial travel and (ii) travel abroad by civil servants.

The total costs incurred by (a) the Law Officers' Department and (b) the Lord Chancellor's Department on foreign travel by Ministers and civil servants during the financial year 1987–88 were as follows:

	£
Law Officers' Department
Ministerial travel	4,211
Travel by civil servants	2,550
Lord Chancellor's Department
Ministerial travel	21,707·45
Travel by civil servants	13,507·93

To ask the Attorney-General at whose initiative the inquiry by the City of London police, arising from the recent appeal hearing of the men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings, was established; when was it set up; and what is its remit.

The Director of Public Prosecutions wrote to the commissioner for the City of London police on 30 March 1988 to ask for inquiries to be made, following information received from another police force. The inquiries are not yet concluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list current development projects in Angola for which United Kingdom national, Commonwealth or European Community assistance is given; what is the value of that assistance; and if he will specify the means or agencies through which assistance is given.

About half our bilateral programme to Angola is devoted to the provision of training in Britain. Within Angola we are currently supporting the following Government projects:

Estimated expenditure 1988–89
	£'000
English language teaching project	61
English language eduction and training programme	109

Development activities currently being financed by the European Community are as follows:

Current commitment
	£million
Sectoral import programme	24·48
Banco Nacional de Angola (BNA) global loan	2·80
Technical assistance for BNA and government officials	0·40
Feasibility studies	0·34
Regional training	0·09
TOTAL	28·11

The United Kingdom share of these EC-financed development activities is approximately £4·64 million.There is no Commonwealth aid to Angola.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list United Kingdom contributions to Angola through national, Commonwealth and European Community action in each year since 1983.

Gross bilateral aid and the estimated British share of European Community aid to Angola since 1983 have been as follows:

£'000
	1983	1984	1985	1986
Gross bilateral aid	71	146	164	317
Estimated UK share of EC aid	390	1,510	1,290	1,500

Figures for 1987 are not yet available.There is no Commonwealth aid to Angola.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the curriculum development of social, political and moral subjects in the national curriculum; and how it will be structured.

Many of these themes will be covered by the attainment targets and programmes of study of the core and other foundation subjects; we can expect others to be included in the rest of what schools provide. Their place and development within the school curriculum as a whole, the purposes of which are set out in Clause 1 of the Bill, are matters on which the National Curriculum Council will be able to advise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has received a letter from the Nottinghamshire county council education chairman regarding the county capital allocation for education; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received a letter from the chief education officer of Nottinghamshire county council concerning the authority's capital expenditure allocation for 1988–89. A reply was sent on 12 April 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what provision for research into major psychiatric disorders is contained in the Medical Research Council's proposals to develop a new national centre for research and postgraduate medical education;

(2) what provision for research into diseases of the nervous system is contained in the Medical Research Council's proposals to develop a new national centre for research and postgraduate medical education;

(3) what will be the (a) capital and (b) the annual running costs of the Medical Research Council's proposed new national centre for research and postgraduate medical education;

(4) where the Medical Research Council's new national centre for research and postgraduate medical research will be located;

(5) what provision for research into neurological disease is contained in the Medical Research Council's proposals to develop a new national centre for research and postgraduate medical education;

(6) what provision for research into infectious disease and clinical genetics is contained in the Medical Research Council's proposals to develop a new national centre for research and postgraduate medical education.

The Medical Research Council is in the process of developing proposals, following the Stoker report on the clinical research centre, for a new national centre for multispecialty postgraduate medical education and research based at Hammersmith. I understand that the M RC intends to submit detailed proposals on this to Government later this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide details of the percentage of black teachers and white teachers by local education authority; what are their percentages in respect of salary scales; what is the percentage who have head or deputy headships; and if he will make a statement on the number of black teachers who are in teacher training.

This information is not available. However, as announced by my right hon. Friend on 28 October 1987 at column 261, a draft circular on the collection of this information has been issued for consultation. Additionally, the Department issued a consultative document on 8 March on the collection of ethnically based statistics for students in further and higher education, including those in teacher training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 identified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The exact costs incurred by this Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 are not yet known but are expected to total some £143,000, as follows:

£
(a) Ministerial	32,000
(b) Civil Servants:
Her Majesty's Inspectorate	39,000
Officials	72,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of any revised cash limits for his Department's Votes in respect of university funding in 1988–89.

Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary Supplementary Estimate, the cash limit on class XII, vote 3 is being revised to take account of an increase of £3·1 million in respect of pay for clinical academic staff. This increase takes account of the related increase for the hospital and community health service in respect of the recommendations of the Doctors and Dentists Review Body. It is based on the premise that academic staff will be reimbursed in appropriate circumstances through the National Health Service for two thirds of their defence body subscriptions. The effect of the change is as follows:

Class	Vote	Description of expenditure	Current cash limit £000	Revised cash limit £000
XII	3	Universities, etc.	1,840,463	1,843,563

The increase will be charged to the Reserve, so will not add to the public expenditure planning total.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is in a position to make a statement on the future disposition of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy air-sea rescue detachments in the United Kingdom.

Some parts of our review of the most effective deployment of Royal Air Force and Royal Navy search and rescue helicopters have been completed and announced. Studies into the deployment of the remaining aircraft continue, and I shall tell the House the outcome as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has about the function of the additional operational facilities at the United States naval security group activity, Edzell, Scotland, for which funds of $4·2 million were provided in the United States fiscal year 1988 budget.

I understand that funds were requested by the United States navy to provide an extension to an existing building to provide more space for communications facilities, but that the project has been delayed pending complete funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there are any plans to replace the Hunter and Canberra aircraft currently in service with the fleet requirements and air direction unit by civilian-registered aircraft.

There are at present no plans to replace these aircraft with civilian-registered aircraft.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Falcon 20DC aircraft are provided to support military training under the terms of his Department's contract with Flight Refuelling Ltd. for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit; and whether the contract gives his Department exclusive use of those aircraft.

There are 16 Falcon 20 aircraft used to support military training. The Department has first call, but use is not exclusive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Dassault Falcon 20DC aircraft are operated by the fleet requirements and air direction unit; when these aircraft entered service; and which type of military aircraft they replaced.

The fleet requirements and air direction unit operates 16 Falcon 20 aircraft. They entered service between February 1985 and February 1987 and they replaced a number of the Hunter and Canberra aircraft used to support military training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department's current contract with Flight Refuelling Ltd. for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit expires.

There are three current contracts which expire in 1992.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what responsibility he has for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit.

The Secretary of State for Defence is responsible for the operation of the fleet requirements and air direction unit, which provides a service to national and NATO forces under the control of the flag officer naval air command. It is manned and operated under contract to the MOD by Flight Refuelling Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what disciplinary action was taken against the aircrew of the United States Air Force F111 aircraft involved in a low-flying incident over Benbecula on 12 September 1983.

Disciplinary action following a breach of flying regulations is a matter for the operation nation. My Department has been informed by the United States authorities that appropriate action was taken with regard to this incident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defenc what changes have been made to the regulations governing military flying activity in the vicinity of RAF Benbecula since September 1983.

It is not possible without disproportionate effort to list all changes since September 1983 to the regulations governing military flying activity which might have affected flying in the vicinity of RAF Benbecula.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many United Kingdom aircraft engaged in low-flying military exercises in West Germany below 1,000 m in the last year for which figures are available.

This information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) of 8 February, Official Report, column 81, whether the regulations controlling the use of Army vehicles on public roads in the hours of darkness without lights also apply to vehicles belonging to United States military forces stationed in the United Kingdom.

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 identified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The cost of foreign air travel by MOD Ministers and their personal staffs during 1987–88 was approximately £69,000, excluding ministerial use of air transport provided by the RAF which is not separately identifiable.Records are not maintained in a way which would provide separate information on other forms of travel by Ministers or overseas travel by civil servants. The MOD travel votes cover travel by service men as well as civilians and make no distinction between domestic and overseas travel.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Government spending is cash limited, and what are the main categories which are not.

Some £63 billion—just over 40 per cent. of the 1988–89 public expenditure planning total of £156·8 billion—is covered by cash limits. In addition, a further £12 billion of expenditure, which mostly finances expenditure included in the planning total, is covered by cash limits. The main categories which are not subject to cash limits are demand-led services (such as supplementary benefits, where once policy and rates of payments have been determined expenditure depends on factors such as the number of claimants coming forward), local authority current expenditure (although most central Government grants to local authorities are covered by cash limits) and the financing of most public corporations (nationalised industries are subject to external financing limits). The coverage of cash limits is discussed more fully in chapter 3 of the "Supply Estimates 1988–89: Summary and Guide" (Cm 328).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of Government spending is voted by Parliament; and what are the main categories of expenditure outside this.

The 1988–89 main Supply Estimates seek parliamentary authority for some £83 billion—just over 50 per cent. of the 1988–89 public expenditure planning total of £156·8 billion. In addition a further £25 billion of expenditure in 1988–89 main Estimates will finance payments to bodies whose own expenditure is counted in the planning total. The main categories of expenditure not voted by Parliament are local authority expenditure (although central Government grants to local authorities are included in Supply Estimates), social security expenditure financed directly from the national insurance fund, some payments made direct from the Consolidated Fund, such as contributions to the European Community, and net borrowing by most public corporations. These relationships are set out more fully in the "Supply Estimates 1988–89: Summary and Guide" (Cm 328).

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

The Ecofin Council met in Luxembourg on 18 April. I represented the United Kingdom.The chairman of the Community's economic policy committee presented a preliminary report on economic aspects of the Commission's proposals for abolishing fiscal frontiers. Finance Ministers gave some preliminary views on the report and agreed to discuss the issues further at their informal meeting in May.In discussion on implementation of the February European Council conclusions on budget discipline, the Council approved in principle a provisional text of a decision on controlling agricultural guarantee and other obligatory expenditure. The Council also agreed possible elements for a draft inter-institutional agreement between the Council, the European Parliament and the Commission on the development of non-obligatory expenditure over the period 1988 to 1992. Negotiations between representatives of the three institutions are due to take place on 22 April.The Council received reports by the chairmen of the monetary committee and Committee of Central Bank Governors on the Commission's proposals to liberalise capital movements in the Community. The Council identified a number of issues which Finance Ministers will discuss further.The Council agreed in substance a derogation for a reduced rate of excise duty for imports of DOM rum into mainland France.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in establishing the regulatory regime for the wholesale markets under section 3 of the Financial Services Act.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 July 1987, c. 231–321]:The Bank of England has now published a paper setting out in detail how it intends to supervise the wholesale markets in sterling, foreign exchange and bullion, together with a copy of the first list of exempted persons established for the purposes of section 43 of the Financial Services Act. Much of the regime, including the Bank's code of conduct defining best market practice, is now operative, although those aspects directly related to the Financial Services Act will come into effect with that Act on 29 April.In my written answer of 22 July 1987 to my hon. Friend set out the conditions that the Bank of England intended to impose for admission to its list, and the arrangements for admission to and removal from it, which had been approved by the Treasury. A small number of technical changes have been made to those conditions and arrangements. The revised version of the conditions and arrangements is set out in the Bank's paper; a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Custodians of Enemy Property are to continue to preserve enemy assets.

The Custodians of Enemy Property were asked three years ago to sell all valuable securities which were vested in them. Efforts have recently been made, with some success, to trace and pay the original owners of vested property and those to whom money was originally due, or their successors in title. The custodians have been from time to time directed to pay into the Exchequer money held in the name of former enemies who could not be traced and this process has now been completed.If a belated claim is now made, any person who proves himself to be an original owner or creditor, or the successor in title to an original owner or creditor, will be paid out of moneys voted by Parliament the amount paid into the Exchequer. This undertaking does not extend to cases where a foreign Government have agreed to meet claims of this kind by their nationals.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, pursuant to his statement on shipbuilding on 18 April, Official Report, column 554, he has anything further to add on the position of the Danish ferry contract with North East Shipbuilders Ltd.

There has been considerable difficulty with the Danish customer in recent months, arising mainly from the non-payment of instalments. Two weeks ago British Shipbuilders issued a formal demand that the outstanding payments be made by midnight on 20 April. That deadline passed with no payments having been made, and so BS has now cancelled contracts for five of the ferries. North East Shipbuilders will complete the vessels. The other contracts continue as normal.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what guarantees have been given to British Aerospace regarding Her Majesty's Government's future policy towards voluntary restraint agreements with Japan on motor vehicles.

None.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether Her Majesty's Government have given any undertakings to British Aerospace about the Government's future attitude to the voluntary restraint arrangement covering cars and commercial vehicles from Japan.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88, indentified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The estimated costs of foreign travel by my Department in 1978–88 are about £33,000 for Ministers and their immediate staff and £240,000 for other staff, of which £10,800 and £26,700 respectively will be refunded by the EC.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what plans he has to mark the European Community and Council of Europe's European Cinema and Television Year 1988, and particularly, European Cinema Day on 16 June.

The Government are grateful for the energetic efforts of the national committee for European Cinema and Television Year, which I appointed last year, to arrange a small, high-profile series of events backed by our cinema and broadcasting industries to celebrate European Cinema and Television Year in the United Kingdom. I have arranged for copies of the programme of events which they and many other cinema and television interests in the United Kingdom are arranging during 1988 to be placed in the Library of the House.The celebration of European Cinema Day on 16 June is a matter for individual cinema owners to decide. I understand however that the Odeon cinema chain is planning to celebrate European Cinema Day during the week of 16 June by opening the projection rooms at some of its cinemas to the public.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the current state of trade relations with Togo; and if he has plans to improve them.

The level of United Kingdom-Togolese trade is relatively low (in 1987 United Kingdom imports were £2·6 million; United Kingdom exports were £15·4 million), reflecting Togo's current economic difficulties. However, the country remains a useful market for British exporters and it is hoped that our trading links can be maintained and developed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 indentified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The costs of travel and subsistence allowances incurred by the DTI on overseas visits during 1987–88 was:

	£000
Ministers and staff in their private offices	148
Remainder of the Department	3,611
	3,759

Certain of the costs are recoverable from the European Community and £299,000 was recovered during 1987–88.

To ask the Prime Minister what is her normal practice for dealing with mail addressed to her by right hon. and hon. Members; and if she will make a statement.

I receive an enormous number of letters every week — currently some 5,000 — from Members of Parliament and others. It is not possible for me to deal with all these letters personally, and I must accordingly refer most of them to the Minister and the Department with the responsibility for the policy in question.

To ask the Prime Minister when she last travelled by British Rail on official business.

In February 1987.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the number of staff employed on an agency basis by the House of Commons Commission.

Agency staff are employed on a regular basis in the Refreshment Department to replace permanent staff who are absent as a result of illness, and so on. In the main they cover the duties of porters, general assistants and waiters-waitresses. On average, some 21 such agency staff are employed per week during the period when the House is sitting.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, if he will give the number of staff employed by the House of Commons Commission who have left in the last 12 months.

The number of staff employed by the Commission who have resigned, retired or died in the 12-month period 1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988 is 125.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what was the number of hours of overtime worked by staff employed by the House of Commons Commission in the last year.

The information is not available centrally in the form requested and, because overtime is paid at different rates, it could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The total charge for all overtime paid to House of Commons staff in 1987–88 was £215,503. This figure does not include various night, late duty and shift allowances paid to staff which together amounted to £449,791.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what is the average hourly rate paid to staff employed on an hourly basis by the House of Commons Commission; and what is the average hourly rate paid to staff employed on an agency basis by the Commission.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will state the total costs incurred by the Privy Council Office on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88 identified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

No costs were incurred by the Privy Council Office on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has raised with the Soviet authorities the case of Sergei Zherdev; and if he will make a statement.

We regularly make representations to the Soviet authorities on behalf of refuseniks such as Sergei Zherdev. My right hon. and learned Friend again raised the issue of Soviet citizens denied permission to emigrate in February during his talks with Mr. Shevardnadze in Moscow.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the current state of relations with Togo including diplomatic representation; and if he has any plans to improve them.

The United Kingdom enjoys good relations with Togo. The British high commissioner in Accra is also Her Majesty's ambassador to Togo. There are no present plans to change this.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the main achievements of his Department since 1979 with regard to the European Community.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Patnick) on 19 April.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what representations Her Majesty's ambassador to Chile has made regarding freedom of expression and association in Chile in the period before the elections, and the conditions in which the opposition operate;(2) what representations he has made to the Chilean Government on the presidential elections with regard to freedom of choice to Chilean citizens and the free conduct of any electoral campaign.

My right hon. and learned Friend and I made our views on these matters known directly to the Chilean Foreign Minister last October, as did my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, both privately and publicly, during his own visit to Chile in January. Our ambassador in Santiago also discusses them frequently with the Chilean Government. I refer the hon. Member, additionally, to the statement made by the 12 members of the European Community on 9 October 1987, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. We believe it would help considerably if the Chilean Government lifted the state of emergency in advance of the plebiscite to allow the democratic opposition greater freedom to campaign peacefully.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88, identified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The forecast outturn for spending on ministerial travel by both wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in the financial year 1987–88 is estimated to be £0·8 million and for travel abroad by civil servants £12·2 million. These figures exclude transfer and leave journeys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he has had any meetings with, made approaches to, or received approaches from Dr. Jonas Savimbi or representatives of UNITA since 1983;(2) what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards UNITA.

There has been occasional contact with UNITA representatives at official level for humanitarian reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on recent diplomatic initiatives seeking an end to the civil war in Angola.

We wish to see all foreign troops withdrawn from Angola, and support the United States-led negotiations as the most practical means of ending the civil war.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has ma de of the implications for stability in Southern Africa of South Africa's policy towards Angola.

South Africa's present policy towards Angola contributes to instability in Southern Africa. We have called repeatedly upon South Africa to withdraw its forces from Angola and to respect Angola's territorial integrity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he has recently made any approaches to, or received approaches from, the Soviet Union with regard to a peaceful settlement in Angola;(2) when he last discussed Angola with the Government of the Soviet Union.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) on 2 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has recently made any approaches to, or received approaches from the South African Government with regard to a peaceful settlement in Angola.

We regularly point out to the South African Government the need for a peaceful settlement and for the withdrawal of their troops from Angola.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications for stability in southern Africa of the Soviet Union's policy towards Angola.

The Soviet Union is well aware of our view that the stability of the region would be significantly improved by a negotiated end to the war in Angola involving the withdrawal of all foreign troops.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received the Barnes report on research and development in the agriculture industry; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, but in other respects I cannot yet add to the reply given to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo) on 1 March at column 546.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the area of land approved for foresty grant-aid in each of the six years to 31 March in each county in England.

The information is not readily available by counties, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to the answer of 13 April, Official Report, column 156, in respect of how many of the 132 incidents of honey bee poisoning in England and Wales arising from the misuse of pesticides, offenders have been detected and prosecuted, and how many of the honey bee owners have sought compensation for the damage to their bees and produce.

[holding answer 21 April 1988]: While our investigation arrangements are able to determine pathological effect and its causes, they do not directly establish whether a case arose through pesticide misuse or whether an offence has been committed under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. No prosecutions have taken place to date relating to the poisoning of honey bees.I am unable to say how many of the honey bees' owners have sought compensation for the damage to their bees and produce, since such action falls within the province of the civil law.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the purpose of the EEC proposal to levy a tax on imported canary seed, buckwheat and millet; what would be the amount of the proposed tax; and whether Her Majesty's Government treat this proposal as falling to be considered under the Single European Act by majority vote.

[holding answer 21 April 1988]: The Commission is proposing to align import levies on canary seed, buckwheat and millet with those on barley; it has argued that the existing arrangements, under which separate import levies are fixed for each of these cereals, is difficult to monitor, given the limited quantities traded on the world market, and that its proposal would simplify the system. Current rates of levy are £66·83 per tonne for buckwheat, £95·61 per tonne for millet and £42·69 per tonne for canary seed; if the Commission's proposal was adopted all these cereals would be subject to the import levy for barley, which currently stands at £115·23 per tonne. The proposal is made under article 43 of the treaty of Rome, and as such may be adopted by a qualified majority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to paragraph 2·8 of the paper entitled "Training for Employment", if he will publish (a) the breakdown of the 700,000 vacancies by standard region and (b) the breakdown by standard region of the socio-economic, and industrial groups of the 7·5 million recruits; and if he will place a copy of the full report from IFF Research Ltd. in the Library.

Results of the recent survey by IFF Research Limited were published in the April 1988 edition of Employment Gazette, a copy of which is in the Library. This includes some analysis by region, and also by occupation, of the approximately 7·4 million vacancies filled during 1987. The nature of the survey limits the scope for more detailed analysis. The estimate of 700,000 vacancies in a typical month cannot be broken down reliably by region because of the seasonal nature of the data collected in January. A full report on the survey is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the Health and Safety Executive's estimate of the number of CIMAH small inventory top tier sites, SITTS, which have been removed from liability under the control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations since 1986; how many of the remaining small inventory top tier sites have submitted emergency plans and issued information to the public; and if he will make a statement.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is not aware of any small inventory top tier sites which have been removed from liability under the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations since 1986.The HSE is aware of 21 small inventory top tier sites where the occupiers have completed offsite emergency plans and 14 sites where information has been issued to the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on age discrimination by employers; and what steps have been taken by his Department to discourage such discrimination.

The Government believe that employers should select applicants for jobs on the basis of suitability. Where employers impose age limits, staff in jobcentres and the Professional and Executive Recruitment offices may ask them to consider whether they are justified. However, age can in certain circumstances have a bearing on suitability and employers are normally in the best position to judge if this is so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he anticipates announcing the first institution to be involved in the Manpower Services Commission-sponsored Enterprise in Higher Education projects.

It is anticipated that an announcement will be made in July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to which companies are blacklisted by the Trades Union Congress.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the qualifications obtained by those trainees on YTS scheme who have stayed into their second year.

A list of qualifications obtained by YTS trainees who stayed into their second year is given in the table.A national survey of trainees who stayed into their second year shows that 98 per cent. of all trainees had trained for a qualification during their first year on the scheme and 54 per cent. of all trainees had gained a qualification. The significant number of trainees gaining qualifications through YTS represents an important step towards the Government's target that all young people should enter the labour market with a qualification.

Survey of YTS trainees entering their second year of training by September 1987
Percentage of all trainees gaining a qualification by type of qualification gained1
	Percentage
RSA Basic	5
RSA/Pitmans grade 1	10
RSA or Pitmans 2/3	3
City and Guilds foundation/general	17
City and Guilds grade 1 or above	27
BTeC general or first cert	9
BTeC national or TeC 2	3
SCOTVEC modules	8
CPVE	1
Academic (CSE/GCE etc)	9
Others	28
1 Some trainees obtained more than one qualification. (Mainly qualifications awarded by industry training boards.)

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of black participants get jobs on leaving the YTS.

The latest results from the Manpower Services Commission's follow-up survey of all YTS leavers show that 42 per cent. of black participants who left YTS schemes between April 1986 and October 1987 were in jobs at the time of the surveys.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a breakdown of the occupations of those on the enterprise allowance scheme.

The table shows the breakdown of businesses run by entrants to the enterprise allowance scheme in the 1987–88 financial year.

Business	Percentage
Agriculture, forestry, fishing	2·28
Manufacturing	26·11
Distribution	24·06
Hotels and Catering	0·88
Repair of Goods	0·36
Transport	4·44
Business Services	8·49
Other business services	29·54
Not elsewhere classified	3·84

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why the recent compact initiative was restricted to 12 areas and if he will consider extending it to any area which requests one.

We are offering support to 15 inner city compacts (including two in Scotland and one in Wales) in order to test the concept in areas of greatest need. If large numbers of viable proposals are put forward, we shall review the scale of future funding.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the headings of Manpower Services Commission expenditure from 1979 to date.

The headings of MSC expenditure from 1979 to date can be found in the Supply Estimates for those years, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all Manpower Services Commission run or funded courses from 1979 to the current date.

The Manpower Services Commission has run or funded a large variety of courses and programmes since 1979. A comprehensive list of all courses and programmes run since 1979 can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy towards Manpower Services Commission involvement in industrial relations training.

The Manpower Services Commission is involved in industrial relations training as part of its work in management training and development. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State considers proposals from the Manpower Services Commission on these, and other areas, on their merits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the relationship between the Manpower Services Commission and the industrial relations training resource centre;(2) what public funds are provided to the industrial relations training resource centre; and from what sources;(3) what relationship the Manpower Services Commission has with

The Industrial Relations Training Resource Centre no longer exists, but its work is continued by the organisation known as Employment Relations Associates. The Oxford Centre for Management Studies has now been subsumed within Templeton college.The Commission has contracts with both bodies for management development projects. It is understood that Employment Relations Associates receives no other public funds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures and initiatives are being undertaken in the north-west to attract investment capital and industry; and if he will publish a table of capital investment in real terms showing the percentage increase this sum represents from May 1979 to the latest available date.

I have been asked to reply.My Department offers a range of incentives under its recently launched enterprise initiative which are designed to encourage industrial and commercial development in the north-west and elsewhere. The information sought by the hon. Member about capital investment is as follows. For the standard economic planning region of the northwest (which excludes Cumbria) the figures in the table imply the following percentage changes in manufacturing net capital expenditure from the 1979 base year figure of £971 million.

£ million (1979 prices)
Calendar year	Expenditure	Per cent. change since 1979
1980	864	-11·0
1981	609	-37·3
1982	566	-41·7
1983	594	-38·8
1984	664	-31·6
1985	700	-27·9
1986	606	-37·6

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of recent research undertaken amongst drug addicts by the communicable disease surveillance unit in Glasgow, he will now introduce legislation to make the passing of HIV infection knowingly or deliberately a criminal offence; and if he will make a statement.

As my hon. Friend is aware, we have considered most carefully whether to propose new offences of this kind. For the present, however, it is still our conclusion that new offences would not materially assist in preventing the transmission of the virus and could discourage potential carriers from coming forward for testing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now issue his observations on the petition from pensioners from Nottingham, North constituency presented to the House on 28 March.

As we have made clear to the House on a number of occasions, we do not consider that there is a good case for providing free or concessionary television licences for all pensioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what access (a) police officers, and (b) Government agencies have to copies or originals of (i) computerised logs of telephone calls kept at new digital exchanges, and (ii) computerised logs of calls kept at individual switchboards.

I refer the hon. Member to the provisions of the Interception of Communications Act 1985.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans for the new EEC British passport to be issued from the Petty France office.

Our present plans are for the London passport office to be computerised, and to begin issuing the new version of the British passport, machine-readable, and in the EC common format, from December 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the numbers of prisoners on remand transferred from London courts to Doncaster police cells; what types of offences they have been charged with; and how many are in each category.

On Wednesday 20 April, 24 prisoners remanded in custody by courts in the London area were held in police cells in Doncaster. Ten of these prisoners had been charged with theft, five with burglary, four with robbery and firearms offences, three with occasioning actual bodily harm and two with drug-related offences.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how he intends to reduce prison overcrowding in respect of Leeds prison; what information he has about the current level of overcrowding at that prison; and if he will make a statement.

On 19 April 1,354 prisoners were held at Her Majesty's prison Leeds compared with a certified normal accommodation of 642.Leeds prison, in common with other local prisons, is seriously overcrowded. We have sought to provide such measures of relief as is possible under present circumstances by diverting some remand prisoners elsewhere and by a sustained effort to move convicted prisoners to training establishments as soon as places become available.In the longer term, Leeds prison will also benefit from the prison building programme. Five hundred and forty-two new places will be provided at the prison in early 1991. As well as providing some additional accommodation, this will enable a programme of refurbishment of the existing blocks to proceed. Redevelopment will be completed by late 1996.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to whether the late Michael Ryan used firearms possessed by police officers of the Thames Valley police on any occasion.

The chief constable of Thames Valley has no information to that effect.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call on a report from the chief constable of Thames Valley police as to on how many occasions the Police Complaints Board had submitted requests for files and papers or information to the chief constable in the course of investigating complaints made into events (a) leading up to and (b) involving the shootings by the late Michael Ryan on 19 August 1987, and as to what response he has made, giving dates on which such material was submitted.

I understand from the chief constable that the investigation is being carried out under the supervision of the Police Complaints Authority; there is frequent discussion between the investigation team and the authority about the course of the investigation and the evidence to be obtained.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in the light of distress caused to young people who attended Alice Cooper concerts, he will seek powers to require the codification of live performances so that the public and parents may be better informed when deciding whether to attend.

District and London borough councils have power in licensing premises for public entertainment under the Local Government (Miscellaneous) Provisions Act 1982 and the London Government Act 1963, to impose conditions concerning the nature of entertainments permitted on those premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the total costs incurred by his Department on foreign travel during the financial year 1987–88, indentified by (a) ministerial travel and (b) travel abroad by civil servants.

The expenditure in 1987–88 was aproximately (a) £36,000 by Ministers; and (b) £464,000 by officials.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the total numbers of persons who were on temporary admission to the United Kingdom in (a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987 and (d) since 1 January respectively.

[holding answer 18 April 1988]: In 1987, a total of 7,517 persons were granted temporary admission to the United Kingdom: information for the first quarter of 1988 is not yet available. The figures for 1985 and 1986 were on a different basis which separately identified those granted temporary admission being further examination, from those granted temporary admission after being refused entry, with the result that those granted temporary admission under both circumstances were counted twice. The figures are as follows; comprehensive data are not available for the first three months of 1985.

Number of passengers granted temporary admission
Year	Pending further exmination	After being refused entry
1985 April to December	6,746	6,595
1986	12,414	10,757

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for visitors' visas, were refused in the United Kingdom posts in (a) Bombay, (b) New Dehli, (c) Dacca, (d) Islamabad and (e) Calcutta in (i) 1985, (ii) 1986, (iii) 1987 and (iv) since 1 January, respectively.

[holding answer 18 April]:The information requested for 1985–87 is given in the following table; the corresponding information for the first quarter of 1988 is not yet available. Since 15 October 1986, citizens of India, Bangladesh and Pakistan wishing to visit the United Kingdom have been required to obtain a visa before setting out. Before that date, the examination of a passenger's eligibility for entry normally took place on arrival at a United Kingdom port although it was open to a visitor to apply for an optional entry clearance at a post overseas. The increase in refusals of visit entry clearances at posts in the Indian sub-continent since October 1986 has therefore been accompanied by a fall of results at the ports. Congestion at the ports has been substantially reduced, as I explained in answer to a Question from the hon. Member for Westminster, North (Mr. Wheeler) on 29 March, column 387.

Persons refused a visit entry clearance
Post	1985	1986		1987
		January to September	October to December
Bombay	50	30	100	1,100
New Dehli	80	90	360	3,620
Calcutta	1—	10	1—	90
Dhaka	560	350	600	1,670
Islamabad	40	20	440	5,230
1 Five or fewer

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further action he proposes to take to (a) increase crime prevention measures and (b) reduce the incidence of offences of public order.

[holding answer 19 April]: A wide range of crime prevention initiatives are successfully underway to both national and local level. The energy and enthusiasm of those concerned is evident and we are determined that this should be further encouraged and that where initiatives are successful in preventing crime and in reducing the fear of crime, experience and good practice is made known to all.At national level, the ministerial group on crime prevention and the standing conference on crime prevention have important roles in co-ordinating policies and exchanging ideas. The new national crime prevention publicity campaign, launched last month, will run for the next three years. The handbook, "Practical Ways to Crack Crime", launched as part of the campaign, is full of practical crime prevention measures for all members and sectors of the community.To support and encourage local crime prevention activity, including neighbourhood watch, we will shortly announce details of a new crime prevention organisation.Our safer cities programme, launched last month as part of the Government's action for cities initiative, will build on and take further a wide range of earlier work which has shown what can be done to prevent crime by concerted and determined local action. Twenty safer cities projects will be established over a three year period in high crime urban areas.The Public Order Act 1986 strengthened the law on public order in many respects. We have put before Parliament proposals to improve controls on the possession of firearms and shotguns, to prohibit the sale of specified offensive weapons, and to make it an offence to be in possession of a knife in a public place without good reason. We shall continue to strengthen the police to enable them to deal effectively with public order offences as well as other crimes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to whether the London Evening Standard was advised in advance by the Metropolitan police of the raid on alleged Jamaica-based racketeers on the night of 13–14 April what procedures for prior notification of the media about police activity which may lead to arrests in the presence of representatives of broadcasting and newspapers; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the London Evening Standard was advised in advance that a police operation of this kind was to take place. Detailed information on the nature of the operation and the location was not provided to it until the raid occurred.Decisions of this kind are operational ones for the chief officer concerned. I understand that the Metropolitan Police practice is to give advance notification to the media when, having balanced the need to inform the public against the interests of the individuals involved, this seems the most appropriate course of action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the chiropody service;(2) if he will make a statement on the future of the chiropody profession.(3) if he will make a statement on the future of the chiropody profession.(4) when he intends to reply to the questions tabled by the hon. Member for Bournemouth, East on the future of the chiropody services in January and February; and if he will give the reasons for the delay.

We have been considering various issues concerning chiropody in the light of the comments sought from health authorities on the Cartwright report on the chiropody needs of the elderly, "More Trouble with Feet", published in September 1986. I regret that this has led to a delay in replying to my hon. Friend's earlier questions. I hope shortly to do so more fully, but I should make it clear that, in the absence of agreement within the profession itself, we have no plans for legislation on the issue of protection of title. We have indicated in the White Paper "Promoting Better Health" that we see a place for chiropody within the primary care team in future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish the levels of staff employed in the Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale Health Authority Area working with (a) mentally handicapped and (b) mentally ill patients for each year from 1979 to 1987, inclusive.

Information held centrally is as follows:

Medical and Nursing Staff employed in Mental Illness and Mental Handicap, areas of work Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale district health authority at 30 September of each year1
whole-time equivalents2
Year	Mental illness	Mental handicap
1982	200	737
1983	221	730
1984	224	745
1985	219	831
1986	230	844
Source: DHSS Annual Censuses of NHS Medical and Non-Medical Manpower.
1 Includes medical permanent paid and honorary staff. Excludes locums. Excludes consultants and senior registrars whose contracts arc held by the Regional Health Authority. Excludes agency nursing and midwifery staff.
2 All figures are individually rounded to the nearest (10) ten whole-time equivalents.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what warning his Department makes available to pregnant nurses about the risks of cytomegalovirus in the course of their caring for AIDS patients;

The scientific advice which the Department has received is that cytomegalovirus does not present an occupational hazard to nurses or other female staff caring for patients with CMV infection, including patients with AIDS.Studies of hospital nurses working with patients known to be excreting cytomegalovirus have shown no increased risk of infection in these nurses compared with women of similar ages working in other occupations.The most effective means by which all women, including nurses, who are either pregnant or planning a pregnancy, can protect themselves from infection with cytomegalovirus is by careful attention to personal hygiene, for example, hand washing. This is basic to standard safe working practices for all nursing staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the buildings and land in the ownership of the National Health Service for which he has given permission to be sold off in the last 10 years.

Notifications of abortions carried out under the Abortion Act 1967 in Great Britain, by age, region of usual residence and category of premises
Numbers and percentages	1971, 1981, 1986
	Age group				Category of premises
	under 16	16–19	20–34	35 and over	NHS	per cent.	non-NHS	per cent.	Total
Year 1986
Great Britain	4,547	40,409	114,296	22,561	76,882	42·3	104,953	57·7	181,835
England and Wales	4,240	37,897	108,542	21,585	67,529	39·2	104,757	60·8	172,286
Scotland	307	2,512	5,754	976	9,353	97·9	196	2·1	9,549
Area of usual residence
Wales	179	1,700	3,943	924	4,083	60·5	2,663	39·5	6,746
Regional Health Authority:
Northern	257	1,600	3,667	739	5,347	85·4	916	14·6	6,263
Yorkshire	296	2,248	4,924	1,048	3,252	38·2	5,265	61·8	8,517
Trent	417	2,737	6,244	1,391	6,251	57·9	4,540	42·1	10,791
East Anglian	176	1,177	2,633	676	3,750	80·4	912	19·6	4,662
North West Thames	185	2,640	11,100	1,841	5,721	36·3	10,049	63·7	15,770
North East Thames	277	3,225	11,704	1,890	7,870	46·0	9,233	54·0	17,103
South East Thames	254	2,775	9,356	1,415	5,592	40·5	8,210	59·5	13,802
South West Thames	197	2,036	6,597	1,351	3,546	34·8	6,637	65·2	10,183
Wessex	241	1,858	3,958	886	2,974	42·8	3,969	57·2	6,943
Oxford	190	1,661	4,094	892	3,550	51·9	3,288	48·1	6,838
South Western	227	1,773	3,909	903	5,154	75·7	1,658	24·3	6,812
West Midlands	534	3,991	9,278	1,981	2,923	18·5	12,862	81·5	15,785
Mersey	140	1,728	4,218	739	3,089	45·3	3,736	54·7	6,825
North Western	324	2,670	6,352	1,231	4,349	41·1	6,230	58·9	10,579
District Health Authority:
Doncaster	35	206	464	88	578	72·9	215	27·1	793
Year 1981
Great Britain	4,151	39,102	103,935	23,631	70,087	40·9	101,400	59·I	171,487
England and Wales	3,949	36,623	98,773	22,467	61,276	37·7	101,204	62·3	162,480
Scotland	202	2,479	5,162	1,164	8,811	97·8	196	2·2	9,007
Area of usual residence
Wales	154	1,621	3,432	1,121	3,757	59·2	2,584	40·8	6,341
Regional Health Authority:
Northern	200	1,548	3,037	749	4,913	88·5	641	11·5	5,554
Yorkshire	266	1,985	4,086	1,104	2,961	39·6	4,511	60·4	7,472