To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department maintains any central record of assaults on police officers in England and Wales.

Information is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", (supplementary tables volumes 1 and 11) copies of which are in the Library, of assaults on police officers which result in proceedings for that specific offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether police forces in England and Wales are required to maintain records of assaults on police officers; and in what format.

There is no requirement for police forces to maintain records of assaults on police officers. The majority of forces do keep such records though in differing formats, and HMCI constabulary is now considering with ACPO the possibility of standardising recording practice.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Metropolitan police officers were assaulted in the execution of their duty in each of the last five years.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the number of Metropolitan police officers recorded by the force as having been assaulted in the execution of their duty in each of the last five years was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for asylum were received in each of the last five years; of which countries the applicants were citizens; and which applications were successful.

Information on applications for refugee status and their outcome, by nationality, for 1979 to 1984 was published in tables 5A–5F of Home Office statistical bulletin "Refugee Statistics United Kingdom, 1985" (issue 12/86). The corresponding figures for 1985 (which have been revised since the issue of that bulletin) and 1986 were published in tables 6 and 7 of the corresponding bulletin for 1986 (issue 13/87). Copies of these publications are in the Library. The figures for 1987 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage increase in police pay for each year since 1974.

The increases in the pay of police officers below the rank of superintendent have been as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present annual salary of a police constable in his or her first year of work (a) in London and (b) outside London.

The basic annual salary for police constables in all forces during their first year of service is £8,352 for those who were under the age of 22 on joining the service and £10,512 for those who were aged 22 or over. All officers receive free accommodation or rent allowance in lieu, which varies from force to force. Police constables in London get an additional £945 in London weighting and £1,011 in London allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Brent, East of 14 March, Official Report, columns 423–24, if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to when a decision was taken not to refer the matter of the loss of documents to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

No; in the circumstances set out in my reply to the hon. Member on 14 March the question of referring the matter to the Director of Public Prosections did not arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish tables in the Official Report to show for the area covered by the Cheshire constabulary for each calendar year since 1 January 1979 the number of and types of firearms certificates issued by the Cheshire constabulary itemising (a) rifles up to ·230in or 6mm, (b) rifles over ·230in or 6mm, (c) rifles over ·22in which are of self-loading rifle type, (d) rifles over ·22in of non self-loading rifle type, (e) pistols and revolvers up to ·230in or 6mm, (f) pistols and revolvers over ·230in or 6mm, (g) pistols and revolvers over ·22 in non-semiautomatic, (h) pistols and revolvers over ·22in semi-automatic, (i) humane killers, (j) signal pistols and mini-flare projectors, (k) smooth bore guns of under ·24in barrel length, (l) rifle/shotgun combinations and (m) dangerous air weapons and CO2 guns.

Statistics on the issue of firearm certificates are published by the chief constable of Cheshire in his annual reports, copies of which are available in the Library. More detailed information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) in relation to the administration of the Firearms Act 1968 in Gwent as it affects the issue of firearms certificates, how many (a) applications were received for grant, (b) applications were subsequently withdrawn by the applicant, (c) applications were received for renewal, (d) applications were subsequently withdrawn by the applicant, (e) certificates were in force on 1 January, and (f) certificates were granted for each calendar year since 1979, inclusive;(2) in relation to the administration of the Firearms Act in Gwent as it affects the issue of shotgun certificates, how many

Statistics on the issue of firearm and shotgun certificates are published by the chief constable of Gwent in his annual report, copies of which are available in the Library. More detailed information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the principal recommendations of the McKay report on firearms.

I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question of 7 March 1988 at column 5.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of police officers in service in England and Wales at the beginning of each decade; and what proportion of police officers to population this represented.

The information conveniently available, save that for 1987, is taken from reports of Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to amend the Forgery Act, or to introduce legislation in the light of the decision of the House of Lords on 21 April that computer hacking is not a criminal breach of the Forgery Act.

My right hon. Friend is awaiting the Law Commission's report on computer-related crime before reaching any conclusion on whether further legislation is necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will publish the report of the ministerial group on alcohol misuse on young people and alcohol.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 19 January at columns 646–47. Action has since been taken to amend the Licensing Bill to tighten the offence of selling alcohol to under-age drinkers, to increase penalties for those found guilty of doing so and to make it an offence for wholesalers to sell alcohol to people under 18. Consultations are in progress on implementing in the United Kingdom the European Community directive requiring strength labelling of alcoholic drinks. The IBA and the Advertising Standards Authority are reviewing in conjunction with the industry their codes of practice on advertising alcohol. The BBC and IBA are reviewing the portrayal of alcohol in general TV programming. Consideration is being given to various longer-term measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be answering the letter from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East, sent to his private office of 14 December 1987, regarding the application of registration as a British citizen by Mr. Cyrille Regis; if he expects the application to be completed by 4 May; and if he will make a statement.

We do not appear to have received the hon. Member's letter. Mr. Regis's application has been granted, and his certificate of registration will be sent to him this week.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to allocate an increasing priority for resettlement to refugees from closed camps in Hong Kong in proportion to the increasing length of their internment; and if he will make a statement..

Policy on the admission of Vietnamese refugees from Hong Kong remains as set out in the reply my right hon. Friend gave to questions from my hon. Friend the Member for Rochford (Dr. Clark) and the then hon. Member for Battersea, Mr. Alf Dubs, on 8 May 1987 at column 549.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1987, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

[holding answer 30 March 1988]: The following contracts were awarded to management or computer consultancy firms by the Home Office in 1987:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total amount spent by his Department in 1987 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases.

[holding answer 29 March 1988]: The Home Office spent approximately £3,316,000 on management and computer consultancies in 1987.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the accumulated deficit on the Severn bridge by 31 March.

The estimated accumulated deficiency at 31 March 1988 was about £75 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has about the level of the administrative charge made for issuing retirement pensioners concessionary travel passes in London; what is the reason for the charge; how it is calculated; by how much it has changed since the last review; and if he will make a statement.

The present concessionary travel arrangements for pensioners on LRT services in London are provided by agreement between LRT and the London local authorities. Permits continue to be issued free of charge to pensioners. I understand that certain of the administrative costs incurred by LRT and the Post Office are reimbursed by the participating local authorities who also fund the cost of the concession.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects construction work to be completed on stages 1 and 2 of the A629-A650 Airedale route.

The terms of the contracts provide for works to be completed on stage 1 in September this year and stage 2 in January 1989. Good progress is being made. I hope that the roads will be open to traffic in advance of these dates. It is too early yet to give firm opening dates.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to change the current standard of the entry examination for the register of approved driving instructors; and if he will make a statement.

We are discussing with the national associations that represent driving instructors, ways of making the training and testing of driver instructors as effective as possible. We have reviewed the standard and raised the pass mark required for the initial written knowledge test. Those who propose to teach road skills and behaviour must themselves he thorough masters of the subject matter.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will seek assurances from ITN in view of the policy document "ITN Into the Nineties", that current practices regarding use of the outside broadcast unit in televising of proceedings will be maintained, with particular regard to the implications of new policy affecting transmission from the House of Commons; and if he will make a statement.

I will draw the hon. Member's concern to the attention of the Select Committee which is now considering the arrangements for the experiment in the televising of our proceedings. The manner in which this experiment is conducted will be a matter for decision by the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information has been provided to the European Commission by (a) his Department and (b) the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate in regard to the Environment Commissioner's stated concern to the European Parliament on 10 February that the Commission lacked details of past and planned test experiments at United Kingdom nuclear reactors under European Treaty article 34.

Since 10 February my officials and the chief inspector of the Health and Safety Executive's Nuclear Installations Inspectorate have had discussions with members of the staff of the European Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from British Coal with regard to amendments to legislation currently on the statute book, affecting the mining industry.

The British Coal Corporation maintains regular contact with the Department on a wide range of issues covered by legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Meirrionnydd Nant Conwy, 29 February, Official Report, column 482, what quantities of unsafeguarded uranium are present at each United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority site; why unsafeguarded uranium is present at non-mixed facility civil nuclear sites; and whether the Euratom and International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards authorities hae been informed of the arrangements in detail.

The UKAEA carries out contract R and D work for customers; that for MOD involves the presence of small quantities of unsafeguarded materials at UKAEA sites, details of which cannot be disclosed for reasons of national security. The relevant safeguards authorities are kept informed of movements into and out of safeguards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Meirronnydd Nant Conwy, 29 February, Official Report, column 482, on nuclear materials, he will set out the procedures under which civil safeguarded uranium is co-processed with unsafeguarded defence uranium in compliance with the specific safeguards arrangements for civil uranium at Springfields.

A reporting regime has been agreed whereby the necessary movement and accountancy reports of civil material are submitted to Euratom. The inspectors have access to this material for verification in accordance with chapter 7 of the Euratom treaty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if any of the uranium imported from Durban, South Africa, on 28 February 1987 has since been withdrawn from safeguards under article 14 of the terms of the UK/Euratom/International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards agreement.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if any plutonium from safeguarded electricity board Magnox reactors has been exported to the United States of America since May 1979 under (a) the United States —United Kingdom mutual defence agreement of 1958, under 1959 amendment, (b) International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards and (c) Euratom safeguards.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 11 March 1988 at column 362. Since 1979, there have been no transfers to the United States of plutonium derived from safeguarded electricity board Magnox reactors under the United Kingdom — United States defence agreement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received on the secure supply of electricity at reasonable cost to the aluminium industry; and if he will make a statement.

I have received one representation in recent months from the aluminium industry about the cost of electricity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has received from the nuclear installations inspectorate concerning safety measures at the Berkeley Magnox power station on the River Severn; what action he proposes; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 21 April 1988 at column 530. I have received a copy of the report and the CEGB is now considering its findings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give for each year from 1979 the level of aid, in constant 1988 prices, made available to Mozambique.

The information requested is given in 1987 prices. This is the latest year for which figures are available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Darlington on 30 March, Official Report, column 478, he will set out in tabular form (a) the date on which each inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangement listed is believed to have come into effect, (b) the date on which it was first known to his Department and, when appropriate, (c) the date on which his Department informed the industry concerned that it saw no case for continuation and (d) the date on which it lapsed.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) whether he will estimate the effect on prices, employment, domestic output and import volumes of the inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangement covering the import of special steels from Spain.(2) whether he will estimate the effect on prices, employment, domestic output and import volumes of the inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangement covering the import of music centres from

The information under (a), (c) and (d) is listed in the table. It is no longer possible to identify the date when the Government first became aware of the arrangements in each case.the import of monochrome televisions from

I refer my hon. Friend to my written answer today to a similar question raised by my hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr. Hamilton).

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether he will estimate the effect on prices, employment, domestic output and import volumes of the inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangements that covered the import of (a) pottery and (b) footwear from Taiwan.

As explained in the written answer of 30 March, Official Report, column 478–89, the inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangements on imports of pottery and footwear from Taiwan lapsed. It was unnecessary for the Government to carry out a full examination of the impact of the arrangements of prices, employment, domestic output and import volumes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his answer of 18 March, Official Report, column 1365, what estimate his Department has of the effects of specific voluntary restraint arrangements on employment, prices domestic output or import volumes; and if he will publish the figures for each of the voluntary restraint arrangements named in his answer on 30 March, Official Report, columns 379–80.

[holding answer 22 April 1988]: When reviewing the inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangements, estimates are made of the impact of these arrangements on the protected industries, on customers and the United Kingdom economy as a whole. The advice I received contained commercially confidential information and I am not therefore in a position to make it available. In all cases where the Governmemt advised the industry concerned that it saw no case for continuing the inter-industry restraint arrangement, I was satisfied that the net cost to the economy outweighed any benefit to the industry of continuation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to the written answer of 30 March, Official Report, columns 478–9, whether Her Majesty's Government has sought to discourage the United Kingdom footwear industry from signing a renewed voluntary restraint arrangement with the Republic of Korea.

[holding answer 22 April 1988]: No. The position is under review. But the industry is aware the Government also has wider concerns including the net impact of such arrangements on consumers and on the United Kingdom economy as a whole.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) why feather and polyester pillows have been included in the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations;(2) what evidence he has to suggest that feather-filled pillows and polyester pillows are toxic when burning;(3) when he expects the BSI flammability committee TCM/30 to report its findings on the flammability of pillows;(4) if he will list in the

Pillows with little or no fire resistance can contribute to bed fires in much the same way as scatter cushions on upholstered furniture can pose a hazard. Accordingly the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations propose identical requirements to improve the fire performance of pillows and scatter cushions. Combustion-modified foams will be the only permitted foam filling in furniture and these ancillary items.Non-foam fillings in furniture, cushions, and pillows also pose a fire hazard, and the regulations should address this. Feather and polyester pillows are readily ignitable. Account has also to he taken of their propensity to produce smoke and toxic gases. The fillings can give rapid rates of smoke obscuration, and, in the case of polyester, black smoke. They also give off significant amounts of carbon monoxide. In addition, feathers give off toxic gases of hydrogen cyanide and of nitrates.The British Standards Institution is considering a flammability specification for pillows, but this will not be completed in time to call it up in the regulations.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what he estimates will be the effect on industry of the changes in public purchasing provisions by 1992.

[holding answer 25 April 1988]: Completing the single market by 1992 will mean that purchases by Governments and public bodies should reflect fair competition not national identity. United Kingdom firms will have greater access to a European-wide public sector market which accounts for 15 per cent. of the European Community's gross domestic product, but they should also be prepared for increased competition here.

To ask the Attorney-General what is the policy of the Crown Prosecution Service concerning the institution of prosecutions against police officers (a) in cases where criminal charges against others are subsequently dropped and damages are awarded against the police and (b) in cases where a defendant is acquitted and subsequently brings an action for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment or malicious prosecution and is awarded damages against the police.

The policy of the Crown Prosecution Service concerning the institution of criminal proceedings against police officers follows the criteria contained in the code for crown prosecutors, issued under Section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. Staleness occasioned by the time occupied by earlier court proceedings may acquire particular significance.

To ask the Attorney-General what are the costings figures used, and assumptions made, in respect of (a) and A3 copy and (b) an A4 copy of a document at the Public Record Office.

Photocopies of documents at the Public Record Office are made on A3 size paper only. Reprographic fees are calculated to recover in full the running costs and capital charges attributable to the service, and are based on past levels of costs and volumes of business, with allowances for expected future variations. The current fee of 26p per copy, inclusive of 3·39p VAT, is based on figures for 1986–87 when 683,526 copies were made at a cost of £154,347.

To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to assess whether the current levels of pay for legally qualified staff of the Crown Prosecution Service are sufficient to maintain an effective service.

I take great interest in the development of a proper pay structure for those employed in the Government legal service. I consider that the proposed pay award to legally qualified staff in the Crown Prosecution Service, referred to in my answer of 21 April 1988 to the hon. Member for St. Helens, South (Mr. Bermingham) is sufficient, together with allowances that are available, to maintain the effectiveness of existing services and to improve the attractiveness of such posts to potential recruits.

To ask the Attorney-General how many legally qualified staff are currently employed by the Crown Prosecution Service; and how many vacancies for such staff currently exist.

On 31 March 1988 the Crown Prosecution Service employed 1,311 legally qualified staff as lawyers and had 459 vacancies for such staff.

To ask the Attorney-General what steps are being taken to encourage lawyers to join the Crown Prosecution Service.

The Crown Prosecution Service intends to supplement the existing recruitment arrangements with a number of new initiatives. The current monthly programme of competitions will continue but will focus on specific locations where staffing shortages exist.In addition to this the other main initiatives under consideration are:

To ask the Attorney-General whether any persons have been appointed by the Crown Prosecution Service to conduct criminal investigations; and whether there are any plans to make such appointments.

All criminal investigations are undertaken by the police, who are aided by specialist assistance as and when required.Within the headquarters of the Crown Prosecution Service is the fraud investigation group, which undertakes the investigation and prosecution of serious and complex cases. The sixteen FIG lawyers control the cases from the outset and co-ordinate specialist assistance on a case by case basis in support of the police investigations. This specialist assistance includes investigative accountants within the fraud investigation group, the companies investigation branch of the Department of Trade and Industry, HM Customs and Excise, private sector accountants, liquidators, receivers and computer experts.The fraud investigation group has no statutory power to investigate, unlike the newly created serious fraud office, which will be responsible from this month for the investigation and prosecution of the largest fraud cases in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer of 30 March, Official Report, column 466, what account she took of the recommendations of the Justice Awoniy commission of inquiry into malpractices and wastages in Niger State that Nigeria repudiate the Biwater loan, blacklist the company for 10 years and report it to organisations involved in the United Nations water decade during the negotiations leading to Nigeria's request for finance to complete the project.

The ECGD has seen no evidence that the recommendations of the commission of inquiry which met in 1984 were accepted or acted upon by the Nigerian authorities.Since then the Niger State Water Board (the buyer), Niger State Government (borrower of the United Kingdom loan) and the Federal Ministry of Finance and Economic Development on behalf of the Federal Military Government have reviewed the project and decided upon a basis for completion of the water scheme by Biwater Projects Ltd. In response to a specific request from the Nigerian federal authorities ECGD has been able to enter into negotiations in respect of support for a further loan to assist project completion.

To ask the Prime Minister whether the dossier of information submitted to her on 1 November 1984 by Mr. Colin Wallace was passed to the police for investigation; and which documents from the dossier were made available to the Hughes committee of inquiry into children's homes and hostels.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces on 20 July 1987 to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) at column 93–94.

To ask the Prime Minister what action was taken relating to the case of Mr. Colin Wallace following information forwarded by the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee in 1986 relating to false job descriptions, psychological warfare and propaganda.

Following consideration of the papers by the Ministry of Defence and other Departments involved, I wrote to the Chairman of the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee explaining that the various allegations made by Mr. Wallace over many years had been fully and carefully investigated and no evidence had been found to substantiate any of them.

To ask the Prime Minister what is the practice of the Civil Service Commission towards the advertising of security-sensitive posts.

Recruitment schemes for which the Civil Service Commissioners are responsible have to be sufficiently publicised to the satisfaction of the commissioners. Normal practice is for these schemes to be advertised in the national press or appropriate professional publications. The information sent to applicants indicates whether security requirements apply to a particular scheme.

To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy relating to the renewal of positive vetting for civil servants convicted of criminal offences.

In reaching a decision as to whether positive vetting clearance should be given, a Department takes into account all information which might have a bearing on the person's suitability for access to highly classified material.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will set out the guidelines under which departmental civil servants are allowed to conduct press conferences or press briefings upon politically sensitive matters.

Civil servants are advised that in dealing with the media they must act on the advice of their Department's chief information officer who consults Ministers as necessary. Subject to this advice, officials may explain Government policy and give the factual background to it. They may also discuss the balance of consideration which led to a choice of policy. They must not trespass on the responsibilities of Ministers, and at all times they should preserve the political neutrality of the Civil Service. Press conferences or briefings on party political matters should be given only by Ministers.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to require all Ministers to disclose to Parliament membership of any Masonic order.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy that any Home Secretary she may appoint in future must not he a member of any Masonic order.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to list all those national and international voluntary organisations to which she belongs.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if the provisional agreement made at the recent meeting of the European Council to increase the funding of the Common Market has now been finalised; and if she will make a statement.

Work is continuing on the legally binding texts required to implement the conclusions of the European Council in Brussels on 11–13 February.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 April.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 April.

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

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has as to the number of student union presidents who are given a sabbatical year by their college or university; and what estimate he has as to the cost to public funds in 1987–88 or the latest year for which figures are available.

The Department does not hold this information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many institutions of higher and further education have drawn up codes of conduct since the enactment of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he is satisfied that section 43(1) of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 is being properly adhered to; and if he will make a statement.

The provisions of section 43 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986 came into effect on 1 September 1987. Institutions were required to have issued by that date the codes of practice specified by the section; but they were not required to inform the Department that they had done so. The Government plan to evaluate the working of the section in its first year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what additional funding will he made available for mature and non-standard entry students at Dundee university.

Financial support is available to students at Dundee university on the same basis as to students elsewhere. Mature students may be eligible for additional allowances. Entitlement to mandatory grant depends on the course attended and is not determined by reference to entry qualifications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plane to improve the checking procedures for establishing the accuracy of mathematics examination papers set for the general certificate of secondary education; and if he will make a statement.

The GCSE examining groups are responsible for the content of GCSE examinations, including the accuracy of examination papers. The Secondary Examinations Council is responsible for scrutinising the groups' procedures to ensure that the relevant GCSE national criteria are met. The Government look to the groups and the SEC to review procedures in the light of the first GCSE examinations this summer.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made with improvements to the M8 motorway between Newhouse and Baillieston; and if he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add at present to my answer to the hon. Member on 4 March, at column 666.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1981 the number of whole-time equivalent nurses working in Scotland in (a) hospital maternity units and (b) in special care baby units.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what procedure exists for the Scottish Courts Administration to notify housing authorities if their tenants have been given custodial sentences.

No such procedure exists.

I regret that groups of nurses cannot readily be identified from the statistics held centrally on the basis requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1981 the number of whole-time equivalent qualified midwives working in Scotland (a) in hospital maternity units,(b) in special care baby units, (c) in education and (d) as community midwives.

It is not possible from the statistics held centrally readily to separate midwives working in hospital maternity units and those working in special care baby units. In the table a single figure is given for both groups under the heading hospital maternity units. Midwives working in the community may undertake health visiting and/or home nursing duties. They are shown separately in the table as combined duty nurses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the Official Report, for each district authority in Scotland, for each of the years from 1985 to 1988, showing the average council rent and district rate in constant 1987 prices.

The tables show the average council house rent and the average domestic rate bill in each local authority area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what urgent measures are being implemented in order (a) to prevent further increase in crimes involving personal violence in Strathclyde; and (b) to give communities and voluntary groups more participation in the prevention and detection of crime, and in the rehabilitation of offenders.

[holding answer 22 April 1988]: Through our general support for the police service and crime prevention measures, including the recently launched campaign "Crime—Together We'll Crack It", the Government are committed to creating a climate which minimises the opportunites for crime, including violence against the person. We also give a high priority to the expansion of the number of neighbourhood watch schemes and crime prevention panels within Strathclyde and elsewhere.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the level of interest shown by private landlords or companies in assuming responsibility for council property in Glasgow, and if he will name the companies and individuals and the areas they have shown interest in.

[holding answer 25 April 1988]: Since private landlords or companies interested in assuming responsibility for council properties in Glasgow would be in the first instance approach the owners of the property, I refer the hon. Member to the city of Glasgow district council for information about level of interest. However, as my right hon. and learned Friend announced in the House on 29 March 1988, he is aware that initiatives seeking to involve the private sector in the development of property at Castlemilk and Barlanark are being pursued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the area of land approved for forestry grant-aid in each of the six years to 31 March in each of the conservancies in Scotland; and if he will state the area of land afforested or restocked by the private forestry industry in each conservancy in each of those years.

[holding answer 22 April 1988]: The information is as follows: