To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the west midlands on the implications for the maintenance of law and order of the activities of the group from the United States of America known as the Guardian Angels.

I understand that the chief constable of the west midlands is compiling a full report on the activities of this group which will be sent to the Home Secretary shortly. In the meantime the chief constable has advised my right hon. Friend that officers of the West Midlands police have met representatives of the Guardian Angels and have made clear their views that, while they welcome the support of members of the community in crime prevention initiatives of various kinds, groups which seek to take over the role of the police, for example by patrolling the streets, are not acceptable. I fully support this view.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will use his powers to order the removal from the United Kingdom of the group known as the Guardian Angels.

No. I am not aware of any justification for the use of these powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to seek representation at the European Court deliberations on the legality of Sunday trading restrictions in the United Kingdom, raised by Messrs. Cullen Stores; and if he will make a statement.

We have not yet received details concerning any application to the European Court in respect of Messrs. Cullen Stores but the Government have submitted written observations in respect of five similar applications to the European Court and have instructed counsel.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a response will be sent to the chief executive of the Arun district council following his letters to the Home Ofice of 28 July and 28 August on the future of Ford prison.

I much regret the delay in replying to the letters from the chief executive of the Arun district council on the allocation of prisoners to Ford open prison. The prison service regional director is looking into the matter and a reply will be sent by the end of next week.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the number of 90 per cent. home insulation scheme grants given in 1987, and the number of households insulated by councils by insulation projects in 1987.

45,825 90 per cent. homes insulation scheme grants were paid in 1987. Additionally, in excess of 165,000 homes were treated in 1987 by community insulation projects operating under the Government's community programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations from Her Majesty's Government were made at the International Atomic Energy Authority conference held in Vienna on 21 September on the relationship between the Vienna convention on civil liability for nuclear damage 1963 and the Paris convention on third party liability in the field of nuclear energy 1960.

At the conference on 21 September representatives of Her Majesty's Government gave full support to, and signed, the joint protocol to establish a relationship between the Vienna convention on civil liability for nuclear damage and the Paris convention on third party liability in the field of nuclear energy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many departmental Ministers or officials were present at the 32nd annual conference of the International Atomic Energy Authority, held in Vienna on 19 to 23 September.

In addition to members of the United Kingdom's permanent mission to the International Atomic Energy Agency, two officials from the Department of Energy and one from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office attended the IAEA's 32nd general conference. No Ministers were present at the conference.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if any initiatives on (a) nuclear safety, (b) nuclear safeguards, (c) precautions against nuclear terrorism and non-state proliferation, (d) nuclear waste management and (e) nuclear emergency planning were made by the United Kingdom delegation to the 32nd regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency general conference held on 19 to 23 September, in Vienna.

The United Kingdom delegation played a full and active role in the proceedings of the International Atomic Energy Agency's 32nd general conference, which covered a wide range of issues affecting all aspects of the agency's work. The United Kingdom joined in the sponsoring of resolutions on nuclear safety and on the dumping of radioactive waste and was among the signatories of a protocol linking the Paris and Vienna conventions on nuclear liability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report, "Earthing Electricity", published by the Centre for Economic and Environmental Development in September.

A copy of the report is already available in the departmental library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many (a) individual, (b) organisations and (c) foreign objections to the Hinkley Point C pressurised water reactor application by the Central Electricity Generating Board had been registered at his Department by 4 October.

Over 9,000 individuals and over 350 organisations are registered as objectors to Hinkley Point C pursuant to section 34 of the Electricity Act 1957.Overseas objectors cannot be so registered and have no entitlement to appear at the public inquiry. However, the inquiry inspector has the discretion to allow overseas objectors to appear.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many departmental officials have attended, and for what period of time, the Hinkley Point C public inquiry since it opened on 4 October; and what level of departmental representation he expects to maintain during the remainder of the inquiry.

Three officials from my Department attended the opening day of the inquiry on 4 October; one attended on 19 October.My Department's witness to the inquiry began giving evidence on 26 October and is supported by six officials. These officials will continue to attend the inquiry for as long as the Department's witness is required to give evidence although not all of them will necessarily be present throughout that period.After my Department has given evidence my officials might attend on particular days as necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, following the vote in the European Parliament in Strasbourg on the report from the Energy, Research and Technology Committee on the application of Euratom safeguards at Sellafield, the Llewellyn Smith report, his Department has received any representations on its implications for the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Up to 27 October my Department had received no representations on the CERT report.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the advisers who have been appointed to assist the Government, the CEGB, the Electricity Council and the 12 area boards in the proposed privatisation of the ESI and the amount of money that has been paid to each of those advisers in the last financial year; and how much it is estimated will be paid to them in this financial year and in the next financial year.

The Department is being provided with advice by Kleinwort Benson, Touche Ross, Slaughter and May, Merz and McLellan, Professor Stephen Littlechild, James Capel, Warburg Securities, Lloyds Bank, Lowe Bell, BMRB and the reporting accountants for the 12 area boards and the CEGB.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total budget for the advertising campaign on electricity power generation.

This is a matter for the electricity supply industry. I have asked the chairman of the Electricity Council to reply to the hon. Member.

To ask the Attorney-General how many investigations in the past year into alleged maladministration in the courts the ombudsman has had to suspend because a purely administrative decision has been made on the instructions of a judge rather than by the Lord Chancellor's Department; what alternative remedy is available to the public for such maladministration; and if he will make a statement.

In the past year, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration had to suspend three investigations into alleged maladministration in the courts. This results from the view taken by the Lord Chancellor, on the advice of Treasury counsel, that the PCA has no jurisdiction to investigate the actions of court staff who are exercising the administrative functions of the courts as distinct from the limited range of administrative functions conferred on the Lord Chancellor by statute.In one of the three suspended investigations, the LCD has accepted the PCA's jurisdiction to investigate part of the complaint and is assisting the PCA with that part. In a fourth case, the PCA has been able to investigate the bulk of the complaint but the LCD has denied his jurisdiction in relation to certain matters which were the subject of the court orders.The following alternative remedies may be available to members of the public who believe they have suffered loss as a result of maladministration by staff in the courts: to draw their complaint to the attention of the court or court officials concerned; to exercise any right of appeal available in relation to the decision or order of the court concerned; to institute civil proceedings if they have a cause of action; or to apply for judicial review. Also, the Lord Chancellor is prepared to consider claims for compensation where loss is sustained through any negligence of court officials in matters for which he is responsible. Members of the public may submit such claims directly, or through their Member of Parliament, to the Lord Chancellor or his Department's headquarters, or circuit offices.The Lord Chancellor's present view on the jurisdiction of the PCA emerged in late 1986 following Treasury counsel's advice in a particular case. The PCA has seen that advice as have Members of the Select Committee on the PCA, to whom Lord Chancellor Hailsham explained on 31 March 1987 why the Lord Chancellor was obliged to comply with the advice.

To ask the Attorney-General what action is being taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions on the reports referred to him by the Northamptonshire police on the behaviour of the metropolitan Police at Wapping.

The director is presently considering such reports as have already been received by him. Further police reports are anticipated.

To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to take legal action to seek to prevent the publication of the book "The Wilson Plot" by David Leigh.

The Government are considering this matter in the light of the speeches of their lordships in AG v. Sunday Times, Guardian and Observer.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent rate support grant to Warwickshire county council has fallen below the rate of inflation for each year since May 1985; and what are the reasons for the shortfall in each year.

The table sets out the amount of rate support grant paid to Warwickshire county council for each year since 1985–86. The figures are shown in both cash and real terms, together with the shortfall each year. The changes in grant from each year to year reflect changes in the total amount of grant available and changes in the distribution of that total between authorities. Changes in grant distribution in turn reflect changes in GRE methodology and data, changes in grant mechanisms—such as the abolition of targets and holdback and steeper slopes of the poundage schedule introduced in 1986–87—and authorities' spending decisions.

	1985–86 £ million	1986–87 £ million	1987–88 £ million	1988–89 £ million
Cash	53·777	52·743	53·804	46·098
Constant 1985–86 prices	53·777	51·018	49·550	40·625
Shortfall		2·759	1·468	8·925

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount of rate support grant paid to Warwickshire county council in 1984–85; what was the amount in 1987–88; and if he will express the answer both in actual amounts and in real terms.

Warwickshire county council has received £62·874 million rate support grant for 1984–85 and £53·804 million for 1987–88. In constant 1987–88 prices, the amount received for 1984–85 was £72·350 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much Government grant in total has been lost by Warwickshire county council as a result of penalties imposed because of overspending.

Grant abatement was a feature of the rate support grant system from 1981–82 to 1985–86. Expenditure guidance was issued to local authorities each year and those spending above target were liable to abatement of block grant (holdback). The only year in which Warwickshire county council lost grant as a result of spending above the expenditure guidance issued to it was 1983–84, when holdback amounted to £0·551 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will use his powers under the Local Government Finance Act to stop access to the community charge register by debt collectors and mail order companies; and how he intends to protect the privacy of an individual when the register is available for public inspection for purposes not connected to the community charge.

The community charge register will not be available for public inspection. An extract of the register showing addresses, initials and surnames will be available for public inspection, but regulations will prohibit registration officers from supplying or selling copies to anyone. No one will have the right to take copies from the extract.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which student nurses will pay 20 per cent. of the community charge.

On 23 May, the Government announced major changes in nurse training, to be introduced over a number of years, including a substantial reduction in the time spent by student nurses working during their training, and giving them non-taxable bursaries rather than salaries. The Government made clear, during the passage of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, that student nurses training under the new arrangements would pay only 20 per cent. of the personal community charge, like other full-time students. The Government also said that they would consider further the position of student nurses who continue to be trained under the existing arrangements and are paid salaries. They have decided that the definition of "full-time student" for community charge purposes should not be widened to include such nurses, whose average earnings this year are between £5,400 and £6,200.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if his Department has yet decided on any action on multi-occupied properties; and if he will make a statement.(2) if he has received any recent representatives on multi-occupied properties; and if he will make a statement.

We have received so far over 200 responses to our consultation paper on houses in multiple occupation issued on 18 July, copies of which are in the Library. We are currently considering possible legislative changes in the light of those responses.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of the annual total of special hazardous wastes has been imported through airports in each of the past nine years for which data are available;(2) for each of the last 10 years, how many tonnes of what is now defined as special hazardous waste have been imported to the United Kingdom via

Information on imports of special waste is collected by waste disposal authorities. Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution (and its predecessors) has collected some information from the authorities since the financial year 1981–82. These records show the following information:

Financial Year	Estimated Quantity Imported (Tonnes)
1981–82	3,786
1982–83	4,986
1983–84	14,824
1984–85	5,000
1985–86	24,548
1986–87	53,000
1987–88	80,000

The inspectorate is aware of imports by air in only two of these years, 60 tonnes in 1985–86 and 25 tonnes in 1987–88, and of 3 tonnes to date this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has had any meetings with the Nuclear Industry Radioactive Waste Executive to discuss the recommendations of the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities report, "Radioactive Waste Management (HL 99)".

My right hon. Friend has had no discussions with Nirex on this report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what authorisations were sought by Air Canada between November 1987 and June 1988 to import 27 tonnes of toxic wastes, including PCBs, on its aircraft into the United Kingdom; and which airports were used for these imports.

No specific authorisations are required for the import of wastes from Canada but there are pre-notification procedures under Canadian law and our own Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980. All consignments of waste shipped by Air Canada during the period November 1987 to June 1988 came into Heathrow airport.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Rimnet radiation monitoring programme.

Forty-six monitoring stations became operational in June and are now feeding data to London. The next phase of the development of Rimnet will double the number of monitoring stations and progressively introduce fully automated facilities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by local authority, and by standard economic region, the changes in expenditure allowed under section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972 in the event that the proposals contained in the Government's response to the Widdicombe committee of inquiry are enacted; and if he will show these figures in both cash and percentage terms.

The information is not immediately available in the precise format sought. I will therefore write to the hon. Gentleman when the necessary data have been collated.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the arrangements and formula of the home loss payments scheme; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him yesterday.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the levels of award payable under the home loss payments scheme; and what the levels would be at today's prices, adjusted to take account of inflation.

The amount of home loss payment under section 30 of the Land Compensation Act 1973 has, since 1 April 1973, been three times the rateable value of the claimant's home, subject to a minimum of £150 and a maximum of £1,500. Since that date the retail prices index has increased by a factor of 4·65.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conclusions he has reached on the future of Hampstead heath; and if he will make a statement.

Following a recommendation from the London residuary body last April that its functions, properties, rights and liabilities in respect of Hampstead heath be transferred to the corporation of the City of London, my Department invited comments on the contents of the proposed order to give effect to the LRB's recommendation. Comments were received from 36 local authorities, organisations and individuals.After careful consideration of the comments I have concluded that an order shall be laid before Parliament to give effect to the proposals set out in the consultation letter of 14 June 1988 subject to one modification.We have concluded that, with one exception, it is appropriate that the city corporation should be able to exercise all powers that were exercisable by the GLC in respect of Hampstead heath. The exception relates to section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 (power to dispose of land).

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has, for each water authority, on the number of significant sewer collapses in 1985–86 and 1986–87.

[holding answer 21 October 1988]: I will write to the hon. Member as soon as I have the information available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what British groups, university research departments and scientists have been approached by him in order to prepare proposals to tackle the problems of (a) the destruction of rain forests and (b) the protection of the ozone layer.

[holding answer 24 October 1988]: Scientists from Cambridge University, the Meteorological Office the Harwell Laboratory and the private sector are currently engaged on work related to the ozone layer under the Department's air pollution research programme. The Department is considering what further work on this topic should be undertaken in 1989–90; and will take into account the recommendations made by the stratospheric ozone review group in its second report, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.Proposals for tackling the destruction of rain forests are the responsibility of my hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implications for departmental research resources currently allocated to ozone layer and chlorofluorocarbons research of the report of the United Kingdom stratospheric ozone review group, published on 4 October.

[holding answer 25 October 1988]: The Department of the Environment plans to continue to fund research at least at the current level covering all the areas of work discussed by the stratospheric ozone review group. The Department funds research primarily to provide scientific advice on policy matters. The funding of basic research is more properly the role of NERC and SERC as mentioned in the group's second report.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will indicate when he is likely to publish his decision on the illegal occupation by travelling families of agricultural land at Darenth hill, Dartford; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 26 October 1988]: I regret the delay in issuing my right hon. Friend's decision on the enforcement appeals to which my hon. Friend refers. The decision is now about to be issued. I am arranging for a copy of it to be sent to my hon. Friend and inviting him to discuss problems with enforcement of planning control in his constituency.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached any conclusions about the membership of the Sports Council.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 July 1988, c. 388]: On 1 July I announced our intention to reduce the size of the Sports Council in order to provide a leaner, more efficient and responsive organisation; and at the same time to make a number of new appointments. I am delighted to announce that from today the following are to become members of the Council:

• Richard Fox
• Margaret Hohmann
• Norman Jacobs
• Tim Marshall
• Mary Peters
• David Simon
• Peter Yarranton

These seven appointments bring the membership of the Sports Council to 14. We believe that a smaller council will be able to respond more quickly and flexibly to the changing demands and expectations in sport. It will also bring its size into line with many other non-departmental public bodies. We are confident that our new appointments from today's sportsmen and women, disabled sport, governing bodies and the private sector will bring invaluable experience to enable them to play a full role on preparing British sport and recreation for the 1990s.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the Institute of Community Medicine of its findings on aircraft noise, following the realignment of the flight paths on Royal Air Force Upper Heyford.

The report is being prepared in two parts. The first part covering the areas worst affected by noise to the west of Royal Air Force Upper Heyford has been completed and a copy has been placed in the Library. The second part covering areas to the east of the station is not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made with the formation of the Royal Engineers TA unit in Jersey announced during the Army debate on 26 January at column 189.

Agreement has been reached with the States of Jersey authorities on the terms for establishment of the unit. Initial recruitment has been encouraging and I shall be visiting the new unit on 29 October.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what reductions have recently been imposed in the level of cost-of-living allowance paid to teachers employed by the Service Children's Education Authority in the Federal German Republic; how these have been calculated; and what effect these have had on the pay of an average teacher.

Although reductions in the order of 40 per cent. in the cost of living addition (COLA) for civilian staff serving in the FRG were originally published as a result of the regular monitoring of price levels, exchange rate variations and salary increases, and so on, the recent discovery of some incorrect local prices used in the earlier calculation has now resulted in a re-calculation of the allowance. The average reduction for married staff introduced at 1 October 1988 will now be about £200 per annum or 11 per cent. of the allowance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries to which the United Kingdom has exported defence equipment in each year from 1979 to 1987.

It is not the practice to publish such detailed lists but statistics of United Kingdom defence sales by broad geographic regions are set out in volume 2 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates."

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the appointment of Sir Colin Chandler as head of defence export services made for three years in 1985 has been extended; and if he will make a statement.

I can confirm that the appointment of Sir Colin Chandler as head of defence export services has been extended to March 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the overseas offices of the defence export services organisation, giving in each case the date when the office was opened.

DESO's interests are covered by MOD staff at embassies throughout the world, but specific defence sales offices have been set up in:

• Washington
• New Delhi
• Riyadh
• Kuala Lumpur
• Seoul
• Ankara
• Kuwait

The latter three were established only this year while the remainder have been in existence for some time. The establishing of additional offices is a reflection of the outstanding performance of the DESO in supporting increased defence sales.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service whether any individuals from ethnic minorities are now enrolled in the top management programmes in 1988–89.

Yes. At least one of the participants on the top management programme course beginning in January 1989 will be from an ethnic minority, and we expect another participant from an ethnic minority to be on the programme beginning in April 1989. There may be others from ethnic minorities on these and other programmes in 1989, but as we do not know the ethnic background of most individuals put forward for the programme it is impossible to say at this stage. We remain keen to attract suitable nominations from a wide range of backgrounds to the top management programme.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he next proposes to meet Civil Service trade union leaders to discuss terms and conditions of service.

[holding answer 27 October 1988]: I have informal meetings from time to time with representatives of the Civil Service trade unions. I have no plans to discuss terms and conditions of service with them. These are mainly the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Paymaster General.

To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last saw a performance by the Foco Novo theatre company.

I have seen no performances by the Foco Novo theatre company.

To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he has recently visited any newly built theatres employing shared use facilities with sporting and other activities.

I visited the new Towngate theatre in Basildon just before its opening in April this year. I was impressed by the versatility of the facilities which allow for a wide variety of uses.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for the growth of business investment in 1988.

As the Chancellor of the Exchequer stated in his Budget forecast, total business investment is expected to grow by 9 per cent. in 1988.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the uprating of public service pensions from 1989.

Public service pensioners were affected by the understatement in the retail prices index announced in December 1987. In my written answer of 18 December, at column 845–6, I made it clear that, in order to ensure that these pensioners suffered no continuing loss, levels of public service pensions from April 1989 would be what they would have been if the error in the RPI had not occurred.Under the Social Security Pensions Act 1975, the Treasury is required to increase public service pensions in line with state earnings-related pensions. In the forthcoming Pensions Increase (Review) Order public service pensions will therefore be uprated by the 5·9 per cent. increase announced yesterday by the Secretary of State for Social Security for SERPS. In consequence, they will have the value from April 1989 that they would have had if the RPI error had not occurred.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why job advertisements for Government survey interviewers placed in The Observer specify that people should be aged between 20 and 50 years.

[holding answer 27 October 1988]: The Civil Service applies age limits to recruitment only where they are necessary to ensure the requirements of the work and the needs of the Department are fully met.The age limits for social survey interviewers are set in accordance with the demands of the work and the need to secure a reasonable period of service to justify the training investment.My officials keep the matter of age limits for all competitions under continuous review.

To ask the Prime Minister what is the total number of representations, to date, she has received (a) supporting and (b) opposing the provision of additional parliamentary time for the remaining stages of the Abortion (Amendment) Bill; what percentage the latter represents of the former; and if she will make a statement.

Following the debate of the Abortion (Amendment) Bill, I received over 15,000 letters on this matter. The great majority of these supported the provision of additional parliamentary time.

To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will support the overturning of the Zionism is Racism resolution (Resolution 3379 (XXX)) at the United Nations General Assembly; and if she will make a statement.

The United Kingdom (in common with most Western countries) voted against the United Nations General Assembly resolution 3379 in the General Assembly in November 1975. Since then we have consistently opposed the resolution but there is no specific provision for repealing United Nations resolutions, and in our judgment there is therefore little prospect of obtaining an effective counter resolution.

To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received supporting the overturning of the United Nations General Assembly Zionism is Racism resolution; and if she will make a statement.

I have not received any recent representations concerning the overturning of United Nations General Assembly resolution 3379. I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to his previous question.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has made to the Government of the USSR concerning the case of Raoul Wallenberg; and if she will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 28 July to his question about Mr. Wallenberg.The head of our delegation to the Vienna CSCE meeting referred to the unresolved questions surrounding Mr. Wallenberg's fate in a speech to delegates on 16 September. The leader of the American and Canadian delegations spoke in similar terms.We continue to hope that the expressions of international concern about Mr. Wallenberg's fate, and increasing openness about the past in the Soviet Union itself, will make it possible for the Soviet authorities to give a full and frank account of the facts of the case.

To ask the Prime Minister when she last met Mr. Natan Shcharansky; what was discussed; and if she will make a statement.

As was announced at the time, I met Mr. Shcharansky in Downing street on 6 May last year. I was much impressed with his courage and conviction.

To ask the Prime Minister when she last met officials from the Jordan is Palestine group; what was discussed and if she will make a statement.

I have not met officials from the Jordan is Palestine committee.

To ask the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on the current policy of Her Majesty's Government towards official contacts with the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

At official level contacts are kept with the PLO. Ministerial contact with the PLO will remain difficult until it unambiguously renounces the use of violence, accepts UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338 and recognises Israel's right to a secure existence.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will arrange for a copy of her speech on the environment to the Royal Society on 27 September to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

I have arranged for a copy to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

To ask the Prime Minister when she last met Prince Sihanouk; and if she will make a statement.

I had talks with Prince Sihanouk on 25 October. We discussed the current situation in Cambodia and the prospects for a negotiated settlement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost to public funds of the public inquiry into the east London river crossing.

Approximately £3·25 million, excluding the normal salary costs of departmental staff involved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has conducted an investigation into the safety implications for shipping of the sinking of the MV Ardlough, on 28 September, off the Lancashire coast; and what special container cargoes were released to the sea following the sinking.

One of the Department's marine surveyors is investigating the circumstances surrounding this accident. To maintain safety for shipping, the wreck of the vessel is marked by three buoys and a racon radar beacon.Twelve freight and tank containers are known to have floated free when the vessel sank. Of the eight washed ashore, two tanks contained ethyl acetate and dimethyl acetamide, both listed as dangerous substances. It is likely that the remaining containers eventually sank but it is not thought that they contaned dangerous substances. Other dangerous substances declared on the manifest are assumed to be trapped in the vessel. None of these is considered to pose a significant threat to the environment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the policy of British Transport police towards possible co-operation with vigilante groups, including that known as the Guardian Angels; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that British Transport police have made clear that the force does not welcome and cannot support proposed patrolling of either the British Rail or London Underground systems by the Guardian Angels or similar groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made regarding the A590 bypasses at Dalton, Lindal and Swarthmoor, in Furness; when he expects building work to commence; and if he will make a statement.

We intend to publish statutory orders for the Dalton bypass very soon. If all goes well, construction might start in 1991.We are considering the results of preliminary investigations into the Swarthmoor bypass.The trunk road forward programme does not include a bypass of Lindal. We are considering whether there is any case for future inclusion of such a scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the review of London air traffic distribution will take account of the economic basis on which any future rule excluding charter airlines from access to peak-time slots at London airports would be made; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether the review of London air traffic distribution will take account of the current imbalance between scheduled and charter peak-time slot allocation at Gatwick before drafting any proposals on slot allocation or traffic distribution for comment; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's letter of 22 June to the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority set out the considerations he wished the authority to take into account in advising him on traffic distribution policy for airports serving the London area. A copy of this was placed in he Library. Section 31(4) of the Airports Act 1986 requires the authority to consult, as it considers appropriate, airport and aircraft operators who appear to it likely to be affected, and organisations representing such operators. We have no doubt some of them will raise these questions. We are confident the authority will weigh them carefully in producing options for my right hon. Friend's decision.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the actual flow for the A34 near the Robin Hood roundabout, Newbury, based on a 12-hour period on a weekday in May 1988.

The 12-hour average weekday traffic flows on the A34 near the Robin Hood roundabout in May 1988 were:

	Traffic flow
A34 Ring Road	40,600
A34 Donnington Link	25,800

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the nature of the topics that require resolution prior to his publications of draft legislation to replace the Public Utilities Street Works Act 1950; and what timetable he envisages in resolving problems still outstanding between representatives of the interests principally concerned.

Work is substantially complete on the substance of the legislative proposals. Final decisions have still to be taken on the question of diversions of utilities apparatus consequential on highway works, and the related balance of liability as between the highway authority and utility. I hope that these matters can be resolved within the next few weeks.Detailed drafting will be necessary before the terms of a Bill can be finalised. Submission of a Bill will depend on finding a suitable opportunity for it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fines have been imposed under section 109 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 on owners of motor vehicles in circumstances where the driver who committed the offence had hired the vehicle, but was not the owner.

I have been asked to reply.In 1986 in England and Wales, 14,322 convictions were recorded for the offence of failing to furnish the statutory statement of ownership following the issue of an excess charge notice. It is not possible to determine how many of these related to hired vehicles.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that school governors are made aware of the health and safety provisions of the Education Reform Act before local financial management of schools is brought into operation.

The Department's guidance on implementing local management of schools, circular 7/88, deals with responsibilities for health and safety. A copy has been sent to the chairmen of governing bodies of all primary and secondary schools. The guide to the law, being sent to all school governors, reminds them that schools with delegated budgets will have to comply with their local authority's policy for health and safety.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schemes under which industrial and commercial companies sponsor local schools are known to his Department; what assessment has been made of the value of such schemes; and whether he plans to encourage their development.

There are many types of link activities between schools and industry. Some involve written agreements between employers and local schools, such as the new compacts initiative; others are less formal. In addition, the city technology college initiative provides an opportunity for the direct sponsorship of schools by companies. The Government welcome such activities as a valuable means of extending the experiences of pupils and teachers, and enriching the curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of the National Union of Students; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend has not met the National Union of Students recently, but I met it on 29 February 1988 to discuss the membership of student unions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is yet in a position to announce the date of publication of the report of the inquiry now taking place into the activities of the National Union of Students; and if he will make a statement.

We shall analyse responses to the questionnaire issued to a sample of institutions on 29 July when these are received. Thereafter, as indicated by my right hon. Friend in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Mr. Janman) on 18 April, at column 292, we shall reach conclusions on the best action to take and consult all concerned about these conclusions. I cannot at present predict how long this will take.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the proposed method of funding of University of Wales college after 1990; and if he will make a statement.

Funding of the University of Wales colleges after 1990, along with all other British universities, will be a matter for the Universities Funding Council established under the Education Reform Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many undergraduate courses in the arts and science subjects are taught wholly or partly through the medium of Welsh in the University of Wales; and if he will list such subjects, with the colleges at which they are taught and the numbers of students registered under each subject in each college.

According to the University of Wales registry, there are 25 departments in the university which offer courses wholly or partially in Welsh. In addition, 24 other departments can arrange seminars, tutorial classes and laboratory classes in Welsh if demand is sufficient. The number of students registered in 1987–88 was as follows:

	Students
University College of Wales, Aberystwyth
Education	72
Drama	46
History	28
Welsh History	23
Philosophy	4
French	17
Geography	25
Religious Studies	2

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a statistical breakdown of the characteristics of University of Wales' students in 1988–89 analysed by (a) age, (b) sex, (c) country of origin and (d) number of Welsh speakers.

The latest available information for 1987 is shown in the following table. Information on the number of Welsh speakers is not collected.

Full-time and sandwich students at the University of Wales
	Academic year beginning in 1987
UK domiciled new entrants Age as at 31 August
less than 21	4,345
21–24	1,300
25 or more	1,003
Total	6,648
Total students
Men	11,612
Women	9,066
Total	20,678
of which
UK domiciled	17,826
Other European Community	250
Other overseas	2,602

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the membership and constitution of the Welsh committee of the Universities Funding Council; and if he will make a statement.

While the UFC is required, under paragraph 10 of schedule 8 to the Education Reform Act, to establish a Welsh committee, the composition and membership of the committee are, by virtue of paragraph 9 of the schedule, for the council itself to determine.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many of the 286 proposals to complete the European Economic Community internal market (a) have been agreed and implemented, or (b) are yet to be agreed; and if he will list them.

Of the 286 proposals set out in the European Commission's third report on the implementation of the internal market programme, issued in March this year, 118 have so far been wholly or partially agreed and 168 have yet to be agreed. I am writing to the hon. Member with a full list of these measures and will arrange for a copy of my letter to be placed in the Library of the House. A comprehensive and regularly updated summary of progress on individual single market measures is available on my Department's Spearhead computer database.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish in the Official Report a table in ranked order showing the value and proportion of imports of knitted outerwear garments into the United Kingdom, on a country of consignment basis, for the latest year for which figures are available, indicating whether or not each country is a signatory to the multi-fibre arrangement.

A table showing the top 10 countries, representing nearly 74 per cent. of total imports, from which knitted outerwear garments were consigned is as follows. A full list including the remaining 88 countries has been placed in the Library.

United Kingdom imports of knitted outerwear garments January—December 1987
	Country of consignment	Value (£)	Per cent.
1.	Hong Kong1	131,178,379	19·11
2.	Italy1	100,516,265	14·65
3.	Portugal1	77,541,788	11·30
4.	South Korea1	52,863,673	7·70
5.	Taiwan	42,609,516	6·21
6.	Greece1	27,107,412	3·95
7.	Fed. Rep. Germany1	23,604,387	3·44
8.	Mauritius	18,528,669	2·70
9.	Thailand1	16,435,407	2·39
10.	Singapore	15,907,422	2·32

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the current state of trade between Israel and the United Kingdom; and what were the figures for each month since 1983.

For the first eight months of 1988 the value of United Kingdom-Israeli trade was exports £321·8 million and imports £321·2 million.The monthly information is given in the following table:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (1) what was the quantity of sheep and lamb skins exported in, respectively, the raw, salted and pickled state in each of the years 1985, 1986 and 1987 respectively;

United Kingdom exports of cattle, sheep and lamb skins: 1985–1987
	1985		1986		1987
	Weight (tonnes)	Number (000)	Weight (tonnes)	Number (000)	Weight (tonnes)	Number (000)
Hides of bovine cattle other than calves:
Fresh or green salted	81,914	n.a.	78,852	n.a.	72,528	n.a.
Dried or dry salted	939	n.a.	952	n.a.	1,129	n.a.
Pickled or limed hides of bovine cattle	1,722	n.a.	1,762	n.a.	1,716	n.a.
Calf skins
Fresh or green salted	6,275	n.a.	4,653	n.a.	5090	n.a.
Dried or dry salted	1,382	n.a.	1,229	n.a.	846	n.a.
Sheep and lamb skins with wool on (except astrakhan, caracul, Persian lamb, broadtail and similar skins)
Fresh, salted or dried
Of lambs	9,836	2,674	12,581	3,153	8,436	1,859
Other	765	279	1,194	285	1,726	372
Sheep and lamb skins without the wool Fresh, salted or dried
Of lambs	6,224	1,907	5,705	1,518	8,201	1,989
Other	2,141	672	1,799	606	3,347	1,266
Pickled or limed
Of lambs	3,457	3,492	4,260	4,592	3,920	4,048
Other	4,138	4,970	3,035	4,308	3,803	4,767
Raw furskins of Persian, Astrakhan, Caracul and similar lambs, or of Indian, Chinese, Mongolian and Tibetan lambs	439	1,922	367	1,559	263	1,251

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the total number of persons resident overseas registered to vote in the United Kingdom as at 1 April in each parliamentary constituency.

The information requested from the 1988 register has now been placed in the Library.The 1988 register is effective from 16 February 1988 to 15 February 1989 and is based on a qualifying date of 10

The information that is available is given in the following table:October 1987 (15 September in Northern Ireland). Numbers on the 1989 register will not be available centrally until April-May 1989.The total number of persons resident overseas registered to vote on the United Kingdom 1988 electoral registers is 2,092.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the number of hospital consultants and general practitioners giving unrestricted medical services who are female, both in absolute numbers and as a percentage of the total establishment.

The information is given in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to continue the licensing and support of Cumberlow Lodge secure girls unit at Norwood, SE24.

Approval of this unit was recently extended to 30 April 1989 following a routine inspection by the Department's social services inspectorate. The future of the unit is currently the subject of discussions between the London borough of Lambeth (which provides the unit) and the London boroughs children's regional planning committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of pensioners in Tameside who will be (i) obliged to pay for dental and optical tests and (ii) exempt.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health why items of dental service which are given an item number are approved at a lower fee than when the same items have been accorded no number.

All items in the National Health Service scale of fees for general dental services are numbered, and the vast majority have fixed fees. In the case of a small minority of items the level of fees is left to the discretion of the Dental Estimates Board.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the numbers of estimate forms for occasional treatment only that have been dealt with in each year from 1975 to 1987.

The information requested is set out in the table. After 1985 information is available for financial years only.

Number of courses of occasional treatment (England)
Year	Number
1975	1,427,280
1976	1,224,320
1977	1,074,380
1978	901,190
1979	892,970
1980	895,570
1981	857,250
1982	858,480
1983	893,750
1984	877,700
1985	847,300
1986–87	594,630

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, by regional health authority area, what proportion of district health authority members have been nominated by the Trades Union Congress or an affiliated organisation for each year from 1980 to 1987.

We do not hold this information centrally. Members of district health authorities are appointed by the relevant regional health authority and local authorities. The hon. Member may therefore wish to seek the information from regional health authority chairmen.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what would be the estimated cost to public funds of extending exemptions from charges for (a) dental examinations and (b) eye tests beyond those envisaged on Third Reading of the Health and Medicines Bill in the House of Commons to exempt all persons of pensionable age.

The estimated annual cost in England of extending free dental treatment to all persons over pensionable age would be £5 million and the extension of free sight tests would be £22 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many units specially caring for premature babies have been set up by regional health authorities in England and Wales; and what is the earliest age from which such babies have been known to survive in these units.

All regional health authorities in England and Wales have units at regional, sub-regional or district level for the medical care of the newborn. These units receive premature babies together with others who require special or intensive care.It has been reported that babies have survived in these units from the 23rd week of gestation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish any expert advice received by him in respect of the St. Thomas cyclotron.

No. Successive Governments have accepted that the advice of officials to Ministers is given in confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the procedures specified in the Department of Health's option appraisal were followed in the purchase of medical equipment when making the decision on the St. Thomas cyclotron.