To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the finally agreed text of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe in Vienna; and if he will make a statement.

The Vienna concluding document will be published as a White Paper, as will my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign Secretary's speech at the concluding session of the Vienna CSCE meeting.In the meantime, copies of both the document and the speech will be placed in the Library of the House and issued to members of the public on request.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs if he will make a statement on the terms of the concluding document of the Vienna CSCE review conference.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave to him on 11 January, at column 830. The Vienna concluding document contains greatly improved commitments on human rights and contacts, including an important new mechanism for the regular review of human rights abuses, and provides for increased co-operation in economic, scientific, environmental, information, cultural and educational fields. It contains a substantial programme of follow up activities including an information forum in London in April/May 1989 and opens the way to negotiations in March on conventional arms control and confidence and security building measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government still consider, as indicated to the House on 23 October 1987, that the 1986 United Nations plan for a binational federal Government of Cyprus in which the two communities share power as equal political partners forms a good basis for settlement.

We continue to believe that the United Nations Secretary-General's draft framework agreement of March 1986 formed a good basis for a Cyprus settlement. But events have moved on. The leaders of the two communities, President Vassiliou and Mr. Denktash, accepted the Secretary-General's proposal last August that, without any pre-conditions, they should make a fresh attempt to negotiate a comprehensive settlement by 1 June 1989. Their talks continue, with the aim of agreeing the basis for a settlement in present circumstances. We have encouraged each side to negotiate constructively, taking the basic concerns of the other fully into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of executions in Iran in the last three months: and if he will list them.

We have received regular press releases and reports of political executions from a variety of sources including Amnesty International.We have also received reporting on this subject from our mission in Tehran.We examine all such reports with great care.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations the Government have made to the Turkish Government concerning improvements in human rights in Turkey; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State raised the subject of human rights with the Turkish ambassador on 12 December 1988. We continue to urge the Turkish Government to maintain the improvement in human rights there has been in recent years and to respect and abide by the terms of the relevant international human rights conventions to which Turkey is a signatory.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in implementing the Foreign Compensation (People's Republic of China) Order 1987.

Very good progress is being made. 2,032 claims in respect of bonds and 989 claims in respect of property had been received by the Foreign Compensation Commission (which is being assisted with regard to the administrative aspects of the work by the private accountants Ernst and Whinney) by the two deadlines of 30 June and 31 August 1988 laid down in the 1987 order. Of these, 1,488 claims in respect of bonds and seven in respect of property had been determined by the commission by 13 January.Adjudication of property claims takes time. The issues raised by many claims are complex. It is hoped, however, that the final distribution from the China fund cart be made by late 1990.In the meantime, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has directed that an interim payment of 5 per cent. of the value assigned to a bond should be paid to successful claimants in respect of bonds as from the end of January.

To ask the Member answering for the Public Accounts Commission how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

None, during 1988.

To ask the Lord President of the Council how many oral parliamentary questions he has answered by written reply because the question was not reached at Question Time, for the most recent year for which figures are available.

Twenty two, during 1988. Fifteen of which I answered on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to move jobs in his Department to locations in the Nottingham, North constituency; and if he will make it his policy to inform the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of any developments.

For our plans for relocating some work from sone London local social security offices I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Norris) on 16 January, at columns 44–45.A team of officials are considering options for moving some headquarters work out of London and are investigating all possible locations which will allow us to improve efficiency. We shall make a full announcement of our conclusions in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether the arrangements for diversion of maintenance orders for women receiving income support are still as described in paragraphs 13.20–22, "Supplementary Benefits Handbook 1984."

The arrangements are generally the same. There is a slight change in that claimants are no longer invited to arrange for the court to pass their court order payments to the Department, rather than direct to them, where the order is paid with complete regularity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Blyth Valley had their unemployment benefit stopped because they were considered not to be available for work in January 1988.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. Statistics on adjudication officers' decisions are compiled quarterly for the areas covered by adjudication offices, each of which cover a number of benefit offices. For the quarter ended 31 March 1988, the records for the adjudication office area of Newcastle, which includes the constituency of Blyth Valley, show that 246 adverse decisions on availability for work were given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department's Central Office at Longbarton, Newcastle, will provide the information requested by Mr. S. W. Brass of 58 Sandy lane, Rugeley, Staffordshire, on behalf of Mrs. D. E. Brass regarding non-receipt of her retirement pension for the weeks commencing 7 and 14 November, Reference 02707276 ZT.

Non-payment of retirement pension in respect of Mrs. Brass for the weeks commencing 7 and 14 November 1988 has now been confirmed and immediate payment of the amount due will be made by the Cannock local office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance is issued to local offices on payment of fares to a parent who is seeking to make an access visit to his or her child;(2) whether financial help is available to a mother who has to travel long distances for an access visit to her child in order to comply with a custody order;(3) what help is available to parents seeking help with transport costs in order to pay access visits to their children.

A community care grant from the social fund may be awarded to a parent receiving income support to cover travelling costs to visit a child who is in the care of the other parent pending a custody decision. Once custody has been decided help can not be given.Guidance and directions for the award of such payments appear in the "Social Fund Manual". A copy is in the Library.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects to publish the 1989 public expenditure White Paper.

The 1989 public expenditure White Paper will be published at 3.30 pm on Monday 30 January, and copies will be made available in the Vote Office.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met his West German counterpart; and what was the content of their discussions.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor meets his counterparts in other countries from time to time to discuss a range of issues of mutual interest.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of interest rates.

Bank base rates are 13 per cent.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what matters were discussed when the Crown Estate Commissioners met him to present their annual report.

I met the commissioners on 13 July 1988. We discussed the performance of the Crown Estate in 1987–88 and their broad programme for the future years.I regret that I cannot disclose the specific issues discussed as they are subject to commercial confidentiality.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has as to how many households have their mortgage interest payments adjusted annually.

Figures released by the Building Societies Association in July 1988 showed that 37 per cent. of borrowers with the largest 14 building societies had their mortgage payments adjusted once a year. No information is available for banks and other mortgage lenders.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the growth of (a) self employment and (b) part-time employment in the United Kingdom since 1979.

Between June 1979 and September 1988 the number of self-employed people in Great Britain rose by 60 per cent. to nearly 3 million. Over the same period, the part-time workforce in employment rose by 30 per cent. to over 6 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in which regions adult unemployment has fallen over the past year.

Adult unemployment has fallen in every region of the United Kingdom over the last year, and fastest in the west midlands, the north-west and Wales.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the fall in the number of long-term unemployed aged 18 to 24 years since October 1986.

The latest available figures for October 1988 show that the number of long-term unemployed aged between 18 and 24 has fallen by one half since October 1986.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the number of private shareholders in the United Kingdom.

The joint Treasury and stock exchange survey carried out in January and February 1988 estimated that approximately 9 million people own shares, 20 per cent. of the adult population. This represents a threefold increase since 1979.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much in anti-dumping duties on electronic typewriters was collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the last year for which figures are available;(2) how much in anti-dumping duties on daisy wheel printers was collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in the last year for which figures are available;

[holding answer 16 January 1989]: The following information is in respect of duty collected in the 12 months to November 1988:

Category	Anti-dumping duty (£000's)
Electronic typewriters	238
Daisy wheel printers and dot matrix printers1	140
Photocopiers	5,186
Microchips	2
1 Separate figures for daisy wheel and dot matrix printers are not available. Anti-dumping duty was imposed on dot matrix printers in May 1988 and on daisy wheel printers in July 1988.
2 Anti-dumping duty is not levied on microchips.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will investigate the reasons for the delay regarding registration No. WSX 131547; and when the district land registrar of Her Majesty's Land Registry, Weymouth, will conclude this matter.

The registration of title number WSX131547 was completed on 6 January 1989. Completion of the registration was delayed because replies to requisitions raised by the Land Registry in respect of prior applications, which affected the land in title number WSX131547, had not been received.

To ask the Attorney-General if he has any plans to monitor the working of the Latent Damage Act; and if he will make a statement upon the aspect of deliberate concealment.

The Lord Chancellor has no plans to do so at present since it is too early to say whether such an exercise is necessary.The Latent Damage Act 1986 provides that the overriding time limit of 15 years in an action for negligence is not to apply where there has been deliberate concealment of any fact by the defendant. A defendant will therefore not be able to take advantage of his own wrongdoing by relying on the lapse of time.

To ask the Attorney-General when he plans to introduce legislation embodying the Law Commission working group's recommendations contained in "Commonhold Freehold Flats and Freehold Ownership of Other Independent Buildings"; and if he will make a statement on the position of existing flat leaseholders' rights to conversion to any such common-hold system.

The Lord Chancellor announced on 8 June 1988 that the Government have arranged for legislation to be prepared at the Law Commission giving effect to the recommendations made in the working group report (Cm. 179).Decisions on the implementation of the recommendations, and the circumstances in which leaseholds of flats should be convertable into freeholds within commonholds are being considered and will be announced in due course.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will take steps to mount a space mission to investigate the extent of space debris in the earth's orbit.

This is an area in which it is natural to work through the European Space Agency and where the United Kingdom and other member states are due shortly to consider a working party report. There are, however, no immediate United Kingdom or ESA plans for a space mission to study space debris.

to ask the Prime Minister if she intends to pay an official visit to the Duffryn area of Newport, Gwent.

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister what are the guidelines for Cabinet Ministers' dealings in shares.

A memorandum by the then secretary of the Cabinet, which included the guidance given to Ministers on this matter, was submitted in evidence to the Royal Commission on standards of conduct in public life in 1975. A copy is in the Library. The current guidance is to all intents and purposes the same and continues to be based on the principle that Ministers must so order their affairs that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their private interests and their public duties.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 19 January.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the Premier of Quebec.

To ask the Prime Minister whether Sir Robert Andrew's report of his review of the Government legal services is to be published; and if she will make a statement.

Last year I asked Sir Robert Andrew to undertake a review of Government legal services and to make recommendations on what legal services the Government need, how they can be provided most effectively and economically and what changes are needed in the management of legal staff so as to make best use of them. Sir Robert's report is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. I am grateful to Sir Robert Andrew for the work he has put into the report.Sir Robert Andrew concludes that the Government continue to need a wide range of legal services provided to a high standard and that the need for them is likely to go on increasing. He considers it likely that the bulk of these services will continue to be provided within Government, but Departments should decide on cost-effectiveness grounds whether to meet their needs in Government or outside. He suggests that some of the bodies providing services of a legal nature to the public might usefully become executive agencies and that the relocation of some work out of London should prove cost-effective. The Government accept these conclusions.The report proposes some adjustments in organisation to improve the effectiveness of legal services. In the light of these recommendations, I have decided to make the following changes in England and Wales. Under the ministerial direction of the Attorney-General, the Treasury Solicitor will become the head of the Government legal service. As head of profession he will advise on the personnel management of lawyers across Departments, and will be supported in this by a new lawyers management unit. The present Law Officers Department will be renamed the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, and the legal departments for which the Attorney-General is the ministerial head (the Treasury Solicitor's Department, the Legal Secretariat to the Law Officers, the Crown Prosecution Service, and the Serious Fraud Office) will be known collectively as the Law Officers Departments. The Lord Chancellor's Department will take over responsibi-lity for the Statutory Publications Office from the Treasury Solicitor's Department, probably in April 1990.The report makes a number of recommendations aimed at improving the management of lawyers. The Government accept these recommendations and agree that greater effort needs to be put into recruitment and that the areas of recruitment should be broadened. They believe that the Government legal service as a whole will benefit from more co-ordinated personnel management and from improved training and career management. The new lawyers management unit will have a key role in helping the Treasury Solicitor as head of profession work with Departments in implementing the report's recommendations.

To ask the Minister for the Arts what developments there have been on museums training following his statement on 17 March 1988.

In my statement of 17 March 1988 I welcomed the Museums and Galleries Commission working party report on museums training and career structure, which was published in July 1987.I was pleased to announce that my Department, with the MSC, was providing support and financial assistance for a museums skills needs assessment study to identify key skills and competencies. This study, for which the principal agent is the Museums Association, is now almost completed and will result in the production of new modules for the training of those currently or prospectively working in museums.In my 17 March statement I said that it was not my intention to set up a Museums Training Council with regional panels in the form recommended by the MGC report. I considered it appropriate that the primary responsibility for museums training should rest with the museums industry itself, and that the continuing developments in this area should be overseen and guided by a consortium representing the main sectors of the museums industry. I indicated that I would be consulting further about the composition of such a consortium.I am pleased to announce that discussions with interested parties, including the representatives of museums interests on the steering committee for the training needs assessment study, have resulted in a proposal that the Museums Association should establish a museums training institute, which would be a subsidiary charitable company of the association. The museums training institute would be responsible for forming a view on the museum industry's training needs, identifying standards for occupations in the industry, reviewing the content and delivery of training, promoting the provision of training, providing training in selected areas and validating training courses. It is the intention that the board of the institute will consist of an independent chairman, members representing the Museums Association, the national, local authority and independent museums, the Museums and Galleries Commission, the area museum councils, and a number of independent members.If this proposal is to be developed, as I hope it will be, it is important that the interested parties, including the museums industry and museums organisations, work together to ensure its success. The Office of Arts and Libraries will be contributing £25,000 towards the initial start-up costs of the museums training institute, and towards the preparation of a business plan. Looking beyond the information of the institute, I am prepared to provide limited funding on a pump-priming basis for a period of up to five years. I shall look to the museums industry and employers to contribute a progressively increasing share of the costs of the institute following the substantial public investment in the development of museums training by the Office of Arts and Libraries and the Training Agency.In the past 18 months considerable progress has been made in the development of museum training. The analysis of key skills and competencies has provided a sound basis for further progress and I shall continue to take a close interest in progress towards the establishment of a lead industry body for the museums sector which will carry forward and develop these initiatives.

To ask the Minister for the Civil Service, pursuant to his reply of 10 January, Official Report, column 482, where information relating to the £209,756 of disbursements made by his Department to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1987–88 is to be found; and in what form.

I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member on 7 November 1988, at column 40.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is his policy on the education of under-fives; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he has any plans for earmarked grants for the development of education for the under-fives; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has no plans affecting the funding arrangements for the education of the under-fives. The Government will make a full statement of its policies on the education of the under-fives when responding to the report of the Education, Science and Arts Committee on educational provision for the under-fives, published on 11 January.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his reply of 10 January, Official Report, column 483, to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey, how late claims for 1987–88 expenditure by local education authorities are treated in relation to the allocations of grant expenditure between local education authorities for the current year; whether the allocations for the current year were set in the light of expected late claims by some authorities; and if he will make a statement;(2) pursuant to his reply of 10 January,

Claims submitted to date in the current financial year, which were due in the 1987–88 financial year, are as follows:

Local Education Authority	Amount £	Claim for Quarter1
Barnet	358,880	2
Barnsley	66,134	2
Barnsley	205,430	3
Croydon	159,675	3
Ealing	120,400	1
Ealing	121,800	2
Ealing	176,900	3
Hertfordshire	658,466	3
Salford	250,537	3
Waltham Forest	134,670	3
Wiltshire	222,940	2
Wiltshire	359,805	3

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of the end year flexibility scheme for his Department's 1987–88 cash limits, showing (a) eligible expenditure, (b) maximum carry-forward and (c) actual carry-forward in each case.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 21 July 1988, at columns 725–28, to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire). The increases in provision for 1988–89 arising from capital underspend in 1987–88, allowed under the end-year flexibility scheme, were £2·180 million on class XII, vote 1, where the eligible expenditure was £43·606 million; and £0·370 million on class XII, vote 3, where the eligible expenditure was £153·640 million. In each case the carry-forward was the maximum permitted under the end-year flexibility scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give details of 1987–88 underspending of his Department's 1987–88 cash limits for items in class XII, vote 1, which were outside the end of year flexibility scheme showing (a) expenditure authorised in the Vote and (b) the amount underspent in each case and of the adjustments that have been made to expenditure plans for later years to compensate for the underspending in 1987–88.

The cash limit for class XII, vote 1 in 1987–88 was £378·9 million. Expenditure was £348·5 million. Of the total underspend of £30·4 million, £25·6 million was accounted for by the level of claims for the LEA training grant scheme and £1·8 million by the level of claims for education support grants. The remaining underspend arose from a variety of causes across the Vote. The level of provision for the LEA training grant scheme and for education support grants in 1988–89 has been set to allow for claims arising in respect of earlier years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what arrangements the University Grants Committee is making to continue to meet the rating bills of halls of residence of universities in England, Wales and Scotland for the financial year 1989–90; and what representations he is making to the University Grants Committee to ensure that it does not cease to meet the costs of commercial rates in Scottish halls of residence while halls in England and Wales receive monies to cover their rates;(2) if he will meet representatives of local authorities to discuss the impact on their revenues of any reduction in tourism arising out of the withdrawal of university halls of residence from commercial letting as a result of University Grants Committee funding changes accompanying the introduction of the community charge:(3) what calculation he has made of the impact on tourism of the possible withdrawal of university halls of residence from commercial letting as a result of any reduction in University Grants Committee funding of the commercial rates paid by halls to local authorities;(4) if he will meet representatives of local authorities to discuss the impact on their revenues of any reduction in tourism arising out of the withdrawal of university halls of residence from commercial letting as a result of University Grants Committee funding changes accompanying the introduction of the community charge.

Rates paid in respect of university halls of residence are not currently reimbursed by the University Grants Committee. A decision by the Universities Funding Council not to reimburse the cost of business rates payable, after the introduction of the community charge, in respect of halls of residence used for commercial letting would effectively maintain the present position and therefore should not affect the commercial letting of university halls of residence or have an adverse impact on tourism or revenue received by local authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has discussed with officials of the Open university the impact of the under supplementation against inflation; and if he will make a statement.

An additional £12·9 million is being made available to the Open university over the next three years. Recurrent grant for 1989 of £68·4 million is over 7 per cent. higher than in 1988. Decisions on grant take full account of advice received from the Open university visiting committee, and of regular discussions with officers of the university.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the Wrexham Water Works Company is above or below the £30 million assets line; and if he will make a statement.

The total assets less current liabilities given in the company's annual report for 1987 as £5,528,000

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he now proposes to implement the recommendation of the Griffiths report on community care; and if he will make a statement.

This report relates explicitly to England. My right hon. Friend is considering its implications for services in Wales, in the light of our separate strategies and initiatives to promote the development of effective community care. He will bring forward proposals as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the total amount of (a) butter and (b) beef allocated to each county in Wales under the European Community free food scheme for 1988–89;(2) what is the total amount of

In Wales 176 tonnes of butter and 332 tonnes of beef were allocated to and distributed by designated organisations under the EC free food scheme in 1988. Figures are not available on a county basis. Local distribution arrangements were a matter for the designated organisations to determine within the rules of the scheme. Consultations on the scheme for 1989 will take place soon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales from whom applications have been received in each county in Wales to distribute beef and butter in the 1988–89 free food scheme; and which of the applications have been granted.

All nine organisations which applied for designation under the EC free food scheme in Wales had their applications accepted. A list of the organisations was placed in the Library of the House on 21 April 1988 by my right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of orders made by him and his predecessors under section 29 of the Water Act 1973 requiring the Welsh water authority to seek a specified rate of return on its net assets, giving the date of each such order, and the date of return specified in that order.

The orders made under section 29 of the Water Act 1973 are as follows:

Statutory Instrument Number	Effective dates	Rate of return per cent.
1981/826	6 July 1981 to 31 March 1982	0·30
1982/1087	31 August 1982 to 31 March 1983	0·95
1983/782	13 July 1983 to 31 March 1984	1·20
1984/1470	24 October 1984 to 31 March 1985	1·25
1985/78	1 April 1985 to 31 March 1986	1·45
1985/1805	1 April 1986 to 31 March 1987	1·65
1986/1952	1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988	1·95
1987/2022	1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989	2·35

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions since 31 March 1978 his Department made a charges option order under the provisions of section 19 of the Water Act 1973, giving the date of any such order and the location to which it applied.

None. The section has been replaced by section 62 of the Land Drainage Act 1976.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioners have facilities for screening for breast cancer; and if he will make a statement.

In view of the specialised mammography equipment and radiological expertise required, breast screening in Wales is to be carried out by specialist units and not individual general practitioners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give a breakdown of the amount diverted from the Government's overseas aid budget to provide emergency funds to the following countries in the wake of recent disasters (a) the Sudan, (b) Bangladesh, (c) Nicaragua, and other Latin American countries affected by Hurricane Joan, (d) Jamaica and (e) Mexico.

The funds provided for these recent disasters were allocated from contingency provision within the overseas aid budget; none of the money was diverted from planned aid programme expenditure.The amounts spent on emergency relief in the countries named in 1988–89 have been:

	£ million
(a) Sudan (floods, refugees etc)	12·4
(b) Bangladesh (floods)	2·5
(c) Nicaragua and Costa Rica (hurricane)	0·27
(d) Jamaica (hurricane)	0·55
(e) Mexico (hurricane)	0·015

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will set a timetable by which they will attain the United Nations recommendation that donor countries' aid to the Third world should constitute 0·7 per cent. of gross national product.

Like previous administrations, Her Majesty's Government are not able to set a timetable for attaining this target. Progress towards the target depends on developments in the economy and other claims on resources. We have a substantial aid programme which is now growing in real terms.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the estimated amounts of (a) principal and (b) interest due to be remitted to the Government by overseas aid debtor countries in 1989–90; and what were the amounts actually remitted for the last three years for which figures are available.

In 1989–90, repayments of past aid loans due to Her Majesty's Government amount to £63,148,015 (principal) and £11,424,790 (interest). Actual receipts for the latest three financial years for which figures are available are:

	Principal £	Interest £
1987–88	53,121,271	9,463,464
1986–87	53,349,990	10,247,424
1985–86	56,077,690	11,139,158

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the planned overseas aid budget of £1,430 million in 1989–90 includes or excludes the estimated amounts of (a) principal and (b) interest due to be remitted to the Government by overseas aid debtor countries in that year.

The planned overseas aid budget of £1,430 million in 1989–90 excludes any principal repayment or interest payment due to Her Majesty's Government from past aid loans in that year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much assistance has been granted by the EEC to the Church organisations in South Africa that have been subject to recent bomb and arson attacks; and what form this assistance has taken.

The European Community has channelled some 22 mecu (over £14 million) through the South African Council of Churches and the South African Catholic Bishops Conference (SACBC) under the special programme of assistance for victims of apartheid which began in 1986. The United Kingdom's share of this total amounts to some £3 million. The EC programme has financed 70 separate projects implemented by many non-governmental organisations throughout South Africa. The EC has also approved projects to help replace some of the SACBC equipment destroyed, and to help provide new accommodation and facilities for a number of affected organisations, including Church groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much assistance has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the Church organisations in South Africa that have been subject to recent bomb and arson attacks; and what form this assistance has taken.

Britain's contribution to the needs of the Church organisations in question has been through the share we contribute to the European Community's programme. In addition Britain has provided modest assistance to replace equipment for some of the other organisations based in the same buildings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid is being provided to India for drilling rigs for the Indian Government's water project; and how much aid the Indian Government requested to finance the original programme.

We were discussing with the Indian authorities finance for a water drilling project costing about £25 million. Unfortunately the project did not pass our appraisal, designed to ensure that it was likely to achieve sustainable benefits. We are considering alternative approaches with the Government of India.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the United Kingdom is giving to international efforts to halt the destruction of Brazilian rain forests; and what information he has on their effectiveness.

We are among those who have raised this issue with the Government of Brazil. There have been reports that President Sarney is to seek international assistance on environmental matters; if these are correct. that would be a welcome development. The World bank already has under discussion a loan of up to ․150 million to strengthen the Brazilian Government's national environmental programme. Environmental conditions attached to earlier World Bank and Inter-American Development bank loans have helped to increase awareness of the issues. As signatories of the international tropical timber agreement, both Brazil and the United Kingdom are pledged to encourage the development of international policies aimed at sustainable utilisation and conservation of tropical forests.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many speeding offences in which no other offence was alleged were proceeded against either by fixed penalties or through the courts by the Lincolnshire police in each of the last five years for which statistics are available; and what was the average for England and Wales in these years.

The available information on all speeding offences dealt with by court proceedings or fixed penalty notices is published annually by police force area in "Offences relating to motor vehicles, England and Wales, Supplementary tables" (tables 16 and 20 of the issue for 1987); copies are in the Library. Information on how many of these offences were the only ones alleged on a particular occasion is not available. However, Home Office guidelines are that a fixed penalty notice should not be issued where an officer is also reporting other offences for consideration of summons, and it is believed that in the vast majority of cases a prosecution for speeding is not accompanied by a prosecution for another offence.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is (a) the original agreed contract price and (b) the current contract price for each of the new prisons under construction.

Construction contracts ar awarded on the basis of an accepted tender price excludin variations of price (VOP). The contract value (which is th current contract price) is adjusted during the course of th:ontract to take account of VOP. VOP is calculated fro the NEDO (National Economic Developmen Organisation) formula which is a nationally recognise formula for the calculation of cost increases for project under construction. In the case of two of the five prison listed, adjustments have also been made to take account o the application of VAT to building contracts since Jun 1988.

Contract	Original agreed main contract price—tender price (excluding VOP and VAT) £ millions	Current contract value (including VOP incurred to date and VAT) £ millions
Brinsford Prison (awarded June 1987)	23·12	25·18
Bullingdon Prison (awarded June 1988)	33·10	38·00
Lindholme II Prison (awarded September 1988)	31·23	40·98
Milton Keynes Prison (awarded December 1988)	57·17	71·96
Whitemoor Prison (awarded February 1988)	28·85	31·27

There are two other new prisons currently under construction. Advance works are taking place at Lancaste Farms young offender institution, where the main contrac has not yet been awarded. At Woolwich prison work i proceeding on the basis of a construction management contract. This involves a number of indivdual contract packages for the completion of the project instead of single lump sum contract. It is not possible to provide comparable estimated cost figures as all the individual contract packages have not yet been let.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Hom Department what is the number of complaints made b boards of visitors as to the standard of workmanship an delays in completion of all major modernisatio programmes of prison building work; and if he will make a statement.

Since 1 January 1988 letters have been received from three boards of visitors about delays in the completion of major modernisation programmes at existing prison establishments. It is our objective to proceed as fast as is practicable with the programmes already under way and with those planned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the present number is of empty cells in the Albany prison, Isle of Wight.

On Monday 16 January there were nine unoccupied cells in the living accommodation at Her Majesty's prison, Albany.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of remand prisoners being held in police station cells on 9 January; and if he will make a statement.

On Monday 9 January, 152 prisoners, most of whom would have been on remand, were held in police cells in England and Wales. This is 571 fewer than a month previously. Efforts to secure reductions are continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost, and the expected completion date, of the building programme to redevelop Leeds prison.

It is expected that work on the redevelopment of Her Majesty's prison Leeds will be completed by 1997. The estimated cost at 1988 price levels is approximately £48 million, including VAT.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of building Feltham remand centre.

The final cost of building Her Majesty's young offenders institution and remand centre Feltham is likely to be in the order of £29 million subject to the determination of a number of outstanding claims.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the response he has received to his consultation document regarding British summer time; and whether he has yet reached any conclusions.

A consultation note was sent to Government Departments last year with a request that they seek the views of interested bodies on the options set out in that note for future summer time arrangements.The results of this survey are being studied and will form the basis of a consultation document to be published in the near future with the intention of stimulating wider public debate on the matter.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the consultative document entitled "The Rest Proposals", published by the Keep Sunday Special Organisation in connection with the reform of the Shops Act 1950.

Yes. We are considering these together with the other proposals we have received.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of Nigerian citizens currently serving sentences in Her Majesty's prisons on immigration offences.

According to the records held centrally, which may be incomplete, on 30 November 1988 no Nigerian citizens were serving sentences in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales for offences under the Immigration Act 1971.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of Nigerian citizens currently held in prisons in England and Wales pending a Home Office decision on deportation or permission to stay in the United Kingdom.

According to information available centrally, a total of 36 Nigerian citizens were detained as at 31 December 1988 under Immigration Act powers in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. These include those being dealt with under deportation powers, as illegal entrants and after being detained at ports of entry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of vacancies for prison works craftsmen or women at each of the London prisons on 1 January.

Vacancies for civilian craftsmen or women at the London prisons as at 1 January are set out in the following table.

Prison	Complement	Vacancies
Brixton	(24)	2
Holloway	(15)	2
Pentonville	(15)	2
Wandsworth	(19)	12
Wormwood Scrubs	(18)	11

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has already been allocated in the current financial year for repair or modernisation at each of the London prisons.

The amount of money allocated for the current financial year to each of the London prisons is as follows:

	£
Brixton	1,288,000
Feltham	1,312,000
Holloway	267,000
Latchmere House	195,000
Pentonville	3,140,000
Wandsworth	1,125,000
Wormwood Scrubs	2,057,000
Total	9,384,000

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a senior member of the prison department last visited each of the London prison hospitals; and on what dates the visits took place; what reports of general conditions within those hospitals were made to his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The last visits by senior members of the Prison Department to the hospitals of prison service establishments in the London area were as follows:

Establishment	Date of visit	Officer visiting	Whether report made of hospital conditions
Ashford	9 January 1989	Regional Principal Medical Officer	No
Brixton	2 December 1988	Regional Principal Medical Officer	No
Feltham	28 August 1988	Regional Principal Medical Officer	No
Holloway	13 December 1988	Director Prison Medical Services	No
Pentonville	6 December 1988	Regional Principal Medical Officer	No
Wandsworth	15 July 1988	Regional Principal Medical Officer	No
Wormwood Scrubs	13 January 1989	Director Prison Medical Services	Yes

The Director of Prison Medical Services, following his visit to the temporary hospital facility at Wormwood Scrubs prison, has reported that he supports a decision by the managing principal medical officer to close the facility in the interests of health and hygiene. Consideration is being given to means of remedying the defects identified. Provision for a fully equipped hospital is included in the urgent redevelopment scheme for this establishment. Building is scheduled to start in two years' time.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to amend the law to enable one person to attest the proxy vote of more than one other person in elections.

We hope shortly to issue a consultation paper on absent voting, which will explore the various options for change, including that mentioned by my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the granting of shotgun licences to minors.

Under section 28 of the Firearms Act 1968 it is open to a chief officer of police to refuse to grant a shotgun certificate if he has reason to believe that an applicant is prohibited by the Act from possessing a shotgun, or cannot be permitted to possess one without danger to the public safety or to the peace. In relation to shotguns there are no specified age restrictions, but age is one factor which the chief officer may take into account in reaching a decision.New, stricter controls for the issue of shotgun certificates will come into force under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 later this year. The Act changes the emphasis so that a chief officer has to be satisfied that the applicant can be permitted to possess a shotgun without danger to the public safety or to the peace. It also contains a new provision to the effect that a certificate shall not be issued if the chief officer is satisfied that the applicant does not have a good reason for possessing, purchasing or acquiring a shotgun.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many burglaries were committed in Derbyshire in 1983; and how many were committed in the last year for which figures are available.

The information is published annually in table S3.1 of "Criminal statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables, Volume 3", a copy of which is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests took place at Luton police station of Luton Town supporters following the Ipswich Town v Luton Town Littlewoods cup tie on 17 November 1987; and under the name of which club these arrests appear in the 1987–88 season arrest totals.

Fifty-two Luton supporters were arrested in connection with damage to a coach on which they were returning to Luton from Ipswich after this match. All were subsequently released without charge. None of these arrests was included in the totals of arrests at football grounds compiled by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the proposed Independent Television Commission will have responsibility for policing pirate decoders.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department whether, pursuant to the answer of 19 December 1988 on football statistics, Official Report, columns 56–60, he will publish similar tables to the 1987–88 English Football League season showing the costs of policing matches and the costs per spectator at each ground, with clubs being listed in the order of those with the cheapest costs per spectator.

This information is not collected from individual forces by the Association of Chief Police Officers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact he expects his announcement on the Challenger tank will have on jobs in the Nottingham travel-to-work area.

Subject to Vickers Defence Systems winning the production contract for the Challenger 2 Mk II there will clearly be a beneficial effect on employment opportunities generally, especially when the downstream effects on subcontractors are taken into consideration. It is, of course, for the companies concerned to decide precisely where this work will be carried out. However, traditionally Royal Ordnance, Nottingham has been involved in the manufacture of tank main armament.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many Royal Marine service men are permanently assigned as stewards to Royal Marine messes; and whether those service men who are not permanently assigned as mess stewards and occasionally act as waiters at officers' messes volunteer for these duties;(2) whether those service men who are not permanently assigned as mess stewards and occasionally act as waiters at officer' messes receive additional pay for fulfilling such duties; and what are the general criteria concerning the use of servicemen who are not permanently assigned as mess stewards as waiters at mess nights.

Royal Marine service men are not permanently assigned as stewards. Within the corps steward billets are filled by volunteers, who serve a normal draft, or by others for a period normally not exceeding six months. Acting as waiter at an officers' mess may form part of a steward's duties and this does not attract additional pay. As far as possible only volunteers perform waiters' duties at mess nights.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Chipmunk aircraft the RAF operates; what is their average age; how much per hour they cost to fly; what is the availability of spares; what plans the RAF has to replace the Chipmunks; if he will list the aeroplanes that have been considered as suitable replacements; and whether the RAF has flown the ARV Super Two manufactured at Sandown, Isle of Wight.

The Royal Air Force operates a total of 77 Chipmunk aircraft. Their average age is 35 years. Their basic operating cost (including spares and servicing to normal RAF standards) is about £120 per hour; the availability of spares is satisfactory, and on current plans, the Chipmunk is expected to remain in RAF service until about the turn of the century. The RAF has not flown the ARV Super Two, though it has been used at the Empire test pilots school at the Aeroplane and Armament Establishment, Boscombe Down in the training of student test pilots.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to ensure the continuation of the Royal Arsenal Sports and Recreational Association after the construction of the east London river crossing.

The Ministry of Defence has no formal responsibility for the Royal Arsenal Sports and Recreational Association. Part of the Manor Way sports ground will be lost as a result of the construction of the east London river crossing, but sufficient land will remain to constitute a viable sports ground. We shall of course be discussing with the association whether it wishes to retain most of the site on licence from MOD for recreational purposes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated date when the Pindar project will be completed; what requirements it is expected to fulfil when it is fully operational; and what is its total estimated cost.

Project Pindar is a facility to improve the effectiveness of higher levels of command and control. It is not the practice to disclose the planned completion dates or estimated costs of projects which are not yet in service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated date on which the Boxer system is expected to be operational; what requirements it is expected to fulfil; and what is its total estimated cost.

I refer the hon. Member to paragraph 317 and table 3 of volume 1 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1988". The Boxer 2 communications bearer system will provide a nationwide secure and survivable communications system using new fibre-optic technology. It is not the practice to disclose the planned completion dates or estimated costs of projects which are not yet in service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated date on which the Fastnet project is expected to be completed; what requirements it is expected to fulfil when it is fully operational; and what is its total estimated cost.

Fastnet is a phased programme to replace and upgrade the Army's aging telephone exchange system with modern digital equipment. It is not the practice to disclose the planned completion dates or estimated costs of projects which are not yet in service.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated date on which the Opcon system is expected to be operational; what requirements it is expected to fulfil; and what is its total estimated cost.

The Opcon system has been in successful operational use since 1986. It is an automated message handling system and database for use by Commander in Chief's maritime headquarters at Northwood. It is based on commercial ADP equipment, and the capital cost of the equipment was of the order of £40 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated date on which the Mapper system is expected to be operational; what requirements it is expected to fulfil when it is fully operational; and what is its total estimated cost.

The Mapper system, also known as the United Kingdom land forces automated management information system (AMIS), provides information technology facilities to the HQ UKLF linking with nine District Headquarters and other key agencies, including the HQ BAOR and the MOD, to assist in the planning and execution of operations during the transition to war and on peacetime exercises. The system also provides an electronic mail, word processing and management information facility.The system was first installed in mid-1985 and is continually being enhanced and expanded to meet the evolving HQ UKLF requirement for better command and control in the UKLF theatre, in support of home defence and NATO reinforcement.Total procurement costs to date for the installation and subsequent enhancements and expansions of the system have been in the order of £9 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what troop carrying capacity for battlefield helicopters has been considered by the airmobility working group;(2) when the report of the airmobility working group will be completed.

We have no record of an airmobility working group within the Ministry of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the £624 million variation between expenditure and grant of item J6 (Guided Weapons) noted on page 14, Appropriation Accounts 1987–88, HC 17–1 was caused by (a) over-provision arising from the provisional allocation of carry forward from 1986–87 and (b) slower progress.

Some 96 per cent. of the £624 million variation on Item J6 (Guided Weapons), noted on page 14 of the Appropriation Account 1987–88, related to the provisional allocation of the carry forward from 1986–87 and the remaining 4 per cent. was caused by slower progress.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to facilitate the release of information on nuclear safety to the general public living in the Rosyth dockyard area.

The Rosyth public safety scheme is available in public libraries in the Rosyth area. All future revisions will also be made available to the public. In addition, the Rosyth local liaison committee provides a forum for exchanges of information between the Royal Navy and the community on nuclear safety matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has made to the United States Navy authorities following reported incidents involving the discharge of radioactive coolant from United States Navy submarines into Scottish waters.

None. Her Majesty's Government are satisfied that United States practice in United Kingdom waters, which has been governed by a written arrangement since 1958, has always remained within established national and international standards on release of radioactivity.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he is taking to avoid future accidental or deliberate discharges of radioactive coolant into Scottish waters from (a) Royal Navy and (b) United States Navy submarines.

Our operating, maintenance and safety standards for submarine nuclear reactors are exacting, and we are satisfied that the practice of the United States Navy is equally rigorous. Royal Navy submarines are never authorised to discharge significant levels of radioactivity into the sea. We are assured that the same is true of United States nuclear-powered warships in United Kingdom waters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department's contingency plans for an accident involving a nuclear-powered or nuclear-armed submarine in the Clyde or Rosyth areas were last revised; and if he will make a statement.

All Ministry of Defence contingency plans for accidents involving nuclear reactors or nuclear weapons are kept constantly under review. Exercises are held regularly to test our plans.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take immediate action to withdraw the existing ROSPUBSAFE scheme and replace it with a safety scheme based on full consultation with local community representatives.

A review of the Rosyth public safety scheme, in full consultation with local authorities and emergency services, has been in progress for some time. The existing scheme will not be withdrawn until the revision is issued.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures are taken to enforce the ruling relating to the stabling in Army stables of privately-owned horses set out in his answer to the hon. Member for Northampton, North on 13 January, Official Report, column 783.

The costs of stabling privately owned horses in Army stables are recovered from the owners each month on the presentation of a bill by the unit concerned. Failure to settle the bill promptly would result in appropriate action being taken against the individual concerned; this could include the removal of the horse from official premises.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the individuals in Nottingham who were on community programme schemes when employment training was introduced are now (a) still on community programme schemes, (b) on an employment training scheme, (c) in work, (d) unemployed and (e) in any other relevant category, both as a number and as a percentage.

At the end of August 1988, there were about 1,800 people on the community programme in Nottingham. On 12 January 1989, 800 people remained on the programme. Information on the destinations of the 1,000 people leaving the community programme is not available, although some of the participants would have transferred to employment training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the lastest available figures of how many of the employment training programme's filled places are (a) extended placements from the community programme, (b) new public authority placements, (c) new placements in the voluntary sector and (d) new placements in the private sector: (i) nationally and (ii) in north Staffordshire.

The information is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of filled places on the employment training programme (a) nationally and (b) in north Staffordshire.

At 6 January 1989 there were 111,000 trainees on employment training in Great Britain. Figures are not separately available for north Staffordshire, but there were approximately 2,100 filled places in Staffordshire as a whole on the same date.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for the ET child care allowance have been received by his Department; how many have been granted and refused; how much has been paid out in child care allowances; and how many ET trainees are currently receiving child care allowances.

The information requested is not available. Information on the number of employment trainees for whom child care payments are made will be regularly collected from March, with the first results available at the end of April 1989.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new arrangements he has made for claiming back the 100 per cent. advance funding given to ET training managers; how many training managers have applied for deferment because paying back the advances would cause them severe financial hardship; and if he will make a statement.

Repayments of advances for the first three months of ET operations commenced from 1 January 1989. However, where a training manager can demonstrate that this would cause substantial cash flow difficulties, they may now defer the start of the repayments for two months, although the advances still have to be repaid over the period of their contract. Information on the number of training managers taking up this option is not collected separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people transferred from the community programme to employment training.

By the end of November 1988, the latest date for which information is available, a total of about 11,000 people had transferred from the community programme to employment training.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications for the jobstart allowance have been received; how many have been granted and refused; how many are currently receiving the allowance; and if he will give a breakdown of the wages of the jobs covered by successful applications.

In the period from July 1986 to November 1988, 36,791 people applied for jobstart allowance, 27,844 were accepted and 8,947 were rejected because they were not eligible. There are currently 3,966 people receiving the allowance.The information requested about the wages of the jobs covered by successful applications is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list the training agents currently under investigation by his Department with details of the reason for such investigation.

No training agents in employment training are under investigation by Training Agency officials. All training agents and training managers are subject to financial and operational monitoring.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many miners should be present in a development roadway with only one means of entry and egress under current mining regulations.

Section 24 of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 prohibits the employment of more than nine persons in a place from which there are not two separate means of egress unless a notice of exemption has been given by the inspector for the district.