To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received a report on the practicability of a strategic anti-missile defence system for the United Kingdom; and whether he will make a statement.

I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 26 January 1989 at column 754.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when renewals of aircraft in the Queen's Flight will be required; if he will make it his policy to purchase such aircraft from British manufacturers; and if he will make a statment.

Replacement dates for aircraft in the Queen's Flight are kept under review. Our procurement policy for such aircraft, as for other equipment, is aimed at meeting the requirement in the most cost-effective way.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what efforts are being made to ensure that teachers working for the service children's education authorities and who have separate contracts employing them to undertake lunchtime supervision are paid (a) the back-pay due to them and (b) regularly in the future on a monthly basis.

Arrangements for the payment of senior lunch-time supervisory duties in respect of United Kingdom-based teachers employed with the service children's education authorities have been established effective from 1 December 1988. Payment will be paid on a termly basis. We expect to resolve the question of back-pay for hours worked prior to this date shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if has received any notification from the United States Defence Department on the replacement of Lance missiles with the multiple-launch rocket system missile.

The United States announced its choice of the M270 multiple-launch rocket system (mlrs) as a launcher for a successor missile to Lance to NATO's high level group on 5 December, publicly confirming this decision the following day. A nuclear missile for the launcher has not yet been selected. The choice of launcher and missile are national United States decisions; NATO has not yet agreed to the deployment of a Lance successor.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement about the role of the Armilla patrol.

The Armilla patrol is continuing to provide reassurance to British merchant shipping in the Gulf by independently patrolling international waters and remaining immediately available to go to their protection if necessary. Royal Navy ships will remain in the Gulf for as long as we judge that there remains a job to be done upholding freedom of navigation there.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he has done to bring about substantial reconstruction and development aid for Kampuchea.

We do not give Government-to-Government aid to the regime in Phnom Penh. We have, however, contributed £100,000 to the FAO appeal for Cambodia and £250,000 to the UNICEF programme there. In addition, my hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has announced an increase of £500,000 to support projects, including humanitarian projects in Cambodia, proposed by British voluntary agencies for assistance under the joint funding scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 13 February, Official Report, column 14, how the study referred to defines exceptional demographic change as a result of AIDS; and what evidence he has of such exceptional demographic change in sub-Saharan African countries.

Data are insufficient at this stage to assess accurately the long-term impact of AIDS on populations. The objective of this research project is to obtain information on how communities have coped in the past with disease and disasters which have had an impact on their populations. This will assist policy-makers establish appropriate ways of fostering and supporting community self-help methods of alleviating the potential impact of AIDS.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the proposals of Electronorte for financing projects such as the Tucurui and Balbina dams in Amazonia, the United Kingdom executive director to the World Bank was instructed to support any electric power sector loan requested by Brazil

The Tucurui and Balbina dams were constructed without World Bank loans. The World Bank has stated that it has financed no hydroelectric power schemes in Amazonia and has no plans to do so. I t is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to disclose instructions given to our executive directors in international financial institutions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Brazil about World Bank finance, and British private finance for Plan 2010, with regard to the proposals to build dams in Amazonia.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what promises of aid were made by the United Kingdom to Zambia at the meeting of the World Bank consultative group held on 25 and 26 June 1988.

The World Bank consultative group on Zambia did not meet in 1988 although an informal meeting among donors to Zambia was held under World Bank auspices in June. No promises of aid were sought or given.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance Her Majesty's embassy in Brasilia has given in support of British consultants seeking the consultancy for dams on the Xingu river near Altamira, and for the Grande Carajas project; and what steps the Overseas Development Administrations permanent delegation to the World Bank is taking to monitor the progress of these projects.

No approaches have been made by United Kingdom consultants to the British Embassy in Brasilia on either of these projects. I understand that original proposals for hydroelectric power development on the Xingu river near Altamira are being reconsidered. Work on the Carajas iron ore mine project, which was financed in part by a World Bank loan, was completed some time ago.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the development committee of the World Bank has taken to deal with the chronic indebtedness of countries in the Amazonian basin to private banks and international institutions and with what results; and what further action is proposed.

The development committee has repeatedly endorsed the current case-by-case growth-oriented strategy. This approach has encouraged a number of Latin American countries to embark on the economic reforms required to overcome their debt difficulties and led creditor Governments to provide financial assistance in support of adjustment programmes. The committee has called on debtors and banks further to broaden the choice of market-based options for use in voluntarily negotiated arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make available the World Bank's staff appraisal reports for all projects covered by the electric power sector loan requested by Brazil.

The proposed second power sector loan will not be for specific projects. The World Bank specifies that appraisal reports may be used by recipients only in the performance of their official duties; and their contents may not otherwise be disclosed without World Bank authorisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest arrangements that the United Kingdom director has agreed to in relation to the indebtedness of Brazil and its ability to meet its obligations to the International Monetary Fund, the International Bank of Reconstruction and Development and the International Development Association.

The executive board of the IMF agreed a loan of $1·4 billion in July 1988; the executive board of the IBRD agreed a loan of $300 million for the agriculture sector in June 1988 (Brazil is not eligible for IDA lending). These loans are designed to support the economic reforms necessary if Brazil is to overcome its debt difficulties. Debt owed to the IMF and World Bank is only a small part of Brazil's debt.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment has been made of the human rights record of the Brazilian Government in relation to the Amerindians of Amazonia; and how Her Majesty's Government propose to vote in the light of such considerations on the World Bank structural adjustment loan for Brazil.

There has been widespread concern in the United Kingdom at the constitutional provision for Amerindian landholding. We watch this closely and are in touch with interested groups. The Brazilian authorities are well aware of our concern at reports of Amerindian deaths at the hands of gold panners and settlers. Our embassy in Brasilia is monitoring developments closely. We will take account of environmental and social considerations in forming a view of the proposed second power sector loan.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what were the projects for which loans were sought from the World Bank by Brazil during each of the last five years; what was the outcome; and how Her Majesty's Government instructed their representative on the World Bank executive board to vote;(2) what was the value of the loans made by the World Bank for each of the last five years to Brazil.

Loans brought to the World Bank's executive board and approved in the past five years are listed in the table. It is not the policy of Her Majesty's Government to disclose instructions to our executive director.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken through the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund to ensure that adequate funds are available to Brazil to undertake structural adjustment programmes.

The World Bank has lent substantial sums to support the process of structural adjustment in Brazil, and the International Monetary Fund has lent in support of stabilisation policies. An effective response by international financial institutions is dependent on the Brazilian Government promoting an adequate macro economic framework that will re-establish stability and permit the resumption of sustainable growth.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with the World Bank methods of ensuring that Brazil repays its international debt on reasonable terms.

As a member of the World Bank we participate in regular discussion of the World Bank 's lending programme in Brazil. These discussions cover Brazil's ability to meet its obligations to the World Bank. Paris Club creditors agreed last July to reschedule Brazil's official debt. Official creditors are agreed that Brazil's commercial debts are a matter for Brazil to negotiate with the banks themselves. We and the World Bank have both welcomed the elements of debt reduction in the innovative menu agreement reached between Brazil and the banks last year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that the World Bank does not make loans for projects which, if carried out, would be likely to cause environmental or rain forest damage in Amazonia.

Environmental concerns now receive considerable attention in the World Bank, due in part to the efforts of the United Kingdom and several other members. The reorganisation of the bank in 1987 strengthened its capacity to ensure that environmental costs and benefits are systematically addressed in project appraisal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what environmental and cultural policy guidelines govern project lending by the World Bank and the intergovernmental group on Brazil and Colombia.

The World Bank incorporates environmental and sociological considerations as an overall part of project design. Projects and programmes are required to meet economic and social objectives based on the most efficient and sustainable use of environmental resources. Projects which might affect indigenous groups or wildlands must incorporate components to mitigate any possible adverse effects. The bank can offer help to strengthen the local implementing agencies if this is necessary to ensure the successful design and implementation of the components.I have no information about any intergovernmental group on Brazil and Colomnbia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken as a result of the acceptance of the FAO tropical forest action plan; what was the response from the president of the World Bank to representations stressing Her Majesty's Government's belief in the importance of environmental factors in respect of other aid programmes; and what discussions he has had with fellow donors on means of donor co-ordination in protecting rain forests in Amazonia.

Under the tropical forestry action plan more than 50 developing countries have asked for help over the formulation and co-ordination of their national forestry policies. The plan has already led to seven forestry sector reviews being completed, and another 36 are under way.The World Bank shares our view that the environmental aspects of development must be properly taken into account.My hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development has not had any formal discussions with other donors specifically about protecting the Amazon rain forests; but when I visited Brazil last year I made clear to the Brazilian President the concern felt in Britain about the environmental effects of deforestation in the Amazon and that season's disastrous fires. As signatories of the international tropical timber agreement, the United Kingdom and Brazil and other donor and developing countries are pledged to encourage the development of international policies aimed at the sustainable use and conservation of tropical forests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he sent to the invitation to attend the gathering of Amazonian Indians at Altamira on 21 to 25 February.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development told the organisers that he was unable to accept the invitation because of earlier commitments but that he hoped to receive a report on the outcome of the meeting.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has of the destruction of Kayapo tribe homelands in Brazil; and what representations he has received on that subject.

My hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development met Chief Paulinho Paiakan of the Kayapo last November to hear his concerns for the future of his people if proposed hydroelectric power developments on the Xingu river, which would inundate a large area of rain forest, were to proceed. We understand that the Brazilian authorities are re-appraising the sites originally proposed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the completion for the St. Helena ferry now that the Hall Russell company has gone into receivership; and what opportunities now exist for other British shipbuilding companies to be involved.

It remains Her Majesty's Government's intention to complete the construction of the ship in the Hall Russell shipyard at Aberdeen if possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make an up-to-date statement giving a breakdown, by project, of the resources reallocated to development projects resulting from the savings arising from the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

In the financial year 1987–88 the money saved by our withdrawal from UNESCO was re-allocated and spent as follows:

To ask the Secretary for State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was done with the £1,710,448 committed but not spent as referred to in his reply to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West on 29 July 1988, Official Report, columns 624–26, on savings arising from the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

Underspending in the year in question permitted expenditure on other aid programmes. The cash limit for the year was virtually fully spent. It is not practical to identify the specific use to which these rather than other savings were put.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new local authority dwellings were completed in Wales in 1988; and if he will give comparable figures for 1974 and 1979.

Provisional returns for 1988 show that 789 local authority dwellings were completed. Comparable figures for 1974 and 1979 are 3,046 and 3,010 dwellings respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest unadjusted figures for unemployment in (a) Newport, (b) Gwent and (c) Wales; and if he will give the equivalent figures for 1979 on the most nearly comparable basis.

On 12 January 1989 the number of unemployed claimants in the Newport district, Gwent and Wales were 6,173, 18,614 and 116,245 respectively, Unadjusted figures for 1979 are not available on a basis that enables a valid comparison to be made. I am sure the hon. Gentleman will welcome the continuing downward trend in seasonally adjusted unemployment in Wales, which fell by 25,800 in the last 12 months and by 62,000 in the last 34 months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people there were in employment in (a) Wales, (b) Mid Glamorgan and (c) the travel-to-work area in which Bridgend is situated in June 1979 and the latest month for which figures are available; and how many of these jobs were part-time.

There were 1,157,000 people in employment or self-employed in Wales in June 1979. The comparable figure for June 1988 was 1,029,000. Of these, 165,000 and 190,000 respectively were female part-time employees. Figures for male part-time employees, and for Mid Glamorgan and the Bridgend travel-to-work area, are not available for the dates requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of Housing for Wales; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend and I have met the chairman of Housing for Wales on a number of occasions recently to discuss matters relevant to the setting up of the new body.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the place names advisory committee last met; and what it discussed.

The work of the place names advisory committee is carried out entirely by correspondence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent per pupil in primary schools in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure for 1978–79, at constant prices.

The figures were £909 (in 1986–87), and £747 (in 1978–79). This represents a real terms increase of 21·7 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to achieve his targets for maximum time on a waiting list for (a) operations and (b) out-patient appointments.

Health Authorities are not yet in a position to predict when all lists will meet the targets. However, officials of the Welsh Office will be keeping a close watch on the position through six-monthly reports from authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he had received in response to the Welsh Office booklet entitled "Working for Patients", as to the continuance of local government representation on the reconstructed health authorities in Wales.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to improve road communications in Wales.

Outline plans will be announced in the Welsh Office commentary on the public expenditure White Paper and the detail will be provided in the forthcoming edition of "Roads in Wales."

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings of the Council of Ministers a Welsh Office Minister has attended since 1979; and which Councils they were.

It has not been the normal practice of Welsh Office Ministers to attend meetings of the European Council of Ministers since or before 1979. They have, of course, frequently met members of the European Commission since 1979 to discuss issues of importance to Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of appeals against refusals of planning permission by local authorities have been upheld by his Department during the last five years.

Thirty-seven per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the number of people listed as homeless in each of the Welsh districts, at the latest count.

The number of persons in households accepted as homeless during the third quarter of 1988 (July-September) are shown in the table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many meetings he personally has had with British Steel about the impending job losses in Wales and the closure of Velindre.

I maintain regular contact with the company about matters of mutual interest, and I have discussed the rationalisation of tinplate production in south Wales with British Steel management. I discussed this specific closure and the prospects for dealing with job losses two weeks ago.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give in full the terms of his communication to the European Commission seeking clearance for limiting to 15 per cent, the maximum single holding in Welsh Water after privatisation and the complete text of the European Community's reply.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement made by the Commission Vice President, Sir Leon Brittan, on 7 February in which he said:

"The proposed 15 per cent, limit on a single share holding presents no difficulty under community law so long as its application is non-discriminatory".

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met representatives of the institutions of higher education in Wales; and what matters were discussed.

My right hon. Friend and I met the vice-chancellor of the university of Wales and the director of the polytechnic of Wales, together with a number of industrialists, on 25 July 1988. The topic of discussion was the interaction between higher education and industry.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make a statement on the future relationship between Cadw—Welsh Historic Monuments—and the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments for Wales.

The relationship between the Royal Commission (RCAHM(W) and Cadw—Welsh historic monuments—has been looked at in the context of a policy review of the activities and functions of the commission and the equivalent bodies for Scotland and England. This review is being conducted jointly with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. We shall be announcing conclusions in due course.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much has been spent on training programmes in (a) the public sector and (b) the private sector, in each EEC country and the United States of America, Japan and Sweden (i) including the cost of training allowances, and (ii) excluding the cost of training allowances, in real terms at 1989 prices and as a percentage of annual gross domestic product for each year that information is available since 1980.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the average weekly take-home pay for YTS leavers in the economic region of Yorkshire and Humberside; and what steps he is currently taking to review this.

Estimates from the youth cohort study for England and Wales, covering those young people who reached minimum school leaving age in the academic year 1984–85 and were surveyed in spring 1988, show that the average weekly take-home pay for those in a job in the economic region of Yorkshire and Humberside who said that they had had YTS experience within the previous three years was £71·27.The Government are continuing to fund the youth cohort study to establish information on this and other areas in the education, training and employment of young people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the titles and code numbers of the 10 most issued leaflets published by his Department and indicate which of these leaflets has been issued in translation and in which languages.

The 10 most issued leaflets are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in which years since 1959 the annual rate of increase in retail prices was lower than in the previous year.

In 1963, 1966, 1967, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1983 and 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many press notices his Department, including the Manpower Services Commission and Training Agency, issued in each 12-month period since 1979.

The information is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the numbers of people unemployed for more than five years in each of the travel-to-work areas.

The following information is also in the Library. The table shows the number of unemployed claimants who had been unemployed for more than five years in October 1988, the latest available date, for each of the travel-to-work areas in Great Britain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the latest estimate of the numbers, location and cost of the jobs created by the loan guarantee scheme.

A review in 1988 of the loan guarantee scheme undertaken by National Economic and Research Associates for the Department of Employment found that in a sample of 106 firms that had used the scheme, 310 full-time additional jobs were created in the first year. The net Exchequer cost of the LGS per person leaving the unemployment count is estimated at £450. Statistics are not collected by my Department on the actual numbers or locations of jobs created by the loan guarantee scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he proposes to take following the number of successful appeals by former shipyard workers who had been denied unemployment benefit for 13 weeks, in respect of workers in other trades who have been made redundant under similar circumstances; and if he will make a statement.