To ask the Attorney-General if he will list for each regional appeal adjudicator the number of immigration appeals lodged and awaiting hearing as at 28 February and at the latest available date; and in each case if he will indicate the average length by time between the lodging of the appeal and its being heard.

Appeals to the immigration appellate authorities are not assigned to individual adjudicators at the regional centres. The table indicates the number of appeals lodged and awaiting hearing listing at each regional centre, including Thanet house, on 29 March 1989. The IAAs do not record the number of appeals awaiting hearing on a daily basis and it is not possible to give figures for 28 February 1989.

Appeals against decisions of Immigration Officers and the Secretary of State
Lodged and A waiting Hearing (29 March 1989)
	Number
Birmingham	60
Harmondsworth	116
Leeds	47
Manchester	29
Thanet House	783

Appeals against decisions of Entry Clearance Officers Lodged and Awaiting Hearing (29 March 1989)
	Number
Birmingham	245
Harmondsworth	396
Leeds	192
Manchester	259
Thanet House	500

To ask the Attorney-General, if the Lord Chancellor has any proposals to amend the rules governing the operation of immigration appeal tribunals: and what consultations he has held in that regard.

The Lord Chancellor has no proposals at present to amend the rules governing the operation of the immigration appellate authorities. Officials of his Department regularly consult, and are consulted by, officials of the Home Office and Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the operation of the IAAs. These consultations will continue.

To ask the Attorney-General how many immigration appeals are currently awaiting hearing; and what is the average time between lodging an appeal and its being heard.

The information requested is as follows:

(i) Number of cases waiting to be listed in appeals to the adjudicators against immigration officer/Secretary of State decisions.—48

(ii) Number of cases already listed in appeals to the adjudicators against immigration officer and Secretary of State decisions.—987

(iii) Number of cases awaiting to be listed in appeals to the adjudicators against ECO decisions.—175

(iv) Number of cases already listed in appeals to the adjudicators against ECO decisions.—1,417

(v) Number of cases waiting to be listed in appeals to the immigration appeal tribunal (at the end of February 1989).—150

(vi) Number of cases already listed in appeals to the IAT (at the end of February 1989).—100

The figures above refer to the number of cases rather than appeals because related appeals are often dealt with together.For the average time between lodging an appeal and it being heard, I refer the hon. Member to my answer to his question on the average time between the lodging and hearing of appeals by adjudicators in the regions.

To ask the Attorney-General how many cases of victims suing the parents of child criminals were brought to court during each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

The data requested are not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give the total of borrowings as an addition to the national debt by each Government since 1959;(2) if he will give the total net repayments of national debt for each Government since 1959.

Figures for public sector borrowing and net repayment for each Government since 1959 are given below:

£ billion
Period	Total	Annual Average
1959–63	3·4	0·7
1964–65 to 1969–70	4·8	0·8
1970–71 to 1973–74	8·5	2·1
1974–75 to 1978–79	41·1	8·2
1979–80 to 1988–89	51·5	5·1

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff in post in central Government Departments at 1 January.

On 1 January 1989 there were 571,649½ staff in post in central Government Departments. Of these 500,981½ were non-industrials and 70,668 were industrials.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the amount of debt which has been rescheduled by creditor Governments in the Paris Club; and what is the extent of rescheduling by the United Kingdom.

The Paris Club brings together official creditors and debtors, to agree terms for the rescheduling of payments due on officially supported export credits and development loans. During the period 1982–88, the club estimates that it has rescheduled a total of US$83 billion (£48 billion at the current exchange rate). Of this, $56 billion was principal and $27 billion was interest. The United Kingdom share was about £5 billion. In addition, the United Kingdom cancelled £79 million of old aid loans, about £890 million having already been written off in 1978–81.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the rate of return required on new investment in the nationalised industries and the discount rate used for appraising investment in other parts of the public sector.

The Government have reviewed the level and use of discount rates in the public sector. These were last reviewed in 1978. Since then the rate of return in the private sector has risen to around 11 per cent.In the light of this, the Government have decided to raise the required rate of return for nationalised industries and public sector trading organisations from 5 per cent. to 8 per cent. in real terms before tax. The new required rate of return of 8 per cent. will be an important factor in setting new financial targets, but there will be no impact on pricing during the life of existing financial targets.As at present, the choice of the discount rate to appraise individual projects is a matter for individual nationalised industries or trading bodies to decide in consultation with sponsor Departments and the Treasury. The Government's main concern will continue to be that the industries' approach should be compatible with achieving the required rate of return on the programme as a whole. In appraising whether or not new capital investment projects should be undertaken, proper attention will need to be paid to risk. The effect of full allowance for risk will often be implicitly equivalent to requiring a higher internal rate of return on riskier projects.The Government have decided that the discount rate to be used in the non-trading part of the public sector should be based on the cost of capital for low-risk purposes in the private sector. In current conditions this indicates a rate not less than 6 per cent. in real terms. Risk will be analysed separately and projects (and options) which are more risky will be required to demonstrate correspondingly lower costs or higher benefits.These proposals will ensure that the appraisal of public projects will be no less demanding in the non-trading sector than in the trading sector, both public and private. In particular, they will provide a comparable basis for the consideration of private participation in public sector activities by taking account of the full economic cost of the public sector option.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many departmental agencies or authorities have been created since 1979; if he will list organisations abolished since 1979; and how many personnel his Department appoints to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations.

Since 1979 the following executive non-departmental public bodies have been abolished within the field of the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry's present responsibilities:

• British Film Fund Agency
• Cotton Industry War Memorial Trust
• Furniture Development Council
• Metrication Board
• National Film Finance Corporation
• Price Commission

Additionally, the number of nationalised industry consumer councils has fallen from 43 to 33 in consequence of privatisation. Apart from a restructuring of some of these, no new executive bodies have been created. The particulars of members appointed by the Secretary of State to all non-departmental public bodies for which he is responsible are shown in the Cabinet Office publication "Public Bodies 1988." The staff of executive bodies are appointed by the bodies themselves.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is his policy towards the draft EEC fourth directive and the proposal to exempt small and medium-sized companies from having to lodge their annual accounts with a central registry.

[holding answer 4 April 1989]: The Department has issued a consultative document on the draft directive amending the fourth company law directive. A copy was placed in the Library of this House in February. We have specifically invited comments on the proposal to permit small companies to make their accounts available at their registered offices rather than having to file them at a central registry. Policy will be determined in the light of responses received.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations were abolished by his Department between 1984 and 1987.

Three: the disciplinary inquiry under section 471 of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1984; the honorary medical advisory panel for driving and disorders of the nervous system; and the air travel reserve fund agency.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he has any plans to require evacuation tests from aircraft to be conducted under conditions where smoke has entered the cabin for all types of aircraft; and if he will make a statement;(2) if it is his intention to make the installation of a water spray fire suppression system for aircraft, mandatory for all new and existing passenger transport aircraft registered in the United Kingdom as soon as such equipment has been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority; and if he will make a statement;(3) when he expects the review of British civil airworthiness requirements concerning unobstructed access of exits on Boeing 737 aircraft will be completed; if the report will be published; and if he will make a statement;(4) if he has any plans to require airlines to remove all passenger seats blocking emergency exits; and if he will make a statement.

These civil aviation safety regulation issues are wholly the responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. The authority's current position on them is set out in its follow-up action on accident reports (FACTAR) issued on 13 March 1989 in response to the AAIB report on the B737 accident at Manchester, 22 August 1985. I have arranged for a copy of the FACTAR to be sent to my hon. Friend. I understand that the authority will shortly publish the initial report on the research it has undertaken into evacuation requirements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on progress on improving bus safety and to reduce the dangers of bus doors to elderly people.

We are distributing for comment draft regulations which would require all power-operated doors in new buses and coaches to be provided with safety devices to prevent people being trapped in the doors as the bus moves off. If the doors close on to a passenger they will be required to re-open, or release the passenger. A warning light would be required to be fitted to inform the driver whenever the doors were not fully closed.We hope that these measures will lead to further improvements in the very good safety record of buses and coaches.The draft regulations also contain amendments to remove unnecessary restrictions on the provision of facilities for passengers in wheelchairs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the consequences for the road user and others affected by the M1-A1 link road scheme of the delay which resulted from the challenges in the High Court and the Appeal Court to the orders for the Catthorpe to Rothwell section of the scheme.

The unsuccessful challenge by the Society for the Preservation of the Battlefield of Naseby has delayed progress by about a year. As a result the cost will increase. Benefits to road users, principally journey time savings, valued at about £7 million, will be lost.The delay has meant that safety benefits have been forgone, of the order of three fatalities and 100 personal injury accidents. Relief from traffic for communities on nearby roads has been postponed.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish the report of the review on Government economic statistics; and if she will make a statement.

Following the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee's report on the 1988 Budget, the Government set up an efficiency scrutiny in the Cabinet Office last June to examine the present interdepartmental arrangements for the production of Government economic statistics, and to make recommendations for achieving cost-effective improvements where necessary. The report of this scrutiny is being published today, and copies have been placed in the Library of the House.The scrutiny report recommends a large number of specific ways of improving the quality of Government economic statistics, the great bulk of which have been accepted. They will be implemented over the next year under the supervision of the director of the Central Statistical Office. Copies of the action plan relating to these recommendations have been placed in the Library of the House.The report also makes a number of recommendations for changes to the present interdepartmental arrangements for producing economic statistics. In accordance with these, I have decided that from July responsibility for the business statistics office and for all the statistical series for which the Department of Trade and Industry is now responsible, and for the retail prices index and family expenditure survey, for which the Department of Employment is currently responsible, should transfer to the Central Statistical Office. The enlarged Central Statistical Office will have greater direct responsibility for the compilation of the national accounts and for the associated data collection from businesses.As recommended by the scrutiny report, the enlarged Central Statistical Office will become a separate Government Department, responsible to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and in due course will also become an executive agency. The director of the Central Statistical Office, as head of the Government statistical service, will continue to have access to me on matters concerning the validity and integrity of Government statistics.The Government remain committed to reducing the burdens on business involved in the collection of economic statistics. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, who has lead responsibility for deregulation policy, will therefore agree with the enlarged Central Statistical Office specific objectives to ensure that the burdens on business are minimised.These decisions amount to a very substantial programme of work over the period ahead, designed to achieve a significant improvement in the quality and relevance of Government economic statistics.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when next he plans to meet his counterpart from Colombia; and what matters will be discussed.

My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet the Colombian Minister of Defence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on problems encountered by the Meteorological Office computer bought from Control Data Corporation of Minneapolis.

There have been some delays in commissioning the ETA-10 super-computer, caused by difficulties in the performance of its data packages. However, recent demonstrations show a satisfactory improvement, and the current intention is to phase the new computer into service starting in May 1989.

Year	In	Out	Net gain or loss	Gain or loss as percentage of total quota in Wales
1984–85	+0·4m litres	-0·lm litres	+0·3m litres	+0·02
1985–86	+2·4m litres	-4·5m litres	-2·lm litres	-0·1
1986–87	+7·0m litres	-23·1m litres	-16·lm litres	-1·1
1987–88	+10·6m litres	-18·9mlitres	-8·3m litres	-0·5
1988–89 (to 16 March)	+7·0m litres	-ll·lm litres	-4·lm litres	-0·3

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the hospitals with long-stay geriatric beds, and the numbers of such beds provided by each district health

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when it is planned for military use of St. George's barracks, Sutton Coldfield, west midlands, to cease; and what present plans he has for its disposal.

The major occupant of St. George's barracks, Sutton Coldfield is the Army personnel selection centre, which is to close in April 1990. There is, however, a continuing requirement to accommodate military units in this area and we are examining the need to retain most of St. George's barracks for this purpose.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give for general practitioner practices in Wales the following information: (a) the difference between the highest and lowest referral rate to hospital, (b) the highest and lowest cost per patient for prescribed drugs and (c) the highest and lowest percentage of general practitioner prescribed drugs which are tranquillisers.

The information is not readily available in the form requested. I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from residents of Pembrokeshire in response to his review of the future of the Potato Marketing Board.

Two.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what movement into and out of Wales of milk quota has taken place in each of the past five years in both litres and percentage terms.

Movement of quota in and out of Wales as recorded by the Milk Marketing Board in each of the past five years has been as follows:authority within the Trent regional health authority; if the scale of provision is under review; and if he will make a statement.

The information on bed numbers is not available in the form requested and for that reason the table relates to beds in general wards for elderly patients. I understand the region is currently reviewing its strategy for the provision of services for the elderly.

Average daily available beds, general wards1 for elderly patients, Trent Regional Health Authority, 1987–88
District Health Authority and Hospital	Average daily available beds
North Derbyshire
Bolsover Community Hospital	10
Whitworth Hospital	24
Bakewell and District War Memorial Hospital	13
Scarsdale Hospital	45
Walton Hospital	138
Penmore Hospital	60
Newholme Hospital	49
Cavendish Hospital	51
Total	390
South Derbyshire
Derby City Hospital	60
Ripley Hospital	24
St. Oswald's Hospital	63
Ilkeston Community Hospital	14
Babington Hospital	99
Manor Hospital	160
Derbyshire Royal Infirmary	59
The Grove	70
Total	549
Leicestershire
Leicester General Hospital	201
St. Mary's Hospital	74
St. Luke's Hospital	52
Framland Hospital	36
Catmose Vale Hospital	42
Groby Road Hospital	89
Regent Hospital	65
Glenfield Community Hospital	166
Bosworth Park Infirmary	63
Hinckley Sunnyside Hospital	38
Blaby Hospital	20
Total	844
North Lincolnshire
John Coupland Hospital	42
Louth County Hospital	49
St. Georges Hospital	202
Total	293
Soulh Lincolnshire
Boston General Hospital	21
Holbeach Hospital	22
Pilgrim Hospital	80
Grantham and Kesteven General Hospital	93
Gables Hospital	42
Welland Hospital	58
Total	315
Bassetlaw
Retford and District Hospital	56
Bassetlaw District General Hospital	75
Total	131
Central Nottinghamshire
Forest Hospital	71
Newstead Hospital	35
Victoria Hospital	115
Newark Hawtonville Hospital	95
Total	315
Nottingham
Nottingham City Hospital	181

District Health Authority and Hospital	Average daily available beds
Basford Hospital	104
Nottingham General Hospital	138
Highbury Hospital	77
University Hospital	109
Total	609
Barnsley
Barnsley District General Hospital	96
Mount Vernon Hospital	173
Total	269
Doncaster
Doncaster Royal Infirmary	20
Fullerton Hospital	34
Tickhill Road Hospital	136
Conisborough Hospital	100
Montagu Hospital	21
Total	310
Rotherham
Rotherham District General Hospital	34
Wathwood Hospital	69
Badsley Moor Lane	163
Total	265
Sheffield
Northern General Hospital	351
Chapeltown Nursing Home	34
St. Georges Hospital	95
Coleridge House, Northern General Hospital	14
Lodge Moor Hospital	142
Nether Edge Hospital	191
Total	827
1 Excluding wards open during day only.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average times for the following operations in the Trent regional health authority (a) hip replacements, (b) knee replacements, (c) hernias, (d) cataracts, (e) ear, nose and throat, (f) varicose veins and (g) gynaecological; what were the figures for five and 10 years ago; if he will also list the average waiting times for (a) to (g) above for the initial out-patient consultation after a general practitioner referral and the comparative figures for five and 10 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

Such information as can be provided without incurring disproportionate cost is given in the table. Information on waiting times of out-patient referrals is not available centrally, and the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the Trent regional health authority, who may be able to help further.

Estimated median interval in weeks between the time a placed on the waiting list and admission for treatment hospital in the Trend RHA area 1979–87/88.
Specialty	1979	1984	21978–88
Ear, Nose and Throat	18	15	8
Gynaecology	8	6	5

Operation	1979	1984	1985
Total hip replacement and other arthroplasty of hip	42	35	25
Inguinal hernia operation	19	8	11
Operations on eye lens (mainly for cataracts)	19	18	16
Operations on veins (mainly for varicose veins)	26	19	20
1 Ordinary admission—waiting list cases only.
2 Latest available year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he intends to take in the light of the minute, "Diet and HIV infection", of 23 February 1988, sent by Dr. P. Dewis to all regional senior medical officers.

Claims for help with the costs of special diets are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any evidence that the routine needs of people with ARC are any greater on the first day of their diagnosis than six months into their infection.

There is no precise and generally agreed definition of the so-called AIDS-related complex (ARC). The natural history of HIV infection includes clinical signs and symptoms which tend to relapse and remit. The needs of people who have the virus will vary from individual to individual over time.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department recommends to those people with HIV in order that they protect their immune system.

People who know themselves to have HIV antibodies should seek advice from their doctors, on an individual basis, on the steps they can take to maintain their health.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will undertake to help strengthen trading links and improved aid flows between the European Community and Vietnam, in the event of a major withdrawal of troops by Vietnam from Kampuchea in 1989.

Complete withdrawal by Vietnam from its illegal occupation of Cambodia is a crucial prerequisite for considering these questions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to make representations to the South African Government on their policy towards south-west Africa.

The Prime Minister discussed Namibia when she met the South African Foreign Minister in Windhoek on 1 April. Namibia is regularly raised in our contacts with the South African Government including the meeting between my right hon. and learned Friend and the South African Foreign Minister on 15 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Government of China regarding the future of Hong Kong.

The implementation of the Sino-British joint declaration on the future of Hong Kong was one of the subjects covered in the discussion which my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State had with the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs during his visit to Tokyo in February this year and in the discussion which my noble Friend the Minister of State had with the Chinese Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs in London on 29 March. We also hold regular discussions with the Chinese authorities on implementation of the joint declaration in the Sino-British joint liaison group, which most recently met in Peking between 14 and 17 March this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution the United Kingdom will make to the United Nations transition assistance group in Namibia.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) on 21 December 1988 at column 274. In addition, we have since then further agreed to contribute a seven-man reception assistance team to UNTAG.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the arrangements for repayment of the Brazilian debt to United Kingdom banks, at what rate of interest, and over what period of time.

I understand that the repayment of Brazil's debt to United Kingdom banks is largely determined by the financing agreement they signed in September 1988; under which the majority of Brazil's debt was rescheduled over 20 years with seven years' grace. The interest rate charged will be LIBOR + 13/16 per cent.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total debt of the Brazilian economy to United Kingdom banks.

Consolidated claims of United Kingdom-registered monetary sector institutions on Brazil are shown in table 15 of the Bank of England quarterly bulletin. The exposure of individual banks is not a matter for the Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the Brazilian debt owed to each United Kingdom bank both actual and as a percentage of the total debt.

Consolidated claims of United Kingdom-registered monetary sector institutions on Brazil are shown in table 15 of the Bank of England quarterly bulletin. The exposure of individual banks is not a matter for the Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Turkey in respect of human rights abuses; and if he will make a statement.

As I told the House on 8 February, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and I discussed Turkey's human rights record with the Turkish ambassador on 1 and 2 February. We impressed upon him the need for his Government to abide by the terms and conditions of the human rights conventions to which Turkey is a party. He readily accepted this point and reaffirmed the determination of the Turkish Government to secure further human rights improvements in Turkey.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his Department's library a copy of the State Department of the United States' report on Ethiopia as presented by Mr. Richard Schifter at a Congressional hearing in February.

A copy of the United States State Department's "Country Reports Human Rights Practices for 1988" has already been obtained by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the fate of six Romanian citizens who recently signed an open letter to President Ceausescu; and whether he will make a statement.

The Romanian Government have reacted with characteristic severity to this latest open letter, which calls upon the Romanian President to renounce his "systematisation" programme; to restore constitutional guarantees regarding the rights of citizens; and to put an end to food exports.These are legitimate requests which merit a proper response. At least three of the six co-signatories, all of whom have held prominent positions in Romanian Government and party circles, have been interrogated by the Romanian authorities. They remain under close surveillance.We are profoundly disturbed by the Romanian authorities' ever-increasing use of intimidatory tactics to stifle freedom of expression, at a time when other Eastern European countries are moving in the opposite direction. We urge the Romanian authorities to fulfil their commitments under the Vienna CSCE agreement and to respect the human rights of the Romanian people.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Malawian sectoral import programme for industrial product imports and the Sudanese sectoral import programme for the irrigated sub-sector were conditional on the acceptance of IBRD and IMF structural adjustment programmes.

Approval of the European Community's Malawian sectoral import programme for industrial products was subject to the conditions negotiated by the Malawi Government and the World Bank for the World Bank's industry and trade policy adjustment credit. Approval of the Community's Sudanese sectoral import programme for the irrigated sub-sector was not explicitly conditional on the IBRD-IMF-backed structural adjustment programme which the Sudanese Government were then pursuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the remarks, relating to IMF, IBRD arid EEC policies towards structural adjustment, made by Lorenzo Natali, EEC Commissioner for Development, to the ACP-EEC joint assembly in Madrid on 15 September 1988.

We welcomed a number of the comments made by Senor Natali at the joint assembly, in particular his rejection of the view that the years of adjustment by ACP countries are wasted years for development. However, we continue to take the view that support for economic reform through the provision of programme aid and support for new investments are complementary and both indispensable. No useful purpose is served by establishing a rigid division between the two forms of aid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many sectoral import programmes have been agreed and with which countries and how many of these agreements and with which countries have been conditional of those countries' acceptance and implementation of IMF or IBRD structural adjustment programmes.

Under the third Lomé convention, the European Community has agreed 25 sectoral import programmes. The list of recipients is as follows: Angola, Cameroon, Ethiopia, the Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Madagascar (2), Malawi (2), Mali, Mozambique (2), Niger, Sao Tomé and Principe, Senegal, Somalia, Sudan (2), Tanzania (2), Togo, Uganda (2) and Zambia. Seven of these programmes have been explicitly linked to the implementation of IMF-IBRD-backed structural adjustment programmes; the countries in question are Malawi, Mali, Mozambique, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda. Many of the other programmes have been in support of adjustment backed by the IMF and IBRD although there has been no explicit linkage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's view as to what forms of structural adjustment should be included under the fourth ACP-EEC convention (Lomé IV).

In line with the development council resolution of 31 May 1988 we believe that under the fourth ACP-EEC convention fast disbursing aid should be provided to support programmes of both macro-economic and sectoral reform.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's view as to how central the issue of structural adjustment should be under the terms of the fourth African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Economic Community convention, Lomé IV.

The extent and depth of the adjustment needed varies considerably among the ACP countries. It is accordingly important to ensure that the Community retains sufficient flexibility to enable it to provide the type of assistance best suited to each country's individual needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if it is the view of his Department that all European development fund aid subventions should be made conditional on the adoption of structural adjustment policies.

No. However we believe that the economic policies being pursued by recipients should be taken fully into account in considering the form of assistance to be provided. In particular, we believe that programme aid should be made available in order to support sustainable economic policies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the renegotiation of the fourth African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Economic Community convention, Lomé IV, with specific reference to the European Council resolution on structural adjustment policies, adopted on 31 May 1988.

The Community has agreed that in the current renegotiation of the Lomé convention its approach towards support for structural adjustment measures will be on the basis of the principles set out in the development council resolution of 31 May 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy in negotiations for the fourth African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Economic Community convention, Lomé IV, to remain committed to a gradualist form of structural adjustment rather than a shock approach.

Economic reform is a necessary pre-condition for the recovery of economic growth in many ACP countries. It is important that it should move ahead as quickly as possible. However we recognise the need to take account of the situation in individual countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement as to his Department's attitude to the atachment of structural adjustment conditionalities to fast disbursing facilities, such as sectoral import programmes and general import programmes proposed under the negotiations for the fourth African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Community convention, Lomé IV.

We believe that under the next Lomé convention there should be scope for providing the forms of aid best suited to the needs of individual ACP countries, including various forms of relatively fast disbursing programme aid. If such aid is to be effective, it needs to be provided in support of sustainable economic policies and in close co-ordination with other major donors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's attitude to the creation of a new fund, under a renegotiated fourth African, Caribbean and Pacific-European Economic Community convention, to finance sectoral import programmes and general import programmes.

The Community is still considering the mechanisms under which it will provide aid under the next convention. Our concern is that sufficient flexibility should be maintained to enable each ACP country to receive the type of aid most suited to its individual needs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government will call for the United Nations to hold an urgent debate to discuss how to put a stop to the destruction of the rain forests with a package of economic and technical help specifically designed to help all the inhabitants of the rain forests to protect their way of life and their environment.

Her Majesty's Government are not planning to initiate a debate in the United Nations General Assembly on this important issue as it already forms part of the United Nations systemwide medium-term environment programme for 1990–95. This programme sets out a plan for the sustainable development of tropical forests and woodland ecosystems. It includes implementation of the tropical forestry action plan, involving close co-operation with the International Tropical Timber Organisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to help Central African Federation pensioners who elected to have their pensions paid in Zambian kwacha and who now suffer hardship as a result of the devaluation of that currency.

At the recent intergovernmental meeting in Harare the four guarantor Governments agreed that all Central African Federation pensioners should be allowed to receive payment in Zimbabwe dollars with effect from 1 April 1989. At current exchange rates this will produce increases of about 500 per cent. for pensioners currently paid in Zambia kwacha, and also significant increases for those currently paid in Malawi kwacha and those paid in a basket of the three currencies. The British Government have agreed to finance this change in currency of payment at an estimated cost of £1·5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what subjects were discussed at the recent meeting between the Prime Minister and the President of Mozambique and the Prime Minister of Zimbabwe.

The Prime Minister had a trilateral meeting with Presidents Mugabe and Chissano followed by a bilateral meeting with President Chissano at Nyanga in Zimbabwe on 29 March. They discussed the internal situation in Mozambique, and British aid and military assistance to the region.

Urban programme resources in real terms (base year 1988–89)
£ million
	Outturn								Estimated outturn	Allocation	Allocation
	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88	1988–89	1989–90
North west region
Bolton	3·1	3·3	3·7	4·0	5·7	3·9	4·6	4·3	4·5	3·8	3·4
Knowsley	—	0·2	0·7	0·5	1·3	3·9	4·0	4·1	4·1	4·0	3·6
Liverpool1	23·7	27·9	25·1	33·1	32·2	28·5	24·8	25·4	17·5	20·4	18·4
Manchester/Salford1	24·4	27·7	24·2	31·8	30·3	29·1	27·0	25·5	25·9	22·2	20·7
Oldham	3·3	3·9	4·1	5·9	5·7	3·8	4·3	4·1	4·3	3·7	3·4
Rochdale	—	0·9	1·3	2·0	2·7	4·2	4·0	4·1	3·9	3·6	3·4
St. Helens	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1·8	1·7	1·6
Sefton	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1·6	1·5	1·4
Wigan	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	1·3	2·2	2·2
Wirral	3·9	4·2	4·0	6·0	4·5	4·1	4·5	4·8	3·9	3·5	3·1
1 Are partnership authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the value of urban programme moneys for each year since 1979 for each of the metropolitan districts in the north-west of England at constant prices.

The urban programme resources for each district are noted in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environement if he will list the quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations abolished since 1979 within his department; what is the cost of all these organisations for which he is currently responsible; and how many personnel he appoints.

The information requested is listed below:The quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisa-tions for which my Department has been responsible and which have been abolished since 1979, are listed as follows:

Name of body	Date abolished
Construction and Housing Research Advisory Council	September 1979
Ordnance Survey Review Committee	September 1979
Planning and Transport Research Advisory Council (PATRAC)	September 1979
Economic Planning Councils (England) (8)	1 September 1979
Ancient Monuments Board Committee for Rescue Archaeology	17 September 1979
Area Archaeological Advisory Committees (13)	17 September 1979
Advisory Committee on Trees in the Royal Parks	17 September 1979
Committee on Bird Sanctuaries in the Royal Parks	17 September 1979
Detergents and Allied Products—Voluntary Notification Scheme, Scrutiny Group	17 September 1979
Environmental Board	17 September 1979
Hadrian's Wall Advisory Committee	17 September 1979
Housing Corporation Advisory Committee on Co-operatives	17 September 1979
Standing Technical Committee on Synthetic Detergents	17 September 1979
Advisory Committee on the Purchase of Works of Art1	1 November 1979
Advisory Committee on Works of Art in the House of Commons1 (transferred to DES (OAL)	1 November 1979
Committee on Sculptures in the Royal Parks1	1 November 1979
National Consultative Council for the Building and Civil Engineering Industries	2 April 1980
Location of Offices Bureau	1 May 1980
Committee to Examine Standards of Lawn Tennis in Great Britain	10 June 1980
Corby Development Corporation	30 June 1980
Construction Industry Manpower Board	8 August 1980
Housing Association Registration Advisory Committee	8 August 1980
Stevenage Development Corporation	30 September 1980
Clean Air Council	13 November 1980
Housing Services Advisory Group	27 November 1980
Advisory Panel on Institutional Finance in New Towns	30 November 1980
Centre for Environmental Studies	30 November 1980
Harlow Development Corporation	28 December 1980
Waste Management Advisory Council	January 1981
Noise Advisory Council	12 February 1981
Scientific Authority for Animals	10 March 1981
Runcorn Development Corporation (merged with Warrington)	1 April 1981

Name of body	Date abolished
National Building Agency	19 February 1982
Advisory Committee on Local Government Audit	31 March 1982
Hydraulics Research Station Advisory Committee	1 April 1982
Bracknell Development Corporation	30 June 1982
Advisory Committee on the Protection of Birds for England and Wales	28 September 1982
Advisory Committee on Rent Rebates and Rent Allowances	31 March 1983
Committee on Recreation Management Training	31 March 1983
Building Research Establishment Advisory Committee	24 August 1983
Water Space Amenity Commission	1 December 1983
National Water Council	1 January 1984
Commission on Energy and the Environment (appointments made jointly with the Secretary of State for Energy)	13 December 1984
Ancient Monuments Board for England2	31 March 1984
Historic Buildings Council for England2
Committee on the Management of Privately Owned Blocks of Flats	November 1985
Central Lancashire Development Corporation	31 March 1986
Basildon Development Corporation	30 June 1985
Northampton Development Corporation	30 June 1985
Redditch Development Corporation	30 June 1985
Skelmersdale Development Corporation	30 June 1985
PSA Advisory Board	6 February 1986
London Housing Staff Commission	30 June 1986
Council for Small Industries in Rural Areas (CoSIRA)3	31 March 1988
Aycliffe and Peterlee Development Corporation	March 1988
Washington Development Corporation	March 1988
Peterborough Development Corporation	September 1988
Tyne and Wear Residuary Body	31 December 1988
1 Not now classified as non-departmental public bodies.
2 Wound up upon setting up the Historic Building and Monuments Commission for England under the National Heritage Act 1983.
3 Merged with Development Commission to form Rural Development Commission.

The costs of the non-departmental public bodies for which my Department was responsible as at 1 July 1988 are shown in the HMSO publication "Public Bodies 1988", which also gives the number of appointments to those bodies.Since 1 July 1988, four new urban development corporations have been established by my Department. The costs of these bodies and the number of appointments as at 31 March 1989 to them are as follows:

Grant-in-aid: 1988–89
	£ million	Appointments
Bristol Development Corporation	0·2	10
Central Manchester Development Corporation	2·5	10
Leeds Development Corporation	2·7	10

	£ million	Appointments
Sheffield Development Corporation	7·9	10

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance his Department issues to importers and pet shop owners about the particular problems of keeping American box turtles in captivity.

None. The Department's responsibilities lie principally with the conservation status of species and the extent to which commercial exploitation might harm the survival of a species in the wild.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cryptosporidia there have been in an average pint of water supplied by the Thames water authority to the Oxford area in each week since the present water contamination was first detected.

Current analytical techniques for monitoring cryptosporidia in water are capable of indicating whether organisms are present in a sample but are not able to provide accurate quantitative results. Techniques for quantification and determination of viability are being developed.The following results of monitoring have been provided by the Thames water authority. In the three weeks 19 February to 11 March 1989 cryptosporidia were identified in 11 of 38 samples taken at the outlet of treatment works supplying the Oxford area, and in 46 out of 139 samples taken from the distribution system. In the two weeks 12 to 25 March 1989 cryptosporidia were not detected in any of the 25 samples at the treatment works but were detected in six out of 90 samples taken from the distribution system.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the report by Mr. Robert Carnwath, QC, on his examination of the scope and effectiveness of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971, relating to the enforcement of the planning control.

Mr. Robert Carnwath QC has recently submitted his report on the review I announced last July of local authorities' planning enforcement powers. Mr. Carnwath's report is being published today and a copy will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.I generally welcome the report's recommendations as a constructive contribution to strengthening the present provisions, in the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 for planning enforcement. Before deciding whether to implement the recommendations, I intend to consult widely amongst organisations with a responsibility for, or interest in, planning control. My Department is inviting comments on the report's recommendations by the end of May.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will give council tenants the opportunity to choose a new landlord.

The provisions of part IV of the Housing Act 1988, and their associated secondary legislation, come into force today. They will broaden the choices open to secure tenants of local housing authorities and other public sector landlords by giving them an effective right to seek an alternative landlord of their choosing for their existing homes. They will offer tenants better services, whether through a change in landlord or through the effect of competition on existing public sector landlords. They will open up the stocks of rented housing held by local housing authorities and others to diversity, competition and the influence of the best housing management practices. In England, the Housing Corporation, through its network of regional offices, is available to provide advice, information and assistance to tenants wishing to know more about how they can exercise choice under the scheme. Any tenant (or potential landlord) wishing to know more about these opportunities should contact the Housing Corporation. They can do this either by returning one of the coupons currently appearing in the press, or by contacting the corporation direct by telephone at its headquarters or one of its regional offices.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any of the sites nominated in 1988 for inclusion in the World Heritage list have been accepted.

At its meeting last December in Brasilia, the World Heritage committee agreed that the following three sites should be inscribed in the list:

• Henderson Island, South Pacific ocean
• The Tower of London
• Canterbury cathedral, St. Augustine's abbey and St. Martin's church
• For consideration by the committee in 1989, the sites we have nominated are:
• Cambridge colleges and the Backs
• Navan Fort, Northern Ireland
• Maes Howe and Brogar, Orkney Islands

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 14 March to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish, in the light of the answer from the Secretary of State for Scotland of 15 March to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish, on what date he expects to receive the report of the National Radiological Protection Board on the effects of very low frequency electric and magnetic radiation.

I have been asked to reply.I am advised that the board expects to publish its guidance on exposures to electromagnetic fields shortly. In addition, the board intends later this year to publish reviews of the existing biological and epidemiological evidence for the effects on health of electromagnetic radiation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his estimates of parish council precepts in 1987–88.

[holding answer 23 March 1989]: Parish community precepts in England amounted to £61·3 million in 1987–88.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his best estimates of the average level of community charge in 1990–91 in parish councils with (a) a population of more than 10,000 and (b) a population of less than 10,000.

[holding answer 23 March 1989]: I have made no estimates of the average level of community charge in 1990–91 in parish councils.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish his best estimates of the average level of precepts in 1988–89 and 1989–90 for parish councils with (a) a population of more than 10,000 and (b) a population of less than 10,000.

[holding answer 23 March 1989]: Estimates of the average level of parish/community precepts for 1988–89 are published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in "Finance and General Statistics". Information for 1989–90 is not yet

The total amount spent was £5·0 million and the contracts awarded to management or computing consultants by the Department of the Environment (excluding PSA) in the financial year 1987–88 were as follows:
Firm	Subject of Assignment
Admiral Management Services Ltd	DOE's method ofprocessing European Regional Development Fund Infrastructure Grants
Arthur Young	LGFP Office Automation Project quality assurance; OA guidelines.
B.I.S. Applied Systems	Strategic review of data communications and networking options
B.I.S. Applied Systems	Distributed processing
Civil Civil Service Catering Organisation	Monitoring of PPC Catering Outlets
Coley Porter Bell	Shop refit design
Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd	Local authorities' interests in companies
Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd	Planning Appeals Management Information System
Dames and Moore	Hazard Assessment of Ladfill Operations
Davis, Langdon and Everest Consultancy	Improving UK overseas trade data in building materials
D. E. Barnard Systems Ltd	BRE Fire Research Station Library Study
D. E. Barnard Systems Ltd	BESMIS staff management sub-system
Deloitte Haskins and Sells	Policy Review of Commission for New Towns
Ecotec Research and Consulting Ltd	Bristol/Manchester UDC Study
Ecotec Research and Consulting Ltd	Study of proposed extension of Black Country Development Corporation into Wolverhampton
Electrowatt Engineering (UK) Services Ltd	Evaluation and radiological assessment of Environmental Monitoring Data
Ernst and Whinney	Review of staffing and procedures of local valuation panel offices
Ernst and Whinney	Review of Housing Corporation monitoring procedures
EXTEL	Hinet Station, teleprinter, VDU's (hardware) maintenance for PSU, South Ruislip
The Grant Leisure Group	Tower of London retailing and visitor management
Healey and Baker	Advice on disposal of New Town assets
ICI plc (Billingham)	Monitoring of environmental radioactivity levels around nuclear installations
KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock	Policy review of the Royal commissions on Ancient and Historical Monuments in England, Scotland and Wales
KPMG Peat Marwick McLintock	Future development of London Zoo and Whipsnade Zoo
Land Use Consultants	Brompton Cemetery

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total amount spent by his Department in 1988 on management and computer consultancy contracts, excluding hardware and software purchases; and if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1988, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and the subject of the assignment.

[holding answer 4 April 1989]: Central records are collated annually after the end of the financial year. The latest readily available information therefore covers 1987–88.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who represented Her Majesty's Government at the latest United Nations environment programme conference in Basle on the international trade and regulation of hazardous and toxic wastes; what proposals were made at the conference by Her Majesty's Government; and if he will make a statement about the outcome of the conference.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 March 1989, c. 651]: I undertook to make a statement about the outcome of the diplomatic conference in Basle on 20 to 22 March to draw up a convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes and their disposal. Over 100 countries participated in the conference: 34 signed the convention at the conference but the majority (including the United Kingdom) did not. The Government welcome the thrust of the convention, but the final text did not emerge until the last day of the conference. The convention is still open for signature, and the Government are now studying the final text.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of tenants under the London borough of Redbridge proposals for a transfer of housing stock to a housing association need to consent to the transfer for it to go ahead.

[holding answer 23 March 1989]: In accordance with schedule 3A to the Housing Act 1985 the Secretary of State would be required to withhold his consent to the transfer if it appeared to him that the majority of the tenants affected did not wish the transfer to proceed. The Secretary of State may have regard to any information available to him, including any ballot arranged by the council. I understand that the transfer proposals, which the council approved on 23 March include the principle that a 50 per cent. turnout and a simple majority of those voting should be required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workplaces were visited, and how many of them were found to be illegally underpaying, for the latest available year by the wages inspectorate divisions covering Scotland.

Information on the number or workplaces in Scotland visited in 1988 for the purpose of checking pay and the number where underpayments were found was included in the reply given on 1 March to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) at columns 201–6. Information on the number of workplaces visited in Scotland in 1988 for advisory purposes was included in the reply given on 14 March to the hon. Member for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham) at columns 178–79.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what level of weekly premiums will be paid to (a) under 25-year-olds, (b) a childless married person and (c) other trainees after income support levels are uprated in April 1989.

The weekly rates of training premium at the time of the benefit uprating will be:

(a) £11·95 for single people aged under 25 and in receipt of the standard rate of income support;

(b) £11·25 for couples without children and in receipt of the standard rate of income support;

(c)£10 for all others.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has yet appointed a commissioner for the rights of trade union members under the terms of the Employment Act 1988; and how many persons he has approached and offered the post to in the last year.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Miss Widdecombe) on 24 November 1988. In accordance with the guidance published by the Cabinet Office and Her Majesty's Treasury about such appointments, several possible candidates were identified, including Mrs. Gill Rowlands.

Tonnes per hectare
	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83	1983–84	1984–85	1985–86	1986–87	1987–88
Belgium	35·6	32·4	30·0	31·9	35·8	27·1	36·8	37·4	35·4	36·4
Denmark	27·1	26·6	24·8	29·1	35·5	28·7	32·0	36·2	37·6	32·0
Eire	26·6	26·0	26·0	25·9	26·9	21·7	29·4	24·8	25·0	30·5
France	26·8	26·4	31·9	30·5	31·8	25·4	31·4	33·8	30·8	37·7
Greece	14·1	17·3	17·3	18·0	19·4	18·5	20·0	21·3	21·2	19·8
Italy	16·4	1·9	18·6	19·7	17·9	18·0	17·9	18·2	21·2	19·7

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the annual operating surplus of the Skills Training Agency since it was established.

The Skills Training Agency has operated on a trading account basis since 1984–85. No financial results are available prior to that year. Operating surplus/deficits from 1984–85 are as follows:

	£000
1984–85 (Deficit)	15,157
1985–86 (Deficit)	17,539
1986–87 Surplus	220
1987–88 (Deficit)	2,896

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the companies, out of the 100 largest companies, who have declined to co-operate with the employment training scheme; of the remainder, how many places each of them has contracted with the employment training scheme and how many have been so far filled; and what percentage that is in each case.

[holding answer 4 April 1989]: The Training Agency's records only show which large companies have contracted directly as training managers. It is not, therefore, possible to provide the information in the form requested.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he will next be meeting the chairmen of distribution boards, and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I meet the area board chairmen regularly to discuss various matters of mutual interest.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has as to changes in potato yields per acre in the United Kingdom, other European Community countries, Egypt and Cyprus over the past ten years.

Potato yields over the past 10 years are given in the following table:

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of the potato market.

United Kingdom production in the current July/June crop year was 6,899,000 tonnes compared with 6,760,000 tonnes in 1987–88. On the other hand, wastage has been higher as a result of storage problems in a mild winter and stocks are correspondingly low. In Great Britain the most recent weekly average producer price is £61·08 per tonne compared with £73·45 at the corresponding time last year. As a result of these low prices the Potato Marketing Board has intervened in the market and has so far purchased some 97,000 tonnes.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of the cereal sector.

The 1988 cereals harvest in the United Kingdom was, at 20·9 million tonnes, the lowest since 1981. Nevertheless, the surplus of wheat and barley in 1988–89, including stocks in intervention stores, is estimated at over 5·5 million tonnes. It is expected that most of this surplus will be exported before the end of the season, substantially reducing intervention stocks. Prices have generally remained firm. In the European Community production was estimated by the Commission in November at 162·5 million tonnes, 1·6 per cent. above the stabiliser of 160 million tonnes. As a result intervention prices will be reduced by 3 per cent. For the 1989–90 marketing year, and the definitive rate of the additional co-responsibility levy for 1988–89 has been set at 1·6 per cent. of the wheat intervention price; additional levy paid at a higher rate is being partially repaid.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of the arable sector.

In 1988–89, United Kingdom beet sugar production exceeded 1·3 million tonnes, one of the highest levels on record. Returns to United Kingdom sugar beet producers have been broadly in line with those in the previous year, the EC sugar price for 1988–89 having been maintained at the 1987–88 level. For oilseeds and protein crops, returns in 1988–89 have been affected by the operation of the EC stabiliser mechanism for these crops. United Kingdom production of oilseed rape in 1988–89 is estimated at about 1 million tonnes, with prices reduced by 7·65 per cent. below the institutional price level because Community production has exceeded the maximum guaranteed quantity (in effect a small price increase over 1987–88 when prices were reduced by 10 per cent.). United Kingdom production of protein crops is estimated to have reached a record level of about 892,000 tonnes this year. Prices have been reduced by about 10 per cent. in this sector as a result of the stabiliser mechanism.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of the sheep sector.

The sheep sector remains in a satisfactory condition. The latest statistics on production, consumption and exports all show increases.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of the beef sector.

Throughout 1988 prices for finished beef were above those in the previous year. Prices fell at the end of 1988 and are now very similar to those at the same time last year. Prices for other stock, including stores and calves, remain above the levels last year, while the numbers of suckler cows and heifers in calf for beef production continue to grow, reflecting producers' expectations for the beef market.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current state of the dairy sector.

Net income from dairy farming in 1988–89 is estimated to have risen in real terms to its highest level since 1982–83. Improvements in profitability have resulted in recent years from increases in the ex-farm price of milk, reduced usage of feed concentrates and improved returns from calf sales. In addition, the dairy sector as a whole is benefiting from the recovery in markers brought about by the restriction of supply through quotas and the disposal of old intervention stocks of milk products.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made by the European Community towards the abolition of monetary compensatory amounts by 1992.

Following pressure from the United Kingdom Government, the Council and the Commission have agreed that the completion of the internal market requires the abolition of monetary gaps, and therefore of monetary compensatory amounts.The devaluations which took place on 1 January this year included an agreed first step in dismantling United Kingdom monetary gaps, and the Commission's price proposals for 1989–90 envisage the next step being taken in the current price negotiations.The Commission is to report later this year on how the process of dismantlement should be completed.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total tonnage of imports of ware potatoes in each of the past 10 years, what percentage this tonnage represents as a percentage of (a) total potato yield and (b) total potato sales in each year; and what was the total purchase by the Potato Marketing Board of surplus potatoes in each of the last 10 years.

This information can be derived from the final table in "Potato Statistics in Great Britain 1983–87", published by the Potato Marketing Board. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the current position regarding sales of eggs, egg production and numbers of laying hens.

Contact with major packers indicates considerable variations in sales of shell eggs on to the United Kingdom market but it is thought that these are around 20 to 25 per cent. below the levels experienced in November. Throughput at packing stations is now about 11 per cent. down on November. The balance of throughput is going for export and into egg products. At the agricultural census taken on 1 December 1988 the number of egg-laying fowls in the United Kingdom was 36·6 million.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what movement into and out of Wales of potato quota has taken place in each of the past five years in both tonnage and percentage terms.

I have asked the Potato Marketing Board to send this information to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will take into account in his decisions on the future of the Potato Marketing Board the representations of growers of early potatoes regarding the impact that the removal of the direct intervention buying system will have on the early potato market.

Yes

To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the national nutritional survey of adults diets, conducted during 1988; and if he will make a statement.

The extensive results of this survey are still being analysed. I expect to publish a preliminary report before the end of the year.