To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on manning levels at all ranks in the Royal Armoured Corps.

At 31 December 1988 soldier strength in the Royal Armoured Corps was 63 men, or 0·8 per cent., below its establishment of 8,039. Because the rank ranging system of filling posts is employed in the Royal Armoured Corps, it is not possible to split the establishment down into ranks, hut the shortfall is at the bottom of the structure.At 31 December 1988 officer strength in the Royal Armoured Corps was 1,268, 103 officers (8 per cent.) below establishment. Almost all the shortfall is at the rank of captain.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to dispose of the RSRE north site, Malvern.

The Ministry of Defence has no plans at present to dispose of the north site at RSRE Malvern. The possibility of establishing a science park using part of the site is under consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action he has taken following receipt of the feasibility plan for use of the RSRE north site Malvern, sent by PA Consultants in December 1987.

The consultants report examined the feasibility of establishing a science park using part of the north site at RSRE, Malvern. Consideration is being given to the way ahead, taking into account our recent announcement of intentions regarding the defence research agency, in which RSRE would be included.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he intends to publish the 1989 "Statement on the Defence Estimates".

I intend to publish this year's "Statement on the Defence Estimates" on Tuesday 2 May.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, if he will now publish the firework injury statistics for 1988.

The firework injury statistics were published in answer to a written question from my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 20 April, at columns256–58.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what were the United Kingdom's imports of (a) paper and (b) pulp in each year since 1979.

The available information is given in the following table:

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement setting out the manner in which the adoption of the machine safety directive will facilitate the flow of trade within the EEC.

The aim of the machinery safety directive, which covers a wide range of machines, is the removal of barriers to trade through the harmonisation of legislation in member states. It lays down the essential requirements and certification procedures that machines have to meet to ensure free circulation throughout the Community.Once the directive has been adopted and implemented, manufacturers or their agents resident in the Community will be required to ensure their machines meet the relevant essential safety requirements before they can market their products in the European Community. Manufacturers can choose the method of meeting the essential requirements from a number of options, including the use of harmonised European standards. The adoption of this directive will help remove the special requirements that exist in some member states, which have prevented free trade in the past. As a result, an open, single market will be created, which will enable the United Kingdom industry to compete on an equal footing in the European Community.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on artificial lower limbs is to be published; and if he will make a statement.

The report on the supply of artificial lower limbs in the United Kingdom is published today. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission found that certain conduct of the largest supplier of artifical lower limbs in the United Kingdom, InterMed Ltd., a subsidiary of BTR plc with a market share of 70 per cent., operated against the public interest. Chas A. Blatchford and Sons Ltd., with a 26 per cent. market share, was also a monopolist, but the Commission did not find any conduct of this company that operated against the public interest.The commission found that InterMed, through its three subsidiaries—J. E. Hanger & Co. Ltd., Vessa Ltd., and Robert Kellie and Son Ltd.—had obtained prices for, and profits from, its supply of artificial lower limbs which were higher that could be expected in circumstances of normal competition. In addition, it had used its monopoly position to place unreasonable pressure on public sector purchasers, having regard to the nature of the sector, and had been unco-operative with them. Because of this InterMed had not given sufficient regard to the interests of patients.The commission recommended that, subject to a report from the disablement services authority to the Director General of Fair Trading on the impact of the impending round of tendering for prosthetic services at certain disablement services centres on InterMed's business, InterMed should divest itself (within six months of 30 April 1989) either of Hanger or Vessa, and that neither company should be sold to Blatchfords. They also recommend that, both before and after such divestment, InterMed be required to supply the products in question to any public sector purchaser or contractor on the same terms, conditions and prices as they were made available to its own prosthetists and technicians; and the Director General of Fair Trading invite a further report from the DSA by 30 September 1990 on the progress made towards promoting a more competitive market.I welcome this report and accept the MMC's findings and conclusions. However, in view of current changes in the state of competition in this market, I am asking the Director General of Fair Trading to advise me as soon as possible whether in order to remedy the adverse effects the MMC identified it is still necessary to require InterMed to divest part of its artificial lower limbs activities. Also I am inviting the Director General to seek undertakings from BTR, or its subsidiary InterMed, not to discriminate between, on the one hand, public sector purchasers and contractors and, on the other, its own prosthetists and technicians in the supply of artificial lower limbs.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on the internal market Council held on 13 April.

The Council, at which I represented the United Kingdom, adopted directives on secondary fertilisers and on the design and construction of side guards to be fitted to heavy goods vehicles.It also reached common positions on three proposals, as follows. The draft 11th company law directive requires companies from outside a member state that establish a place of business (or branch) in that member state to deliver certain documents, including accounting documents, to the relevant companies registry. The broadcasting directive will break down existing barriers to the free flow of television programmes across frontiers in the Community; and a directive on dangerous substances will harmonise restrictions on the marketing and use of seven dangerous substances and preparations.The Council also discussed the proposal for an EC merger control regulation, and the draft directive on right of residence thoughout the Community for EC nationals not already deemed to have such a right under the free movement provisions of the Treaty of Rome.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what arrangements exist to control the import of urea from non-European Community countries; and if he will list the tariffs imposed on each supplier nation.

There are no quota restrictions on imports of urea into the United Kingdom, although certain overseas countries gave volume undertakings on their exports to the Community as a result of two anti-dumping investigations completed in 1987 and 1989.There are two EC import duty rates; 11 per cent. for urea which contains 45 per cent. or more by weight of nitrogen on the dry anhydrous product and 8 per cent. for all other types. However, imports of urea from most developing countries are allowed into the EC duty free under GSP arrangements and under various EC trade agreements. The only exceptions are Venezuela and Mexico, whose imports under the 11 per cent. duty rate are subject to the full rate of duty, and Romania, for which all types of urea are subject to the full duty rate. Definitive anti-dumping duties are applicable to imports of urea from Libya, Saudi Arabia, the United States of America (with the exception of one company) and Venezuela.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will make a statement on any proposal to renegotiate the counters contract and the Department of Social Security contract to the advantage of Girobank in the light of Alliance and Leicester's conditional offer of purchase.

Any renegotiation of the terms of the contracts between Girobank and Post Office Counters and between Girobank and the Department of Social Security is a matter for the parties concerned.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he will place in the Library the information on publicity campaigns referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras on 10 April, Official Report, column 399.

The information requested has now been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if British Aerospace sought authorisation from his Department for the flight to, and exhibition at, Baghdad, of an advanced Hawk trainer; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 25 April 1989]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing matters. Licences are required for the export to Iraq of military equipment which is subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order (S.I. 1987 No. 2070), as amended.Applications for such licences are examined in particular against the guidelines on the export of defence equipment to Iran and Iraq announced to the House by my right hon. and learned Friend the Foreign and Commonwealth Secretary of 29 October 1985, at column 454.

To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what steps he takes to ensure that military aeroplanes licensed for export for training purposes are not converted to combat use.

[holding answer 25 April 1989]: Licences are required for the export to all destinations of military aeroplanes which are subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1987 (S.I. 1987 No. 2070) as amended.Applications for such licences are considered on a case-by-case basis in accordance with stringent export control procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are entitled to (a) the single retirement pension, and (b) the married couples' retirement pension; and of these how many are currently affected, in each category, by the pensioners' earnings limit.

Statistics relating to entitlement to retirement pension cannot be broken down according to marital status. Approximately 2,500 individuals currently have their basic pension reduced on account of earnings over £75 a week. In addition, approximately 200,000 individuals deferring receipt of their state pension because of earnings over £75 a week may now choose to draw their pension.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to implement the recommendations in the Oglesby report that mobility allowance tribunals and social security appeal tribunals should be amalgamated.

Under the present system, non-medical questions arising on mobility allowance claims are decided, on appeal, by social security appeal tribunals; medical questions are decided by medical boards and thereafter, if necessary, by medical appeal tribunals. We have no plans at present to revise this aspect of medical adjudication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make available any instructions issued since 1965 to staff in his Department whose duties involve either visiting or assessing claims from people who are mentally handicapped concerning the manner in which such claims are to be assessed.

There have been no instructions on assessment of claims from mentally handicapped people, and their appointees, beyond those which apply to all claimants. A copy of the 'S' manual containing current assessment instructions is in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what special training is given to staff in his Department to make sure that they deal effectively and sympathetically with claims from people who are mentally handicapped and their families.

The Department's staff involved in customer service receive advice and guidance on dealing sympathetically and efficiently with disabled people.More detailed and specific training is given to social fund officers, and covers the need to recognise and appreciate the significance of disability, including mental handicap, and the problems and circumstances arising. This training is now available to all local office staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what evidence he has of the past underpayment of substantial amounts of supplementary benefit to mentally handicapped people because of inadequate assessment of their cases by staff in his Department; and what steps he is taking to remedy this situation.

There are no statistics available on the accuracy of the assessment in respect of claims for supplementary benefit from the mentally handicapped. The award of supplementary benefit, which was replaced in April 1988 by income support, is a matter for the independent statutory authorities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the names of the chairman arid wing members of the Hartlepool social security appeal tribunal and give information of their backgrounds arid the reasons they were considered suitable to serve on the tribunal.

The appointment of members and the nomination of the chairman to the Hartlepool social security appeal tribunal is the responsibility of the president, His Honour Judge Byrt, QC, and the hon. Member may care to contact him direct.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what alterations he plans to make to income support provision for asylum seekers; and if he will make a statement.

I am pleased to announce that all people, including asylum seekers, who are entitled to urgent case payments will in future receive the appropriate income support premiums, to which they are not entitled at present.This follows a commitment I gave during the Committee stage of the Social Security Bill to consider the position of asylum seekers who claim income support.Families, in particular, who are eligible for the payments will find themselves significantly better off as a result of these changes. All such families will gain £6·50 a week; lone parents will gain £10·40 a week, and families with a disabled child £13·00 a week. The representations in Committee referred to the level of benefit paid under the old rules to a lone parent with a disabled child. These changes will provide an extra £16·90 a week in those circumstances.I intend to lay before the House regulations to bring these beneficial changes into effect from July.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give for 1978, 1979 and 1988 for each social security office and each social security region, the number of (a) claimants and (b) dependants on (i) supplementary benefit or income support and (ii) family income support or family credit.

I shall let the hon. Member have such information as can be obtained as soon as possible.

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire to date what statistical information he has as to the different reasons given by social fund officers (a) for negative decisions to claimants on (i) budgeting loans and (ii) partial awards and (b) to claimants for nil award decisions for (i) community care grants and (ii) partial awards.

[holding answer 17 April 1989]: The local offices in the Doncaster and Mexborough areas of South Yorkshire are Doncaster East, Doncaster West, and Wath on Dearne.The table gives the number of times that a reason for decision is used by social fund officers for determining a nil award for community care grants and budgeting loans.No information is collected on reasons for decision for partial awards.An application can be refused for more than one reason. The total number of reasons for decision used will be equal to or greater than the number of applications refused. Information on the numbers of applications processed and awards is available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria were used in choosing the members of the British delegation to the CSCE information forum starting in London on 18 April; what consideration was given to consulting trade union representatives from unions whose members are involved in the collection and dissemination of news, current affairs and cultural matters, in the process of selection and nomination for selection; and what consideration was given to consulting other representative bodies in the media and cultural field.

Invitations to join the British delegation to the London information forum were issued to a large number of people, with a view to constituting a balanced and representative team able to bring appropriate expertise to a wide agenda. The formation of the delegation was preceded by consultations attended by numerous organisations. The TUC did not respond to our invitation to participate or supply comments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria were used in deciding the appointment of the leader of the British delegation to the CSCE information forum, starting in London on 18 April.

Having decided that the British delegation should if possible be led by a personality from outside Government, Ministers sought an eminent and independent individual with a sound knowledge of public affairs and wide experience of the written and broadcast media. Britain is in fact the only country whose delegation is led by a person from outside Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what account he took of Lord Rees-Mogg's record of service at The Times, the British Broadcasting Corporation and the Broadcasting Standards Council in deciding to make the appointment of the leader of the British delegation to the CSCE information forum.

Lord Rees-Mogg was invited to lead the United Kingdom delegation to the London information forum because of his wide experience of public affairs and of the written and broadcast media.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will define the role and duties of the governor of Hong Kong.

The governor is the personal representative of the Queen in Hong Kong. He is responsible to the Secretary of State. He directs the administration of Hong Kong and is the commander-in-chief of the British forces stationed in Hong Kong. As head of the Hong Kong Government he presides at meetings of the Executive Council. He is also president of the Legislative Council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to promote United Kingdom interests in Hong Kong after 1997.

Our interests will be principally met by the effective implementation of the Joint Declaration and the maintenance of Hong Kong as an international financial and commercial centre. Against this background we are encouraging the private sector to build on our existing commercial successes in Hong Kong both as an important market in its own right and as an export centre for the Asia Pacific region. We will continue to foster our cultural links with the territory. We are actively preparing to establish a British consulate-general for the promotion of our interests in Hong Kong after 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the objectives of Government policy on Hong Kong.

Our prime objective is the continued stability and prosperity of Hong Kong and its people. To this end we are committed to fulfil our responsibility for the administration of Hong Kong until 30 June 1997 and to ensure the full and faithful implementation of the Sino-British Joint Declaration on Hong Kong. We also aim to foster and strengthen Britain's commercial and other links with Hong Kong up to and beyond 1997.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what level of financial assistance he is giving or planning to give to other nations to ensure that no extra financial burden is placed upon them in moving away from chlorofluorocarbon-based technology.

Within our overseas aid programme we are ready to respond positively to requests for assistance from development countries. For example, the Government are willing to help countries find ways of avioding the use of CFCs and to examine the implications of CFC-free strategies. We have just offered India £40 million of new local costs aid for environmental projects. Most of this is expected to be spent on forestry, but it is also available to help that country adopt alternative practices to the use of CFCs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy with respect to the support grades in Department (a) what is the number of staff employed, (b) how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed for over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.

As at 1 April 1989 numbers in the support grades were 51, of whom one was a casual. There was one vacancy of more than one month's standing. Overtime averages 290 hours per month in London for 47 staff and 60 hours per month elsewhere for four staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the areas of British Coal in order of production levels and the number of major injuries sustained in each area as a proportion of the work force.

The information requested, in a form that is available, is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the number of licensed mines currently in operation; how many people are employed therein; and what proportion of these workers have suffered significant industrial injury in each of the past 10 years.

As at December 1988 there were 166 licensed mines operating in Britain, employing just over 2,000 men. Information which shows whether these particular men have suffered significant injuries is not available. However, the major accident rates for licensed mines for the years for which information is available are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which non-fossil fuel technologies the Government regard as sufficiently established to provide substantial generation in the United Kingdom on a time scale of 15 years.

Nuclear and hydro-electricity energy are both already making a substantial contribution to electricity generation in the United Kingdom and will continue to do so.In addition, tidal and wind energy, landfill gas and the combustion of solid wastes have the potential to make a substantial contribution within 15 years.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is his policy on the role to be played by nuclear power in this country and abroad in helping to reduce and control the greenhouse effect; and if he will make a statement; (2) if he is able to estimate the probable reduction per year in the level of carbon dioxide emissions, expressed in million tonnes, by substituting one pressurised water reactor for an equivalent capacity coal-fired station; (3) whether a United Kingdom pro-rata contribution to the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions by 20 per cent. of their 1988 levels, as called for in the Toronto conference statement to combat the greenhouse effect, could be met solely through Government-led energy conservation, the increased use of renewable energy sources and the novel coal burning technologies currently under development; and if he will make a statement.

Nuclear power is already making a significant contribution to curbing emissions of carbon dioxide both here and abroad and I believe that it has an important contribution to make as part of any future international response to the threat of manmade climate change. I estimate that in broad terms substitution of a large PWR for equivalent coal-fired generation might reduce carbon dioxide emissions by around 6 million tonnes a year.The inter-governmental panel on climate change, to which the United Kingdom has given its full support, is currently conducting a wide-ranging review of the climate change issue; it is therefore inappropriate to consider specific emission reduction targets at this time. It is likely, however, that any response would vary according to the economic and technical circumstances of individual countries and involve a wide range of measures including improved efficiency in both the supply and use of energy as well as moves toward less carbon-intensive fuels. My Department's policies for encouraging economic energy efficiency, the development of renewable energy sources, and diversity in supply are a firm basis for any future action.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the application offshore of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

An Order in Council has today been laid before Parliament, the main effect of which is to bring gas storage and accommodation installations, and mobile installations in transit, within the scope of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The general provisions of the 1974 Act were applied offshore in 1977.The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) (Variation) Order 1989 brings the definitions of offshore installation and pipeline into line with those currently in force in other offshore safety legislation.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council which commenced on 17 April in Brussels; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier today.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress his Department has made in the reduction and elimination of food contamination; and if he will make a statement.

We are making good progress in implementing the wide range of measures which we are taking with the aim of continuing to ensure that food is safe.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will report on the progress made in establishing water management trials at Southlake Moor, King's Sedgemoor and West Sedgemoor to monitor the benefit of wetland wildlife; and whether the trials will provide information on water pump level variations.

Two water management trials are proceeding on West Sedgemoor and South Lake Moor. Further possible trial sites, including King's Sedgemoor, are still under investigation. The trials will provide information on water pump level variations to help assess the benefit to wetland wildlife.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of ESA agreements reached with owners and occupiers within the area known as the Somerset Levels and Moors, the area of land involved and the total cost of payments made to the end of January 1989 in 1989 prices.

The total number of agreements reached within the Somerset Levels and Moors ESA by the end of 1988 is 642 covering an area of 8,877 hectares. These agreements have resulted in payments which in total cost £1·458 million in 1989 prices, to the end of the 1988–89 financial year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce a new provision in the Water Bill which would enable internal drainage boards to adopt water management regimes for the purpose of enhancing nature conservation.

Internal drainage boards are already required by section 48 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to further the interests of conservation consistent with their land drainage responsibilities. This duty is carried forward under clause 8 of the Water Bill. Specific advice on water level management is included in our guidelines to drainage authorities on their section 48 responsibilities which was issued last year.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will defer the closure of Rosewarne experimental horticulture establishment until 31 October to enable current research programmes to be completed and to facilitate negotiations for its future.

It is not proposed to close Rosewarne before 31 October. Final decisions on the closure will not be taken until my noble Friend the Baroness Trumpington has completed her consultations with interested bodies on the industry funding of near-market research.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on environmental damage in relation to discharge of nuclear waste products in the sea around the Cornish coastline.

The effects of liquid radioactive waste discharged by major nuclear sites to the marine environment around the United Kingdom coastline are monitored by my Department as part of its regular programme of aquatic environmental monitoring.The results of this monitoring, which are published annually, demonstrate that radioactivity around the Cornish coastline and elsewhere does not occur at levels likely to result in damage to either the marine environment or the living resources which it supports.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to license manufacturing, distribution, catering and retail premises in order to reduce food poisoning; and if he will make a statement.

A proposal that all food businesses should be registered is being considered as part of the review of the Food Act 1984.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what month he expects to make comparisons between the number of dental and eye tests before and after the introduction of charges.

Demand for dental treatment is subject to short-term fluctuation irrespective of changes made to charges. The Department monitors the number of courses scheduled for payment each month. It is unlikely that an assessment of whether there has been an effect on demand following the introduction of the examination charge can be made until figures are available for the quarter July-September 1989. On sight tests, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 17 April, at column 47.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the level of capital expenditure in the National Health Service, at constant prices, in each year since 1959.

The table shows capital expenditure on the NHS in each year between 1959 and 1988 in 1988 prices. The figure for 1988 reflects the latest available estimate of receipts from land sales and so on, in 1988. The figures have been derived from the United Kingdom national accounts prepared by the Central Statistical Office.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to announce the names of the health districts which are to get extra consultants; what criteria are being used for the allocation of the 100 posts; which authorities have applied for extra consultants; and if he will make a statement.

We wrote to health authorities on 13 April inviting them to submit bids for the 100 extra consultant posts announced in "Working for Patients" by 31 July 1989. We expect to notify authorities of successful bids in October. I refer the right hon. Member to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harborough (Sir J. Farr) on 7 March, at column 487, for the criteria which will be used in allocating the posts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if there has been any increase in the incidence of asthma, stomach ulcers, arthritis or ear infection in areas which neighbour or are close to opencast sites.

Information of this type is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will detail the National Health Service provision for those addicted to the benzodiazepine drugs who are trying to end their dependency.

We do not hold this information centrally. Services for those dependent on benzodiazepines are provided by general practitioners, general psychiatric services, community drug teams, and specialist services for those experiencing problems with illicit or prescribed drugs.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the annual number of prescriptions for the five most common benzodiazepine drugs.

The number of prescriptions for the five benzodiazepines most commonly dispensed by community pharmacists in Great Britain in 1987 was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has as to the frequency with which general practitioners prescribe benzodiazepine drugs for periods longer than that recommended by the Committee on Safety of Medicines.

We do not collect centrally any information about the length of time for which GPs prescribe drugs for patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report the names of groups known to be working with benzodiazepine sufferers; if he will give the funds allocated to each by his Department; and if he will consider providing core funding for all such groups.

We do not hold centrally a list of groups working with those dependent on benzodiazepines. The Department is, however, funding the National Association for Mental Health (MIND) to produce a national directory of services for this group.The provision and funding of direct client services for this group is the responsibility of the local statutory authorities. In order to pump-prime the development of local services for those experiencing problems with illicit or prescribed drugs, the Government established a central funding initiative, under which £17·5 million was allocated to 188 local projects. In addition, since 1986 the Government have allocated funds to regional health authorities specifically for the development of drug misuse services, including services for those dependent on benzodiazepines. This funding totals almost £15 million in 1989–90.Core funding under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 is awarded primarily to national organisations. Under this scheme in 1988–89 the Department gave a grant of £10,000 to TRANX (UK) Ltd. The Department's grant to MIND also covers the production of public information material on benzodiazepines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consult pharmaceutical companies producing benzodiazepines about ways in which they could help those who have become addicted to these drugs.

Those who have become dependent on benzodiazepines can obtain help from their general practitioner, the general psychiatric services, community drug teams, specialist drug dependency services, and voluntary agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will detail the action he has taken to encourage general practitioners not normally to prescribe the benzodiazepine drugs for periods longer than those recommended by the Committee on Safety of Medicines; and if he will take further action.

General practitioners now have all the information and advice, including that from the Committee on Safety of Medicines, that they need to prescribe benzodiazepines. It is up to doctors to take heed of this advice and to exercise their clinical judgment when prescribing in each case.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will allocate funds for research into the damage to various organs of the body that can arise from the use of the benzodiazepine drugs.

I have no plans to do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to require general practitioners to record in their patients' medical records full details of all prescriptions.

No. Under his terms of service a general practitioner is already required to keep adequate records of the illnesses and treatment of his patients.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to make extended ambulance training compulsory for all ambulance service personnel in England; and if he will make a statement.

No. At the discretion of employing authorities, extended training can be made available to qualified and leading ambulance personnel, but on a voluntary basis.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he is taking to obtain an accurate account of teacher shortages in secondary education.

My Department collects information from local education authorities each year on the number of vacant posts by secondary subject. The results of the secondary staffing survey, conducted last year, will be available shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on restoration of the negotiating rights of teachers; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received approximately 120 letters on this issue since 1 January 1989 both directly and through hon. Members.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in the recruitment of teachers of shortage subjects; and if he will make a statement.

The Department launched its action programme on teacher shortages in 1986. Recruitment to initial teacher training last year showed an increase in mathematics by 27 per cent., in science by 9 per cent. and in technology by 39 per cent. over the levels in 1986. The Government will develop their action programme as necessary to ensure a sufficient supply of qualified teachers in these subjects to meet the needs of schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is proposing any steps to encourage Saturday participation in sport by schoolchildren.

My right hon. Friend has no specific plans at present to encourage Saturday participation in sport by schoolchildren. We hope, however, that the inclusion of physical education, of which sport is a component, as a foundation subject in the national curriculum for all pupils aged five to 16 will encourage those who wish to do so both to participate in sport outside school hours and to continue with sport after they leave school.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made in the work of the working party to investigate nursery education.

The committee of inquiry on the quality of the educational experience offered to the under-fives will hold its first meeting on 25 May when I expect it to settle its programme of work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had regarding the inclusion of English grammar and the learning of verse by heart within the national curriculum.

Responses to the consultations on the draft order for English for pupils in the first key stage of the national curriculum have included various comments on the place of grammar and verse learning. These are being considered.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place a copy in the Library of the guidance he has issued to local education authorities and schools on the compilation of parent registers for opt-out ballot purposes; and if he will make a statement.

The Pupils' Registration (Amendment) Regulations 1988 require every school to maintain an admissions register which includes the name and address of each peson known to the governing body to be a parent of a registered pupil at the school. Sections 60 and 61 of the Education Reform Act 1988 provide for the use of this information where a ballot of parents on grant-maintained status is contemplated or under way. The Department's circular 10/88, and booklet "School Governors: How To Become A Grant-Maintained School", offer guidance on these provisions. Copies of the regulations, the relevant Administrative memorandum, the circular and booklet were sent to every LEA and school last year. The Department also wrote to all chief education officers on 13 February this year, in part about allegations that some LEAs were abusing this information. Copies of each of these documents were placed in the Library of the House on publication.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside, of 12 April. Official Report, column 526, whether he has any plans to issue guidance to local education authorities and schools on the information to be made available from parent registers to community charge registration officers.

The Department will shortly be writing to the local authority associations on this subject.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has held on the rights of access to parent registers.

My right hon. Friend has held no recent discussions on this topic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received on, and what consideration he has given to, the inclusion of Indic languages as modern foreign languages in the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the October 1988 census figures for each local education authority for the number of (a) pupils present, (b) pupils taking paid meals, (c) pupils taking free meals, and (d) pupils taking meals in total.

The figures are given in the table. They relate to maintained primary, secondary and special schools and are based on the number of pupils present in schools on the day in October 1988 on which the survey was carried out. As explained in my reply of 14 April, the full results of the survey are contained in the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy publication "School Meals Statistics at October 1988" which will shortly be available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, with respect to the support grades in his Department (a) what is the number of staff employed, (b) how many vacancies there are and how many of these have existed for over one month and over three months, (c) how many temporary and casual appointments there are and (d) how much overtime was worked by them in London and elsewhere.

The details are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has had any discussions with, or representations from, county councils in Wales, or other interested bodies, concerning the future of the national parks in Wales.

None; but matters relating to future developments and to the planning system within national parks are frequently the subject of representations to Ministers by a variety of bodies.

To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed answering on behalf of the House of Commons Commission, what staff of the House are employed in the House when sittings go beyond 10 pm.

128 staff from various Departments are on duty on any one night as a direct consequence of the House sitting after 10 pm.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider introducing a system of proportional representation for elections to those directly elected bodies for which he is responsible.

We have no plans to introduce a system of proportional representation for elections to local government councils.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library copies of all circulars he has issued about the operation of section 37 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988, within the last six months.

Copies of Home Office circular number 86/88 and the second commencement order have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many jockeys have been injured while riding a horse in the Grand National at Aintree racecourse in the last nine years;(2) how many jockeys have been permanently maimed after sustaining injuries while riding a horse in the Grand National at Aintree racecourse since 1959;(3) how many jockeys have been killed during, or as a result of riding a horse, in the Grand National at the Aintree racecourse since 1959;(4) how many horses have been killed during, or as a result of running in, the Grand National at Aintree racecouse since 1980.

The Home Office does not obtain or record information about injuries incurred in horseracing. But the Jockey Club has kindly provided the four numbers requested, as follows: 5; 0; 0; 4.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement as to the most recent inquiry carried out in the case of former Chief Superintendent Kenneth Etheridge; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the most recent inquiry was in 1977, when an investigation was carried out into allegations against a number of officers, including Mr. Etheridge. No formal disciplinary proceedings were taken against any officer as a result of that inquiry.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if legal proceedings will be taken against any seller or promoter of West German lottery tickets in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;(2) if the Government propose to introduce legislation to clarify the legal position with regard to the selling of non-British lottery tickets within the United Kingdom prior to 31 December 1992; and if he will make a statement.

It is an offence under section 2 of the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976 to bring foreign lottery tickets into Great Britain for the purpose of their sale, distribution or advertisement; we have no reason to believe that the position will be affected by the advent of the single European market in 1992. We have no plans to introduce legislation to amend the 1976 Act.Any decision on whether to institute proceedings in respect of an alleged offence under the 1976 Act is a matter for individual chief officers of police. The Crown Prosecution Service is then responsible for deciding independently whether the case should be prosecuted in the courts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whom he met and what was discussed on his recent visit to Saudi Arabia.

I had a number of meetings with senior members of the Saudi Arabian Government and discussed the scope of intensifying the level of co-operation between this country and Saudi Arabia in a number of fields, including terrorism, drugs, organised crime and police training. I signed a memorandum of understanding with the Saudi Arabian Government to facilitate closer co-operation on these issues.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist for coordinating requests from chief officers of police for mutual aid assistance from other forces; and if he will make a statement.

Mutual aid between police forces has for many years been a feature of British policing. Standing local arrangements for mutual aid are often used and do not require central co-ordination. When the demands on manpower or other resources are such that these arrangements are unlikely to be adequate, requests for assistance may be co-ordinated nationally by the mutual aid co-ordination centre (MACC) which was previously known as the national reporting centre.The centre is activated and controlled by the president of the Association of Chief Police Officers and not by the Home Office. Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of an officer of deputy chief constable rank, assisted by supporting staff. When the MACC is in operation, as at all other times, the direction and control of police operations within a force area, including the control of officers provided under mutual aid, is the responsibility of the chief officer of police for that area. The MACC is responsible for co-ordinating requests from chief officers: it does not have the power to take the initiative in moving police officers from one force area to another.The Home Office is today issuing a circular to chief officers of police and police authorities about the mutual aid co-ordination centre. I have placed a copy in the Library.

To ask the Attorney-General from what outside sources with practical experience of the subjects considered by the Marre committee advice has been sought in the preparation of the Government's response to the Marre committee; and if he will make a statement.