To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received about the Government's inner cities policy.

I have received a number of representations, many of them in support of the Government's inner cities policies. Under the comprehensive range of measures, costing £3·5 billion this year which makes up the action for cities initiative, good progress continues to be made in the regeneration of our inner cities. In the 57 inner city target areas, unemployment fell by almost 24 per cent. in the 12 months to May 1989. Recorded crime in the Metropolitan police force areas fell by 6 per cent. in 1988. Involvement of private companies continues to grow£over the last six months the number of companies working with the Government's inner city task forces has increased from 450 to 500.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the United Kingdom's relations with the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

We receive many representations about relations with the Soviet Union from individual members of the public, as well as from interested organisations and their representatives. The Government's desire to strengthen these relations, and our support for Mr. Gorbachev's reforms are widely shared.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the United Kingdom's relations with the United States of America.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received recent representations concerning relations with the United States of America.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding safety on the roads.

I have received a number of such representations. There is understandable and widespread concern about the needless suffering and unnecessary economic cost caused by road accidents. Cutting the toll of road casualties is a high priority. Our target, which we set in 1987, is a one third reduction in casualties by the year 2000. We are well on course for achieving that.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the coal industry.

I have received several recent representations regarding the coal industry.

To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to Scotland.

Probably in September.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the reduction of pollution.

I have received a number of representations regarding the environment. I share the concern that it should be protected and pollution reduced. The Government have undertaken many measures to improve the quality of the environment. We intend to bring forward further legislative proposals on pollution control shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Crawley.

I have at present no plans to do so.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the Army.

I regularly receive representations on a variety of subjects regarding the Army.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the revival of British industries.

A large number of the representations I receive acknowledge the remarkable revival enjoyed by British industry under this Government.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the pharmaceutical industry.

I have not recently received any particular representations regarding the pharmaceutical industry. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health has regular contact with the representatives of the industry.

To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on water privatisation.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received any recent representations about water privatisation.

Many individuals and organisations have commented on a wide range of water privatisation matters, which are being considered in the context of the Water Bill currently before Parliament.

To ask the Prime Minister what consultations she has had with Sir Roy Griffiths on the relevance of section 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Representation and Consultation) Act 1986 as a strategy for community care.

Sir Roy Griffiths has been involved in the Government's consideration of his report "Community Care Agenda for Action". The Government's considerations are wide ranging and are taking account of existing relevant legislation.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will publish a White Paper outlining the conclusions and the matters considered at the Madrid meeting of the European Council; and if she will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made on 29 June on the outcome of the European Council in Madrid.

To ask the Prime Minister if during the recent visit of General Jaruzelski she made representations to him on the case for totally free elections in Poland within the next 12 months; and if she will make a statement.

No. I told him that I welcomed the recent elections in Poland, as well as the confirmation that the Polish authorities stood by the election results and would continue on the path of democracy and reform.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the United Kingdom's relations with Cyprus.

I receive representations on the United Kingdom's relations with Cyprus from time to time from various quarters. I am happy to say that relations are excellent. I have met President Vassiliou three times in the last year and I hope to see him again on 10 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the United Kingdom's relationship with West Germany.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding the United Kingdom's relations with France.

No.

To ask the Prime Minister if she has received representations regarding agricultural policy.

The Government frequently receive representations about agricultural policy. The United Kingdom agricultural industry is widely respected for its efficiency and competitiveness. It is well placed to benefit from the opportunities for fair competition which completion of the EC's single internal market will bring. And I was pleased yesterday at the royal show to pay tribute to the enormous contribution the agriculture industry and the thousands of individual farmers make to our national life.

To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn), Official Report, 2 May, column 114, if she will now list by name the participants present at the seminar on environmental policies and the greenhouse effect which she organised on 26 April.

I have nothing to add to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 2 May at column 114.

To ask the Prime Minister when she will restrict or refuse local authorities the opportunity of new raw sewage outfalls into the Bristol channel.

The Secretary of State will consider on their merits any proposals which come before him related to the discharge of sewage into the Bristol channel. Discharge consents for long sea outfall schemes are granted only when they enable bathing waters in the vicinity to meet the requirements of the EC directive standards and where they are designed to take full account of local conditions.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy to take personal control of the co-ordination work to stop the dumping of raw sewage into the English Channel and to work towards these beaches attaining the standards of the EC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC.

The discharge of raw sewage through short sea outfalls is an unsatisfactory legacy from the past; and a substantial programme of improving the sewerage systems of coastal towns is under way. Replacement systems of whatever type are designed to bring identified bathing waters up to the standards set in the EC bathing water directive 76/160/EEC. Long sea outfalls, which discharge some 2 km to sea, are a safe and effective means for the disposal of screened sewage. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution grants discharge consents for long sea outfall schemes only when they enable bathing waters in the vicinity to meet the requirements of the EC directive standards and where they are designed to take full account of local conditions. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will continue to seek environmentally sound solutions for each location on the basis of the best available scientific evidence.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 4 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 4 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 4 July.

To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 4 July.

This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the total consumption of electricity in (a) England, and (b) Wales in a full year recorded over the last five years for which figures are available, and the percentage consumption for domestic, industrial, and commercial sectors;(2) what was the average demand for electricity measured in megawatts in England and Wales, shown separately, for the winter period and summer period for each of the last five years for which figures are available;(3) what was the maximum demand for electricity measured in megawatts in England and Wales, separately, during 1988–89; and at what time of which day it occurred in each case.

These are matters for the Electricity Council. I shall ask the chairman of the council to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total generating capacity of electricity in Wales measured in megawatts; and what is the percentage component in the total generated by (a) nuclear, (b) coal, (c) oil, (d) hydro, (e) pumped storage and (f) other.

This is a matter for the Central Electricity Generating Board. I shall ask the chairman of the CEGB to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will make a statement on the nuclear installations inspectorate's plans for reducing emergency planning zones around nuclear power stations;(2) what changes are proposed to the size of emergency planning zones around nuclear power stations;(3) what is the size of emergency planning zones around nuclear power stations;(4) what is the stipulated evacuation area around British nuclear power stations in the event of a radiation emission.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Sedgefield (Mr. Blair) on 20 June 1989 at column 93.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been reported to him by the Welsh Language board; and what steps he is taking to implement any of its recommendations.

The Welsh Language board published its strategy document on 22 June and will in the near future be publishing voluntary guidelines governing the use of Welsh in the public and private sectors. My right hon. Friend will give very careful consideration to all the board's recommendations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what review he has undertaken of the availability of staff to provide medical and post-medical services in Welsh-speaking areas through the medium of the Welsh language; and whether he has any proposals to extend training courses in Wales to meet these requirements.

Information on the number of staff employed in the National Health Service in Wales who are bilingual in English and Welsh is not available centrally; the exception to this is information relating to speech therapists concerning which I wrote to the hon. Gentleman on 24 October 1988, placing a copy of my letter in the Library of the House. District health authorities in Wales are currently engaged in the second round of an annual manpower resource planning exercise to determine future manpower requirements in the National Health Service in Wales. Discussions of these plans with individual health authorities will include the demand for and availability of Welsh-speaking staff. Consideration will be given to the question of extending training courses in Wales to meet any such demand in the light of the outcome of that exercise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the establishment of a health studies centre in North Wales; what consideration has been given to this issue; and what conclusions have been reached.

The Department has been asked by Clwyd health authority to provide financial support for the establishment of a centre for health studies in north Wales, fuller details of which have just been received. Consideration is being given to that request within the context of a recent report on the role of the combined training institute in Cardiff, which has examined the issue of training provision generally from the National Health Service in Wales. Representations in support of the proposal have been received from the Plaid Cyrnru spokesman on health and from the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas).

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library details of the criteria which applicants must meet to qualify for the urban investment grant.

Urban investment grants (UIGs) are designed to support projects costing more than £150,000, which are brought forward by private sector developers and which, because likely costs would exceed likely values on completion, would not otherwise proceed. To qualify for UIGs, which are site specific, developments must be located in an urban area in Wales and bring back into use derelict or rundown land and—or buildings. Projects must also produce benefits which contribute to alleviating urban deprivation. Copies of the UIG guidance notes, which set out these criteria, have been placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report, on a county basis, the value of the urban investment grant for each month since its inception.

Since the introduction of urban investment grants (UIG) on 1 April 1989, five schemes have been approved for support involving £2·033 million grant. The geographical distribution is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to increase funding for research into pollution of the river ecosystem with particular reference to the rivers of Wales before privatisation of the water industry.

This will be a matter for the National Rivers Authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his reply dated 20 June, Official Report, column 84, he will list the range of facilities available in each of the hospitals mentioned in the reply.

The information requested is shown in the following table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of European Community directives and regulations on the inspection in Wales of meat and meat products in the run-up to the single European market and on the likely changes in terms of staffing and finance that will be required to meet these requirements.

The arrangements for meat inspection in the single market will depend upon decisions still to be taken by the Council of Ministers and it is not yet possible, therefore, to estimate the effects on staffing and costs. It is clear, however, that we shall need to move towards a unified supervision system in all our meat plants and we shall be discussing with the interests concerned how this should be achieved.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of the veterinary presence in export slaughterhouses in Wales on the protection of public health.

Veterinary supervision is required if slaughterhouses are to engage in intra-Community trade or export to third countries. If this requirement were not met our industry would not be able to export meat and meat products. I have never accepted, however, that veterinary supervision is essential to guarantee satisfactory standards of hygiene.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has made regarding EC document 8062/88; and whether he has urged the EC to recognise the role of district councils in Wales in the inspection of slaughterhouses and food hygiene duties.

My officials have made it clear in discussions on this proposal that it is premature to consider arrangements for veterinary checks in advance of agreement on more fundamental aspects of the animal health arrangements to apply within the single market. I am not aware of any proposals that would seek to change the existing role of district councils in slaughterhouse inspections or food law enforcement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that controls over food for human consumption in Wales should continue to come under the care of environmental health officers; and whether he will press the EC to recognise this approach.

The importance of the role that environmental health officers have in the area of food inspection and control is recognised by the Government. Our EC partners have been regularly pressed to indicate their recognition that environmental health officers will continue to have a role to play in the food hygiene field and discussions on this point are continuing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish details of those sewage treatment works in the Rhymney valley which require capital investment to bring the quality of discharges up to that stipulated in their discharge consents.

The sewage treatment works at Draethen and Rudry are included in the programme of capital investment.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of British investment overseas; what was the level in 1979; and what impact it has on the balance of payments.

In the year to 1989, United Kingdom direct investment and portfolio investment in overseas assets were £19·8 billion and £12–9 billion, respectively. Comparable figures for 1979 were £5·9 billion and £0·9 billion. Further details of the figures are available in the United Kingdom balance of payments press release of 15 June 1989.The effect of these outflows on the make-up of the balance of payments cannot be measured precisely as, without them, inflows into the United Kingdom of interest, profits and dividends would be lower and, more generally, sterling's exchange rate would be different.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate for economic growth in 1989–90.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor forecast at Budget time that real gross domestic product would grow by 21/4 per cent. in 1989–90.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) all premium bond purchases and (b) purchases under £100 are made by pensioners.

It is estimated that about 21 per cent. of all purchases and about 19 per cent. of purchases under £100 are made by people of pensionable age.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total investment growth figures for each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

The figures for total investment growth in the United Kingdom at 1985 prices, over the last 10 years, are shown in the table.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of investment in United Kingdom industry over the past 10 years can be accounted for by internally generated funds.

Companies' undistributed income is used to finance a variety of expenditure, including investment, but it is not possible to say to what extent investment has been financed by internally or externally generated funds.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has yet received clarification from the European Commission of the effect on village halls of the European Court of Justice's judgment on value added tax zero rates; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received a letter from Mrs. Christiane Scrivener, the EC Commissioner, which indicates that the Commission believes the European Court's judgment, while prohibiting the zero-rating of supplies of fuel and power to village halls, does not rule out zero-rating for the construction of village halls. I therefore propose to bring forward amendments to the Finance Bill at Report stage to reinstate the zero rate for the construction of new village halls and similar charitable buildings. These will be tabled as soon as possible.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will announce his decision on possible abatement of the increase in national non-domestic rates by powers given under sub-paragraph 5(3) of schedule 7 to the Local Government Finance Act 1988; what criteria he will take into account when taking that decision; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 21 June 1989]: The initial NNDR multipliers will be specified in the revenue support grant reports for 1990–91. For succeeding years, the presumption is that the NNDR multiplier will be increased in line with the indexation provisions in the Local Government Finance Act 1988. However, if I did decide to increase the multipliers by less than the RPI, this would be announced before the revenue support grant reports for the year in question had to be approved by Parliament. All relevant considerations would be taken into account: for example, if improved efficiency led to a significant reduction in the amount local authorities needed to spend, some of the efficiency gains should be reflected in the burden which falls on the business community through non-domestic rates.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in the negotiations on the harmonisation of value added tax and excise duties.

[holding answer 29 June 1989]: At its meeting on 19 June the Economic and Finance Council (Ecofin) agreed to set up an ad hoc group to examine the Commission's revised proposals, described in my answer to my hon. Friend on 23 May 1989 at column 440, and the alternative approaches put forward by a number of member states including the United Kingdom. The group is due to report back to Ecofin in time for its meeting on 9 October.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many registered value added tax payers keep detailed records as described in paragraph 3 (D) of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, excise notice 700, appendix C, in order to avoid payment of scale charges for input value added tax on road fuel.

[holding answer 3 July 1989]: I regret that the information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for improving signposting in London.

I am currently consulting the public and interested parties on proposals for a new system of primary route signing for the area within the M25. The proposed system uses compass-based areas to create a consistent and logical set of signs which would be easier for motorists to follow. Copies of the consultation document "Primary Route Signing-Proposals for Change" have been placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newham, South of 4 April, Official Report, column 20, what sums (a) have been paid and (b) will be paid in the current financial year to Thamesline; what proportion of income such payments are expected to provide; what conditions he has placed on any such payments in respect of maintenance of the service to all piers for which services were advertised; and if he will make a statement concerning the withdrawal of any such service.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I have given today to the hon. Member for Dagenham (Mr. Gould). Riverbus Limited expects to be seeking the whole of the Government grant of £500,000 during the current financial year. The income forecasts of the business are commercially confidential.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning an incident involving the fishing vessel Huntress and a Royal Naval submarine Ocelot on 28 June; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.

On the afternoon of 28 June off the Isle of Arran a submarine towed the fishing vessel Huntress astern after fouling her nets. No serious damage occurred and there were no reports of injuries. One of the Department's marine surveyors is investigating the incident.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has received regarding transport links to the Channel tunnel from the north-west.

There have been some representations, mainly about improvements to road and rail networks between the north west and other regions and the tunnel. Our national roads planning takes account of requirements of road traffic to and from the tunnel. British Rail is responsible for rail links to the Tunnel, and following the recent completion of its regional consultations, we are now awaiting the plan which the railways board has to produce by the end of this year under section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act setting out its proposals for international services to the regions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information his Department has regarding the reduction of air ventilation on passenger aircraft;(2) what research his Department has conducted into the effects arising from reduction of air ventilation on passenger aircraft.

These are technical matters pertinent to the certification standards of British-registered passenger aircraft. As such they are the statutory responsibility of the Civil Aviation Authority. I have drawn the hon. Member's interest in this subject to the attention of the chairman of the authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the grounds on which minimum safety standards for emergency evacuation of aircraft are established;(2) what consideration is given in setting minimum standards for emergency evacuation of aircraft to the particular needs of travellers with mobility difficulties.

The statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority. I am asking the chairman of the authority to write to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce pollution from vehicles using diesel fuel; and what regulations will be introduced with the introduction of the 40-tonne lorries.

We shall be consulting shortly on regulations which will apply emission limits on exhaust fumes from diesel-engined vehicles for the first time.For cars, the regulations will apply European standards in two stages. The first stage (directive 83/351/EEC) sets standards identical to those that currently apply to petrol-engined vehicles. It will take effect on 1 October 1990. Our current plans are to apply a second stage of more stringent limits (directive 88/76/EEC) by 1 October 1993 to cars with an engine capacity of at least 1·4 litres, whether petrol or diesel.A further stage of exhaust fume emission limits for small cars has now been agreed within the European Community. It will affect all new cars under 1·4 litres from 1992. The agreement also gives an outline commitment to tougher standards for larger cars to be implemented at the same time.On 1 October 1990 we shall also apply the European particulate limits for diesel-engined cars (directive 88/436/EEC). Special arrangements in line with all the directives will be made for direct-injection diesel-engined cars.For all other diesel-engined vehicles we shall apply the recently agreed European standard on emission limits (directive 88/77/EEC) at the earliest date permitted, 1 October 1990.Discussions are continuing in the European Community on a tightening of the 88/77/EEC standards and on the introduction of particulate limits for these categories of vehicle. Both the 88/77/EEC standards and any later standards will apply to the heaviest lorries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the number of British people who die each year from road accidents; and what are the Government's plans to reduce that number.

Over 5,000 people are needlessly killed on our roads each year. Two years ago we set a target of reducing the number of casualties by a third by the year 2000. We are on course for doing so. We are now saving over 550 lives a year compared with the position two years ago, even though traffic has increased greatly.A total of 75 per cent. of casualties occur on local roads. At a meeting with local authority political leaders today we reviewed our commitment to joint action to reduce casualties. We agreed that casualty reduction targets would in future be set at local and regional level, and we endorsed a package of measures to increase the number of low cost road engineering schemes which are so effective in saving lives.This will give a fresh impetus to efforts to reduce the number of people killed and injured.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what public money has been paid to the Thames riverbus service; under what authority it was paid; what conditions were imposed; and what has been done to protect the public interest and to ensure that the service to the paying public is continued.

The Government have not yet received a formal request for the first payment under the agreement governing their grant for the riverbus service. Grant will be paid under section 17 of the Ministry of Transport Act 1919. Payment of grant is limited to its application to the promotion and improvement of the service, and is conditional on payment of a private sector contribution of four times the grant and on the provision of appropriate management reports and accounts. The Government may terminate the grant agreement in the event that a regular service is not maintained to Charing Cross, Festival, Swan Lane and West India piers. The recent inauguration of new services to Greenwich and Greenland piers and suspension of the services to Cherry Garden pier are matters for the operator.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Arab League's initiative towards the Lebanon.

We and our European partners fully support the Arab League's efforts to find a solution to the crisis in Lebanon.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information Her Majesty's Government have from the United Nations regarding the procedures for registration and voting in the election to be held in Namibia in accord with resolution 435; and if he will make a statement.

The administrator general's proclamation on registration of voters, agreed with the United Nation's special representative for Namibia, issued on 30 June.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has from the United Nations on the effect of the implementation of resolution 435 of the former Koevet forces; and if he will make a statement.

The United Nation's special representative has expressed concern about unacceptable conduct by counter-insurgency elements in SWAPO. We are supporting UN efforts to reach a satisfactory solution to the problem.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has from the United Nations regarding the deployment of the additional 500 United Nations police in Namibia; whether the United Nations now proposes to further increase that number; and if he will make a statement.

The additional group of 500 police monitors has begun to arrive in Namibia. The United Nations's Secretary-General, who has responsibility for the strength of the UN force in Namibia, has not requested a further increase in the number of police monitors.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policies on the future role of the Khmer Rouge army in the Government of Cambodia; whether Her Majesty's Government will be represented at the Paris peace conference on Cambodia in July; and if Her Majesty's Government's representatives will oppose a solution permitting the return of the Khmer Rouge to Cambodia.

I refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 11 April 1989. A central objective of our policy is to prevent the Khmer Rouge returning to power by force. In principle we expect to attend the international conference on Cambodia in Paris.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of men on rule 43 in Wandsworth prison on 27 June.

Four hundred and nineteen.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make it mandatory for coroners to require all relevant medical records to be supplied to them before an inquest is concluded.

Coroners are independent judicial officers. In accordance with the Coroners Act 1988 they make thorough inquiries into all deaths referred to them, but it is for the coroners to decide how to conduct their inquiries. My right hon. Friend is not persuaded that it would be appropriate to adopt the hon. Member's suggestion.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the current fee recommended by the British Medical Association for the completion of a confirmatory cremation certificate; if he is intending to implement the recommendations of the Broderick report to end the requirement for two doctors to sign cremation certificates; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the fee currently recommended by the British Medical Association for the confirmatory medical certificate for cremation is £23·50. After carefully considering the results of wide consultation, my right hon. Friend has decided that the confirmatory certificate should be retained, at least for the time being.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers are operating in Turkey; what is the purpose of their presence there; and what are their duties.

One chief immigration officer and seven immigration officers are working in Istanbul and three immigration officers are working in Ankara. They are serving as entry clearance officers dealing with visa applications at the consulate general and embassy respectively.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of applications made for asylum by persons coming from Turkey in each week since I April to the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

Information is not readily available about asylum applications from persons coming from Turkey. The number of applications made by Turkish nationals on or shortly after arrival in this country from all countries was as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions have been issued to immigration officers (a) operating in Turkey and (b) on boarding planes recently arrived from Turkey before passengers disembark; and if he will make a statement.

Immigration officers operating in Turkey are working to the same instructions as entry clearance officers in other diplomatic posts abroad. During the period when immigration officers were boarding aircraft on arrival from Turkey their instructions were to ensure first that all British and other European Community nationals were able to disembark immediately. They were then to identify, as far as possible, those remaining passengers who seemed unlikely to require lengthy examination with a view to allowing them to proceed quickly to the main immigration control. Those likely to require lengthy examination were disembarked and dealt with separately, so as to avoid excessive delays and inconvenience to other passengers arriving at the main control.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) under what powers he authorises the interception of mail within the United Kingdom; what agencies he authorises to carry out the interception of mail; to what extent officials of such agencies convey information obtained from interception of mail to third parties; and if he will make a statement;

The Interception of Communications Act 1985 makes provision for the interception of a communication in the course of its transmission by post in accordance with a warrant issued by the Secretary of State and provides for safeguards as to the disclosure of information obtained in this way. Information about the arrangements for interception is included in the annual reports of the commissioner appointed under the Act, which are laid before Parliament.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Government have any plans to lift the exemption of the Crown, as regards prisons, to the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970; and if he will make a statement.

We have no plans at present for the removal of Crown immunity under the Food Hygiene (General) Regulations 1970 from prison establishments. Existing internal arrangements within the prison service are considered to be sufficient to set and monitor standards required by the regulations. The position on Crown immunity is kept under regular review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners were informed of their parole decision after their eligibility date (a) in 1988, and (b) the latest available figure for 1989; what was the average delay period for each year; and if he will make a statement;(2) what percentage of prisoners who received their parole decision after their parole eligibility date were refused parole

Statistics are not readily available in the form requested. However, at present there are unacceptable delays in the parole scheme which are an unnecessary source of anxiety to inmates and their families, and present problems to prison service staff. These delays result from increases in the longer sentenced prison population and a growing workload for the parole unit. Cases needing to be referred to the Parole Board, requiring the most detailed consideration and thus taking longest to complete, are delayed on average by two or three months. About a third of cases not seen by the Parole Board are also subject to delays, averaging about a month.A number of steps have been taken to combat the delays. Overtime working and a significant increase in parole unit staffing have been authorised. Our target is for significant reductions in the delays by the end of the year. The Parole Board has helped by increasing the number of panels held and the cases considered at each one; and its membership has also been increased. Parole unit procedures are being streamlined and further consideration is being given to other measures to tackle the problem.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the decision not to allocate a medium wave frequency to the BBC local radio station due to cover Coventry and Warwickshire; what is the difference in area and quality of reception between the allocated VHF frequency and a medium wave frequency for the proposed station; what estimate he has of the population of Coventry who can receive only medium wave, as opposed to VHF, transmissions; whether the option of split frequency transmission to cater for the city's ethnic population was considered when deciding whether or not to award a medium wave frequency; and if he will make a statement.

Paragraph 8·2 of the Broadcasting White Paper (Cm 517, November 1988) confirmed our proposal that radio broadcasting should increasingly take place without unnecessary simulcasting. This will enable more frequencies to be released for additional services, such as community radio stations, thus enhancing listener choice. Recent plans have therefore been made on the basis that both new independent and BBC stations should broadcast on single frequencies. BBC Radio Warwickshire will accordingly broadcast on VHF/FM only.Details of its coverage are not yet available, since the technical arrangements for the service have not yet been finalised. In comparison with medium wave, the VHF/FM signal is subject to much less interference, especially during hours of darkness, and provides better quality for stereo and data transmission. The BBC has launched an FM listening campaign to make listeners more aware of the benefits of FM broadcasts.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis boroughs were chosen to be, or excluded from being, targeted in the campaign on racial harassment launched in February.

The Metropolitan police's campaign to tackle racial harassment launched in February 1989 was the third part of an initiative which had started with pilots in Newham, Tower Hamlets and Redbridge in the two preceding years. I understand from the commissioner that in the 1989 campaign, 19 London boroughs were targeted; and that they were chosen on the basis of the perceived need for a campaign in the area.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the findings of the working party established to review arrangements for the policing of airports.

The working party on the policing of airports was established, under Home Office chairmanship, as part of the Government response to the report of the fourth session of the Transport Select Committee.The working party comprised representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Association of Chief Police Officers (Scotland), the Aerodrome Owners Association, the Joint Airports Committee of Local Authorities, BAA plc, Heathrow and Manchester airports, the Department of Transport, the Ministry of Defence, the Scottish Home and Health Department, and Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. Their task was to examine arrangements for policing airports, including the way costs are met, and to consider whether any changes should be made.The Transport Committee's inquiry covered the whole field of airport security, currently governed by the Aviation Security Act 1982. Many of its recommendations dealt with the arrangements for checking passengers and baggage which are not direct police responsibilities at airports, and which were not therefore addressed directly by the working party. Part of the Transport Committee's study necessarily focused on the role of the police at airports, in particular the relationship between the functions performed by the police and the national aviation security programme administered by the Department of Transport. The Committee recommended that means be found to employ the undoubted expertise of the police to the best effect in airport security procedures, and that the present system of designation, under the Aviation Security Act, be abolished and replaced with one which allows flexibility of response without imposing uncontrollable financial costs on airport operators. The working party therefore concentrated on these two issues.The main recommendations of the working party are for a better-informed means of assessing the need for, and nature and level of, policing at an airport; the provision of a suitable forum in which policing issues can be effectively discussed at airports; and a central arbitral system to assist in the resolution of any differences which cannot be resolved at the local airport level.The working party examined, but rejected, the idea that the first of these matters could be based on mathematical formulae; the nature of, and variation between, airports, as well as the nature of policing itself, make such an approach unworkable. It did, however, conclude that there was some scope for the introduction of more objectivity and consistency in assessing an airport's policing needs. The report contains a list of considerations upon which such assessments should be based and recommends that, using this list as guidance, police and airport managements should jointly draw up an "airport policing profile".The working party also proposes a more effective formal means by which policing issues can be fully aired at airports by means of small committees comprising representatives only of police and airport managements. These should not be bound by rigid terms of reference but should be able to discuss any airport policing matters including costs and should be able to meet as frequently as necessary at the instigation of either party.The working party recommends that in the event of unresolvable local disputes between airport authorities and police the professional advisers of the two principal Departments concerned—Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary and the Department of Transport's chief aviation security inspector—should provide the airport policing committee with an indication of the advice they would give to the Secretary of State in the event of a request for designation, de-designation or a determination on policing costs. If agreement still proves impossible either side is left with the option of an appeal to the Secretary of State.Following the Lockerbie disaster, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I invited the working party to reconvene to consider whether, in the light of that tragedy, any changes should be made to the proposals or any further recommendations made. After careful discussion, the working party has concluded that the original proposals should stand. The working party was concerned with the relationship between the responsibilities of police and airport managements. It was neither composed nor tasked to assess detailed physical security arrangements, about which the Lockerbie incident raised questions which are being addressed separately by my right hon. Friend.The working party's proposals are aimed at practical improvements in co-operation between police and airport authorities. They do not require new legislation. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I commend them to chief officers of police. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will similarly commend them to representatives of the aviation industry.I have today placed in the Library of the House a copy of the working party's report and supplementary note.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on his legislative proposals for the allocation and ownership of independent radio licences, and for combating unlicensed broadcasting.

Our proposals for the allocation of independent radio licences were set out in paragraph 8.4 of the White Paper "Broadcasing in the '90s: Competition, Choice and Quality" (Cm. 517, November 1988). For national stations they envisaged allocation by competitive tender, subject to a requirement that each service should provide a diverse programme service calculated to appeal to a variety of tastes and interests and not limited to a single narrow format. We now propose that the form of competitive tender for independent national radio licences should in its main essentials follow that proposed for Channels 3 and 5 in my statement on commercial television on 13 June at columns 710–13.Independent national and local radio licences will be awarded for periods up to a maximum of eight years. The presumption is that on the expiry of a licence the service will fall to be readvertised; but we propose that the Radio Authority should have discretion not to readvertise a service where it believes that this would not serve to broaden listener choice.Paragraph 8·4 of the White Paper envisaged that no one would be able to control more than one national licence and more than six local licences. These limits will be capable of variation in subordinate legislation. In order to prevent, for instance, one person from gaining control of the six largest local stations we propose that the rules on concentration of radio ownership should be capable of being supplemented, in subordinate legislation, by reference to the coverage or size of stations. We also propose that there should be power for limits to be set in subordinate legislation on degrees of financial interest not amounting to control.My noble Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I are considering a range of measures to strengthen the legislation on unlicensed broadcasting. Among these, we propose to broaden the offence in section 1(1) of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 of using wireless telegraphy apparatus without a licence, and to make it an offence to advertise on, or supply certain goods and services to, an unlicensed broadcasting station. We propose that these offences should be triable either way, and that on indictment the maximum penalties should be two years' imprisonment, or an unlimited fine, or both. We also intend to strengthen present search, seizure and forfeiture powers.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the proposal in the broadcasting White Paper that the night hours of one BBC channel should be assigned to the ITC.

We have considered carefully the comments we have received on this proposal. We have decided on balance that it would be better to leave the BBC with both sets of night hours in order to enable a faster start to be made with the development of subscription services. The BBC will, therefore, be permitted to retain both sets, on condition that it makes the fullest possible use of them for raising subscription income, consistent with its public service obligations.When we come to consider the level of the licence fee from April 1991 onwards we will review the use which the BBC is making of the night hours. The level at which the licence fee is set will take account of the BBC's capacity to generate subscription revenue from two sets of night hours.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the industrial dispute at the Liverpool passport office has now been settled; and if he will make a statement.

Following meetings between management and unions, a conditional offer has been made to the unions and has been accepted by them. As part of the settlement the unions have undertaken to co-operate over the transfer of work between offices and in special measures to clear the current backlog of passport applications. For its part, management has agreed to an increase of 45 posts on top of the increase of 158 already agreed in the number of permanent staff. This total of 203 on a complement of 1,000 compares with the 381 requested by the unions and will be found by converting an equivalent number of temporary posts. All the new posts are subject to further scrutiny and examination in a full staffing review to be undertaken later this year by the Home Office staff inspectors supported by work measurement and other experts from the Treasury.Those members of the Liverpool passport office who were on strike have now returned to work. The main task now is to clear the very large backlog of unprocessed passport applications that were sent to the Liverpool passport office. Arrangements are being made for some of this work to be transferred to other passport offices, but it will be many weeks before all the applications that have been received are dealt with. In addition, arrangements are being made to provide free two-year extensions to expired passports submitted by post to other passport offices.To assist travellers whose applications have been delayed, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has contacted other Governments to see whether, in the special circumstances in which we find ourselves, they would accept expired British passports or (where they do not already do so) British visitor's passports (BVPs). The Bahamas, West Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Jamaica, Spain, the United States of America and Yugoslavia, have indicated that they will accept expired standard passports for a period up to 30 September 1989. The Bahamas, Barbados, Cyprus, Hong Kong, Jamaica and the Seychelles will accept BVPs for the same period. Travellers with an urgent need to travel in western Europe or one of the other countries for which a BVP is acceptable can obtain a BVP from any main post office in England, Scotland or Wales. BVPs are now available on Mondays to Fridays and on Saturday mornings. Where a standard passport has been applied for in good time and has not been processed, BVP fees will be refunded on application. For countries where a BVP is not acceptable, travellers who have an urgent requirement should call in person at the most convenient passport office, where every effort will be made to ensure that a suitable travel document is provided.The settlement of this damaging dispute paves the way for the necessary long-term measures to improve this service to the public.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the privatisation of the terrestrial broadcasting transmission system in the light of the Price Waterhouse report.

In the White Paper on broadcasting we stated that our objective was to move the terrestrial transmission system progressively into the private sector. The Price Waterhouse report analysed the various ways in which this could be achieved. In the light of that report, we confirm that our intention is to privatise the transmission networks owned and operated by the BBC and the IBA as soon as we are in a position to do so. We believe that a move into the private sector will reinforce the pressures for efficiency, and will enable more intensive use to be made of the valuable transmission infrastructure.We have considered carefully the different possible options for the structure of a privatised transmission industry. On balance we have decided that the best approach would be to set up two national transmission networks, rather than to restructure the system in the way proposed in the Price Waterhouse report.The BBC's transmission responsibilities are rooted in its royal charter which lasts until the end of 1996. It has indicated that it does not wish to have these responsibilities transferred to a private transmission operator. We have therefore decided that the BBC should retain its transmission responsibilities, including for the world service, until the expiry of the charter, unless it wishes to divest itself of those responsibilities earlier. The position will be reviewed at that point with a view to privatisation. In the meantime the BBC will be confined to transmitting its own services, and will not be permitted to compete for the transmission of new broadcasting or telecommunications services. We are concerned that the private transmission market should develop in a fair manner; and, while the BBC's transmission operation remains in the public sector, there would he insuperable difficulties in ensuring that the BBC entered this market in a way which would be perceived to be fair to its competitors.The IBA has welcomed the proposal that its transmission operation should be privatised, and we will be including the necessary provisions in our legislative proposals on broadcasting. We shall be considering further the time scale for privatisation, bearing in mind the possible implications for the ITV contracts. We have taken note of the wide regional variations in the cost of transmission, and of the possible consequences of these variations for the smaller Channel 3 companies. We propose that there should be a uniform tariff for Channel 3 companies based on their share of the total Channel 3 income, taking account of any subscription and sponsorship revenue as well as net advertising revenue. This arrangement would be reviewed following decisions to be taken on the future of the BBC transmission system after 1996.The private transmission company which takes over the IBA's transmission operation will have a powerful market position and the transmission market is likely to be dominated by a small number of major players for the foreseeable future. We therefore consider that economic as well as technical regulation will be necessary. We propose to amend the Telecommunications Act 1984 to enable this regulation to be carried out by the Director General of Telecommunications. This regulatory framework will be designed to ensure that the transmission market operates fairly, and also that the coverage, quality and reliability of transmission systems is maintained.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have occurred and are planned in the proportion of naval seagoing personnel in shore postings.

Since 1980 the proportion of naval seagoing personnel in shore postings has reduced from about 60 per cent. to about 50 per cent. The planned proportion is expected to remain at approximately this level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes in allowances have been made affecting those naval personnel working away from their families both at sea and on shore postings.

I take it that my hon. Friend's question is in relation to the changes that have occurred as a result of the joint Ministry of Defence-Treasury review of armed forces allowances which was announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 9 May 1988, column 2, and which took effect from 1 October 1988.As a result of the review, the various allowances for which personnel can qualify have been related more closely to the accommodation policies of the services. Because service in a seagoing ship inevitably results in separation from family, the Royal Navy has traditionally operated a policy of flexibility with regard to accompanied service. Personnel could choose whether their families should follow them from place to place on each new appointment or draft, or whether the family should settle in one place while only the husband moved about.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what impact competitive tendering for repairs has had and is expected to have on sailors' access to their families during periods when ships are undergoing repairs.

I assume that my hon. Friend is referring to repairs undertaken away from the port at which the ship is normally based. We have had only one major experience of this so far with HMS Penelope (base port Portsmouth) being repaired at Southampton. It is thus too early to be definitive. A variety of circumstances could exist, and separation from families could be increased, but the following measures are designed to minimise it:

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are being taken to reduce the problems of separation from families in the Royal Navy.

Because of its seagoing commitments, some separation is inevitable in the Royal Navy. However, personnel who opt for "family mobility" are provided with a range of measures to assist in keeping the family together. These include: (a) the provision of naval married quarters in all the main port areas; (b) the introduction of a new home owners "mobility package" which provides for the reimbursement of certain expenses on sale and purchase of a private house, or alternatively for certain expenses incurred in letting or repossessing it; and (c) the payment of removal expenses and disturbance allowance; and the payment of boarding school allowance to provide continuity of education for children in the face of frequent parental moves.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether consultations with the trade unions are now complete regarding the proposed move to Teesside of headquarters and laboratories of the Directorate General of Defence Quality Assurance now at Woolwich and Bromley.

Consultations have taken place and I have carefully considered the points made by the trade unions. None of the points was new to me and I can confirm that planning will now proceed with the aim of transferring some 1,500 jobs to Teesside during 1993 to 1995. I am establishing a joint consultative committee which will be a forum for consultations with the trade unions as the work proceeds.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much expenditure has been incurred to date on design work at RAF Upper Heyford to assess the cost of deploying different types of F111 aircraft.

No design work has been undertaken to assess the cost of deploying different types of F111 aircraft at RAF Upper Heyford.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 13 June to the hon. Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) Official Report, column 689, how much expenditure has been incurred to date on design work at RAF Upper Heyford to assess the cost of deploying additional F111 aircraft.

No design work has been undertaken to assess the cost of deploying additional F111 aircraft at RAF Upper Heyford.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to his reply of 29 June Official Report, column 531, to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright), whether any agreements have been concluded with (a) the United States Government, (b) Boeing Aerospace, (c) Martin Marietta, (d) British Aerospace and (e) Hunting Engineering regarding the study of procurement options for the possible replacement of the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb.

I have nothing to add to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Woolwich (Mr. Cartwright) on 29 June at column 531.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will make a decision on awarding the contract for the repair and refit of HMS Southampton.

Shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what meetings were held by his Department with subcontractors who worked for the former Royal Ordnance Factory at Enfield, in the 12 months prior to the announcement of its sale to British Aerospace; and what matters were discussed.

[holding answer 30 June 1989]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him during the Adjournment debate on Friday 23 June at column 676.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the monthly statistics for the latest available four months for employment training for the Training Agency covering the Doncaster area, showing (a) entrants in each monthly period, and the number of cumulative entrants, broken down by sex, (b) the length of time they had been out of work, their ethnic backgrounds and whether or not they had any disabilities, (c) the total number of currently filled places and (d) the number of trainees in each monthly period on project and employer placements.

Information for entrants to Employment Training in the latest available four months is provided in Table 1. The other information requested on duration of unemployment prior to joining the programme and the ethnic background of entrants is provided in Table 2. There were 5,436 filled places in the Training Agency area including Doncaster at 23 June 1989, the latest date for which information is available. Information for trainees on project and employer placements on the last Friday of each month is provided in Table 3.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to change the full extent normal rule; when these will be implemented; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.I refer the hon. Member to the reply from my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 16 December 1988 at columns

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the top 20 tourist attractions in the north-west in numbers visiting or attending; and if he will indicate the attendances in each instance for the last year which they are available.

The English Tourist Board's annual survey of visits to tourist attractions gives the following figures for the North West regional tourist board area in 1988:

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (a) training managers and (b) training agents have been refused approved status for employment training since its inception in September 1988.

None. All training agents and training managers are currently working towards full approved status and have until September 1990 to achieve it.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people (a) have refused to participate in employment training and (b) have left employment training before completing the training (i) nationally and (ii) by training agency area.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he will notify the (a) House, (b) British Tourist Authority and (c) national boards of his conclusions after studying the report of the review of tourism he initiated in July 1988.

I expect soon to be able to let the House know the outcome of my review of Government support for the tourism industry. I will write to the chairman of the English Tourist Board and the British Tourist Authority as soon as the House has been informed.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why his Department's publications office at Alnwick, Northumberland was out of stock of the leaflet entitled "Nuclear Accidents and the Farmer" at the beginning of June; and what is the present position.

A heavy initial demand meant that the Department's publications store was temporarily out of stock of the leaflet at the beginning of June. Following a further reprint, supplies have now been replenished.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food why his Department's area offices in Yorkshire and Humberside have not yet received any supplies of his Department's leaflet entitled "Nuclear Accidents and the Farmer"; if he will list by region and location what area offices (a) have this leaflet and (b) do not have this leaflet; and when he expects all his offices will have this in stock.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 10 April, column 365. Stocks were originally held by the Ministry's publications unit at Alnwick and at regional and divisional offices. Following a recent reprint, supplies are being distributed to all area offices.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list by region, the estimated stocks of potatoes for this year's current growing season; what were the comparable figures last year; and what assessment he has made as to whether this year's stock will meet demand;(2) if he will make a statement as to what reviews and discussions he is having in respect of this year's potato crop in England and Wales due to the lack of rain and a possible consequent potato shortage.

It is too early to make an assessment of the 1989 potato crop. I have asked the Potato Marketing Board to send information on stocks to the hon. Member.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research he is conducting into lead levels in food produced adjacent to motorways or other main roads.

My Department is not conducting research into lead levels in food produced adjacent to motorways or other main roads. My Department did fund research on this between 1980 and 1983 at the university of Nottingham. This showed that only a small proportion of vegetables grown next to the M1 exceeded statutory lead levels before washing. Washing and removal of outer leaves halves deposited lead levels which means that the vegetables in this study have been below the statutory level once treated for human consumption. My officials will be studying the results of the recent research carried out by Dr. Ward at the university of Surrey.