To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what financial resources are available to the Welsh Development Agency during the current financial year for the purposes of industrial development; and what plans he has to increase this sum for the next financial year.

The Welsh Development Agency has a total budget for 1989–90 of £130 million which will be deployed in promoting economic development in Wales. This represents an increase of over 50 per cent. on the budget for 1987–88. The agency's spending plans for 1990–91 will be announced following the Chancellor's Autumn Statement.

Is the Secretary of State aware that the WDA in Gwynedd has not been able to go ahead with some scheduled industrial site projects because of a lack of finance? At a meeting with me, the WDA attributed this to the effect of projects such as those involving Bosch and Toyota—welcome though they are in themselves—on the overall budget. Budgets for areas such as Gwynedd are sucked in to meet those requirements. Can the right hon. Gentleman confirm that the WDA has asked that additional resources be made available? Can he confirm that major additional resources will be made available to meet the needs of major projects? Will he ensure that the resources from capital sales are available to the WDA for such projects and that it can roll its budget over from one year to the next?

I am pleased to say that, partly because of sales and partly because of extra Government funds, there has been a substantial increase in the budget of 50 per cent. In Gwynedd, 23,000 sq ft of WDA floor space is vacant. The WDA plans to start work on an additional 50,000 sq ft of factory and workshop floor space in the current financial year. On average, one factory a month has been built in the past 10 years. Much has been done, but I recognise that there is much more to be done.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that now that substantial private sector investment is creating business parks and providing factory space in south-east Clwyd—in Wrexham Maelor and in Alyn and Deeside —the WDA should concentrate its resources on factory development in north-east Clwyd, coastal Clwyd and Gwynedd, so that we can achieve a more balanced provision of WDA factory space in north Wales?

It is important that the WDA concentrates its substantially increased facilities and money in those areas where job creation has the highest priority.

The WDA plays an important role abroad. In the interests of Welsh business, can the Secretary of State tell the House when he thinks that Britain should join the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system? Is he hiding behind the Prime Minister's skirts, or is he shoulder to shoulder with the Leader of the House, the former Foreign Secretary?

I consider that careful judgment needs to be given to the exact timing.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the current in-patient and out-patient hospital waiting lists in each of the Welsh area health authorites, by specialty.

As the answer contains numerous figures I will with permission, Mr. Speaker, circulate the information in the Official Report.

Is it not true that while the figures for mid-Glamorgan show a slight improvement, within those figures there is another tale, especially in the Cynon-Merthyr area? Is it not a fact that, over the past five years, the number of in-patients and out-patients waiting for hospital treatment has remained more or less the same? Is that the best that the Minister can do?

First, may I congratulate the hon. Lady on her electoral success and take leave to evince that I do not think that she will ever hide behind her convictions.

I think that the hon. Lady would like to join me in congratulating her health authority on the 30 per cent. reduction between March 1987 and March 1989 in the number of in-patients waiting more than one year for treatment.

Can my hon. Friend say anything about the proposed treatment centres intended to shorten waiting lists for certain forms of treatment?

Yes. My hon. Friend knows that Ysbyty Gwynedd will have one of the treatment centres. We debated them fully in the Welsh Grand Committee last week. The centres will speed up operations for people on waiting lists. Although I do not wish to overemphasise waiting lists, the centres will make a major contribution to shortening the waiting lists which we all deplore.

Does the Minister agree that Powys health authority should be congratulated on its attempts to reduce waiting lists by means of its health education programme aimed at eliminating hydatid disease? Does he further agree that such a programme would be more effective if the Welsh Office fully funded a dog-worming scheme, as has been done in New Zealand where the disease has been practically eliminated? Was it not self-evident on Saturday, from the way in which the New Zealand team performed, that that had been effective?

I did not know that it was a case of a need for worming. The hon. Gentleman raises an interesting point. He will be aware that the Welsh Office funded a worming programme which has now been handed over successfully to the Powys health authority, which has welcomed the programme.

Will the Minister confirm that he has not given us three treatment centres to tackle waiting lists, but merely an extension of the time of three consultants and support staff? That hardly amounts to three centres. Will he further confirm that all health authorities in Wales are having to make cuts and savings in the middle of the current financial year because of the Government's economic failure? What does he intend to do about that? Will he make available a special allocation of funds to tackle the £130 million repairs backlog in Welsh hospitals? Will he now address the problem of waiting lists in Wales, which he has so far failed to tackle?

I can confirm that authorities are expected to raise 1·3 per cent. of their funding through cost improvements and income-generation schemes, as they have successfully done in the past. We anticipate that on top of the 7·3 per cent. increase in funding, that will be sufficient to meet their immediate requirements. On all the other matters that the hon. Gentleman mentioned, such as upkeep and the £130 million backlog, he might like to take into account that when his party was in office, health authorities did not even know the capital value of their stocks because they did not bother to record them. Of the enormous value of hospital stocks in Wales, £130 million is a small proportion. Every hon. Member knows of old hospitals in his constituency that are due to be changed, modernised or closed and replaced with new facilities. That is included in those figures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has made a review of the numbers of people in Wales undergoing eye tests since the change in the regulations; and what the corresponding number was for the appropriate period prior to the change.

Most of the sight tests undertaken since 1 April 1989 have been private transactions and statistical information is not available centrally. The number of National Health Service sight tests from April to September 1988 for which payment was made to opticians was 329,925. It is considered too early to review the effect of the change in regulations, but the Government intend to commission a survey later this year on the volume of sight tests.

Under the new lights here in the Chamber, can I not see a blush of shame on the Minister's face? Is he aware that ophthalmologists acting as consultants to opticians are worried that, as a result of the abolition of free eye tests, they are now unable properly to monitor people whom they suspect to be liable to suffer from glaucoma, even though the disease does not exist at present in the family? Will he impress upon his right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health the need to take note of the matter and to restore free eye testing to ensure good eye health for everyone?

The hon. Gentleman and others describe the average charge of around £10 as rather too much of a deterrent to the ordinary person. It is worth remembering that about 20 million people are eligible for free sight tests, including, as the hon. Gentleman must know from the way in which he put the question, all those who are closely related to people who suffer from glaucoma disease.

Is my hon. Friend aware that some opticians are offering free sight tests? Does he agree that this is a matter best left to opticians as part of a comprehensive service? Does he further agree that as a result of the Government's changes, opticians are now offering a far better range of glasses and contact lenses at a far lower real cost?

That is absolutely true and bears out the rules of competition in the. market place. As I said in my original answer, we are monitoring what is happening and we shall want to see what occurs. We have no desire, of course, to damage anybody's eyesight.

On the important issue of eye tests, the Minister and other hon. Members would be forgiven for thinking that I am holding a jar of marmalade. In fact, it is drinking water drawn off by a constituent of mine in the community of Craig Penllyne. Does the Minister wish to comment on that?

Order. Does this have anything to do with eye tests?

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has had any discussions with British Rail regarding electrification of the Crewe to Holyhead line or the Western main line from Paddington to Swansea.

My right hon. Friend discussed electrification when he met the chairman of British Rail on 12 December 1988.

I have been told that the Welsh Office favours electrification of the line from Paddington to south Wales, as opposed to electrification of the line from Crewe to Holyhead. If that is not the case, I should welcome the Minister's assurance to that effect and I should like him to say unequivocally that he will press British Rail—if in its wisdom it wishes to do it—for electrification of either line. One should not precede the other, for both are important to the industrial development of the Principality.

I can give the hon. Gentleman that assurance. There is no justification for saying that the Welsh Office has pressed the case for one line as opposed to the other. I must warn the hon. Gentleman that the case for electrification is weak on both economic and financial grounds for both lines. There is a tendency to regard electrification as magical. We are really interested in improved journey times and I am happy to tell the hon. Gentleman that British Rail is considering improving the north Wales line so that the maximum speed could be 90 mph rather than 70 mph, as at present.

On the journey between Paddington and Swansea, the train passes through a number of English and Welsh constituencies. As my hon. Friend will know, the average size of an English constituency is 69,533 electors, whereas a Welsh constituency has an average of 57,753 electors. Will my hon. Friend tell us why a Welsh vote is worth 20 per cent. more than an English vote?

I suppose that the simple answer is that we are. My hon. Friend will be aware of the different sizes of constituencies in England, Scotland and Wales, and of the three, Scotland is the most favoured.

Is the Minister aware that there are two important lines going through mid-Wales, one from Shrewsbury to Aberystwyth and one from Shrewsbury through Llandrindod Wells to Swansea. Will the Minister have a word with the chairman of British Rail and try to persuade him to spend more money on those important routes?

The hon. Gentleman will concede that there have been considerable improvements to rail services in different parts of Wales, including mid-Wales. There is an improved frequency of services in north Wales, as a result of the efforts of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. There are extra trains and coaches on the south Wales line and improvements in mid-Wales as well.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the Welsh Counties Committee; and what matters were discussed.

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

I met representatives of the Welsh Counties Committee and the Council of Welsh Districts at a meeting of the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance on 2 November to discuss local government finance matters.

Perhaps one of the burning topics that will be put before the Secretary of State when he next meets the Welsh Counties Committee will be the appalling bungle that the Welsh Office has made during the past 12 months. It has prevented Welsh counties, including South and West Glamorgan and Clwyd, from submitting to the European Commission applications for grants from the regional development fund to help with infrastructure schemes. Now that the counties are in a position to submit schemes for consideration, the EEC has changed the rules, and large infrastructure projects are no longer available. I should like to hear from the Secretary of State what his own estimate is, but it looks to me as though his Department and his bungling have cost the British taxpayer more than £66 million. Can he comment on that?

Yes, I can comment on it. The hon. Gentleman's assertions are mythical and unfounded, and the Welsh counties local authorities have expressed considerable gratitude for all the help that the Welsh Office has given them:

Did not Welsh council leaders tell the Secretary of State at the meeting last Thursday that his figure of £175 for the Welsh poll tax is a massive underestimate? Will he admit that the implementation of the poll tax in Wales is now a shambles, and that councils face even higher administrative and running costs as a direct result of his Government's policy? Does not all this anyway smack of back-pedalling and panic because there is not one friend of the poll tax in the Principality of Wales?

I am only sorry that the hon. Gentleman was not present at the meeting, which was cordial and constructive. There were no complaints along the lines that he describes, and I suggest that he consults local authorities more fully to find out what is really going on.

Did my right hon. Friend discuss the fear of many in Wales that some local councils are using the inevitable confusion arising from the change in revenue raising next April and the fact that many of them do not have to face elections to raise the community charge far higher than is necessary? That will be a decision of the Welsh local councils. What steps does my right hon. Friend propose to take to protect the people of Wales from such councils?

I hope that such actions will not be taken. The background is that Welsh authorities in the main have acted responsibly and that is one reason why we have succeeded in negotiating a community charge in Wales of about £100 less than that in England or Scotland.

Did the counties committee raise with the Secretary of State the disparity in spending in Scotland and Wales—especially spending on the Health Service? Is he aware that two parliamentary answers today show that the average spending on the Health Service per head of the population is £504 in Scotland, whereas the average in Wales is a mere £445. Why is that?

As the hon. Gentleman tabled the questions himself, he will know that exactly the same differential existed in 1978 and 1979.

On a matter as important as poll tax transitional relief and revenue support grant in Wales, why has the right hon. Gentleman decided not to make an oral statement? We note that the Secretary of State for the Environment proposes to make such a statement and to submit to oral questioning. Do you note, Mr. Speaker, that on the Order Paper for written answer today are questions tabled by the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones) relating to the poll tax and revenue support grants? Why is the Secretary of State running away from the House? Why has he decided not to make a statement and answer questions? Why has he elected to behave in so slippery a style? He knows that Wales hates the poll tax and that Welsh local authorities are starved of cash. Why is there no statement to the House?

I assure the hon. Gentleman that I intend to make an oral statement as usual—certainly way before Christmas—when I shall give full details of my proposals for local government finance. Following my constructive meeting with local authorities the local authority associations shared my view that it would not be helpful at this stage to publish examples illustrating the likely effects of my proposals on individual authorities. As Wales has done far better in terms of the poll tax than the rest of the United Kingdom, I shall rejoice in making that statement.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will invite tenders in 1990 to enable the sections on the M4 between Lon-las and Baglan to be completed by the end of 1992.

Tenders have been invited for the Earlswood Lon-las scheme with a view to letting the contract before the end of this financial year. Work on the two remaining schemes is planned to start early in the period April 1991 to March 1994 as shown in "Roads in Wales 1989". These schemes will take two and a half and three years respectively and will be completed simultaneously.

The Minister has given a totally unacceptable time scale in his reply involving a three-year span and he is not willing to give a precise date when those two sections will begin. Does the Minister accept that the people of Wales must be deeply embarrassed after 10 years of Conservative Government because the M4 in Wales remains incomplete and that is a major obstacle to the creation of new jobs west of that particular bottleneck which is driving inward investment away from an area which desperately needs it?

The hon. Gentleman cannot have heard my reply. I said that the two remaining schemes were planned to start early in the period April 1991 to March 1994. We are well aware of the problems with congestion on the M4 and A48 and that is why we are currently undertaking a scheme of road widening and traffic signalling at Baglan roundabout which will be completed early in the new year. We have further schemes to alleviate congestion for Briton Ferry and the Earlswood roundabouts. Those schemes will give us time to complete this very large project which will cost £116 million at November 1988 prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the chairman of Mid-Glamorgan health authority; and what matters were discussed.

The Secretary of State and I met the chairman of Mid-Glamorgan health authority, together with other Welsh health authority chairmen, on 30 November 1988. We discussed a number of issues, including the NHS review and resource allocations for 1989–90.

Given the high rates of morbidity and illness in the Mid-Glamorgan health authority area and the dilapidated state of key sections of its most important hospital—East Glamorgan general hospital—does the Minister have any plans to speed up the replacement of that hospital? Given that until now it has been common currency that the site for the replacement hospital will be Ynys Plwm to the north of Talbot Green, will he explain the curious anomaly whereby information has been made public recently stating that the Minister wants that site to be available for industrial and commercial expansion?

I can assure the hon. Gentleman that although a number of planning approval and funding issues remain to be resolved, it is understood that Mid-Glamorgan health authority continues to focus its efforts on securing land at Ynys Plwm. That remains the position as of today. The hon. Gentleman will be aware that we deferred consideration of the health authority's proposals pending the authority's financial and timing proposals. That remains the present position.

May I draw the Minister's attention to the situation in Rhymney valley and will he raise that issue with the chairman of the health authority the next time he meets him? Waiting lists in Rhymney valley are increasing almost monthly and the quality of the service is deteriorating, but there are no plans to make adequate provision in Rhymney valley and the neighbouring Islwyn valley because of administrative arrangements and disagreements between Mid-Glamorgan health authority and Gwent area health authority. Does the Minister accept that about 150,000 people do not have a district general hospital? Instead of cutting the service and undermining the morale of staff in the National Health Service, should not the Minister be persuading those two area health authorities to get together and co-operate? If he provides the funds, we can have our new district general hospital.

I appreciate the hon. Gentleman's local point on this contentious issue which has been running for a great many years now. However, it is ludicrous for the hon. Gentleman to talk about cuts when expenditure on the Health Service in Wales has risen from £488 million to £1,600 million. I assure him that our proposals under the NHS review should assist his constituents to have operations and treatment in neighbouring hospitals more easily and flexibly than hitherto.

Did the Minister's discussions relate to the problems faced by elderly people in Merthyr, for example, who are awaiting hip operations—people who do not have a lot of time to wait? Was he able to discuss how many such operations were to be conducted at the treatment centre at Rhydlafar, and how many people who are presently on the Prince Charles hospital waiting list will go for that treatment? Above all, why can we not have the facility at the hospital in the community in which those people are living?

The hon. Gentleman has put his finger on the very point that I was making to his hon. Friend the Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) about our Health Service review. His health authority had various visiting consultants to the Prince Charles hospital, illustrating that the facilities there could be used at a far higher intensity. That is precisely what would be available under our proposals.

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

I last met the chairman of British Rail on 12 December 1988. The discussions covered a wide range of issues.

In view of the Minister of State's reply to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek), will the Secretary of State now give the House the whole picture and confirm that British Rail intends to cut expenditure and upgrading work on the section of line between Holyhead and Bangor? That information was provided by British Rail only recently. Does the Secretary of State agree that such cuts are utterly disgraceful, bearing in mind that British Rail is prepared to commit millions of pounds to the Channel tunnel project but is withdrawing investment from an important line connecting Ireland and Europe? Does he agree that that priority causes the people of Holyhead to wonder whether British Rail is committed to the future of that line? Will he make our views known to the chairman of British Rail when he next meets him?

The hon. Gentleman must bear in mind that British Rail is spending a great deal of money on improving rolling stock and times in mid-Wales and north Wales. Total expenditure by British Rail in Wales is at a high level, some of which, as the hon. Gentleman knows, must be heavily subsidised, and correctly so. British Rail is doing a great deal of modernisation work, which I welcome.

Is the Secretary of State aware that there is a justified fear in south-west Wales that British Rail is not interested in anything west of Cardiff? In particular, there is concern that InterCity services will stop at Cardiff. There is concern also that no attempt is being made to provide a direct and speedy link from south-west Wales to the Channel tunnel. When the right hon. Gentleman next meets the chairman of British Rail, will he get an assurance that InterCity services will not end at Cardiff? Will the Welsh Office, British Rail and the county council try to plan a direct link from south-west Wales to the Channel tunnel?

Rail services to Swansea are exceedingly good by any standards. It is a great mistake for the right hon. Gentleman to imply that they have not been maintained to a high order. There are no plans to reduce that service. There are quite a few plans to improve British Rail's rolling stock and general service.

On the Channel tunnel, there is a need for better terminal arrangements in south Wales and north Wales. Important as it is to get good use of the Channel tunnel, if it has maximum success it will carry only 15 per cent. of freight from this country to Europe. It is in Wales's interests to look at where the other 85 per cent. is going.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from individuals and organisations opposed to the dumping of toxic wastes at sites in Clwyd.

Representations have been received from hon. Members and from a number of organisations and individuals in connection with proposals for new waste disposal sites and the operations of an existing one in Clwyd.

I should not be surprised if the representations include some from residents of Pentre, which is near the Penybont works. Those works will be used for toxic waste. Also, 80 per cent. of the perimeter of the works is surrounded by the River Dee. Will the Secretary of State ask the Government whether an environmental protection agency should be established to protect the residents of Clwyd and of Britain from such a dangerous development?

The hon. Gentleman is going a little far. I know of the concern that is expressed by him and by many residents in the area about the various proposals. However, this matter is still in the hon. Gentleman's county council's hands. That is the right place for it to rest for the time being.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what number of males and females were employed on a part-time basis and on employment training for the past 12 months.

In June this year 197,000 females were estimated to be employed in Wales on a part-time basis, an increase of 8,000 on the June 1988 figure. Comparable figures for male part-time employment are not available. Over the past 12 months, 24,894 males and 10,168 females have started employment training in Wales.

Is the Secretary of State aware that since the abolition of the community programme training schemes, the ET schemes have failed to keep pace with the number of people employed on the CP schemes? What can the Secretary of State offer the people of Wales in terms of real training and real jobs? He said that male part-time employment figures are not available, but will he tell me, the House and Wales where he stands on the issue of the part-time Sir Alan Walters who was sacked by the Prime Minister and on the question of the dispute between the Prime Minister and the ex-Chancellor of the Exchequer because that is what——

Order. That is wide of the question.

As, I believe, the one Cabinet Minister who has no advisers, I have none of those problems. One of the most important aspects in developing training is the development of training and enterprise councils. I am pleased by the degree to which Glamorgan is giving the lead in that respect and I hope that the TECs will soon be in place doing important work.

As one of the 38 full-time advisers to the Secretary of State in Wales, may I ask him whether he accepts that part-time and seasonal jobs often camouflage problems in areas that are heavily dependent on tourism? Will he therefore look sympathetically at grant applications for projects that are meant to extend part-time and seasonal jobs into full-time job opportunities?

Obviously, I would be reluctant to sack the hon. Gentleman—[Interruption.] That should do him damage. Any application will be considered on its merits.

May I say first how pleased I am to join my sister and brother Celts this afternoon? Secondly, has the Minister any advice—part time or otherwise—on the appalling imbalance between the opportunities for men and women on employment training in Wales, and what is he doing about it?

I am glad that over the past two years there has been a substantial increase in the opportunities for female employment in Wales and I hope that that will continue.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the Welsh Office inquiry into the salmonella outbreaks in Flint to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

The Department is conducting an internal review of the handling of the outbreak to establish any lessons that can be learned for the future. The review will be completed as quickly as possible.

Will my hon. Friend ensure that the review is completed in time for the Government to write their recommendation into next Session's proposed food Bill? Does my hon. Friend agree that in the event of future outbreaks it will be essential that we ensure much more effective co-operation between the local health authorities and local district councils involved, which means putting somebody in charge, preferably the local health authority?

The findings of the review will be considered in connection with the Bill. My hon. Friend has put his finger on the very points that the review will consider co-ordination and co-operation between various authorities during an outbreak.

Is the Minister aware that there is a two-to-three-day delay in the notification of food poisoning incidents between the Welsh Office and the district councils, whereas in England the Department of the Environment gives district councils the information immediately? What is he going to do to put that matter right?

As I have already said, that is one of the points that the review will consider. There are various points of view about how quickly one should issue warnings.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new jobs he has been able to announce for Wales during the summer recess.

I am pleased to be able to tell my hon. Friend that a number of major industrial investments in Wales were announced during the recess, including projects by Newbridge Networks, Gooding-Sanken and Dow Corning-Cabot. During the same period, more than 40 companies accepted regional selective assistance offers involving total investment of £42 million and the creation of nearly 1,700 new jobs. Between July and September, seasonally adjusted unemployment in Wales fell by some 6,000—from 96,200 to 90,200.

Is my right hon. Friend aware that these extremely satisfactory figures are a tribute to the manner in which he has combined the use of market forces, judicious intervention and some pretty ruthless arm-twisting?

A range of factors are involved in that, but it is pleasing to know that, during the past year, unemployment in Wales has fallen faster than in any other region on the United Kingdom, and unemployment in the valleys has fallen faster than the rate for Wales as a whole.

Does the Secretary of State agree with the right hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) who said in the House last Tuesday that we were once again in a downswing and that:

"a dull 1989 is bound to be followed by a difficult 1990"?—[Official Report, 31 October 1989; Vol. 159, c. 209.]

How long will it be before unemployment in Wales starts to rise again?

I am certain that the hon. Gentleman is one of those who have been cheering since the last general election. At that time, unemployment in Wales was 74 per cent. higher than it is now.

To ask the Attorney-General what decision the Director of Public Prosecutions has come to in respect of the Jones report on the circumstances surrounding the death of Rudolf Hess in Spandau prison in 1987.

The inquiries carried out by Detective Chief Superintendent Jones have produced no cogent evidence to suggest that Rudolf Hess was murdered; nor, on the view of the Director of Public Prosecutions, is there any basis for further investigation.

Does the Solicitor-General agree that that is a deeply disappointing answer, if it is the truth? While the Government and the Prime Minister may not have improved their batting average in the veracity stakes over the past weekend, does he agree that, as the Jones report recommended that there were grounds for a full criminal investigation, it is deeply disappointing to find the hon. and learned Gentlemen coming to the House to say that he has done a Stalker on the issue.

The hon. Gentleman fails to realise that the prosecution process is wholly independent of the Government. It is assessed independently by the Director of Public Prosecutions and the results represent his independent conclusions.

To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received asking for a reexamination of the evidence relating to Kincora boys' home with a view to prosecuting some of those involved.

None, Sir.

What event or series of events prompted or induced so careful a Permanent Secretary as Sir Michael Quinlan to write formally to Sir Robin Butler to ask for a public inquiry into Kincora?

There have been two inquiries into Kincora. Neither has given rise to justification for any further criminal proceedings, over and above those that took place and led to the conviction of four people in 1981.

Why has the Solicitor-General completely failed to answer the question asked by the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell)?

I have nothing to add to my previous answer.

To ask the Attorney-General what recent discussions he has had with the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding criminal cases.

I have met the director on a number of occasions in the past month to discuss matters of departmental interest.

Is the Director of Public Prosecutions considering the serious allegations about insider dealing by companies? Arising from that, is it part of the role of the Attorney-General to advise the Prime Minister on the need for rules to be tightened on shares held by Ministers?

The answer to the latter part of the hon. Gentleman's question is no. The policy of criminal law is the ministerial responsibility of the Home Secretary. I would gladly give the answer to the first part of the question, if I could remember it.

I wonder whether the Director of Public Prosecutions, when he met the Attorney-General, discussed the Guildford Four bombing case. Does the Attorney-General agree that, without disrespect to the courts, the acquittal of the Guildford Four was a ritual by the Court of Appeal, in the sense that they were convicted by one police force and acquitted by another? Can the Attorney-General confirm that the DPP, when giving evidence to Mr. Justice May's inquiry, will take a constructive view of his role, not just to secure good convictions but to avoid miscarriages of justice?

Outstanding cases of miscarriage of justice have often been righted not by the ultimate investigations of the courts but by outside investigations which might be put in hand by the DPP.

The hon. Gentleman asks whether the acquittal of the Guildford Four by the Court of Appeal was a ritual acquittal. No acquittal is a ritual acquittal and no conviction is a ritual conviction. The acquittal of the Guildford Four followed upon the Court of Appeal's attention being drawn to new information, which in the opinion of the Director of Public Prosecutions, with which I entirely agreed, rendered the original convictions unsafe.

As to the attitude of the Director of Public Prosecutions to Sir John May's inquiry, I assure the House that the Director wishes to co-operate in the fullest possible way with Sir John May as he pursues the terms of reference that have been given for his inquiry, which could hardly be more widely drawn.

What further steps will be taken by my right hon. and learned Friend or by the Director of Public Prosecutions to bring Mr. Patrick Ryan to trial, either in the United Kingdom or in the Republic of Ireland?

If Mr. Patrick Ryan is located in any country outside this jurisdiction with which we have the means of securing his arrest so that he may be brought to face trial here those steps will be taken. I assure the House that the Director of Public Prosecutions and the prosecuting authorities of this country will take all steps open to them to secure that Mr. Ryan faces trial.

To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the number of appeals against conviction made to the Court of Appeal in the last five years, the number that have been allowed and the number that have been refused.

From 1 January 1985 to 30 September 1989 the total number of applications for leave to appeal against conviction received by the Court of Appeal was 7,964. A total of 2,179 appeals against conviction were considered by the court and of those 878–40·3 per cent.—were allowed in full or in part and 1,301 were dismissed.

Does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that the criminal courts and the Court of Appeal can act only on the basis of the admissible evidence before them? Over the centuries the courts have worked painstakingly on admissibility and on the law of evidence to ensure that the best interests of the defendant are served. In those circumstances does my right hon. and learned Friend agree that those who are urging some sort of new tier in addition to the Court of Appeal, whether it is a people's court or something similar, simply do not understand the nature of the criminal court system or the painstaking efforts that are now taken by trial judges and by the Court of Appeal to act in the best interests of fairness and justice?

I agree very much with my hon. Friend. I have greatly regretted some rather loose imputations that have been made against the courts in the light of recent events. I say that without commenting in one way or another upon the events with which the House has already been concerned this afternoon. The Court of Appeal deals with such matters in a most conscientious way and the work is extremely arduous. I can only suggest to those who are minded to make adverse imputations about the way in which the Court of Appeal does its work that they should go to watch that court at work.

If it is true, as we have just heard, that, over the centuries, the judges have been arduous in t pursuit of justice, how does the Attorney-General explain the actions of Judge Jeffreys after the battle of Sedgemoor?

I do not know how many centuries we are going back, but I would be happy, with the hon. Gentleman, to compare the record of this country's judiciary, century for century and in the light of contemporary standards, with that of any judiciary of any other country in the world. One interesting thing that. I find extremely reassuring is the way in which people who live in other civilised countries speak of our judiciary and police force and about how they feel very much safer in this country than anywhere else.

Further to my right hon. and learned Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry), is he aware that in only six cases in the past 20 years has the Court of Appeal quashed a conviction because it was not satisfied with the jury's verdict? Would it not be better for public confidence in the ability of the Court of Appeal to correct miscarriages of justice if the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 were amended so that the court had to satisfy itself on the evidence that the jury's verdict was correct, as was recommended by a recent Justice committee report chaired by a former Lord Justice of Appeal, Sir George Waller?

My hon. and learned Friend could well make that interesting suggestion, if he were so minded, to Sir John May's inquiry which has the widest possible terms of reference.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the United Kingdom doing to help improve primary education in India.

A grant of just over £31 million was approved in September for a primary education project in the state of Andhra Pradesh. It provides for the design and construction of some 1,100 teachers' centres and 4,000 classrooms mostly in remote rural areas throughout the state. It also covers teacher training, in child-centred learning techniques, teaching materials and research and evaluation.

Does my right hon. Friend agree that educational support is a particularly important form of aid, especially because of the long-term benefits that it confers? Therefore, will she tell the House whether, in India, the United Kingdom benefits other than primary education?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. That is why we provide more than £3 million towards the development of the Indira Gandhi national open university and other distance learning projects. In addition, there are a large number of English language tuition programmes and numerous collaborative links between British and Indian academic institutions. There is also a United Kingdom training programme which costs about £11 million a year.

The Minister is probably not aware that Leicestershire county council's director of education has recently returned from a three-week visit to India, where he established important links with Indian schools. Does she join me in supporting such ventures? If she does, what plans has she to enable more resources to be made available for local authorities to establish such important cultural links?

Of course I welcome cultural links between local authorities and other countries that can benefit from such links. I should like to learn more about the links between Leicestershire county council and the Indians. If they are worthwhile projects, which fall in with the Indian Government's overall considerations, there is no reason why, in due time, other projects should not follow.