To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for increasing the level of electoral registration; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to his question on 18 October at column 867.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the content and availability of a chemical sold under the title Liquid Gold with a view to its registration as a controlled substance; and if he will make a statement.

Liquid Gold is the brand name of a type of chemical product sometimes known as a "popper". The active ingredient of these products is amyl nitrite, one of a group of chemicals known as the alkyl nitrites. The misuse of alkyl nitrites was considered by the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs in 1987. The council found at that time that, although the substances posed a limited health hazard when misused, they were not dependence-producing and did not give rise to any social problems sufficient to justify their control under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. We are monitoring the situation closely to see if any change in this policy is necessary.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which five counties have the most special constables proportionate to the population; which five counties have the fewest; and if he will make a statement.

Proportionate to the population, the City of London, Devon and Cornwall, Lincolnshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire police forces have the most special constables; Greater Manchester, Gwent, Merseyside, the Metropolitan police and South Wales have the fewest.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to improve the management and efficiency of county police forces following the Audit Commission report.

The Audit Commission is producing a series of reports on police issues. These are being considered as they appear. In the main, the recommendations will be followed up locally by police authorities and chief constables and in the context of audits carried out by district auditors. They may also be followed up in the course of inspections by Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women are currently held in British prisons awaiting deportation; what is the average time spent in prison; and on what grounds the women are being held.

None. Three women are, however, held solely under Immigration Act powers in the immigration detention accommodation at Harmondsworth awaiting deportation. The length of their detention on 19 October averaged 69 days. They are detained on the ground that they would otherwise fail to maintain contact with the Department.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any new appointment has been made to the Police Complaints Authority.

Mr. Gerald C. Warner, who retired from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in October 1990, has accepted my invitation to serve as a member of the Police Complaints Authority. He will take up his post on 14 November 1990. The appointment is being made to fill a vacancy created by the departure of one of the members from the authority whose term of appointment has expired.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many road schemes identified in the valleys initiative have been put out to tender; and whether he will list the successful applicants;(2) what assessment he has made of the number of local jobs created by the road schemes identified in the valleys initiative; and which have been completed and which are under construction.

Of the county road schemes shown in "The Valleys": A Programme for the People" the A4067 Glais-Pontardawe improvement, Neath inner urban bypass, A467 Abertillery Brynmawr improvement and A4119 mid-Rhondda access schemes have been completed; the A473 Talbot Green bypass is under construction. Phase I of the A4060 Pentrebach-Dowlais trunk road scheme has also been completed. Tenders have been invited by the Welsh Office for phase II of the A4060 scheme and West Glamorgan county council has invited tenders for the A4067 Pontardawe-Ynysmeudwy scheme. It is too soon to know who the successful applicants might be. No assessment of jobs created has been undertaken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received any reports from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the plans by Rechem International in Gwent to import toxic waste from Italy.

No. My right hon. Friend receives notification of hazardous waste imports in accordance with the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what correspondence he has received concerning (a) the journey time and (b) pricing policy for bus journeys between north-west and south Wales.

I have received no such correspondence. These are commercial matters for the bus company.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the number or percentage of mortgages which are adjusted (a) monthly, (b) annually and (c) other categories.

Only partial information is available. Over 40 per cent. of building society mortgage payments are adjusted annually. No precise information is available on the extent of annual review schemes operated by banks and other mortgage lenders.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish by valuation office and sub-office the comparable figures for objections to domestic rates and to community charge tribunals.

I have been asked to reply.In the table figures for objections to domestic rating proposals include those for both domestic and non-domestic properties. No separate figures are available for domestic properties alone.

Valuation and Community Charge Tribunal Offices	Community charge appeals to 30 September 1990	Objections to rating proposals from 1 January 1989 to 31 December 1989
Avon and Gloucestershire	94	4,853
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire	166	6,647
Berkshire	43	1,779
Birmingham	4	5,532
Buckinghamshire	6	1,929
Cambridgeshire	27	1,457
Cheshire	107	3,997
Cleveland and Durham	300	4,187
Coventry, Solihull and Warwickshire	29	3,379
Cumbria	73	1,249
Derbyshire	57	1,856
Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly	168	4,823
Dorset and Somerset	153	2,833
Essex	201	3,956
Hampshire North and Wiltshire	62	2,757
Hampshire South and Isle of Wight	71	2,367
Hereford and Worcester	36	1,956
Humberside	677	3,183
Kent	188	3,715
Lancashire	169	3,966
Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire	81	4,699

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the future organisation and functioning of the Port of London Authority, listing those activities, responsibilities and properties which will remain its public statutory responsibility and those which he envisages will cease to remain in public ownership.

My right hon. Friend has decided to build on the benefits which have already appeared from the abolition of the dock labour scheme by bringing forward legislation as soon as he can to enable the Port of London Authority to sell the docks and commercial undertaking of Tilbury into private ownership. The Port of London Authority would retain its existing conservancy responsibilities. It is too early to be more precise about the eventual division of activities, responsibilities and properties.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will initiate a campaign of "left is right" in relation to motorway driving, along the lines of the German "right is right" campaign.

The Department continues to emphasise the importance of keeping to the left except when overtaking and this will be reflected in future motorway and trunk road safety campaigns.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many road accidents there were, both fatal and non-fatal, in each of the years 1984 to 1989 inclusive; and how many involved drivers aged under 24 years.

The Department collects only information on accidents involving personal injury.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether there has been an analysis carried out of the incidents of specific makes of vehicle in road accidents in relation to their general prevalence in the vehicle population as a whole; and if statistics exist for the seriousness of injuries sustained in those specific makes of vehicle.

The Department of Transport began collecting information about the registration marks of all vehicles involved in injury accidents from 1 January 1989. This will facilitate analyses of the type my hon. Friend seeks. I hope that a report will he published in the form of a statistical bulletin before the end of the year and a copy will be placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when work will commence on the grade separation at the junction of the A45 and the B4029.

Provided the scheme continues to show positive economic benefits, we hope to be in a position to publish orders in June 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the full length of the M40 will be open to traffic in both directions.

There is still much to be done to complete the M40, with several major contracts still running. The construction industry, with the encouragement of the Government, has set itself exacting targets for the completion of this vital road and is determined to meet them. The project should, therefore, be completed earlier than expected and fully opened early next year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what he anticipates will be the reduction of traffic, both north and south bound, on the M1 when the M40 is opened.

It is currently estimated that there will be a reduction of between 7,500 and 8,500 vehicles per day in each direction on the M1 between London and the M6 junction in the first year after the M40 extension is opened.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the 18 schemes in England and Wales, identified by the National Audit Office as having a negative cost-benefit analysis, in its report of 27 October 1988, "Department of Transport, Scottish Development Department and Welsh Office: Road Planning" (a) location and name of each individual project, (b) length of road, (c) date of decision to build and date of completion, (d) capital cost, both estimated and outturn, (e) number of vehicles per day estimated, each way, (f) number of vehicles per day from recent census data and (g) the details of the negative economic appraisal or net present value.

The schemes concerned in England were as follows:

• A40 Ross-on-Wye Relief Road
• A483/A5 Oswestry Bypass and A5 Improvement (3 Schemes)
• M65 Whitebirk-Hyndburn
• A61 Chesterfield Relief Road North
• A61 Chesterfield Relief Road South
• A6 Chapel-en-le-Firth Bypass
• A 1079 Beverley Bypass
• A63 South Docks Road (Easterly) Hull
• A564 Blythe Bridge—Uttoxeter Bypass
• A56 Accrington Bypass South
• A66 Bowes Bypass

The detailed information requested will take some time to collect and I will write to the hon. Gentleman in due course. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is responsible for roads in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what requirements must be followed by central or local government before a bridge forming part of (a) a trunk road or (b) a local road may be turned into a toll bridge.

Authority to toll any part of a public highway must be obtained by Act of Parliament or by grant from the Crown.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what persons have authority to clamp vehicles allegedly parked illegally, apart from the police or their express agents.

There are no express powers that enable vehicles to be immobilised by wheelclamps other than those contained in sections 104 and 105 of the Road Traffic Regulation Act, which refers to highways and other roads to which the public has access. In such cases, only the police have power to use clamps or authorise other persons to do so. The position on private land, including car parks, is not expressly provided for at law. Only the courts are in a position to interpret the law and thereby judge the legality of clamping vehicles on private land.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress his Department has made towards regulating mobile canteen trading in trunk road lay bys under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982.

Paragraph 2 of schedule 4 to the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982 enables district councils to regulate street trading. That schedule confers no powers on the Secretary of State. The application and operation of the schedule in any district is a matter for the relevant district council.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects to receive British Rail's proposals to acquire the trains needed for through passenger services from the north to the Continent; and whether he still expects these trains to be available in time for the services to start from the opening of the channel tunnel.

I am now considering BR's proposals for trains to operate daytime services to the continent from north of London. There are discussions in progress between BR and its suppliers on the detailed technical specifications, the price and the timetable for deliveries. I still await BR's proposals for night services, which it is discussing with its continental partners.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the blockade by Spanish lorry drivers at the frontier with France; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 19 October 1990]: We received representations from the trade associations and from individual hauliers.The strike by Spanish road hauliers who were protesting about Government-controlled haulage rates, fuel prices and working conditions ended on the evening of 19 October.The French-Spanish border is now open and lorries are crossing in both directions.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking in conjunction with the chief medical officer of health to ascertain the extent of any health dangers associated with the use of warm air electric hand dryers in public conveniences.

The Department of Health has supported research at Papworth hospital into airborne bacteria from hand drying with hot air electric hand dryers compared with paper towels. The results showed that hot air hand dryers produced no more aerosol and sometimes significantly fewer aerosolised bacteria than paper hand towels. These results have been confirmed by studies in Singapore.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been undertaken into the debilitating effect of video screens on eyesight; and if he will make a statement.

I am advised that home television sets, larger commercial sets, amusement arcade game machines and visual display units are not known to have any debilitating effect on eyesight, although their prolonged use may draw attention to a pre-existing refractory problem. There are no known hazards from radiation from these screens in normal use.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many expressions of support he has received for the opt-out proposals of St. James and the Leeds general infirmary in Leeds; and from whom.

Neither St. James hospital nor Leeds general infirmary has put forward proposals to opt out of the National Health Service. However, both have applied to become National Health Service trusts and we have received a number of letters from members of the public supporting their applications. These comments have been passed to Yorkshire regional health authority which is responsible for arranging consultation on these applications. At the end of the consultation period, all comments made will be forwarded to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State to consider alongside the applications before my right hon. and learned Friend decides whether to establish the units as National Health Service trusts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report those district health authorities which are audited by private accountancy practices and the name of each audit practice concerned.

From 1 October 1990, responsibility for the external audit of health authorities moved from the Department of Health to the Audit Commission. The commission has appointed auditors for each authority, who may be their own staff or private firms, and will be happy to supply details if required.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will outline the timetable to be used for units in the second wave of national health service trust applications, giving the date by which (a) units should apply and (b) decisions on suitability will be made at regional level; and if he will outline the consultation procedure which will be used by regions for second wave applicants.

A unit can apply at any time to be an NHS trust. The NHS management executive has produced an indicative timetable for units wishing to become trusts in April 1992. Under this timetable, units would submit applications in late April 1991. Regions may comment on proposals and on applications, but decisions on suitability are for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State. Regions will determine the arrangements for consultation on applications subject to the requirements of the NHS and Community Care Act.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the rates of truancy (a) currently, (b) five years ago and (c) 10 years ago.

This information is not collected centrally.My right hon. Friend is considering what scope there might be for reviewing the collection and presentation of such statistics at local level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people applied for the post of head and deputy head of Telford city technology college; and whether he will give details of their present positions and previous career experience.

There were 43 applications for the post of head at the Telford city technology college, and a total of 120 for the three posts of deputy head which were advertised. All of the applicants were suitably qualified being at present in posts at least equivalent to head of department. For the position of head, approximately one third of those applying were at present either deputy heads or heads.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average time taken between the first submission to his Department of an application by a local education authority relating to a school closure or reorganisation and final decision by Ministers, for the latest available period, and for such of the years from and including 1980 for which information is available.

Data are available only for the average time taken between the publication—as opposed to submission to the Department—of statutory proposals under sections 12, 13 and 15 of the Education Act 1980 and a final decision by the Secretary of State in each of the calendar years from 1986 to 1989, as follows:

Year	Average time taken (months)
1986	7·30
1987	7·35
1988	7·97
1989	6·64

These figures exclude proposals which fell to be determined by a local education authority.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update the table relating to school closures in the answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn, Official Report, 12 July, column 314, to give the latest available information in respect of 1990.

The information is in the following updated table:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what records of the name, address and other details of pupils in receipt of awards made under the assisted places scheme, or their parents, are held by his Department or are otherwise available to it.

Details of individual pupils in receipt of awards under the assisted places scheme are not held by my Department. Such records as there are, including addresses of parents, and so on, are held by the schools which participate in the scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what measures he has taken to ensure that records of personal details of award holders and their parents under the assisted places scheme are used only for the purposes for which the information was originally given.

The participating schools are wholly responsible for the records they keep of individual pupils in receipt of awards under the assisted places scheme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the overseas visits made by Ministers in his Department during July, and the nature of any agreements concluded.

I visited France on 16 and 17 July this year. My hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) visited Bonn on 6 July and attended the informal Energy Council in Rome on 16 July. No agreements were concluded.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the know-how funds for eastern European countries has now been spent or committed.

The know-how fund—KHF—for eastern Europe commenced in July 1989. A total of £2·3 million was spent on the KHF for Poland in 1989–90. In this financial year £15 million will be disbursed. The allocation of resources for next financial year and beyond has not yet been finalised.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth affairs whether representatives of the Overseas Development Administration met the Malaysian Minister for Energy, Mr. Samy Vellu, during his visit to London earlier in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

No representatives of the Overseas Development Administration met the Malaysian Minister for Energy during his visit to London earlier this year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many applications for aid and trade provision funds to support contracts between developing countries and General Electric Company, Plessey, Northern Engineering Industries, BICC and Trafalgar House have been refused since 1979.

Since aid and trade provision funds first became available in 1977, a total of 169 applications have been formally considered from the five companies named. These have led to 133 offers of aid; six applications are still under consideration. Of the 30 remaining cases, our records do not distinguish between those which were refused, and those which fell away for other reasons.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many aid and trade provision supported projects since 1979, the minimum test of developmental soundness was not carried out by the Overseas Development Administration.

Since 1979 all aid and trade provision supported projects have been assessed to provide a reasonable assurance of the soundness of the investment.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many internal, confidential, Overseas Development Administration evaluations of aid and trade provision projects contain references to excess profit margins, above departmental profit margin guidelines;(2) how many published Overseas Development Administration evaluations of aid and trade provision projects contain references to excess profit margins, above departmental profit margin guidelines;(3) in how many internal, confidential, Overseas Development Administration evaluations of aid and trade provision projects profit margins are considered;(4) in how many published Overseas Development Administration evaluations of aid and trade provision projects profit margins are considered.

For negotiated contracts, value-for-money checks, which are undertaken before the provision of ATP funds is agreed, include consideration of anticipated profit margins. Two of the ATP projects that have been evaluated involved contracts awarded in 1978 and 1982 prior to the introduction of value-for-money checks; the evaluations considered anticipated profit margins in these cases and concluded that these were not excessive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how many internal, confidential Overseas Development Administration evaluations of aid and trade provision projects include references to corrupt practices;(2) how many published Overseas Development Administration evaluations of aid and trade provision projects include references to corrupt practices.

In one evaluation report of an ATP-financed project there is a reference to allegations of undue influence in relation to the arrangements made for the consideration of competing bids by a tender committee. The contract was awarded to the firm making the lowest-priced bid.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will give details of Overseas Development Administration guidelines on profit margins used in evaluating applications for aid and trade provision funding;(2) whether applicants for aid and trade provision grants must state the profit margins expected by British contractors when applying for funds;(3) whether consideration is given to the level of profit margins when a contract between a British company and a developing country Government is considered for a grant from the aid and trade provision.

There are no general guidelines on profit margins for assessing applications by companies for ATP assistance made available to developing country Governments to help them finance overseas projects. Companies are not required to state their expected profit margin when applying for ATP assistance. In general, value for money in all aid-funded projects is sought by means of competitive tendering for contracts. In the case of a negotiated contract, in the absence of competition, we undertake a detailed value-for-money check of the proposed contract price, including an assessment of the anticipated profit margin.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether allocations of aid and trade provision funds include contributions towards commission payments.

An ATP grant helps finance a proportion of the total contract price for the purpose of providing only the eligible goods and services specified in the contract. Payments are made in accordance with the terms of the ATP aid agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the recipient Government and of the contract.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether consideration is given to the amount of commission payments when a contract between a British company and a developing country is considered for a grant from the aid and trade provision.

In the case of a negotiated contract between a British firm and a developing-country Government, where competitive bidding has not taken place, the detailed value-for-money check scrutinises all components of the contract price, including any agents' fees.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the allocation of aid and trade provision funds to contracts between British companies and developing countries, consideration is given to contributions made by British companies to British political parties.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date aid and trade provision funds were offered for the Pergau hydro-electric project in Malaysia; what is the value of the grant offered; what is the value of the total contract; and when the first instalment of aid is likely to be released.

I refer the hon. Lady to the reply I gave her on 22 October, at column 25.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which companies, other than Balfour Beatty, General Electric Company and Trafalgar House have sought contracts for the Pergau hydro-electric project in Malaysia;(2) whether the Government have sought bids from companies other than Balfour Beatty, General Electric Company and Trafalgar House for the Pergau hydroelectric project in Malaysia;(3) whether Balfour Beatty, General Electric Company and Trafalgar House tendered for the contract for the Pergau hydro-electric project in Malaysia.

The client for the Pergau hydro-electric project is Tengah Nasional Berhad—TNB—the Malaysian power utility; it is for TNB to decide from whom it should invite proposals. It would not therefore be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to provide such information.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are being taken by Her Majesty's Government to persuade the Australian Government to amend their import duty/excise structure so as to put imported and locally produced spirits on an even footing.

Following representations by United Kingdom industry, the Government have, through the European Community, alerted the Australian Government to their concern at certain practices that discriminate against imported spirits, and have sought to secure their elimination. We are addressing this issue in the Uruguay round of multilateral trade negotiations.

Name of company	Dale of publication of report	Firm of accountants
Gilgate Holdings Ltd. and others	8 September 1981	Thornton Baker and Co. (now Grant Thornton)
Norwest Hoist Ltd.	23 June 1982	Price Waterhouse
Ramor Investments Ltd.	23 March 1983	Price Waterhouse
Milbury plc	27 October 1988	Arthur Young (now Ernst and Young)
Minet Holdings plc and WMD Underwriting Agencies	29 August 1989	Arthur Young (now Ernst and Young)
Alexander Howden Holdings Ltd.	29 August 1989	Arthur Young (now Ernst and Young) and Peat Marwick and Mitchell of Bermuda (now Peat Marwick McLintock)

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any accountancy firms criticised by the joint disciplinary scheme act as auditors to public bodies sponsored by his Department.

Name of company	Dale of report	Firm of accountants
Gilgate Holdings Ltd and others	22 December 1982	Thornton Baker (now Grant Thornton)
Orbit Holdings Ltd	28 March 1983	Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co (Peat Marwick Mclintock)
Ramor Investments Ltd	27 January 1986	Price Waterhouse

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what matters he intends to discuss with the presidents of the accountancy bodies during his next meeting.

I expect that, as usual when I meet leading representatives of the accountancy profession, we shall discuss matters of current mutual interest.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the current president of any of the bodies listed in section 389 of the Companies Act 1985 is or has been a partner in a firm criticised by his Department's inspectors.

Thornton Baker, now part of Grant Thornton, Chartered Accountants, was criticised in the inspectors' report on Gilgate Holdings Ltd. and others, which was published in 1981. Mr. M. Lickiss FCA, currently president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and Professor J. Percy CA, currently president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, are partners in Grant Thornton.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will be meeting the president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales in the near future.

I met him on 8 October and have no plans for a further meeting in the near future.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any accountancy firms criticised by his Department's inspectors act as auditors to public bodies sponsored by his Department.

Six reports, issued since June 1979 by inspectors appointed under the Companies Act have contained criticisms of accountants who act as auditors to public bodies sponsored by my Department. They are as follows:

Three reports issued since 1980 by the committee of inquiry appointed under the joint disciplinary scheme, have contained criticisms of firms of accountants who act as auditors to public bodies sponsored by my Department. They are as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends to take any criminal or civil action against auditors criticised by the inspectors in the Minet Holdings report.

No. A copy of the Minet report has been passed to the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will invite the Office of Fair Trading to investigate the accountancy bodies' control of the accountancy press.

I have no plans to do so. The hon. Member is of course free to put his concerns on this subject to the Director General of Fair Trading, who will look into any competition issues which arise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to legislate to ban the call-off stocks accounting method used by companies.

It would be helpful if the hon. Member would explain the nature of the problem he has in mind, as "call-off stocks" is an imprecise phrase.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish the recommendations which his Department has made on the review of the Auditing Practices Committee's review of operations.

The Government attach great importance to the role of the Auditing Practices Committee in setting auditing standards and in developing auditing guidance. 1, therefore, welcome the decision of the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies to review the constitution, procedures and resources of the Auditing Practices Committee and look forward to the outcome.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the law firm criticised in the House of Fraser report acts as an adviser to any audit policy-making organisation.

If the hon. Member is referring to the firm of solicitors which acted for the Fayed brothers, I understand that a partner in that firm is a non-voting member of the Auditing Practices Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions he has taken any civil or criminal action against any auditing firm criticised in the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors' reports.

None. Copies of critical reports are passed to the auditors' professional body for consideration.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will provide a list showing the business connections of inspectors appointed by his Department since 1985.

The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to introduce legislation to require companies to show market value of their stocks.

No. There is already a similar legislative requirement. Paragraph 27 of schedule 4 to the Companies Act 1985 requires companies to disclose in their annual accounts the amount of any material difference between the amount at which stock is stated in the balance sheet and its replacement cost, or its most recent actual purchase price if more appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the rules regarding trade with Vietnam were last reviewed by the Co-ordinating Committee on Multilateral Exports; and when they will next be reviewed.

Vietnam is one of the proscribed destinations listed in schedule 2 to the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989, as amended. Equipment and technology, the export of which is controlled to the proscribed destinations, is subject to a regular rolling review undertaken with our COCOM partners, with one quarter of the items being examined each year. All the industrial dual-use items on the control list are under review at the present time as part of a special exercise being undertaken by COCOM partners to reduce controls to a core list of the most strategically sensitive items.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations Her Majesty's Government made to the Co-ordinating Committee on Multilateral Exports prior to the consultative committee decision to refuse an export licence to British Telecom for work in Vietnam.

It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing decisions, or on consultations with our partners in COCOM on such matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what basis the Co-ordinating Committee on Multilateral Exports refused an export licence for a British Telecom contract in Vietnam.

[holding answer 19 October 1990]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing decisions, or on consultations with our partners in COCOM on such matters.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many contracts supported by aid and trade provision funds, since 1979, were open to tender; and how many companies were nominated.

Tendering arrangements are the responsibility of the overseas Government concerned. Of the 207 projects listed in the answer the Minister for Overseas Development gave to the hon. Lady on 11 July 1990, Official Report, columns 224–30, a total of 42 are classified in our records as negotiated contracts and the remainder as competitive contracts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement indicating the precise policy which is being pursued by those representing the United Kingdom in discussions affecting the future of the multi-fibre arrangement.

The policy pursued by the EC and the UK in discussions on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement continues to be one of seeking to phase out the MFA over a transitional period after the present extension expires next year in conjunction with a general strengthening of GATT rules and disciplines.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he plans any further disposals from the strategic mineral stockpile.

Yes. It has been decided to sell the contents of the stockpile over a two to three-year period. Disposals will take place in a manner which seeks to avoid undue disruption of the market.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what export licence requests have been made by British Aerospace in regard to plans to set up any joint ventures with Brazil.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licence applications.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department has received any information from Her Majesty's customs authorities in Liverpool in regard to the investigation into the sale to Iraq in 1988 of monitoring equipment by Microwave Modules of Aintree Ltd; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: It would be inappropriate to comment on export control matters under investigation by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central on 19 July, Official Report, column 677, he will give dates of any meetings about the Al Yamamah contract which officials of his Department or the Export Credits Guarantee Department were involved in during June and July 1988.

[holding answer 23 October 1990]: I have nothing to add to the reply given on 19 July by my hon. Friend the Member for Wokingham (Mr. Redwood).

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many company liquidations there were in each of the years 1979 to 1989, and in 1990 to date; how many of these were in the retail sector of business; and if he will make a statement.

Insolvencies—England and Wales
Companies
	Compulsory liquidations	Creditors' voluntary liquidations	Total	Retailing
1979	2,064	2,473	4,537	501
1980	2,935	3,955	6,890	675
1981	2,771	5,825	8,596	928
1982	3,745	8,322	12,067	1,385
1983	4,807	8,599	13,406	2,214
1984	5,260	8,461	13,721	2,096
1985	5,761	9,137	14,898	2,159
1986	5,204	9,201	14,405	1,970
1987	4,116	7,323	11,439	1,436
1988	3,667	5,760	9,427	1,086
1989	4,020	6,436	10,456	1,039
1990 1st half	2,553	4,130	6,683	n/a

Insolvencies—Scotland Companies
	Compulsory Liquidations	Creditors' Voluntary Liquidations	Total	Retailing
1979	56	182	238	40
1980	135	244	379	54
1981	158	280	438	50
1982	177	326	503	51
1983	263	258	521	97
1984	272	251	523	87
1985	306	231	537	99
1986	299	212	511	96
1987	253	203	456	92
1988	228	168	396	78
1989	229	199	428	82
1990 1st half	116	101	217	26

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: The available figures are in the tables. The industry analysis of insolvencies in England and Wales for the first half of 1990 is expected to be available early in November.

Insolvencies—Northern Ireland companies
	Compulsory liquidations	Creditors' voluntary liquidations	Total	Retailing
1979	7	27	34	n/a
1980	8	66	74	n/a
1981	16	83	99	n/a
1982	10	111	121	n/a
1983	15	96	111	n/a
1984	19	64	83	n/a
1985	36	75	111	n/a
1986	56	108	164	n/a
1987	59	91	150	n/a
1988	60	63	123	n/a
1989	69	55	124	n/a
11990	13	32	45	n/a
1 January to May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many individuals were declared bankrupt in each of the years 1979 to 1989, and in 1990 to date; how many of these were engaged in the retail sector of business; and if he will make a statement.

Insolvencies—England and Wales
Individuals
	Bankruptcy orders	Individual voluntary arrangements	Deeds of arrangement	Total	Retailing
1979	3,456	—	44	3,500	472
1980	3,986	—	52	4,038	578
1981	5,075	—	76	5,151	790
1982	5,654	—	46	5,700	874
1983	6,981	—	51	7,032	1,058
1984	8,178	—	51	8,229	1,512
1985	6,730	—	48	6,778	1,288
1986	7,093	—	62	7,155	1,348
1987	6,994	404	29	7,427	1,226
1988	7,717	779	11	8,507	1,069
1989	8,138	1,224	3	9,365	1,023
1990 (1st half)	5,318	850	2	6,170	n/a

Insolvencies—Scotland
Individuals
	Sequestration
1979	106
1980	150
1981	181
1982	213
1983	282
1984	292
1985	298
1986	437
1987	808
1988	1,401
1989	2,301
1990 1st half	1860

Insolvencies—Northern Ireland
Individuals
	Orders made
1979	37
1980	41
1981	70
1982	78
1983	103
1984	114
1985	150
1986	193
1987	134
1988	164
1989	237
1990 1st half	122

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure pelagic exports are maintained following the ending of exports credit guarantees for trade with Soviet Klondykers.

[holding answer 19 October 1990]: ECGD cover has not been withdrawn for pelagic exports to the Soviet Union.

[holding answer 22 October 1990]: The available figures are in the tables. The industry analysis of bankruptcies in England and Wales for the first half of 1990 is expected to be available early in November.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the President of the European Commission to discuss the consequences of the single market for the United Kingdom.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet the President of the European Commission.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether representatives of his Department met the Malaysian Minister for Energy, Mr. Samy Vellu, during his visit to London earlier in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

Senior officials from my Department met the Malaysian Minister of Energy in London during his visit in April and May this year to discuss progress on a number of power projects in peninsular Malaysia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps remain to complete the single market.

My Department keeps a checklist of progress on the Commission's White Paper, which is updated every two months. A copy is deposited in the Library of the House. The latest copy reveals that 95 of the 282 single market measures have not yet been agreed.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps the Government have taken to review the policy of exporting live animals and birds; and whether it remains Government policy to allow continued export under the existing regulations unchanged.

The exercise of our statutory duties is constantly under review in the light of prevailing circumstances. It is not known to what extent existing controls will be affected by forthcoming negotiations on Commission proposals for a Community regulation on the protection of animals during transport.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what representations he has made to Jordan about the sales of milk powder of United Kingdom origin; whether Jordan has accepted that there is no risk to human health from United Kingdom milk products; what are the prospects for sales of milk powder in Jordan; and if he will make a statement;(2) what representations he has made to Turkey about sales of milk powder of United Kingdom origin; whether Turkey has accepted that there is no risk to human health from United Kingdom milk products; what are the prospects for sales of milk powder in Turkey; and if he will make a statement;(3) what representations he has made to Egypt about sales of milk powder of United Kingdom origin; whether Egypt has accepted that there is no risk to human health from United Kingdom milk products; what are the prospects for sales of milk powder in Egypt; and if he will make a statement;(4) what representations he has made to Tunisia about sales of milk powder of United Kingdom origin; whether Tunisia has accepted that there is no risk to human health from United Kingdom milk products; what are the prospects for sales of milk powder in Tunisia; and if he will make a statement.

We have been in frequent contact with all those countries that have imposed restrictions on our exports of cattle and cattle products including milk. We have also been working closely with the Commission of the European Communities and the Organisation International des Epizooties—OIE—to reassure countries that there is no public or animal health risk in importing cattle products including milk powder from the United Kingdom.At the moment Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia and Turkey are maintaining restrictions on our milk products despite the clear statements from the Commission and the OIE that milk products present no risk from BSE. We shall continue to make every effort to have these unwarranted restrictions lifted in order that United Kingdom exporters may resume their trade in the middle eastern countries.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether the United Kingdom Government intend to support in the European Council the transfer of an additional £200 million European currency units to the tobacco sector of the EAGGF;(2) whether the United Kingdom Government supported the 1989 Council decision to transfer an additional £165 million European currency units to the tobacco sector of the EAGGF.

In 1989 the costs of the tobacco regime were higher than originally estimated partly because of agrimonetary movements but mainly because production levels and intervention stocks were greater than forecast when the budget was fixed in 1988. As the expenditure was legitimately incurred within the rules for that sector, the budgetary authority—the Council and the European Parliament—agreed to regularise the situation in this and other sectors by transferring funds from sectors which had underspent. Overall, the 1989 FEOGA budget was underspent, after these adjustments, by some 2·4 billion ecu. Similar transfers from underspending sectors within the 1990 FEOGA budget to cover legitimate expenditure in other sectors, including tobacco, have recently been agreed.The United Kingdom has long been critical of the EC tobacco regime and the expenditure which it incurs and has consistently pressed for improvements. The Commission is currently conducting a review of the regime and we shall be arguing for substantive change.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, further to his replies of 11 May, Official Report, column 212, and 9 July, column 38, when he now expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Isle of Wight of 3 April, on the Polish Resettlement Act 1947.

My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces has today written to my hon. Friend.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under whose ultimate control are the British forces in the Gulf.

British forces in the Gulf will remain at all times under ultimate United Kingdom command.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the list of private contractors approved by Greater Glasgow health board for the purpose of competitive tendering.

The board has no formal list of approved contractors. Each contract involves an open invitation to companies to indicate expressions of interest. A technical and financial evaluation is carried out on those companies which respond to determine whether they shall be invited to tender.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will ensure that the director of the Scottish Information Office replies without further delay to the letters of 18 December 1989 and 8 June 1990 from the hon. Member for Strathkelvin and Bearsden.

I am sorry that the hon. Member has not had a reply. My private secretary has written to him today.

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people have been exempted from paying the poll tax by way of each category of exemption in (a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

Information held by community charge registration officers on people who are exempt from the

Known Exemptions from Community Charge
	Inverclyde	Strathclyde	Scotland
Persons aged 18 or over in receipt of Child Benefit	248	4,750	7,776
Prisoners	276	5,306	6,425
Foreign armed forces	39	1,737	3,138
Dependants of foreign armed forces	5	247	247
Persons aged 18 or over who are severely mentally handicapped	330	7,609	14,794
Other	898	15,458	21,139
Total	1,796	35,107	53,519

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current cost per inmate per week in each of Her Majesty's prisons.