To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the results of research on the demographic and economic impacts of AIDS in developing countries are now available; and if he will make a statement.

The Overseas Development Administration is funding two research projects on this topic, both based in Africa. They are "Analysis of the Demographic and Economic Impact of Aids in the Developing World" by Professor R. M. Anderson of Imperial College and "Community Coping Mechanisms in the face of exceptional Demographic Change" by Dr. Barnett and Professor Blaikie of university of East Anglia with Dr. Obbo. The results are expected to be published during 1991, but may not be conclusive.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students attending colleges of further education, in each year since 1985, were in receipt of free school meals until they reached their 18th birthday, and were subsequently required to pay for school meals; and if he will take measures to ensure that all students, who otherwise qualify for free school meals, will not be disqualified on grounds of age.

The number of students in receipt of free school meals for the years 1985 to 1989 was as follows:

	Number
1985	1,300
1986	1,507
1987	1,958
1988	1,150
1989	1,026

Information is not held about the number of such students who re-enrolled in the institutions in the following years and were required to pay for their meals. There are no plans to change the existing arrangements which give parity of treatment with pupils attending secondary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of (a) physically disabled and (b) mentally disabled people living in Northern Ireland in each year since 1985.

The information available is given in the table. It should be noted that until 1987 information on the numbers of physically disabled, mentally handicapped and mentally ill people known to, or in contact with, the health and social services boards was collected on a calendar year basis. Since 1988–89 the information has been collected on a financial year basis and is restricted to include only persons in contact with the health and social services board during that year.

Year	Physically disabled	Mentally handicapped	Mentally ill
1985	37,895	6,630	5,038
1986	38,593	6,610	4,890
1987	40,498	6,783	5,143
1988–89	25,811	6,651	6,690

The figures for 1989–90 have not yet been submitted by the health boards.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals giving their normal occupation as farming, are receiving (a) income support, (b) family credit and (c) unemployment benefit at each district office of the Department of Health and Social Services in Northern Ireland.

Although precise figures are not available, it is estimated there are about 1,000 people getting family credit whose normal occupation is farming. Information about the number of such individuals receiving income support is not available and information about the numbers receiving unemployment benefit could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total number of people, over the age of 65 years, living in Northern Ireland in each year since 1985.

The information, taken from the mid-year estimates of population, is as follows:

	Numbers
1985	186,800
1986	188,500
1987	190,900
1988	192,300
1989	194,000

Figures for 1990 will not be available until mid-1991

To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many individuals received home help care in each health board area in Northern Ireland in each year since 1986.

[holding answer 4 December 1990]: The information requested is set out in the table:

	1986	1987	1988–89
Eastern Board	113,866	213,358	15,432
Northern Board	5,577	5,271	4,723
Southern Board	5,822	6,251	6,221
Western Board	4,632	4,615	4,497
NI Totals	29,897	29,495	30,873

To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to prosecute Mr. Bill Galbraith of Cheltenham for comments he has made concerning the adoption of Mr. John Taylor as prospective Conservative candidate for Cheltenham; and if he will make a statement.

The Gloucestershire constabulary is conducting an investigation arising out of statements allegedly made by Mr. Galbraith. A report will in due course be submitted to the Crown prosecution service, which will consider whether to invite me to consent to the institution of proceedings for an offence under part III of the Public Order Act 1986.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply on 27 November, Official Report, column 374, if he will make a statement on the use to which the British Geological Survey's study of rock formation in England and Wales will be put.

The results of the systematic geological surveys of the United Kingdom carried out by the British Geological Survey are published in the form of geological maps, descriptive memoirs and reports. These have a wide range of applications including land use planning, mineral and groundwater resource assessment, engineering and geotechnical investigations and academic research.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will update the information given in the reply to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe on 15 December 1989, Official Report, column 832, and if he will make a further statement on the progress of the Medical Research Council/INSERM trial of Zidovudine.

The Medical Research Council/ INSERM trial of Zidovudine is continuing. The number of participants enrolled to date is 831 in the United Kingdom and 803 in France.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to implement the recommendations of the National Curriculum Council regarding the position of physical education and sport in the national curriculum.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the National Curriculum Council's advice on the curriculum for 14 to 16-year-old pupils. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 20 November 1990 at column 65.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the Government's total expenditure on sport for each of the last five years and as a total over the same period; and what measures he will take to increase Government assistance to sport over the next years.

In England central Government's total expenditure or planned provision on sport through grant in aid to the Sports Council and the Department of the Environment's urban programme for the years 1985–86 to 1993–94 is:

	Sports Council Grant	Urban Programme
1985–86 outturn	30·1	24·7
1986–87 outturn	37·4	21·3
1987–88 outturn	37·1	25·2
1988–89 outturn	39·0	17·8
1989–90 outturn	41·9	15·5
1990–91 estimated outturn	43·7	15·7
1991–92 plans	46·7	15·9
1992–93 plans	47·4	16·0
1993–94 plans	48·8	16·1

The Government also fund sport indirectly through other inner-city programmes and agencies and provide financial support for local authorities' revenue expenditure on sport through unhypothecated revenue support grant. In the light of recent departmental changes, I am considering what further steps may be taken to improve sport in schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will re-examine the allocation of teachers' hours in relation to extra-curricular activities in sport and recreation.

The allocation of teachers' directed time is a matter for head teachers to decide.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will initiate a full assessment of the needs of physical education and training colleges, with particular reference to teacher training in team sports and other sporting skills.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to initiate such an assessment. As far as the content of initial teacher training is concerned, the Government's revised criteria for the approval of courses, announced in DES circular 24/89, require training institutions to prepare students to teach PE according to the requirements of the national curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many school students are estimated to have English as their second language.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent consultations on school teacher appraisal.

I hope to make an announcement shortly, details of which will be placed in the Library at the earliest opportunity.

To ask the Lord President of the Council if he has any estimate of the amount of office space taken up by filing cabinets and cupboards in hon. Members' offices.

No. This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) what assistance is available to hon. Members to move towards paperless offices;(2) what studies his office have carried out into the potential of compact disc technology to reduce paper use and the need for storage space in hon. Members' offices.

Assistance for Members who wish to establish computer and other information technology facilities in their offices is available in two forms. Advice on suitable equipment and procedures can be obtained from the computer officer. Advice on funding the cost of equipment from the office costs allowance is available from the Fees Office.The Services Committee's fourth report of last Session suggests ways in which information technology services in the House might be developed and funded.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 3 December. The Minister for Corporate Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom.Further progress was made in discussions of the investment services directive and the money laundering directive was also discussed. These directives will both return to the Council for further consideration on 17 December.Over lunch there was a brief discussion of organisational issues in preparation for the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union. The possibility of additional assistance for the countries of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union was also raised. This will be discussed further at a special meeting of ECOFIN to be held on 10 December.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest informal meeting of the European Community's economic and finance ministers.

The Economic and Finance Ministers and central bank governors of the European Community met informally in Milan on 2 December. The Governor of the Bank of England and I represented the United Kingdom.The meeting began with a discussion of the state of the world economy and the possible need for additional assistance for the countries of eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The chairman of the Committee of Central Bank Governors presented the committee's draft statutes for a European system of central banks, which will be published shortly. I repeated our reserve on the imposition of a single currency and a European central bank. I emphasised, however, our hope and expectation that an agreement on economic and monetary union would be reached which would be acceptable to all members of the Community.There was also a short discussion of the economic situation in Greece.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many accountants in the Treasury received pay increases in excess of 25 per cent. in the pay settlement years 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990, taken individually.

There are no instances of accountants in the Treasury receiving increases in excess of 25 per cent. in respect of any of the pay settlement years 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods are available to reduce transaction costs short of a single currency.

Transaction costs are most effectively reduced through increased competition, co-operation between banks in developing systems of making payments and technological change.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effects for the British financial system of the banking crisis and the collapse of the savings and loans companies of the United States of America.

The Government and the Bank of England have been closely following developments in the banking and savings and loan industries in the United States. The United Kingdom banking system is well capitalised and comprehensively regulated, and the US problems, particularly of the savings and loans, are the result of circumstances peculiar to the US which have no direct equivalent here.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what ethnic monitoring his Department has carried out concerning value added tax raids.

Customs and Excise does not carry out VAT raids; it instigates investigations into VAT frauds. No monitoring of ethnic involvement is made in these investigations; each case is treated on its merits.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many value added tax raids have resulted in (a) arrests and (b) convictions in the last five years.

As stated, Customs does not carry out VAT raids. In the last five years investigations into VAT fraud resulted in (a) 348 arrests, (b) 1,070 convictions, and (c) 1,243 cases in which proceedings were compounded on payment of a penalty.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons are employed by the value added tax section engaged in raids on factories and offices.

Customs does not employ officers for specific types of VAT evasion. Its specialist VAT investigators undertake investigations of all types of VAT fraud.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many value added tax raids there have been in 1990, 1989, 1988, 1987 and 1986.

Again, Customs does not carry out VAT raids. The number of visits made in connection with VAT investigations where a search warrant was authorized are: 1986—figures not available, 1987—287, 1988—146, 1990—162.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the Government's total income from (a) the football bettings duty and (b) the football industry as a whole for each of the past 11 years and as a total over the same period.

Receipts from pool betting duty are as follows:

	£ million
1979–80	136·1
1980–81	157·0
1981–82	176·0
1982–83	199·3
1983–84	204·9
1984–85	217·9
1985–86	235·2
1986–87	254·2
1987–88	277·0

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the Government's total income from sporting activities for each of the past five years and as a total over the same period.

I regret that this information is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish tales showing (a) the number of new buildings, (b) the amount spent on new buildings, (c) the amount spent on repairs and maintenance and (d) the amount spent on building renovation by his Department in each of the last five years.

[holding answer 5 December 1990]: The information is as follows:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what studies have been initiated by Her Majesty's Government or by the European Community of the tangible benefits to be derived from monetary union over those expected from the completion of the single market.

[holding answer 6 December 1990]: The European Commission published in October 1990 a report entitled, "One market, one money: an evaluation of the costs and benefits of forming an economic and monetary union". The Government tabled an explanatory memorandum on the report on 5 November 1990. The autumn 1990 edition of the Treasury bulletin set out the Government's proposals for the establishment of a European Monetary Fund to manage a new common currency, the "hard ecu". These measures would be a powerful force for inflation convergence at the best Community performance.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what talks he is planning to have with the General Council of British Shipping to discuss the trend in the tonnage of the ships registered in the United Kingdom.

My right hon. and learned Friend met the president of the General Council of British Shipping on 4 December, when a number of shipping issues were discussed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will call for a report as to how many trains were cancelled through Oxford Circus on the night of 4 December;(2) how many London Underground trains were cancelled on the night of 4 December.

These are operational matters for London Underground Ltd.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he now expects the public consultation to take place, in respect of the proposed Greater Manchester western and northern relief road.

Spring 1991.

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to increase transport expenditure in Scotland in the areas of responsibility under his Department.

[holding answer 6 December 1990]: Over the next three years BR plans to spend over £30 million in 1990–91 prices on infrastructure in Scotland. Scotland will also benefit from other BR investment in both infrastructure and rolling stock. In addition, the Department will issue credit approvals for £1 million for Scottish local authority ports in 1991–92.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of reported cases of theft and fraud in (a) the national health service and (b) the Norwich health authority in each year since 1979 showing (i) the total number of cases reported, (ii) the number of cases reported to police, (iii) the number of prosecutions and (iv) the number of convictions in each year.

Table A provides information on the number of reported cases in the category of theft, fraud, arson, neglect of duty or gross carelessness as reported by Norwich health authority for the years since its inception in 1982, and corresponding data for all health authorities in England. No separate breakdown of fraud or theft is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many elderly people he estimates are in need of incontinence aids; how many of such people are accommodated in residential nursing homes in (a) the public and (b) the private sector; and how many and what percentage of such persons in each sector receive such incontinence pads free of charge.

Information about the demand for and supply of incontinence pads is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will issue guidance to all health authorities to provide incontinence pads to residents of homes for the elderly.

Guidance has already been issued to district health authorities advising them, at their discretion, to provide incontinence pads to people in residential homes.

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that resources are provided to meet the necessary costs of staff development within the area of the Rotherham health authority.

The costs of staff development are met out of normal revenue funding for health authorities. It is a matter for Trent regional health authority to allocate resources to district health authorities in that region.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the 10 local authorities with the highest arrears as a percentage of the rent roll at the end of 1989–90;(2) what is the actual or estimated total figure for arrears of rent outstanding to all local authorities for the year 1989–90.

Figures for the position at the end of 1989–90 are not yet available.An ordered table, showing cumulative rent arrears at March 1989 as a percentage of the rent roll for each English local authority, was placed in the Library on 3 April. Estimated total arrears for all English local authorities at the end of 1988–89 were £319 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who has primary responsibility for specifying the requirements for waste management practices at incinerator plant.

Currently operations at incinerators are governed by the conditions of site licences granted by waste disposal authorities under the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution also has responsibility under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 for the control of air pollution from all chemical incinerators, and other incinerators with capacities of over 1 tonne per hour; this control covers the whole process, including such matters as good housekeeping and training of operators. Local authority environmental health departments are responsible for the control of air emissions from other types of incinerator, under the Clean Air Acts and the statutory nuisance provisions of the Public Health Acts.When the new system of integrated pollution control is brought into effect under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will assume full responsibility for the control of all releases to the environment, whether to air, water or land, from incinerators with a capacity of over 1 tonne per hour. Air emissions from other incinerators will be controlled by local authorities at district level; waste regulation authorities will have responsibility for all other aspects of control. Regulations detailing the interface will be laid shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action local authorities are able to take to control air pollution from mobile plant; and if he will list all authorisations granted for mobile plant under the Environmental Protection Act, by local authority granting the authorisation and the contractor's principal place of business.

Under part I of the Environmental Protection Act, the powers available to control air pollution from processes prescribed for local authority control will be the same whether the process is fixed or mobile. Mobile processes will require an authorisation; the conditions included in such authorisations must secure the objectives specified in section 7(2) of the Act, including the use of BATNEEC to prevent or minimise emissions of prescribed substances.Part I of the Act will be brought into force from 1 April 1991. No authorisations have yet been granted.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his departmental library subscribes to the fortnightly newsletter, "Environment Business".

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 (a) the amount of moneys paid to local authorities from the European regional development fund and (b) the amount which is taken into account under the additionality principle for basic credit approval purposes showing the totals for each local authority concerned and the programmes being financed.

(a) Information on the amount of moneys paid to individual local authorities from the European regional development fund could be provided only at disproportionate cost and (b) EC grants enhance the national total available for distribution as credit approvals. In general that total is distributed to individual local authorities as basic credit approvals on the basis of their overall spending needs, without regard to whether expenditure is to be supported by EC grants. There is a limited exception for expenditure in the other services block where expected EC receipts are taken into account in distributing supplementary credit approvals.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what legislation, including statutory instruments, regarding the operation of the poll tax in 1991–92 has still to come before the House; and if he will make a statement.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the estimated annual radiation dose equivalent uptakes in milliSieverts per annum by members of the public living near Bradwell and Dungeness nuclear power stations, arising from all sources of radiation; and if he will make a statement.

Doses to small groups of persons living close to the sites resulting from discharges to atmosphere of the radionuclide argon 41 are up to about 0·1 milliSieverts per annum. Doses from discharges via other environmental pathways are reported from time to time by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, copies of whose reports are placed in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any assessment of the number of properties that would be eligible for inclusion in a new tenure of commonhold.

[holding answer 5 December 1990]: No. The Building Societies Association estimates that there are up to 3,000,000 owners of leasehold flats who could be affected by commonhold legislation. We are unable to confirm that estimate, but comparison with the 1981 census count of leasehold householders suggests that it is on the high side.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost of fees and reimbursements to people appointed to (a) public, (b) non-governmental and (c) other bodies by his Department.

[holding answer 5 December 1990]: Information about the number, and levels of remuneration, of people appointed to public bodies by my Department is given in the annual HMSO publication "Public Bodies". A copy of the current issue is held at the House of Commons Library and "Public Bodies 1990" will be published shortly. Information about reimbursements, such as travel and subsistence expenses, is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Prime Minister what urgent steps he has taken in order to assess the (a) economic, (b) financial and (c) humane costs of an armed conflict of Arab, British and American troops with Iraq; and what information Her Majesty's Government are gathering about the economic, social and political impact of such conflict upon non-oil producer countries in the third world and those in the middle east in particular.

We are doing everything in our power to contribute to a peaceful solution to the Gulf crisis based on the full implementation of the resolutions adopted by the United Nations Security Council. It is not possible to make exact predictions of the effects of hostilities in the manner suggested, should it be necessary to use force to eject Saddam Hussein.

To ask the Prime Minister what support her Majesty's Government are giving to the call of Finance and Economy Ministers of Latin America to start negotiations with the European Community for a free trade accord.

No formal request for this purpose has been received by the Community. If one were, it would be carefully considered. The Government would play a full part in that process.

To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received concerning compensation for nuclear test veterans.

I have not, as far as I am aware, received any representations from nuclear test veterans. The Ministry of Defence has, however, received about 120 claims from individuals seeking compensation for damage to health allegedly due to participation in the United Kingdom's nuclear weapon test programme. In addition, a number of representations have been made by test veterans' organisations concerning compensation for their members.

To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit India.

I have no plans at present to visit India.

To ask the Prime Minister, further to his answer on 4 December concerning the case of Mr. John Hall, Official Report, column 172 if he will agree to meet Mr. Hall to discuss compensation.

I understand that Mr. Hall is in receipt of a war pension. He has made no claim for compensation other than this. Should Mr. Hall pursue a claim for compensation, Government officials would be happy to discuss the matter with him.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement as to what makes up the constituents, and what is the purpose, of the strategic mineral stockpile.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to his question about the contents of the strategic mineral stockpile on 16 November, at column 236. The stockpile was established originally as a contingency against short-term disruptions to certain industrial supplies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his departmental library subscribes to the fortnightly newsletter, "Environment Business".

Yes: The library and information service of the Department of Trade and Industry does subscribe to "Environment Business".

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will state the nature of any legal proceedings under way, outstanding or stayed by a judge in the High Court which have been brought by his Department against either British Aerospace or Rover.

On 10 September, HMG served writs on Rover Group and British Aerospace to secure the repayment with interest of, respectively, £1·5 million and £42·9 million which had been ruled by the Commission to be unauthorised concessions in connection with the sale of Rover Group to British Aerospace. On 29 November British Aerospace and Rover Group made a successful application to the court for a stay in these proceedings pending the outcome of their application to the European Court of Justice to annul the Commission's requirement to repay.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what decision he has reached on the report by the Director General of Fair Trading on the rules made by the Securities and Investments Board concerning disclosure of information relating to the sale of unit trusts and life assurance products.

In April, the Director General of Fair Trading reported to my predecessor on SIB's disclosure rules, introduced during 1989, applying to the sale of unit trusts and life assurance products. The director general concluded that certain of SIB's rules are likely to restrict or distort competition to a significant extent. Under the Financial Services Act, I have to decide whether or not I agree with the director general and, if I do, whether or not the anti-competitive effect is greater than necessary for the protection of investors.In view of the importance of this issue, my Department invited views from all interested parties to be sent to the Department by the end of September. I have taken account of these views in reaching my decision.I have concluded that SIB's disclosure rules, as currently drafted, are likely to restrict or distort competition to a significant extent. My main reason is that I consider that the present rules do not automatically provide the investor with the information he needs, and at an early enough stage, to make an informed investment decision. It is especially difficult for an investor to make a comparison between a purchase through an independent financial adviser (IFA) and a purchase through a tied agent.I have also concluded that the effect on competition is greater than necessary for the protection of investors.However, I know from the responses received during the consultation period that there are very real concerns about the effects of any new rules that might replace the existing ones. I appreciate these concerns. I also agree with the director general and with SIB in attaching importance to the maintenance of a healthy IFA sector.I am therefore asking SIB to propose changes to lessen the anti-competitive effect of the present rules but which take into account the desirability of:

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to discuss with local authorities the use of European regional development fund grants for industrial and regional development in the light of local authority budget constraints.

[holding answer 22 November 1990]: I have no specific plans for such a discussion although I regularly meet local authorities during the course of my regional visits.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has made an assessment of the likely impact the completion of the single European market will have upon British Steel's ability to compete with European steel makers for orders in the North sea offshore sector.

[holding answer 30 November 1990]: The Scottish Development Agency's study of the prospects for the steel industry in Scotland will consider all relevant factors. No purpose would be served by duplicating the agency's work.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet the chairman of British Steel plc to discuss the avenues he explored for the possible retention of steel making and seamless tube production at Clydesdale before deciding to close the works.

[holding answer 30 November 1990]: My right hon. Friend met the chairman of British Steel on 7 September and has no plans for a further meeting at this stage.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions have taken place between the Department for Trade and Industry and British Steel on the company's relationship with its competitors in the seamless tube market.

[holding answer 30 November 1990]: All discussions between British Steel and the Department on any subject are conducted on a confidential basis. I intend to respect that confidence.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of the scope, funding and operation of European Community funding for coalfield and former coalfield areas under the RECHAR programme, and of the work undertaken by his Department to assist with the operation and monitoring of this programme, together with details of any restrictions that have been placed upon the abilities of local authorities to fund schemes which would otherwise have attracted grants under the RECHAR programme.

[holding answer 5 December 1990]: The European Commission's notice about the RECHAR initiative for Community assistance to coal-mining areas was published in the Official Journal of the European Communities of 27 January 1990. This set out, inter alia, the eligible measures and the criteria for the definition of eligible areas. The Commission's decisions as to eligible areas were published in the Official Journal of 18 July 1990. Eleven programmes of measures were submitted by the Government to the Commission on 26 July 1990 and are currently awaiting Commission approval. The Commission has indicated that the financial allocation to the United Kingdom areas will be 156·2 million ecu.My Department, the Departments of the Environment and of Employment, the Welsh Office and the Scottish Office, which are responsible for the applications, have

	A and A/S levels		BTEC		GCSE
			First and National Diploma
	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent	Number	Per cent
Clwyd	451	13	1,528	45	251	7
Dyfed	50	2	1,337	51	40	2
Gwent	904	23	1,106	28	297	7
Gwynedd	69	4	782	48	—	—
Mid Glam	75	2	1,281	38	53	2
Powys	13	2	420	52	40	5
South Glam	349	13	819	30	322	12
West Glam	1,632	35	1,610	35	262	6
Wales	3,543	15	8,883	38	1,265	5

Numbers relate to full-time and sandwich students following the required courses at higher and further education and tertiary colleges. They are shown as a percentage of the total number of full-time and sandwich students on further education courses.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he plans to take as a result of the effects of the compulsory teaching of Welsh at secondary level upon the teaching of modern languages in those schools in non-native Welsh-speaking areas which have traditionally offered more than one modern language to GCSE level.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 1 November. Schools are free to offer pupils the choice of more than one modern foreign language in addition to Welsh.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will meet representatives of the youth services in Wales to discuss the development of the core curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what numbers and what percentages of full-time students in further education and tertiary colleges in each county in Wales are studying the following types of courses (a) A and AS-levels, (b) BTEC (first and national diploma) and (c) GCSE.

The information for 1989–90 is as follows:

I see no immediate need to do so. Our officials continue to be engaged in discussions with representatives of the youth service on the development of a core curriculum.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the standard indicators used by his Department to quantify the extent of alcohol abuse problems in any part of Wales and the figures against each such standard indicator for each county in Wales for each of the last five years for which figures are available, together with the percentage of the population which is represented by the figure against each such indicator.

Social problems resulting from alcohol misuse are diverse and varied and they are not possible to define in terms of standard indicators. However, details of death and discharges from national health service hospitals in Wales of patients with principal diagnosis relating to alcohol are shown in the table. Consideration is being given to methods of obtaining clearer indicators.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which Minister at the Welsh Office will take direct responsibility for discussions, communications and negotiations in regard to any application to establish a national health service trust in Wales.

Section 5 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 confers power on me to establish, by order, national health service trusts in Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the future funding of care and repair agency schemes; and if he will make a statement.

Following the success of an experimental scheme, we plan that the resources available for associated local agencies will be increased to £360,000. This is almost double the current level of funding and forms part of an agreed support package covering the next five years. In addition grant aid of above £105,000 is envisaged in order to establish a developmental unit specifically for care and repair in the Principality.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number of successful prosecutions for (a) cases of domestic violence, (b) rape by a person known to the victim and (c) rape by a person unknown to the victim for each of the last five years.

Information on prosecutions and convictions is not collected centrally in sufficient detail to distinguish either domestic violence or whether an assailant is known to the victim in rape cases. Some information concerning rape cases is available from recent research studies in "Changes in rape offences and sentencing", Home Office research study 105 and "Concerns about rape", Home Office research study 106. Copies of both publications are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) women and (b) men are currently serving prison sentences for social security fraud; and if he will give these figures for the years 1970 to 1990, respectively.

The available information given in the table relates to the number of persons sentenced to immediate custody each year for social security offences for 1970 to 1989. Data for 1990 are not yet available.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons or organisations in Scotland with whom arrangements have been made by his Department with a view to enforcing the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Scotland) Order 1990; what form these arrangements have taken; and what further measures he intends to take to promote this order.

Article 3 of the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Scotland) Order 1990 specifies the Crown Office, Edinburgh, as the authority in Scotland that will certify the conviction of a person there of an offence specified in schedule 1 to the order. These arrangements are well known to the procurator fiscal. No further formal arrangements are required.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons or organisations in Italy with whom arrangements have been made by his Department with a view to enforcing the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990; what form these arrangements have taken; and what further measures he intends to take to promote this order.

Article 3 of the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990 specifies the Ministry of Grace and Justice as the authority in Italy that will certify the conviction of a person there of an offence specified in schedule 1 to the order. No further formal arrangements are required.The standing committee of the European convention on spectator violence and misbehaviour at sports events urged member states, which include Italy, to act vigorously on the basis of article 5 of the convention in prosecuting hooligans at sports events.I understand that the Ministry of Justice has reminded the Italian courts that confirmed convictions involving British nationals should be reported to it.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he will take in relation to persons convicted abroad of offences corresponding to those set out in schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989, but whose cases are subsequently subject to appeal proceedings; and if he will make a statement.

In accordance with section 22(4) of the 1989 Act a restriction order may not be made in relation to a person convicted in a country outside England and Wales of a "corresponding offence" if it appears that the conviction is the subject of proceedings in a court of law in that country questioning the conviction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all persons or organisations in Sweden with whom arrangements have been made by his Department with a view to extending the measures outlined in the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Italy) Order 1990, to cover offences committed in Sweden; what form these arrangements have taken; and what further steps he intends to take to extend these measures.

We are in discussion with the Swedish authorities on this matter. No formal arrangements have been agreed as yet.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 21 November, Official Report, column 135, if he will place the relevant research on damage to crops in the Library.

I will place the information in the Library as soon as possible.

To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was (a) the number and (b) the value of eggs (i) imported into the United Kingdom and (ii) exported from the United Kingdom in each month since September 1989.

The number and value of shell eggs (i) imported into the United Kingdom and (ii) exported from the United Kingdom from September 1989 up to and including October 1990 (latest available figures) are set out in the table:

	'000 Eggs	Value £
Imports
1989
September	58,044	2,532,210
October	38,285	1,513,155
November	74,354	3,401,470
December	53,882	2,643,422
1990
January	37,755	1,670,107
February	34,982	1,520,792
March	66,290	3,226,961
April	54,212	2,187,086
May	76,115	3,053,742
June	72,839	2,730,381
July	52,608	1,992,012
August	65,622	2,568,045