To ask the Attorney-General when he last discussed the Birmingham pub bombings case with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall).

To ask the Attorney-General what was the salary of the Lord Chief Justice in (a) 1987 and (b) January 1991 in current prices.

The salary of the Lord Chief Justice in January 1987 was £77,400, and in January 1991 £95,750. Had it kept pace with prices, it would now be £102,454·38.

To ask the Attorney-General from what area appeals to the social security commissioners are heard at the Cardiff Docks venue; and whether he is satisfied that it is suitable for disabled claimants.

The social security commissioners hear appeals from the whole of Wales at the Crown Court in Cardiff which is situated at Williams way, Curran embankment on Penarth road, although claimants in north Wales may opt for the hearing of their cases in Liverpool. The Cardiff venue has been used since March 1987 and is considered well suited to the needs of disabled claimants.

To ask the Attorney-General how many appeals were made to the social security commissioners in each year from 1980 to 1990 in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

This information is available only from 1985. The number of appeals made to the social security commissioners for each year from 1985 to 1990 in England, Scotland and Wales is given in the table.

To ask the Attorney-General when the appeal of Mr. Usman Khalid (TH 9455/90) against refusal to grant entry clearance to the United Kingdom will be heard in Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

Once Mr. Khalid's representatives in this country have indicated to the immigration appellate authorities—IAA—that they are ready to proceed to a hearing, the IAA will aim to list the case at Leeds within five months.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Governments of the Falkland Islands and Argentina regarding oil exploration in the South Atlantic.

The Falkland Islands Government have passed a draft of their revised minerals legislation to us. My right hon. Friend has not held discussions with either the Government of the Falkland Islands or that of Argentina regarding oil exploration in the south Atlantic.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy towards informing the International Atomic Energy Agency of any information his Department has regarding possible breaches of the non-proliferation treaty by other state parties.

We would draw the attention of the IAEA to any such information as appropriate.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what powers are vested in the International Atomic Energy Agency to prevent the diversion of nuclear materials from civil to military use in the time between its regular inspections.

If there were reason to believe that materials were being diverted from civil to military uses, the IAEA could request a special inspection.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications took place between Her Majesty's Government and the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding Iraqi efforts to operate a covert nuclear weapons programme prior to 15 January 1991.

We have made known on a number of occasions in various ways our concerns that Iraq appeared to be pursuing a covert nuclear weapons programme in contravention of its obligations under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions took place at the International Atomic Energy Agency regarding the movement of Iraqi safeguarded materials away from Tuwaila.

Any formal discussion of this matter would have to take place in the IAEA board of governors. There has been no discussion of this kind.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's assessment as to the quantity of highly-enriched uranium that is still in Iraqi hands.

This is a matter for verification by the IAEA and the special commission to be established in accordance with Security Council resolution 687.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning abuse of human rights in Turkey.

Since the return to civilian rule in 1983, the Turkish Government have taken a number of steps to improve their human rights record. We support those efforts and continue to encourage the Turkish Government to respect and abide by the international human rights conventions to which they are a party.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate a study of the evolution or development of the United Nations organisation to enable it better to attain the objectives of its charter in conditions of east-west rapprochement.

The end of the cold war has enhanced the prospects of having the United Nations function as its founding fathers intended. We are considering ways in which it might do so.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government are making to the Israeli Government to reopen educational institutions in the occupied territories; and if he will make a statement.

The Israelis are well aware of our belief that the continuing closure of educational institutions, and in particular four universities, in the occupied territories is damaging—whether to Israel's reputation, the Palestinian community or the prospects for peace. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs urged the Israeli Foreign Minister to look again at this problem the last time he saw him, in London on 5 March.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reciprocal arrangements exist for British citizens to have two-year working visas and in which Commonwealth countries; and whether he has any proposals for renegotiating these arrangements.

There are no reciprocal arrangements between the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries on two-year working visas. There are no plans to negotiate such arrangements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the latest figures for the total contributions to Her Majesty's Government, and from which countries, to the cost of the United Kingdom's involvement in the Gulf war.

Cash contributions paid and pledged so far include about £660 million from Kuwait, £565 million from Saudi Arabia, £275 million from Germany, £250 million from the UAE, £183 million from Japan, £15 million from Belgium, £15 million from Hong Kong and £8 million from Denmark. We have also received assistance in kind worth about £250 million from some 16 countries.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 15 April, Official Report, column 35, what refugee movements were anticipated by the United Nations Disaster Relief Organisation, what requests were made to member states, and on what specific dates.

On 11 January the office of the United Nations Disaster Relief Co-ordinator launched a regional plan of action in anticipation that a large number of people would be displaced by a conflict in the Gulf. This plan was based on 100,000 refugees arriving in each of Jordan, Turkey, Iran and Syria. UNDRO, on behalf of the United Nations humanitarian agencies and the International Organisation for Migration, made an urgent appeal for United States $38 million, 25 per cent. of their anticipated costs. Pledges from the international community quickly totalled some United States $58 million. The United Kingdom donated United States $1 million.On 5 April UNDRO asked donors for the remaining 75 per cent. of its 11 January appeal. On 11 April, as the full scale of the exodus in the north of Iraq became clear, UNDRO launched an updated plan covering assistance to 1·5 million refugees in Turkey and Iran. UNDRO estimated the cost of its programme at United States $400 million, subsuming its original appeal for United States $152 million. UNDRO is appealing to donors for United States $300 million immediately.As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 5 April, the United Kingdom will be contributing up to £20 million to the appeals by the United Nations and other humanitarian agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for new international protocols on the use of fuel air explosive weapons and daisy cutter bombs in warfare.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest estimate of humanitarian assistance given to Kuwaitis and Iraqis.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development gave the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 19 April.I understand that since the launch of their appeals, the international donor community has given at least US$86 million to the UNDRO/UNHCR appeals and at least £33 million to the International Committee of the Red. Cross appeal. I am not able to provide complete information on the many other humanitarian agencies and NGOs who are providing assistance to the Kuwaitis and Iraqis either financially or at the practical level.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to ratify the United Nations weaponry convention; and what is his policy towards accepting the optional protocol No. III, on the use of incendiary weapons in certain circumstances.

We are still considering ratification of the UN weaponry convention. When we have reached a decision, we shall make clear our policy towards protocol No. III.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what evidence Her Majesty's ambassador in Kuwait has concerning the allegations about the carrying out of reprisals against Palestinians in Kuwait.

A number of Palestinians have approached Her Majesty's embassy in Kuwait about relatives who had been detained. The embassy is also in touch with international humanitarian agencies and human rights organisations monitoring the position of vulnerable groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 April, Official Report, columns 106–7, to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what response he has had to his repeated expressions of concern about ill-treatment of Palestinians in Kuwait.

The Crown Prince of Kuwait has assured my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister that Palestinians will be dealt with in accordance with the law.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the reunification of Germany has cost the EC budget.

The gross additional cost on the EC budget during 1991 as a result of German unification will be about 1,915 mecu. That will be partly offset by higher German contributions which will total 1,230 mecu, making the net additional cost some 685 mecu.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list by Government Department those subject areas that were previously open to answer via parliamentary questions, but which since June 1979 have been excluded as a consequence of legislation and changes in administrative arrangements.

Legislation and changes in administrative arrangements do not generally change the accountability of Ministers to Parliament except where the Government's successful programme of privatisation has removed a particular function from the public sector. In respect of "next steps" agencies, ministerial accountability is unchanged and parliamentary questions relating to executive agencies remain in order, although Ministers may arrange for chief executives to write to Members on matters which have been delegated to an agency in its framework document. I would encourage members to approach chief executives direct in the first instance on such matters, their aim is to provide a response which is as full and as helpful as possible on a timescale similar to that for a ministerial response to a parliamentary question.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what facilities he has made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

No request for assistance with this appeal has, to my knowledge, been received, but arrangements could be made to draw it to the attention of Home Office staff.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the cost of running the Emergency Planning college in each of the past 10 years.

Expenditure on the Emergency Planning college was not separately identified in the Appropriation Accounts prior to 1984 and details could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. For 1984–85 onwards the information requested is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when was the last independent evaluation of the Emergency Planning college; and when the next such inquiry will take place.

A study was carried out by management consultants between March 1990 and January this year into the ways in which the Emergency Planning college might best discharge its wider remit to address questions of peacetime emergency planning, irrespective of any wartime connections, which was announced by the then Home Secretary in June 1989. There are no plans at present for any further external reviews.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to whom the management of the Emergency Planning college is accountable.

The Emergency Planning college is part of my right hon. Friend's fire and emergency planning department and, as such is accountable through the normal management structure to him.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what increase has taken place in the staff of the Emergency Planning college since the expansion of its title and role.

Since June 1989 when the Emergency Planning college's change of name and expansion of its role were announced an increase in staff amounting to 2·5 additional posts has been approved. These have not yet been filled. In addition, two posts on the college's original complement have been regraded at a higher level.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what has been the percentage of crimes in the London borough of Wandsworth that have not been cleared up in each of the last five years;(2) how many sexual offences were reported in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last three years;(3) how many burglary offences were recorded as committed in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last three years;(4) how many crimes were recorded in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last three years;(5) how many cases of physical assault against a person were reported in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last three years.

The requested information is contained in the Metropolitan police district annual borough tables, copies of which are available in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many car thefts were reported in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last three years.

The available information is for all thefts and is placed in the Library quarterly. Separate information for car thefts is not available centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the percentage of increase or decrease in crimes in the London borough of Wandsworth in each of the last five years.

The information requested is given in the table. Tables giving numbers of offences recorded by the police in each borough of the Metropolitan police district are placed in the Library quarterly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list those sporting activities which are required to pay for policing costs;(2) if he will make it his policy for fox hunts to pay for the costs of policing their activities; and if he will make a statement.

Police functions are carried out at public expense under the Police Act 1964; where special policy services—outside their normal functions—are provided, a charge may be made under section 15 of the Act, but this is at the discretion of the police authority concerned. Eligibility for charging depends on the nature of the police function, not the sport or other activity concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from the island of Mauritius have been deported from the United Kingdom in each of the last five years.

The number of Mauritian citizens removed from the United Kingdom in each year since 1986 under the deportation process is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been made to him by Stockton borough council concerning the extension of a ban on drinking in public places to Yarm and Thornaby.

In March, Stockton-on-Tees borough council applied to renew its existing byelaws for prohibiting the consumption of intoxicating liquor in the same areas which were designated during the two-year experimental period. Officials wrote to the council on 26 March, giving provisional approval to the byelaws. We have not received any proposals to extend the byelaws to additional areas, but we understand that the council is considering making such an application at a later date.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on why the budgets for education in prison establishments for 1991–92 were not allocated on a full-year basis; and what plans are being made for the future budgeting of education, establishment by establishment.

Following the reorganisation of the prison service, prison establishments were advised in February of an interim allocation of funds for education purposes to cover their first quarter's expenditure in 1991–92. This was to enable the new area managers to obtain further specialist advice to ensure that full year's budgets, to be notified to establishments in June, make the most effective use of overall educational provision for the prison service. In future, area managers will be involved at an earlier stage in the budget-setting process and the agreed overall provision will be allocated between establishments by area managers at the beginning of the financial year, following consultation with governors and the relevant specialists.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on the future of the financing of education in prison establishments currently funded through local education authorities; and if he will make a statement.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science on 21 March at columns 432–34. Future arrangements for the funding of education in prison establishments will be determined in the light of the Government plans for the reorganisation of further education as a whole, on which a White Paper is to be published shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to make special provision to grant Kurds political asylum in United Kingdom.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance in commerce and in education is being provided for Nigeria and Ghana.

We do not consider that the large-scale resettlement of Iraqi Kurds in Western countries is an answer to the current problem. All asylum applications made in the United Kingdom are considered in accordance with the United Nations convention on refugees.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the maximum security alert at Lewes prison on 27 March; and if he will list for the last 12 months the number of times Lewes prison has been put on maximum security alert; and for what reasons.

Following the discovery of live ammunition at Lewes prison, the governor made arrangements for a full scale search of the prison buildings and grounds. This search took place on 26 and 27 March. Investigations are in progress. There were full alerts called to carry out extensive searching at Lewes on the following occasions during the last 12 months: 22 November 1990; 2 to 6 December 1990.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately for each year from 1980 to 1990 the number of cases in which the royal prerogative of mercy was exercised to grant (a) a free pardon, (b) a remission of imprisonment, (c) remission of Borstal training, youth custody and detention in a young offenders' institution, (d) remission of detention and (e) remission of fine, on grounds affecting the original conviction, in cases other than those involving road traffic offences.

[holding answer 18 April 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

Assistance to education in Nigeria in 1990–91 covered nine separate projects at a total cost last year of some £1·37 million. There is no aid currently specifically to commerce. In Ghana total education costs amounted to about £0·9 million in 1990–91, including training in Britain. In commerce, a United Kingdom training award is available in 1991 to the Ghana Export Promotion Council. These figures do not include our wide-ranging programmes of United Kingdom training in other sectors amounting to a further £2·5 million for Nigeria and £1·4 million for Ghana. Both countries have better developed education systems than many others in Africa.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance his Department is currently giving to relieve famine in Africa; and if he will make a statement.

We have committed £152 million in emergency assistance to Africa since the beginning of 1989. On 15 April, I announced a new pledge of assistance worth £33 million. Most of this will go to the Horn of Africa, where the famine is most acute. It will be in addition to the £33 million we have already provided to the region since last September.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial assistance the Government are providing for Jordan and other neighbouring states affected by the Gulf war.

As our share of the EC special allocation to countries affected by the Gulf crisis we are providing £20 million to Jordan, £23 million each to Egypt and Turkey, £8 million to the occupied territories and £21 million to Israel. Since the invasion of Kuwait the United Kingdom has provided £18·65 million in humanitarian assistance through bilateral and EC channels. In addition we have committed £21·7 million to alleviate the plight of the Iraqi refugees. In the current financial year we expect our normal bilateral assistance to amount to £5·25 million for Jordan, £11 million for Egypt, £5 million for Turkey and some £1·5 million for the occupied territories.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches have been made to the Overseas Development Administration in respect of alternative commercial crops in Commonwealth countries whose economies rely significantly on the export of sugar and bananas, respectively.

We are helping the eastern Caribbean countries—Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia and St. Vincent—whose economies rely heavily on banana exports, with a number of agricultural diversification projects.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial support will be made available by Her Majesty's Government to (a) delegations from less-developed nations and (b) non-governmental organisations based in the United Kingdom, to assist their attendance at the United Nations conference on environment and development, to be held in Rio De Janeiro in June 1992.

We have offered £32,000 to the voluntary fund established to help finance participation by developing countries in the conference and its preparatory process. The United Nations General Assembly has not yet decided on the participation of non-governmental organisations in the conference.

To ask the Lord President of the Council what is his most recent estimate of the cost of the scaffolding erected at the Victoria Tower.

£1·5 million.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list (a) the building societies which will not be repaid and (b) the amounts of tax involved, under the proposals referred to in paragraph 4.22 of the 1991 Financial Statement.

It would not be appropriate to provide information about the tax affairs of individual taxpayers.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) to what extent the view of Inland Revenue that the disputed extra tax paid by building societies does not in fact involve the payment of extra tax, is based on the ground that building societies account on an accruals basis while government accounts on a cash basis;(2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham of 15 April

The 1986 change from the old basis on which building societies accounted for tax annually on interest accruing in their accounting year to the present system under which they account quarterly for tax on interest and dividends paid does not mean societies have paid extra tax. The change affected the time of payments, not their amounts. Interest and dividends paid during transitional periods have been subjected to a single charge to tax.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the occasions on which the Government publicly acknowledged the effect that a judgment adverse to the Inland Revenue in the Woolwich Equitable building society case might have on other building societies; and what the likely effect was judged to be on each such occasion.

My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer referred to this matter in this year's Budget statement. There has been no previous occasion of a similar Government statement on this matter.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of where the £250 million for 1986 transitional provisions: building societies, shown in table 4.1 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" 1991–92, comes from.

The figure is the estimated amount, net of corporation tax, which will not be repaid to various building societies following my right hon. Friend's Budget proposal contained in clause 50 of the Finance Bill.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is a requirement for the tax affairs of a wife and a husband to be dealt with by separate tax offices when one does not earn money outside the home.

The tax offices dealing with the tax affairs of a wife and a husband are, following the introduction of independent taxation, determined separately by reference to the nature of their respective incomes.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on reduced interest rates in European Community countries which discriminate in favour of (a) small businesses and (b) farming businesses; whether such arrangements will be permitted in the single European market; and if he will make a statement.

Information on state aids in the Community, including in the small firms and agricultural sectors, is published in the European Commission's reviews of state aids in the Community. All state aid schemes are notifiable by member states to the Commission; the Commission then decides whether they are compatible with the treaty of Rome.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many times in the last three years the Inland Revenue has experienced judicial review; how often it lost; and how often building society tax was involved;(2) whether he has decided that all future potential gainers from judicial reviews of Inland Revenue decisions must make their own applications concurrently.

There have been 15 applications for judicial review involving the Inland Revenue in the last three years, of which four have been granted. Only one application involved building society interest. It is for individual taxpayers to decide whether or not to apply for judicial review of an Inland Revenue decision.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the £40 million to be collected by the Pools Promoters Association for the proposed Foundation for Sport and the Arts will be taken from the total money now allocated to the payment of prize.

This is a matter for the pools promoters, but I understand that the proposal is that a proportion of the total remittance submitted by clients will be held in trust for the foundation.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the European Community total gross domestic product was, at the latest available date, accounted for by (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France, (c) Germany and (d) Italy.

Data for GDP in the European Community are published by the OECD in "Main Economic Indicators".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of gross domestic product was accounted for by interest expenses in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany, respectively, in the last three years.

Data for interest payments for these countries are not available. Data for receipts and payments of investment income are published by the IMF in "Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook".

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the rates of value added tax charged in (a) France and (b) Germany.

The value added tax rates charged are:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many full-time, part-time, male and female workers earn below the PAYE threshold in the northern region and in each of the counties within the region.

The information requested is not available.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the total amount of the wages and salaries of the economies of (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany is accounted for by the wages and salaries of the services sector, respectively, in the latest available year.

The latest available figures for these countries analysed by industry of employment are shown under the heading "Compensation of employees" in the annual OECD publication "National Accounts Detailed Tables Volume II (1976–1988)" of which copies are available in the Library of the House—see pages (a) 534 (b) 232 (c) 259.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what refurbishments and repairs are being carried out to Ministry of Defence houses at the AWE, Aldermaston and Burghfield common estate; and when he anticipates these houses to be up to the standards set down for council and housing association properties.

The current ongoing maintenance programme at AWE Aldermaston and Burghfield covers both refurbishment and repair. The cost of maintaining the stock of the 775 civilian houses and flats at these locations will be £1,400,000 in the financial year 1991–92.On the matter of standards, the Ministry of Defence is not a housing authority and not in consequence bound by the standards of the authorities referred to. Housing is provided at AWE for both essential Ministry of Defence police staff and to facilitate recruitment and retention of other staff. The houses are all maintained to an acceptable standard.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many new main battle tanks he will be ordering to replace Chieftain tanks.

No decision on numbers of equipment for our future main battle tank fleet has yet been taken.

To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he received the draft report on the sinking of the Antares; for what reasons he has not yet been able to publish the findings; when he expects to publish the report or its findings; and if he will make a statement.

The report of the Royal Navy board of inquiry is being considered as a matter of priority. However, the report is very comprehensive and we have an obligation to all those concerned to ensure that the full legal and other implications of its findings are thoroughly studied. A summary of the findings will be released as soon as this process has been completed.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures he intends to take to assist the clothing manufacturing industry in the Easington constituency during the present recession.

There are no plans to introduce assistance measures for the clothing manufacturing industry in the Easington constituency. Firms in the constituency are eligible for assistance under the regional selective assistance scheme as well as the Department's R and D and enterprise initiative consultancy measures.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will bring forward proposals to implement the recommendation of the Office of Fair Trading concerning bringing under the Trade Descriptions Act the claims made in letters from timeshare companies.

The amendments to the Trade Descriptions Act proposed as a result of the current review, including those arising from the Director General of Fair Trading's report on timeshare will be implemented as soon as parliamentary time is available.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the Office of Fair Trading is considering the practice of companies capitalising pension fund surpluses in order to establish a higher rating or obtain higher funding on its consideration of the takeover bid for the Tootal Group plc; and whether he will make a statement.

In reaching his decision on whether to refer the proposed acquisition by Coats Viyella of Tootal Group to the MMC my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will take into consideration the advice of the Director General of Fair Trading. The director general's advice takes all relevant issues into account.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he was asked to approve British entries on the list of specially designated nationals of Iraq issued by the United States Government on 1 April.

No.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what ways he has monitored and encouraged the progress of the refrigeration industry to move away from CFCs; and what study he has made of acoustic refrigeration.

My Department regularly meets producers and users of chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting substances to discuss alternative options for when production of these substances is phased out over the next few years. These contacts include the development and use of substitutes in refrigeration. My Department participates in relevant United Kingdom conferences and international fora and last year published through HMSO a study commissioned from independent consultants "CFCs and Halons: Alternatives and the Scope for Recovery for Recycling and Destruction".The Department offers support to industry for development of environmentally cleaner technologies, for example through the enterprise initiative and the environmental technology innovation scheme, the environmental management options scheme and Euroenviron. It has made no formal study nor received any project proposal relating to acoustic refrigeration. However, I understand that while this technique may be being developed for use in space, the view of the refrigeration industry is that the high engineering standards it requires currently render it economically unviable for more general application.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what percentage of the total output of manufactured goods of the EC was, at the latest available date, accounted for by (a) the United Kingdom, (b) France, (c) Germany and (d) Italy.

The information is in the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department was represented at the expert seminar on packaging and the environment held in Sweden on 7 to 8 February.

Yes, my Department was represented and presented a paper to the seminar which was arranged in the framework of the United Nations Environment Programme/International Energy Office cleaner production programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake a collaborative initiative with the Industry and Environment Office of the United Nations environment programme on clean technologies for production.

Her Majesty's Government are already participating in the United Nations Environment Programme/International Energy Office's cleaner production programme. In September 1990, the Government hosted a United Nations Environment Programme seminar at Canterbury on the subject of "Cleaner Production". The seminar was opened by my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment; officials both from my Department and the Department of the Environment also participated.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what complaints he has received since the beginning of 1990 about state subsidies to companies in the foundry industry in other European Community countries and in Japan; and what action has been taken in connection therewith.

One complaint has been received from a British company about alleged state subsidies to the iron foundry industries in France, Italy and Spain. My Department raised the matter with the European Commission which is responsible for monitoring state aids in the Community. I understand the Commission is pursuing the matter and is in contact with the company concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department had any discussions with Carnon Holdings about the effect of the withdrawal of his Department's funds for tin mining on the holding of a 90-day consultation period between the company and the work force employed in the tin mines.

The content of the numerous discussions with Carnon Holdings Limited is confidential. The terms and conditions of employment in Carnon, including redundancy payments and pension rights, are a matter for the company.

To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints he has received about the use of petroleum coke in domestic fireplaces; whether the sulphur emissions of this fuel conform to the recommended levels; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 18 April 1991]: My Department has received representations from 13 organisations seeking controls on the supply of petroleum coke for domestic use. We have received very few complaints from users of this fuel.The maximum sulphur content of fuels authorised for use in smoke control areas is 2 per cent. I understand that some varieties of petroleum coke have a higher sulphur content.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will obtain for his Department's library a copy of the Evening Standard "London Life" article by Keith Dovkants and Bruce Kemble of 16 April.

The Department regularly purchases the Evening Standard, including the edition referred to. Relevant articles are placed in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list for each of the years from 1984 to 1990 the number of special classes or units in (a) primary schools in each local education authority and express this as a proportion of all primary schools in the local education authority and (b) secondary schools in each local education authority and express this as a proportion of all secondary schools in the local education authority;(2) if he will list for each of the years from 1984 to 1990 the number of pupils with statements on the register of special classes in each local education authority

This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy on the appointment of school heads without the use of inspectors' reports.

The selection of head teachers is a matter for local education authorities and governing bodies in schools without delegated budgets, and for governing bodies, after considering any advice from the chief education officer, in schools with delegated budgets. In reaching decisions the Government would expect LEAs and schools to take account of all relevant considerations.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report pupil-teacher ratios for primary and secondary schools in England and Wales.

The pupil-teacher ratios within maintained primary and secondary schools in England in January 1990 were 22·0 and 15·3 respectively. Similar information for Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list figures for (a) recurrent and (b) capital spending by the Government on adult education for each year since 1978–79 in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms indexed so that 1978–79 equals 100.

Central Government expenditure in respect of adult education bodies, REPLAN and PICKUP, is given in the tables. It is not possible to express expenditure in real terms, indexed so that 1978–79 equals 100. Instead the figures are given in cash terms and at 1978–79 prices.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what number of higher education academic and non-academic staff have (a) taken early retirement and (b) accepted redundancy in each year since 1978–79; and what was the total cost to the Government for higher education academic and non-academic staff taking early retirement or accepting redundancy for each year since 1978–79 in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms indexed so that 1978–79 equals 100.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were staff-student ratios at (a) universities, (b) polytechnics and (c) colleges of higher education in each year since 1978–79.

Data are not available in the form requested for 1978–79. Student-staff ratios are given in the table for universities, polytechnics and other establishments. Data are given for higher education (HE) and further education (FE) separately and together (ALL) for polytechnics and other establishments.

Available information for universities is shown in the table. This relates to claims met by the University Grants Committee and the Universities Funding Council for reimbursement of premature retirement and redundancy compensation since 1978–79. Information is not collected centrally about premature retirements and redundancies funded from universities' own resources.Costs of early retirement and redundancy in polytechnics and higher education colleges were met, up to1988–89, from the redundancies/premature retirement compensation schemes advanced further education open pool. Available information for the years 1982–83 to 1987–88 is as follows:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list figures for the average salary of full-time lecturers at (a) universities, (b) polytechnics and (c) colleges of higher education for each year since 1978–79 in (i) cash terms and (ii) real terms, indexed so that 1978–79 equals 100;(2) if he will list figures for the average rise in salary of full-time lecturers at