To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department how many provincial stipendiary magistrates were in office on 1 December 1970, 1980, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1992 respectively: and if he will give the names of the courts outside London which now have full-time stipendiaries assigned to them.

The number of stipendiary magistrates in post on 1 December was:

	Number
1970	11
1980
1985	13
1986	14
1987
1988
1991	26

The courts outside inner London which have full-time stipendiaries based at them are:

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department (1) how many full-time women judges there are currently on the Wales and Chester circuit; how many there were at the end of each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement;(2) how many full-time women judges there are currently on

The total numbers of circuit judges, and the numbers of female circuit judges, on each circuit at the beginning of each of the last five calendar years and as at 1 May are set out in the table. The Lord Chancellor appoints to each judicial post the candidate who appears to him to be best qualified to fill it regardless of sex or other factors. He has repeatedly made clear his wish to appoint more women to judicial office. The composition of the bench at any one time is, however, dependent on the composition of the legal profession in the age groups from which appointments are made.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department what plans the Lord Chancellor has in relation to each magistrates court on the Wales and Chester circuit; and if he will make a statement.

My noble and learned Friend will continue to encourage each magistrates court in England and Wales to provide an efficient and high-quality system of local justice. Under the Justices of the Peace Act 1979, it is for magistrates courts committees, in consultation with the relevant local authorities, to identify the best use of courthouse accommodation in their areas. The proposals set out in the White Paper "A New Framework for Local Justice"—Cm 1829—will strengthen their ability to carry out this responsibility.

To ask the Parliamentary Secretary, Lord Chancellor's Department if he will give the location and tier of each Crown court on the Wales and Chester circuit, and when it started to try indictable criminal cases whether as Crown court or assizes/quarter sessions; what plans the Lord Chancellor has in relation to each; and if he will make a statement.

The location and tier of Crown court centres on the Wales and Chester circuit are as follows:

(a) First Tier Centres

• Caernarfon, Cardiff, Chester, Mold, Swansea.

(b) Second Tier Centres

• Carmarthen, Merthyr Tydfil. Newport (Gwent), Welshpool.

(c) Third Tier Centres

• Dolgellau, Haverforclwest, Knutsford, Warrington.

The jurisdiction to try indictable offences was transferred to the Crown court sitting at these locations following the implementation of the Courts Act 1971 on 1 January 1972, save for Warrington where jurisdiction was conferred in July 1977. To research the dates when jurisdiction to try indictable criminal cases was conferred at the above locations at assize or quarter sessions would involve disproportionate cost.The Lord Chancellor, through his senior management, constantly reviews the operational needs of the circuits in relation to both criminal and civil business. There are no changes planned in relation to utilisation of the court centres listed above save for the major refurbishment work currently under way at the Crown court centre at Chester, and similar work planned for the Cardiff and Caernarfon court centres.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to compensate Customs and Excise staff who will lose their jobs as a direct result of the ending of customs controls between members of the European Community on 1 January 1993.

The implementation of the single market in January 1993 means that routine physical controls on intra-EC freight traffic at the frontier will cease, and be replaced by audit-based checks at importers' offices inland. Customs and Excise hopes to find other jobs within the Department for the great majority of staff affected by the changes. If some redundancies are necessary for non-mobile staff, they will be entitled to compensation payments under section 10 of the principal civil service pension scheme.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many persons over the age of 60 years have been newly employed by the civil service since August 1990.

About 330 people aged 60 and over were recruited to the non-industrial home civil service between 1990 and December 1991, inclusive.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer in terms of revenue forgone in a full year of the rent-a-room scheme outlined in the Conservative party manifesto under which home owners will be able to let rooms to lodgers without liability to tax on the rent they receive.

The Exchequer cost of any rent-a-room scheme would depend on the scope and details of the particular scheme.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil service posts have been relocated from the south-east of England to elsewhere in the United Kingdom since 1979.

Around 29,000. Of these nearly 6,000 were moved between 1979 and 1987 as part of the centrally directed programme and a similar number are estimated to have been moved at Departments' own initiative. Under the delegated approach which has operated since March 1988 a further 17,000 civil service posts have been located or relocated outside the south-east.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will call for a report on the availability of forms for claiming repayment of tax on bank or building society interest.

The Inland Revenue tells me that repayment claim forms are available from the 24 new offices set up to handle repayment claims work. Requests for claim forms can also be made to local tax offices which will forward these to the new offices. Claim forms are issued by post. normally within a few days of the request.

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a breakdown of the amounts paid to Her Majesty's civil list for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

[holding answer 15 May 1992]: In accordance with the Civil List (Increase of Financial Provision) Order 1990—SI 1990/2018—Her Majesty the Queen receives £7·9 million each calendar year for her civil list.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what discussions he has held with civil service unions about museum and gallery opening hours.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will list the monuments which have been raised at public expense in (a) London and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom to General de Gaulle or the Free French Forces.

There are no such monuments whose cost has been met by central Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if he will make a statement on his conclusions regarding the recent report by the Reviewing Committee on the Export of Works of Art.

[holding answer 14 May 1992]: I am considering the report and hope to make a statement shortly.

To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage what was the result of his predecessor's meeting with the consultative group on the export of works of art after 1992 in relation to the problems of Bohemian wood carvings stolen from ecclesiastical buildings in Czechoslovakia; and if he will make a statement.

[holding answer 11 May 1992]: Following the then Minister for the Arts' meeting with the consultative group, a letter was sent to the art trade organisations and to the auction houses requesting their co-operation should any items be offered for sale which would appear to have come from a church in Czechoslovakia. In response to a request from a member of the art trade, my office has since asked the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to obtain details from the Government of Czechoslovakia of any particular items which might have been stolen in order to assist in identification. A response is awaited.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will now make it the policy of Her Majesty's Government to accord the same degree of official recognition to the territorial sees and titles of the Roman Catholic Church in England and in Wales as is accorded to the unestablished Anglican churches outside England; and if he will make a statement on the situation in Northern Ireland.

Official recognition for Roman Catholic territorial titles was precluded under Acts of 1829 and 1851, the penal provisions of which were repealed in 1871 and 1978. Since it was raised with me by Sir Hugh Rossi in the last Parliament I have been looking sympathetically at the matter and my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary will now be consulting the relevant Church authorities about the practices to be adopted in future.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the outcome of initiatives taken by the Security Council of the United Nations in relation to Lockerbie and Libya.

The United Nations Secretary-General has tried to persuade Libya to comply with United Nations Security Council resolutions 731 and 748, including sending emissaries several times to Libya. Libya has rebutted these efforts and has not complied with the resolutions.

To ask the Prime Minister why the new article 123 inserted by the Maastricht treaty which provides for the salaries of the President and members of the EC Commission to be determined by majority vote, was inserted under title IV, which relates to amendments to the treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Authority; and if he will make a statement.

Article I(7) of the treaty on European union reproduces the provisions of article 6 of the treaty establishing a single Council and single Commission of the European Commission of the European Communities—the "merger treaty"—signed on 8 April 1965—see schedule 1.I(5) to the European Communities Act 1972—and incorporates them into the text of the European Atomic Energy Committee treaty. Identical provisions are to be found in articles G(47), amending the European Coal and Steel Community treaty. This is a matter of textual consolidation only; the legal position will remain as it has been since the entry into force of the merger treaty.

To ask the Prime Minister whether he regards the principle of subsidiarity as applicable in any way to the relationship between London and Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are fully committed to the Union between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, while recognising the need for arrangements which reflect the distinctive interests of its component parts.

To ask the Prime Minister if he intends to be present at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development for its final two days in June.

I propose to attend the latter part of the Rio conference. I am currently finalising the details of my programme which will be announced shortly.

To ask the Prime Minister what proposals on environment protection Her Majesty's Government plan to put forward at the G7 summit of leading industrialised nations in Munich in July.

We will propose that the G7 should take effective follow-up action to the Earth summit, including in the area of environmental protection.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoner custody officers have either resigned or been sacked, since the opening of the Wolds private prison on 6 April.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) cell fires, (b) attempted suicides and (c) assaults on staff have taken place at the Wolds private prison since it opened in April.

None.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commission's initial proposals for Essex to be published.

I understand that the Boundary Commission for England has not yet decided when it will publish its provisional recommendations for the county of Essex, although it is likely that this will be towards the end of the review.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many constituencies would be created by the Boundary Commission if the present average number of electors in Scottish constituencies was applied to the whole of the United Kingdom.

This would depend on decisions taken by the boundary commissions when reviewing individual constituency boundaries. However, the approximate numbers, based on figures derived from the 1992 register of electors, are given in the table.

Country	Electorate	Quota	Number of seats
England	36,435,874	54,571	668
Wales	2,218,551	54,571	41
Scotland	3,929,112	54,571	72
Northern Ireland	1,141,466	54,571	21

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Members there would be representing each of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland on the basis of an average constituency throughout the United Kingdom of (a) 65,000 voters, (b) 70,000 voters and (c) 75,000 voters.

This would depend on decisions taken by the boundary commissions when reviewing individual constituency boundaries. However, the approximate numbers, based on figures derived from the 1992 register of electors, are given in the table.

Country	Electorate	Quota	Number of seats
(a)
England	36,435,874	65,000	561
Wales	2,218,551	65,000	34
Scotland	3,929,112	65,000	60
Northern Ireland	1,141,466	65,000	18
(b)
England	36,435,874	70,000	521
Wales	2,218,551	70,000	32
Scotland	3,929,112	70,000	56
Northern Ireland	1,141,466	70,000	16
(c)
England	36,435,874	75,000	486
Wales	2,218,551	75,000	30
Scotland	3,929,112	75,000	52
Northern Ireland	1,141,466	75,000	15

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Boundary Commission to report its recommendations on parliamentary representation in Suffolk; and what account he expects to be taken of the possible ending of county boundaries.

I understand that the Boundary Commission for England has not yet decided when it will publish its provisional recommendations for Suffolk, although it is likely to be towards the middle part of the review. The commission will continue to take account of alterations to county boundaries.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of (a) men and (b) women from ethnic minorities in the United Kingdom who resigned from the Metropolitan police in each of the last five years; and what had been the average length of service.

The information is shown in the table:

Year	Men	Women	Total	Average length of service Years
1987	20	3	23	3·6
1988	9	3	12	4·0
1989	16	7	23	2·5
1990	11	2	13	4·9
1991	9	5	14	1·7

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to public funds for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available of keeping prisoners in police cells.

In the financial year 1991–92, a total of £94.7 million was paid to police forces for holding prisoners who should have been accommodated in Prison Service establishments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for the regulation of the private security industry.

I refer my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler) on 19 December 1991, at columns 247–48.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all categories of offence which still carry the death penalty.

The death penalty is still available for the following categories of offence:

(i) treason

(ii) piracy with violence

(iii) offences under the Armed Forces Act 1971 such as surrendering or abandoning a place or thing to the enemy and various offences with intent to assist the enemy.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to encourage organisations currently using live animals to move to humane medical testing techniques; and if he will make a statement.

The controls of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 already require that before any project licence is granted, the applicant must show that he or she has considered the possiblity of using alternatives not involving living animals for any of the procedures. The strict controls of the Act also require that laboratory animals are properly cared for and that suffering is minimised. The use of living animals in biomedical research has been declining for many years and the Act has given further impetus to this encouraging trend.In addition, the Home Office funds research into ways of reducing, refining or replacing the use of living animals in scientific procedures.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake a review of legislation controlling the use of live animals in testing non-medical products and procedures in United Kingdom laboratories.

The system of controls established by the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 on the use of living animals in research for whatever purpose is working well. The effectiveness of the controls is kept under constant review, both by the Home Office and its inspectorate, and the independent statutory Animal Procedures Committee.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the number of experiments licensed by the Home Office on live animals over the last five years listed under the purpose for which the experiment was conducted.

Project licences issued by the Home Office authorise whole programmes of research which may involve a number of procedures carried out experimental purposes. The numbers of project licences granted by the Home Office are included in the annual reports of the Animal Procedures Committee. The number and purposes of individual procedures started each year can be found in the annual publication "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals: Great Britain". Copies of these publications are in the Library of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make an announcement or decision on his study of the report submitted to his predecessor, the right hon. Member for Mole Valley (Mr. Baker), by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the case of Derek Bentley.

This report is receiving careful consideration. I shall decide as soon as possible on whether any action on my part is appropriate in this case.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state his policy towards the financing of the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service.

The Government are not satisfied with the way in which UKIAS' executive committee and general council oversee the service and have been pressing for changes to bring it in line with the standards expected of an organisation which receives grant in aid. In January 1992 my hon. Friend the Member for Fareham (Mr. Lloyd) told UKIAS that its refugee unit was to be transferred to a new body and that it had three months in which to introduce reforms to the remainder of the organisation if it were to continue receiving Government grant. The necessary changes have not been made and the Government are now considering the future arrangements for funding advice and representation for people with rights of appeal under immigration legislation.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress the Government have made in their negotiations with Sweden on corresponding offences under the Football Spectators Act 1989.

I am pleased to confirm that the Football Spectators (Corresponding Offences in Sweden) Order 1992 comes into force today. This has the effect of enabling the courts in England and Wales to impose restriction orders in respect of football-related convictions in Sweden.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures are available on the number of homeless people who voted in the last general election; what changes will be made to the provisions that exist for homeless people to register; and what guidelines are given to electoral registration officers.

[holding answer 15 May 1992]:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy at future international gatherings to promote universal suffrage.

The United Kingdom takes every opportunity to promote the principles of democracy, including the right to vote at periodic elections, on the basis of universal and equal suffrage, and will continue to do so in all appropriate fora.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the improvement of human rights in Ethiopia since the fall of the Mengistu Government.

Human rights have improved since the fall of Mengistu. Freedom of expression has largely been restored and there is a commitment, enshrined in the July 1991 charter, to hold regional and national elections. Not surprisingly after an extended civil war, there remains great concern. We continue to discuss with Ethiopian authorities their internal security systems, instances of disfranchisement and delays in strengthening the judicial system.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to restrict the level of arms sales in the middle east.

We are playing an active role in discussions of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council about restraining the level of arms exports to the middle east. The five have agreed guidelines governing such exports, and will be discussing mechanisms for confidential consultations at their next meeting in Washington on 28 and 29 May.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Malawian Government about the increased human rights abuses perpetrated by the authorities in Malawi; and if he will make a statement.

Together with EC partners, we have made four démarches to the Malawi Government in recent months. Our démarches addressed both individual cases and Malawi's human rights record in general.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of political prisoners about which Her Majesty's Government had made representations over the last two years to the Government of Malawi.

We have on numerous occasions made representations on behalf of all political prisoners and detainees in Malawi both bilaterally and together with our EC partners. We have also raised the cases of the following individuals: Orton and Vera Chirwa, Dr. Jack Mapanje, Smon Mhane and Chakufwa Chihana. Dr. Mapanje and Mr. Mhane have since been released.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Guatemalan authorities the case of Father Ventura Lux; and if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on violations of human rights in Guatemala.

We are trying to find out more about the case of Father Ventura Lux. We have raised our concerns about human rights with the Guatemalan authorities on a number of occasions. We believe President Serrano is seeking to improve matters. But, in the circumstances of Guatemala, he faces a difficult task. We will continue to press for improvements.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to promote more activity within the United Nations to restrict trade in instruments of torture.

The United Kingdom supports the work of the UN special rapporteur on torture and encourages states to accede to the UN convention against torture, and to respect its provisions. Universal acceptance of the convention would remove all trade in instruments of torture.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are taken to investigate human rights records of countries that seek to buy instruments of torture.

We oppose torture anywhere and monitor the human rights records of countries thought to practice it. We take seriously any allegations of equipment being exported from the United Kingdom intended for use in torture.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action is taken in United Kingdom embassies and consulates around the world to monitor human rights abuses by regimes who may be involved in the trade of instruments of torture within the United Kingdom.

All United Kingdom diplomatic posts monitor and report on the human rights situation in the countries to which they are accredited.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the proposed budget for the inauguration ceremony of (a) the new Hong Kong governor and (b) the new Bermudan governor.

The costs of the inaugurion ceremonies will be borne by (a) the Hong Kong Government and (b) the Government of Bermuda.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the rules for ceremonial dress of governors, high commissioners and ambassadors serving overseas were drawn up; and when they were last revised.

The rules for ceremonial dress are based on custom and practice which predate the creation of the diplomatic service in 1964. The last review of the need for uniform was conducted in 1969 when all heads of mission were consulted about local protocol requirements.Since then, the wearing of uniform has been considered on a case-by-case basis taking account of the views of the outgoing incumbent of the post.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what will be the total cost of equipping the new governor of Bermuda; and what items of ceremonial dress are involved.

A total of £7,200. The items involved are a full dress tropical uniform, and a full dress blue uniform, to include plumes, button, hat, gloves, shoes and sword.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what official vehicles are provided for the governors of Hong Kong and Bermuda.

These are the responsibilities of the Hong Kong Government and the Government of Bermuda. All costs are borne by the respective Governments.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the European Community countries to which no official visit has been made by Her Majesty the Queen; what approaches have been received from these countries concerning such a visit; and if he will make a statement.

Her Majesty the Queen has not made official visits to either Greece or the Republic of Ireland. I am not aware of approaches from either country for visits by Her Majesty.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those articles of the treaty of Rome that are subject to amendment by the Maastricht treaty, setting out the original article alongside the amended article and providing an explanation in each case as to the meaning and effect of the amendment.

Title II of the Maastricht treaty on European union contains those provisions of the treaty which amend the treaty of Rome. Those articles amending the treaty of Rome are described as "replacing" existing articles. A number of new articles are required to be "inserted" into the existing treaty. Some existing articles are to be repealed.The implications of the treaty have been discussed at length in parliamentary debates before and after the Maastricht European Council. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs submitted a detailed analysis to the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee for its report on "Europe after Maastricht". A similar memorandum from Her Majesty's Treasury was submitted to the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's inquiry into economic and monetary union. These have been published by HMSO.

To ask the Attorney-General what was the number of days worked by provincial stipendiary magistrates in 1991; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The number of days worked by provincial stipendiary magistrates was approximately 5,000. Precise figures are not maintained centrally. On 31 December 1991 there were 26 provincial stipendiaries in post, of whom eight were appointed during that year.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much is currently being allocated by the Overseas Development Administration for immunisation programmes for children; and if he will make it his policy to support the goal of complete immunisation of children by the year 2000.

The ODA spent some £61 million on bilateral health sector assistance in 1990, the latest year for which figures are available. These figures do not identify expenditure specifically on immunisation programmes.We continue to support the immunisation goals contained in the plan of action of the 1990 world summit for children. Our 1992 annual grant to UNICEF, which funds immunisation and other programmes, is the highest ever at £9.5 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much is currently being invested by the Overseas Development Administration to improve the institutional and regulatory framework for environmental management in third world countries.

The ODA attaches importance to the strengthening of the institutional and regulatory framework for environmental management in developing countries. For example, the ODA is funding a study, costing approximately £230,000, of the air pollution problems in Mexico City to assist the Government of Mexico to introduce regulatory mechanisms to control such pollution. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development will write to the hon. Member giving further examples of our activities.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is currently being given by the Overseas Development Administration to assist the process of monitoring the state of the environment and public health in third world countries.

The ODA has been involved in a number of projects which assist developing countries to monitor the state of their environment. For example, we are working in Ghana and Nigeria to establish the local environment protection council and the federal environmental protection agency respectively, to implement their national environmental protection plans. We have also undertaken studies to summarise information on the state of the environment in a number of developing countries, and have conducted country studies on global environmental issues like climate change and ozone depletion.Our health sector assistance concentrates on strengthening the management and delivery of basic health services, to meet priority health needs. The global monitoring of public health levels in developing countries is concentrated within the World Health Organisation and other United Nations agencies, to which we arc major contributors.We also fund the training in the United Kingdom of developing country nationals in, for example, environmental pollution control, waste management and epidemilogy.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of the Ethiopian Government regarding the application of good government criteria for British aid to Ethiopia; and if he will make a statement.

Good government is essential for sustainable development. We have made it clear to the Ethiopian Government that future aid programme levels will be influenced, as elsewhere, by considerations of good government and human rights.Good government is also important in its own right and is part of our regular dialogue with the Ethiopian authorities. For example, the British chargé d'affaires, with EC colleagues, presented an EC démarche of 27 March pressing for peaceful political dialogue and supporting the process of democratisation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attempts are being made by Her Majesty's Government to co-ordinate an international aid freeze on support going into Malawi until human rights abuses are ended and investigated.

We are in close touch with our European Community partners and other donors, among whom our concern about human rights in Malawi is widely shared. Last week's consultative group meeting for Malawi, held under World bank auspices in Paris, clearly demonstrated the determination of donors to limit new commitments of aid, other than humanitarian assistance in response to the current drought, pending tangible and continuing improvement of the Malawi Government's performance in this area.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on forestry with the Government of Malaysia.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development held discussions on 15 May with a delegation led by the Malaysian Minister of Primary Industries, Dr. Lim Keng Yaik. The two Ministers signed a memorandum of understanding on co-operation for the conservation, management and development of forest resources, copies of which has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education if he will agree to meet a deputation of parents and staff from Hearnville school, Balham, before he considers the application by Wandsworth council to close the school; and if he will make a statement.

The hon. Member's constituents have already taken the opportunity to make their views known in the usual way by lodging statutory objections to the closure proposal, and by voting for the school to apply for grant-maintained status. My right hon. Friend will of course take all representations into account when he considers the proposals.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what are the pupil-teacher ratios upon which education policy is based.

The allocation of resources, including teachers, is a matter for local management decision. The Government do not, therefore, set policy objectives for pupil-teacher ratios—PTRs. However, when determining its own education policies it takes account of the most recent data on PTRs as reported by schools and local education authorities. The latest PTR is for 1991 at 17.2:1 overall for maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what guidelines are given to schools as distinct from local education authorities on what proportions of their budgets should be held back for contingencies; and how a school's spending record determines future funding allocations.

The Department has not issued any such guidelines. Responsibility for the management of a school's budget rests with the governing body and decisions of this sort will need to be taken in the light of the particular circumstances of the schools concerned.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has to broaden the remit and input of the School Examinations and Assessment Council and the National Curriculum Council; what consideration he is giving to merging them; and if he will make a statement.

The functions of the two councils are laid down by section 14 of the Education Reform Act 1988 and their current priorities are set out in their corporate plans. My right hon. Friend is currently considering their future relationship.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what meetings have taken place between his Department, the Welsh Development Agency, Inmos and its parent company SGS-Thomson concerning the proposed relocation of the company.

Several.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total amount in receipts received by the Welsh Development Agency in 1991–92; and how much of this total was capital receipts.

Total receipts for 1991–92 were £69·7 million, of which £33.3 million were capital receipts.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list for each district social services area in Wales the number of households awaiting a call to consider the need for handicapped aids and adaptations; and what is the average period before a call is made.

This information is not held centrally.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many opencast coal applications are (a) outstanding and (b) imminent in Alyn and Deeside; if he will list the locations in each case; and if he will make a statement.

Applications for planning permission for opencast coal mining are the responsibility of Clwyd county council as minerals planning authority. The information requested is not held centrally but one proposal in Alyn and Deeside, for opencast mining at Bannel Bridge, south of Buckley, is currently before me on appeal.

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the names of appointments that are presently in office that he has made, giving the period for which the appointment was made and any relevant qualifications of the appointees.

[holding answer 11 May 1992]: The table lists those public appointments made since my replies of 12 December and 19 December 1991, Official Report, column 534–39 and 272–82 respectively.

Name	Current appointment ends
PUBLIC APPOINTMENTS
CARDIFF BAY DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION
Deputy Chairman:
Councillor Lord Brooks of Tremorfa	6 May 1993
Members:
Mrs. Honor Chapman, CBE	2 April 1995
Councillor Paddy Kitson	6 May 1993
Professor Richard Silverman	2 April 1995
Mr. James Beveridge	2 April 1995
WELSH DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
Member:
Mr. E. Glyn Davies	31 March 1995
COUNTRYSIDE COUNCIL FOR WALES
Member:
Mr. Brian Thomas	4 November 1995
DEVELOPMENT BOARD FOR RURAL WALES
Chairman:
Mr. E. Glyn Davies	31 March 1995
Members:
Mr. Robert Gee	24 April 1995
Councillor Veronica Hollis	24 April 1995
Mr. Jeffrey Morgan	24 April 1995
Mr. Hywell Roberts	24 April 1995
Councillor E. J. K. Shaw	24 April 1995
Councillor Roger Williams	24 April 1995
Mrs. Christine Lewis	24 April 1995
WALES TOURIST BOARD
Member:
Mr. E. Glyn Davies	31 March 1995
SPORTS COUNCIL FOR WALES
Member:
Mr. D. R. Turner	31 March 1993
FAMILY HEALTH SERVICE AUTHORITIES
DYFED
Non-Executive Member:
Mrs. Brenda L. Davies	30 November 1992
POWYS
Non-Executive Member:
Mrs. Patricia A. Antill	31 March 1994
DISTRICT HEALTH AUTHORITIES
PEMBROKESHIRE
Chairman:
Capitain Henry W. Phillips	31 July 1992
Non-Executive Member:
Mr. Gerald Henry Monte	31 October 1992
WEST GLAMORGAN
Chairman:
Mr. P. D. Allen, CBE	31 July 1992
STANDING NURSING AND MIDWIFERY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Mr. M. J. Vince	31 March 1996

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he proposes to announce the next renewables order as part of the non-fossil fuel obligation in England and Wales.

I have this under review.

To ask the President of the Boa rd of Trade if he will make it his policy to employ as accountancy or auditing firms, in relation to the privatisation of British Coal, only such firms as have not been subject to criticism in re ports from his Department's inspectors.

When making such appointments my Department makes such inquiries as are necessary to establish the professional competence of the firm concerned and takes all relevant considerations into account.

To ask the President of the Board of Trade when he received a copy of the report on the operation of Euratom safeguards, SEC (92)80 final, from the European Commission;and what contribution the former Department of Energy made to the report.