To ask the Secretary of State for National Heritage if she will list the awards from the Millennium Commission announced this week and also the applications refused, broken down by region. [148191

[holding answer 7 February 1997]: This is a matter for the Millennium Commission. I shall write to my hon. Friend in my capacity as chairman of the commission and place copies of my reply in the Libraries of the House.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the Sheffield schools which have received funds from the Government schools renewal challenge fund. [18264]

We have made the following allocations to Sheffield local education authority under the schools renewal challenge fund:

Waltheof school (£1,251,000)

Earl Marshall school/Owler Brook nursery infant school (£96,000)

Reorganisation of special educational need provision (involving Firth park secondary school, Angram bank primary school and Ecclesfield secondary school) (£150,000).

Additionally, we have recently issued Sheffield with supplementary credit approvals for the following two schools:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answer of 26 February, Official Report, column 265, what is her estimate of the number of people who would benefit from an extension of the jobmatch scheme to (a) all people unemployed for two years or more and (b) those aged over 50 years unemployed for two years or more. [18980]

In January 1997, the number of people who had been unemployed for at least two years was just over 390,000, of whom some 90,000 were over the age of 50. Our experience of the jobmatch pilots has suggested that up to 10 per cent. would take advantage of the jobmatch programme. However, that is not necessarily an accurate guide to likely take-up among particular groups, such as people over 50.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what percentage of bills to her Department were paid (a) in accordance with agreed contractual conditions and (b) within 30 days of receiving goods and services or the presentation of a valid invoice where no contractual conditions applied in the last year for which figures are available. [18811]

[holding answer 6 March 1997]: I refer to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for Bury St. Edmunds (Mr. Spring) on 17 December 1996, Official Report, columns 506–07. Any additional information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if he will place in rank order the number and percentage of school pupils who are (a) statemented and (b) awaiting statementing in each local education authority in England. [19304]

The following table shows the number of school pupils with statements, and this number expressed as a percentage of total school pupils, attending school in each local education authority in January 1996. Figures are taken from returns to the Department in the annual schools census. For any particular LEA, they will include pupils with statements placed by other LEAs, and exclude such pupils placed by the LEA in other LEA areas. Information on numbers of pupils awaiting statements is not collected centrally.

Pupils with statements in schools by Local Education Authority area in England—January 1996
LEA	Number	Percentage
Doncaster	2,470	4.59
St. Helens	1,399	4.52
Cornwall	3,113	4.19
Wigan	2,112	4.12
Cumbria	3,222	4.00
Norfolk	4,368	3.83
Shropshire	2,662	3.76
Wandsworth	1,288	3.68
Lancashire	8,472	3.57
Greenwich	1,391	3.56
Islington	887	3.52
Hammersmith	703	3.52
Devon	5,497	3.46
East Sussex	3,619	3.46
Derbyshire	5,360	3.42
Tower Hamlets	1,252	3.41
Sunderland	1,785	3.39
Kirklees	2,244	3.35
Suffolk	3,473	3.31
Camden	955	3.28
Bury	1,041	3.27
Lincolnshire	3,180	3.25
Buckinghamshire	3,703	3.24
Durham	3,264	3.22
Leeds	3,896	3.20
Cheshire	5,354	3.19
Rotherham	1,463	3.18
Knowsley	963	3.18
Waltham	1,117	3.11
Surrey	5,156	3.10
Avon	4,817	3.08

Pupils with statements in schools by Local Education Authority area in England—January 1996
LEA	Number	Percentage
North Tyneside	1,015	3.05
Wirral	1,808	3.03
Isle of Wight	594	3.03
Stockport	1,464	3.02
Hampshire	7,454	3.01
Lewisham	1,090	3.01
Bromley	1,426	3.00
Kent	7,844	2.98
Barnsley	1,054	2.98
Hillingdon	1,207	2.96
Somerset	2,234	2.92
Lambeth	835	2.90
Hackney	865	2.90
Sefton	1,495	2.86
Berkshire	3,849	2.86
Liverpool	2,494	2.85
West Sussex	3,129	2.84
Hereford and Worcester	3,110	2.78
Hounslow	1,007	2.78
Leicestershire	4,291	2.78
Gloucestershire	2,481	2.77
Bedfordshire	2,736	2.76
Staffordshire	4,864	2.75
Cambridgeshire	3.060	2.74
Walsall	1,369	2.70
Tameside	1,048	2.70
Newcastle upon Tyne	1,260	2.69
Sutton	763	2.68
Northumberland	1,416	2.67
Hertfordshire	4,881	2.67
Havering	971	2.67
Southwark	1,029	2.65
South Tyneside	713	2.63
Wiltshire	2,463	2.63
Merton	708	2.57
Cleveland	2,744	2.56
Wakefield	1,458	2.54
Newham	1,121	2.51
Bolton	1,234	2.48
Dorset	2,477	2.46
Warwickshire	2,006	2.45
Harrow	810	2.44
Wolverhampton	1,089	2.39
Haringey	821	2.39
Kingston upon Thames	551	2.39
Sheffield	1,848	2.38
North Yorkshire	2,787	2.37
Birmingham	4,475	2.37
Northamptonshire	2,561	2.36
Manchester	1,798	2.33
Brent	892	2.30
Claderdale	821	2.30
Bexley	857	2.27
Essex	5,536	2.27
Barking	630	2.26
Oxfordshire	2,157	2.25
Humberside	3,352	2.22
Bradford	2,076	2.19
Coventry	1,152	2.16
Trafford	795	2.06
Gateshead	653	2.00
Solihull	775	1.98
Enfield	904	1.97
Dudley	971	1.93
Barnet	972	1.90
Ealing	876	1.83
Sandwell	961	1.80
Richmond upon Thames	482	1.80
Redbridge	718	1.75
Westminster	403	1.75
Salford	668	1.67
Croydon	905	1.65

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what is the capital borrowing allocation to (a) Lancashire and (b) Buckinghamshire for (i) 1997–98 and (ii) 1996–97. [19302]

The following table shows the education annual capital guidelines and supplementary credit approvals we have allocated to Lancashire and Buckinghamshire local education authorities in 1997–98 and 1996–97.

All figures in £'000s
	1997–98	1996–97
Lancashire
Annual Capital Guidelines	5,225	8,166
Supplementary Credit Approvals	826	1,224
Total	6,051	9,390
Buckinghamshire
Annual Capital Guidelines	4,235	10,140
Supplementary Credit Approvals	251	593
Total	4,486	10,733

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list by decile the household income of parents of students in the assisted places scheme for the most recent year for which figures are available. [19303]

The information is not readily available in the form requested. The following table gives figures, by decile and in bands to the nearest £250, relating to the relevant incomes of parents of pupils receiving help under the assisted places scheme in England in academic year 1995–96. Over 43 per cent. of assisted pupils in that year received a free place because their parents' income fell below the threshold of £9,572 for full fee remission.

Assisted Places Scheme: Academic Year 1995–96
Decile	Relevant incomes of assisted pupils' parents (£ per year)
Lowest	less than £250
Second	Between £251 and £3,500
Third	Between £3,501 and £6,000
Fourth	Between £6,001 and £8,250
Fifth	Between £8,251 and £10,500
Sixth	Between £10,501 and £12,750

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many school pupils had places under the assisted places scheme in (a) Burnley, (b) Pendle, (c) Rossendale, (d) Hyndburn, (e) Ribble Valley and (f) Blackburn in each year since 1992; and what was the total value of the payments made. [19580]

There are no schools participating in the assisted places schemes in the Burnley, Pendle, Rossendale, Hyndburn or Ribble Valley constituencies. The information requested is given in the following table in respect of the three participating schools in Blackburn:

Assisted Places Scheme in the Blackburn constituency
Academic Year	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96
Queen Elizabeth's Grammar School
Number of assisted pupils	260	261	267	270
Cost of places £000s	£726	£803	£832	£848
Stonyhurst College
Number of assisted pupils	35	34	37	37
Cost of places £000s	£161	£174	£215	£215
Westholme School
Number of assisted places	20	25	30	37
Cost of places £000s	£59	£75	£98	£125
Total number of places	315	320	334	344
Total cost £000s	£946	£1,052	£1,145	£1,188

Number and percentage of day pupils known to be eligible for free school meals in maintained primary and secondary schools in local education authority areas in England.
Position as at January in each year
	1995				1996
	primary		secondary		primary		secondary
	number	percentage	number	percentage	number	percentage	number	percentage
Corporation of London	119	54	0	0	116	54	0	0
Camden	4,808	43	2,857	27	4,950	44	3,088	28
Greenwich	8,376	39	5,209	37	8,596	40	5,397	40
Hackney	9,729	54	4,938	66	10,195	56	4,884	66
Hammersmith and Fulham	4,514	48	2,269	38	4,493	47	2,096	35
Islington	7,796	49	4,081	55	8,129	50	4,330	57
Kensington and Chelsea	2,797	44	1,290	41	2,960	45	1,364	43
Lambeth	8,941	47	3,460	53	8,907	47	3,366	52
Lewisham	8,103	38	4,400	40	8,284	38	4,668	43
South wark	10,911	48	5,209	57	10,921	48	5,147	56
Tower Hamlets	13,240	60	8,110	66	14,534	65	8,369	66
Wandsworth	6,360	36	3,190	35	6,359	35	3,346	36
Westminster	4,462	47	3,335	44	4,347	45	3,237	42
Barking and Dagenham	4,465	26	2,144	22	4,707	27	2,485	25
Barnet	4,330	18	2,844	15	5,119	21	3,112	16
Bexley	3,431	16	1,769	12	3,662	17	1,979	13
Brent	6,806	30	3,651	28	6,862	30	3,655	27
Bromley	4,099	18	2,426	14	4,395	18	2,683	15
Croydon	7,355	26	3,128	21	7,783	26	3,350	22
Ealing	7,038	27	4,491	32	6,576	24	4,143	29
Enfield	5,315	22	3,744	21	5,682	22	4,058	22
Haringey	7,945	39	4,073	42	8,668	41	4,404	44
Harrow	2,177	11	1,211	14	2,273	11	1,462	17
Havering	3,055	15	1,657	11	3,115	15	1,815	12

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment how many of the new registered nursery education inspectors under the voucher scheme are also providers of pre-school education. [19012]

This is a matter for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools. I have asked Mr. Chris Woodhead to write to the hon. Member.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment what was the total sum made available for each schools renewal challenge fund round to date; and if she will list those projects successful in each round and the sums allocated to them. [19035]

The total allocated in the first tranche of the schools renewal challenge fund was £29.5 million with a further £15.117 million in the second tranche.Details of individual allocations are in our press notices of 23 July 1996 and 5 February 1997, which are in the Library.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment if she will list the total percentage of pupils eligible for free school meals in each local education authority in England in each of the last two years for which figures are available, indicating separately the percentages for (a) primary and (b) secondary schools. [19557]

The information requested is shown in the following table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Employment, pursuant to her answers of 5 March, Official Report, columns 631–32, if Bradfield House school, Cullompton, has agreed to comply with its statutory requirements regarding its recent Office for Standards in Education report under sections 20 and 21 of the School Inspections Act 1996. [19637]

In response to my officials' letter dated 3 March warning the school that non-compliance would result in legal action, the Department has received written confirmation from the school that it will distribute the Ofsted report and produce an action plan in accordance with these statutory requirements.

To ask the Prime Minister how many of his answers to parliamentary questions in the last 12 months have exceeded the advisory cost limit; and if he will make a statement. [19337]

Where the cost of answering a particular parliamentary question is estimated to exceed £450, it is the general practice for Departments to make clear that the question could be answered only by incurring disproportionate cost. Given the number of questions tabled, it would be unreasonable for my office to calculate the exact cost of answering every single parliamentary question.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the reasons why he will not refer the subject of party finances to the committee chaired by Lord Nolan; and if he will make a statement. [19358]

The Home Affairs Select Committee has already considered the question of party funding.

To ask the Prime Minister what official engagements he undertook in Ayrshire on 28 February. [19405]

None.

To ask the Prime Minister if he will provide a breakdown by project of PFI schemes for which his office is responsible as identified in table 5.5 of the Red Book. [18928]

[holding answer 6 March 1997]: For these purposes, my office is part of the Cabinet Office. In 1996, the Cabinet Office let one PFI project—the provision of the Government's metropolitan telephone service, involving capital expenditure of £1.25 million in each of the years covered by table 5.5 of the Red Book. The figures for this project have been included in the totals given in the Red Book, but were not given a separate entry in table 5.5 where figures are shown to the nearest £10 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many countries have (i) discontinued and (ii) stated their intention to discontinue the use of anti-personnel land mines by their own forces. [18725]

Comprehensive information on this is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, based on information supplied by the International Committee of the Red Cross, we believe that 24 countries have discontinued the use of anti-personnel land mines by their own forces and a further 29 countries, including the UK, have stated their intention to do so when certain conditions are met.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on (a) the recent shelling of Tamil border villages in Vavuriya and Mannar districts by the Sri Lankan armed forces and (b) the flight of Tamil civilians from these areas; and if he will urge the Sri Lankan Government to cease the offensive and withdraw Sri Lankan forces from Tamil areas. [18868]

We have called on both sides to make every effort to avoid injuries to civilians during the current conflict. We understand that there were no civilian casualties during the Sri Lankan Government's most recent offensive. When I visited a camp for displaced Tamils in Northern Sri Lanka last year, I was granted uninhibited access to the inhabitants. The conditions were rudimentary but the inhabitants appeared clean, well fed and generally content. I was impressed by the valuable part British aid was playing in the Sri Lankan Government's continuing work to provide humanitarian supplies to those displaced by the conflict. We continue to support the Government's efforts to bring about a negotiated settlement to the ethnic conflict.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will take steps to facilitate talks between the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam and the Government of Sri Lanka by establishing modalities for such talks. [18871]

We have offered to facilitate talks, provided both sides agree. This offer remains on the table.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Sri Lankan President and Foreign Minister in regard to (a) the lifting of the restrictions presently placed on journalists travelling to the Tamil northern and eastern provinces, (b) the removal of the embargo on food and medicines on the Tamil people and (c) violations of the human rights of Tamil people by the army and security forces; and if he will consider the withdrawal of aid to the Government of Sri Lanka. [18869]

We regularly take opportunities to urge the Sri Lankan Government to maintain their commitment to press freedom; to continue to provide humanitarian supplies to those displaced by the conflict; and to give the highest priority to human rights issues, ensuring that violators are prosecuted. The British aid programme to Sri Lanka is for the benefit of all communities. A significant proportion supports people affected by the civil conflict.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government expect to ratify the additional protocols to the Geneva conventions. [19219]

We intend to ratify the additional protocols as soon as we can.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who instructed the UK assistant consul at New York to request an invitation to the celebration marking the 10th anniversary of the passing of the MacBride principles in New York; if the assistant consul attended the function; and if he will make a statement. [17958]

No-one instructed the consul—information, Northern Ireland—in New York to request an invitation. The consul attended the event in order to hear the views of the main speakers.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who instructed the UK consul in Seattle to write to members of the state legislature of Washington concerning the response of British companies if Washington state enacted legislation incorporating the MacBride principles; in how many US states the MacBride principles have been enacted; how many British companies have refused to invest because of the enactment of the MacBride principles; if he will list such companies and the relevant states; and if he will make a statement. [17957]

It is the long-standing policy of the Government to oppose the enactment of US federal and state legislation based on the MacBride principles, because such legislation is (a)unnecessary—the requirements of the 1989 Fair Employment Act being much more stringent and precise—and (b) a potential deterrent to trade and investment with Northern Ireland. All Northern Ireland political parties represented at Westminster are opposed to MacBride legislation. Macbride principles have been enacted in 15 states. We are not aware that such legislation has yet affected the operations of British companies in the United States, but remain concerned at its potential to damage trade and investment in either direction.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many tapes were recorded by each of the staff present in the emergency control room at HMP Whitemoor on the evening of 9 September 1994; and when each of these tapes were made available to (a) the police, (b) the Woodcock inquiry and (c) other investigative bodies. [16866]

Three video recorders were in operation in the emergency control room at Her Majesty's prison Whitemoor on the evening of 9 September 1994. The Cambridgeshire constabulary took possession of the three video tapes from those recorders on 9 and 10 September in the course of their investigation of the escape. The Woodcock inquiry was given access to the video tapes at the outset of its work at Whitemoor and was subsequently provided with a copy of them. The video tapes have not been made available to any other investigative body.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has issued on the methods of listening to telephone calls made on mobile and cordless telephones which are classified as interceptions under the Interception of Communications Act 1985 following the definition of the interception of a telephone call in the Court of Appeal in R v. Ahmed (29 March 1994) and the Judicial Committee of the House of Lords in R v. Effik (1994). [18949]

My Department issued no such guidance in the light of those judgments.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what protection exists for citizens in respect of listening to telephone calls made on mobile and cordless telephones by a method falling outside that covered by the Interception of Communications Act 1985; and what assessment he has made of the compatibility of such protection with the Government's obligations under the provisions of articles 8 and 13 of the European convention on human rights. [18950]

Section 5 of the Wireless Telegraphy Act 1949 makes it an offence to use wireless telegraphy intending to obtain information as to the contents, sender or addressee of any message or to disclose any such information except in certain specified circumstances.I am satisfied that the Government's obligations under articles 8 and 13 of the European convention on human rights are met in respect of the interception of communications.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the amount of grant in respect of access for disabled people to polling stations; and if he will make a statement. [19228]

We encourage acting returning officers to apply to the Home Office for grants towards the cost of providing temporary ramps, where they cannot use as polling places buildings which afford easy access for the disabled. Grants are also available for specially adapted polling screens for use by the disabled. Funds for grants of this kind are not capped. Total expenditure on such grants since the last general election now stands at £175,400 compared with £17,948 at the 1992 general election.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he made to the Parliamentary Commissioner for external appointments regarding recent appointments and re-appointments to the Commission for Racial Equality. [19312]

We made contact with the Commissioner for Public Appointments to clarify the acceptability of a reappointment which I considered desirable.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will require appointees or re-appointees to the Commission for Racial Equality to declare their political affiliation. [19313]

We will follow the Commissioner for Public Appointments' guidance on appointments to executive non-departmental public bodies and national health service bodies which states that records should be kept

"of the political activities of candidates for appointment in so far as they are a matter of public record".

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if appointments and re-appointments to the Commission for Racial Equality are made in accordance with the Nolan rules for appointments to public bodies. [19311]

Yes.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests to and from the United Kingdom remain outstanding from each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement. [19024]

My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for extraditions to and from England and Wales and from Northern Ireland. The information in the first table relates to such cases.

Year	Outstanding requests to the United Kingdom	Outstanding requests from the United Kingdom
1987	0	1
1988	0	1
1989	1	1
1990	2	3
1991	5	2
1992	9	3
1993	6	2
1994	24	6
1995	38	13
1996	60	32

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extradition requests the United Kingdom (a) made and (b) received in the last year for which figures are available; how many were successful; if he will list the figures (i) by country and (ii) in total; and if he will make a statement. [19028]

My right hon. and learned Friend is responsible for extraditions to and from England and Wales and from Northern Ireland. The information in the table relates to such cases. The figures refer to extradition requests made and those received during 1996.In addition to the figures in the table, a further 15 persons were returned to countries other than the Republic of Ireland in the course of 1996 from requests made in previous years. A further nine persons were returned to the United Kingdom in the course of 1996 from countries other than the Republic of Ireland from requests made in previous years.Five of the requests made by the United Kingdom were withdrawn. Twenty-two of the requests made to the United Kingdom were withdrawn, and in two cases the fugitives concerned were discharged.

To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was Her Majesty's Government's policy on the proposed EU pilot scheme for the rehabilitation of prostitutes; and what is the current status of these proposals. [18087]

I have been asked to reply.In January 1996, the European Commission announced that it would grant funding to 86 projects—including a pilot scheme for prostitutes in Austria. The aims of the projects were similar to those covered by an earlier Commission proposal for a programme to combat social exclusion. The proposal was blocked by the UK and Germany in the Council, on the grounds of subsidiarity and value for money.The Government are opposed to the Commission's action, which has been taken without an adequate legal base. The Government have therefore challenged the expenditure in the European Court of Justice. We await the date of the oral hearing.

	1991–92	1992–93	1993–94	1994–95	1995–96
(a) Gross public expenditure
Percentage of spend on Basic Social Services (BSS)	10	9	10	9	9
Percentage of spend on BSS, including all Emergency Aid	18	17	21	22	17
(b) ODA programmes
Percentage of spend on BSS	11	11	11	11	11
Percentage of spend on BSS, including all Emergency Aid	20	20	23	27	21

The figures quoted are percentages of the UK bilateral programme which accounts for about half of total UK development assistance. Recipient countries also benefit from the UK's substantial contributions to the multilateral agencies.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contingency plans have been made to curtail the planned phased withdrawal of the United Nations Angola verification mission III from Angola should the provisions of the Lusaka protocol not be met before August. [19119]

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the scope, nature and extent of the aid (a)which has been made available to the Government of Sri Lanka during the past five years and (b)which is currently being made available.[18870]

The ODA has provided more than £42 million to Sri Lanka during the past five years.Our assistance helps to tackle national environmental problems; improve the quality of education, particularly at primary level; promote good government; and alleviate poverty. It has included a significant programme assisting internally displaced people of all ethnic origins who are affected by the civil conflict, which is channelled through Oxfam and Save the Children Fund. Last month, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister for Overseas Development approved a new £4 million phase of this programme. Support has also been provided through the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.In the current financial year, we expect to spend around £6 million.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 4 March, Official Report, columns 541–42, what percentage of the United Kingdom's (a) development assistance and (b) national overseas development budget has been spent in each of the last five years and is planned to be spent in the forthcoming year on basic social services; and if he will make a statement. [19352]

Assistance to poor people, including the provision of basic social services, is a key element in the ODA's efforts to help recipient countries in the fight against poverty. Levels of bilateral assistance in this area over the last five years are estimated as follows:

In his report of 7 February, the United Nations Secretary-General stated that the pace of the planned withdrawal of UNAVEM III should take into account the situation on the ground. He will keep the Security Council informed of any developments that may affect the withdrawal schedule.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government are making to UNITA in Angola to abide by the provisions of the Lusaka protocol. [19118]

My right hon. and noble Friend Baroness Chalker spoke to Dr. Savimbi during her visit to Angola in January and urged UNITA to fulfil without delay its remaining obligations under the Lusaka protocol. She continues to do so. Our ambassador in Angola takes every opportunity with senior members of UNITA to encourage full compliance. Representations also continue to be made at official level in London.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated number of UNITA personnel in Angola outside the UN quartering areas. [19117]

On 13 December, the UN Secretary-General's special representative in Angola declared, subject to certain reservations, that all UNITA's military tasks, including the quartering of troops, had been completed. As at 5 March, 26,513 personnel were registered as absent or deserted from the quartering areas.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on reports that personnel of UNITA of Angola are operating in support of Government forces within Zaire.[19120]

We are aware of these reports. If they are true, we deplore such UNITA involvement. We condemn any action which exacerbates the conflict in Zaire. We are warning both UNITA and the Government of Angola that military involvement in Zaire would not be in their, or anyone else's, interests.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what external finance limit has been set for the current financial year for the Commonwealth Development Corporation. [19686]