asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of those eligible to vote in parliamentary elections are 29 years of age or younger?

It is estimated that in mid-1979 about one-quarter of the United Kingdom population eligible to register were aged 29 or younger. The corresponding proportion for those registered is not known.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Pursuant to the reply of the Lord Belstead (

Records of individual cell losses, whether temporary or permanent, are not kept. At the end of the last three years the certified normal accommodation in England and Wales totalled 37,735 (1978), 38,494 (1979) and 38,930 (1980).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they believe that support for American policy on El Salvador is a proper touchstone of the strength of the western alliance.

The Government are aware of the concern of the United States Government about interference in the internal affairs of El Salvador, and have supported that Government in calling for it to end. This is one of many questions on which the United States Government properly consults closely with its western allies.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether their constant review of arrangements for British representation in Nicaragua has yet led them to believe that any changes are necessary; and if not, why not.

The question of diplomatic representation in Managua is still under consideration.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what extent the policy of limiting expenditure in the present economic situation will reduce the activities of Western European Union or prevent implementation of certain tasks assigned to it under the modified Brussels Treaty.

All member Governments of the Western European Union are aiming at limiting the 1981 budget to zero growth in real terms at most. Her Majesty's Government believe that it will be possible to accommodate this without loss of efficiency, and that it will not affect the continued implementation of the tasks required of the WEU under the modified Brussels Treaty.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they propose to take on the study conducted by the Standing Armaments Committee of Western European Union on how to achieve a truly European armaments policy.

The Standing Armaments Committee of Western European Union was instructed to make a descriptive analysis of the situation in the armaments industry in member countries; its work is complementary to work in the Independent European Programme Group which is still in progress. The Standing Armaments Committee's report has been presented to the Council of the Western European Union and is under study by member Governments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in view of the increasing traffic congestion in the area of Parliament Square they will now consider adopting "No-Go" measures for large tourist coaches and other heavy vehicles to facilitate the approaches to the Palace of Westminster and Westminster Abbey during the tourist season.

As I explained to the noble Lord last November, traffic regulation in London is the responsibility of the Greater London Council. Heavy lorries not requiring access are already banned from the central area of London, which includes Parliament Square. The exclusion of coaches from this area would be hard to justify because of its attraction to visitors. I understand that the view of the Metropolitan Police is that it is in fact the large number of pedestrians making their way to the Abbey and the Palace of Westminster, rather than coaches, that affects traffic conditions in the area of Parliament Square.

asked Her Majesty's Government:The present position regarding negotiations about the future of Cyprus.

Intercommunal talks under the auspices of the United Nations Secretary-General continue in Nicosia; the 19th meeting was held on 18th February. As I said on 2nd December, these talks are held in private; both parties continue to speak of the good and constructive atmosphere.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What statistics are available to indicate the rise in transport costs for goods and services to the retail trades from 1974.

Few statistics are available about retailers' transport costs because information is collected only periodically. Most recent information relates to 1978 from the 1978 Retailing Inquiry and to 1971 from the 1971 Census of Distribution. The only comparable information from these inquiries is given in the table below. For comparison retailing turnover is estimated to have increased by 163 per cent. between these two years:

	£ million
	1971	1978
Vehicle running costs	83	200
Amounts paid to other businesses for transport of goods, other than postal services	51	205

More detailed information can be obtained for 1971 from tables 50 and 51 in Business Monitor SD23 and for 1978 from table 15 in Business Monitor SDA25; copies of both these publications are available in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What grants are available to assist fishermen in the South West to buy new boats; how many grants from the EEC have been received, with figures in each case; and whether the general level of grants available compares favourably with other parts of the United Kingdom.

Grants for new fishing vessels are available from the White Fish Authority and Herring Industry Board at a rate of 25 per cent. of the approved cost of construction. Grant from the European Community has been available on a year by year basis at the same rate. No applications for European Community grant were received from the South West for the European Community Schemes in 1978 or 1979, but 3 were submitted in 1980. The Commission has not yet announced the results of the 1980 scheme.The rates of grant available under these schemes in the South West are the same as in the rest of Great Britain. In Northern Ireland grant is available for vessels of under 80 feet at 30 per cent. from the Department of Agriculture and the European Community grant has been 50 per cent.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How the Farm Animal Welfare Council is progressing with its work.

In its first 19 months, the Farm Animal Welfare Council has given valuable advice on a range of topics which include the harvesting of antlers in velvet and added legal safeguards for farm animals intended to be exported.The council is currently preparing its recommendations on revised welfare codes for pigs, cattle, domestic fowls and turkeys and will consider whether any of the provisions of the codes could more appropriately be covered by regulations. Its advice is expected shortly on the mutilation of animals for farming purposes and it is also reviewing the welfare of livestock at the place of slaughter, starting with poultry.The competence and thoroughness which the council has brought to its task has been impressive, as has been the wide range of topics that have engaged its attention.House adjourned at six minutes past nine o'clock.