asked Her Majesty's Government:How many convicted prisoners who have been in prison continuously for 15 years or more are currently serving prison sentences.

On 31st January 1981 there were 41 persons in Prison Department establishments in England and Wales who had been in custody for a continuous period of 15 years or more since their first reception.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why new General Orders were issued to the Metropolitan Police "Police and Immigration Service liaison to trace illegal entrants and overstayers" (OG 35/79/6 (A.3(2)) on 5th September last, when the Home Secretary only announced the conclusions of his review of "passport raids" on 12th December.

The timing of the publication of orders to the Metropolitan Police is a matter for the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis. The review carried out by my right honourable friend examined carefully the procedures adopted by both the police and the Immigration Service in searching for illegal entrants and overstayers and involved discussions with the Association of Chief Police Officers and others. The commissioner's order was taken into account in the circular that was issued to chief officers in England, Scotland and Wales on completion of the review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will establish an inquiry into the treatment of Errol Madden, a West Indian of 18, who was arrested by police at 2 a.m. when walking home, having missed the last bus, charged with stealing two model cars, interrogated until 5.15 a.m. at Battersea Police Station, signed a confession of guilt (alleged by him to have been dictated by the police), and then found to be in possession of a receipt showing that he had bought the model cars, with the result that he was discharged as innocent next morning in court.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that an investigation into the circumstances of the case has been put in hand and that he has since received a complaint against the police on behalf of Mr. Madden. The matter is, therefore, now being dealt with in accordance with the statutory complaints procedures. It would not be appropriate for Ministers to intervene in the arrangements provided by law for the investigation and consideration of such complaints.

asked Her Majesty's Government:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they can give estimates of the respective costs of the Trident I missile system and the Polaris system.

The capital cost of the Polaris force in the 1960s was £330 million at then current prices. The estimated capital cost of the Trident programme is about £5 billion at September 1980 prices. The figure of £330 million is equivalent to £2 billion at September 1980 prices. This figure does not, of course, include the Chevaline modification to Polaris.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of the fact that the Department of Agriculture for Scotland keep statistics showing the areas of rough grazings and hill land, they can now state what proportion of such land in the District of Caithness is covered by Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs); and when the further 36 Sites extending to 13,959 acres now under consideration are notified, what percentage of the rough grazing area will then be covered by SSSIs.

There are some 120,000 ha (296,500 acres) of rough grazing in Caithness. Precise information as to how much of this area is covered by the existing Sites of Special Scientific Interest is not recorded and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, but on an approximate estimate it may amount to something like 10 per cent. No estimate can be made at present of the extent of rough grazing covered by the Sites not yet notified.House adjourned at twenty-nine minutes before ten o'clock.