asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, having waived their right to a hearing of the admissibility of an application by four Irish prisoners under the European Convention on Human Rights regarding restrictions, the Human Rights Commission is now available to mediate a friendly settlement; and whether this will be encouraged.

The Government informed the European Commission of Human Rights that they would not insist on deploying their arguments relating to the interpretation of Article 13 read either alone or together with any other Article of the European Convention on Human Rights at the admissibility stage. They made it clear, however, that they regarded those arguments as fully preserved so that they could be deployed during consideration of the merits of the complaints. This is understood by the commission. In the light of this, the commission has now formally declared the outstanding complaints in this case to be admissible. The Government will co-operate fully in the commission's investigation of them.If proposals were to be transmitted to the Government by the commission under Article 28(

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why it is that church buildings of historic significance or architectural merit in Northern Ireland do not qualify for financial assistance for restoration from public funds as do buildings of the same category in Great Britain.

The Planning (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 specifically excludes from financial aid a listed building used for ecclesiastical purposes. In 1977 consideration was given to changing the law but it was decided that, since funds would be more limited and the number of potentially competing claims proportionally larger than in Great Britain, no change should be made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish the report of the departmental scrutiny under the guidance of Sir Derek Rayner into the handling of applications for citizenship of the United Kingdom and Colonies, and whether they will make a statement.

My right honourable friend has arranged for copies of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses, together with a note of the action taken as a result of the report. The report made a number of detailed recommendations. A large proportion have been implemented or agreed. Others are still being pursued. In addition, every effort is being made, in the spirit of the report, to improve and simplify further the procedures followed in the processing of applications for citizenship.The report concluded that in general the existing procedures were necessary and operating with due regard for economy in manpower; that the Nationality Division was likely to continue to face the receipt of applications at a higher level than current staff levels could absorb; and that the alternatives appeared to be the provision of additional staff or the acceptance of longer delays. The number of applications for citizenship increased from about 32,500 in 1977 to about 50,500 in 1980. The number of applications in the first five months of 1981 was about 37,000, compared with about 22,500 in the corresponding period in 1980.The Government must have regard to the overriding need to contain public expenditure, which among other things means limiting the size and the cost of the Civil Service. It will not be possible at present to provide additional staff to the extent necessary to reduce the present lengthy delays. While the report's recommendations and subsequent review have helped to speed up the processing of individual applications, we regret that for as long as the number of applications continues at its present high level and arrears increase it is unlikely that there will be any improvement in overall waiting times in the near future. Rather the position is likely to deteriorate. The average time taken to complete consideration of an application for the naturalisation or discretionary registration of an adult is now 25 months. It is likely to be 28 months by the end of this year, and may be three years by the end of 1982. Other applications for registration now take 13 months and may take two years by the end of 1982.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether staff for sub-regional headquarters to be established in the event of nuclear war have been designated and told of arrangements for their spouses and families; andWhether cooks and typists for sub-regional headquarters have been engaged and whether they have been fully informed of the nature of their duties and of provision for their families if any; andHow far advanced are plans to house in hotels and other premises in Hertford the wives and children of personnel required to man the Hertford bunker in the event of nuclear war and whether the personnel and their spouses have been informed; andWhat arrangements have been made for the families of personnel required to man bunkers in the event of nuclear war and whether such personnel and their families have been informed.

Government departments are in the process of identifying staff to serve in the sub-regional headquarters in wartime. Except for a small number of specialists all posts will be filled by existing staff in the Civil Service or other public services. Staff will be told, when they are selected, of the nature of the commitment and the arrangements for their families. There will be no provision for moving families into the sub-regional headquarters.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How the request for a reduction in spending of £13·9 million in Cambridgeshire accords with previous comments in letters from the Secretary of State for the Environment that "the new system would reduce the pressure on the generally low spending authorities".

The block grant system distributes a fixed total of rate support grant between authorities in relation to their needs and resources, so that for a common poundage cost to ratepayers they can provide a standard level of service. Authorities planning to spend near or below their needs assessments avoid the higher poundage costs associated in block grant with spending significantly above the needs assessment. However, at the same time we are asking authorities to plan for a level of net current expenditure (on wages, salaries, goods and services) in 1981–82 which is consistent with our overall public expenditure provision for local government as a whole to reduce by 5·6 per cent. in real terms below its spending three years ago. in Cambridgeshire's case this requires a reduction of £13·9 million below its present budget.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are prepared to pay an interim payment for variable sheep premiums to agricultural co-operatives operating dead-weight certification centres; andWhether they will consider paying interest on sheep premiums that are overdue to agricultural co-operatives operating dead-weight certification centres.

Payments of variable sheep premiums, which are being delayed by industrial action, will be made as soon as circumstances permit. There is not statutory provision for the payment of interest on delayed payments and the Government cannot accept responsibility for making interest payments.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have studied achievements of the Ferndale House Improvement Scheme in the Rhondda Valley, and in particular its success in mobilising and making effective various statutory aids that Parliament has approved for pensioners; and whether it is true that the Manpower Services Commission is proposing not to consider any new schemes for essential repairs to houses owned and occupied by elderly people of limited means and reduced physical capacity for carrying out repairs, and if so, why.

The Ferndale House Improvement Scheme is sponsored by the Rhondda Borough Council and assisted under the Urban Aid Programme for a period of five years from 1980–81. It is an experimental project and its progress and effectiveness are being monitored. I am told by the Manpower Services Commission that an application for help towards the scheme under the Community Enterprise Programme earlier this year was not successful. Since then there have been further discussions and it is anticipated that another application will be made.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How a low-spending authority like Cambridgeshire County Council can be expected to meet the increased demands for services to a growing number of elderly persons and meet the Government request for a further reduction in spending of £13·9 million.

Local authorities have been asked to contribute to reducing public expenditure by meeting the Government's targets for their volume of current expenditure. Within these targets, it is for local authorities themselves to determine their own spending priorities as between particular services in the light of local circumstances. In setting their priorities authorities have been asked to take account of demographic pressures and the need to protect, as far as possible, services for the most vulnerable.House adjourned at seven minutes before eleven o'clock.