asked Her Majesty's Government:How many Polish nationals have applied for political asylum in the United Kingdom so far this year, how many have been granted asylum, how many have been refused asylum, how many have absconded after being refused asylum and how many have been forced to leave the United Kingdom after being refused asylum.

The information for the period from 1st January to 27th November 1981—the latest date for which figures are available—is as follows:

Under consideration at start of period	8
Applied for asylum	87
Granted asylum	7
Refused asylum	29
Absconders	1
Under consideration at end of period	48

In some cases where asylum is refused the applicant will qualify for leave to remain under other provisions of the Immigration Rules. Some applicants will pursue rights of appeal through the Immigration Appeals system and others will leave voluntarily. I regret, therefore, that the final figure requested is not readily available.My honourable friend has written to the noble Lord on the general matters he has raised in correspondence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the "Notes for the guidance of visiting committees and board of visitors of H.M. prison", issued in 1964, have ever been revised.

No, but they are now being revised and extended, and the new edition should be ready for printing early next year. When available, I shall place a copy in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Over what periods and in what prisons Mr. R. J. Mawdsley, a prisoner in Wakefield Prison, has been segregated under Rule 43 since the beginning of 1978; for how long he has occupied his present cell, with its steel mesh barrier, and on whose authority and for what purpose this contrivance was originally installed.

Mr. Mawsdley was initially held on Rule 43 in the interests of good order and discipline at Bristol from his conviction in October 1977 until his transfer to Wakefield on 9th March 1978. After a period on normal location he has been held on Rule 43 at Wakefield since 29th July 1978 following the murder of two prisoners.A cell with an inner cell door made of steel mesh was originally installed on the authority of the regional director to protect staff from a surprise attack by a particularly violent prisoner during the unlocking process. The secondary cell door also provided a means whereby a prisoner could maintain contact with staff without jeopardising security and control. When, after the killing of two prisoners at Wakefield, Mr. Mawdsley was segregated under Rule 43 on 29th July 1978, the governor considered it appropriate to locate him in this particular cell so as to minimisa the degree of isolation he would experience as a consequence of his segregation. The solid outer door of the cell is closed whenever Mr. Mawdsley so requests.

asked Her Majesty.s Government:Over what periods and in what prisons Mr. D. J. Cheesman, now a prisoner in Parkhurst Prison, has been segregated under Rule 43 since the beginning of 1978.

Mr. Cheesman was held under Rule 43 at Wandsworth between 3rd October and 12th December 1978. While at Albany he was placed on Rule 43 between 12th April and 5th September 1979 and again between 2nd January and 8th May 1980. He was then transferred to Gartree and held there on Rule 43 until 2nd October. He went to Parkhurst hospital for tests and returned to Gartree on 16th October. He was again placed on Rule 43 until 2nd December 1980 when he was transferred to Parkhurst hospital for treatment. He is still located in the hospital where he is not on Rule 43.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Over what periods and in what prisons Mr. Michael Wright, now a prisoner in Bristol Prison, has been segregated under Rule 43 since the beginning of 1978.

There is at the present time no inmate of this name in Bristol Prison.

asked Her Majesty's Government:At what point a prisoner who is initiating legal proceedings becomes a "party to legal proceedings" within the meaning of Rule 37A(1) of the Prison Rules 1964.

A prisoner is regarded as becoming a "party to legal proceedings" for the purposes of Rule 37A(1) of the Prison Rules 1964, when proceedings have been formally instituted (for example by the issue of a writ or summons) naming him as a party.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What total tonnage of petroleum products and lubricating oil was used in the United Kingdom in the calendar year 1980,and what total tonnages of petroleum products and lubricating oil were used respectively by the Royal Navy, the Royal Army and the Royal Air Force.

Total deliveries of petroleum products for inland consumption in the United Kingdom in 1980 were 71,177,000 tonnes including 896,000 tonnes of lubricating oils. These figures include deliveries to the Armed Services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What level of "douceur" is available as relief from capital transfer tax to owners of (a) historic buildings, and (b) art treasures who sell these buildings or objects to a recognised heritage body, and whether they will make a statement.

The private treaty sale of a building of outstanding historic or architectural interest, or of works of art of national interest, to one of the bodies listed in paragraph 12 of Schedule 6 to the Finance Act 1975 would not result in any charge to capital transfer tax or capital gains tax. The benefit of the exemption would be shared between the vendor and the acquiring body. In the case of buildings the vendor would receive a 10 per cent share of the benefit; in the case of works of art he would receive a 25 per cent. share. The differential is justified by the fact that neither buildings nor land can normally be exported.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are aware that the use of a warning triangle behind a motor vehicle is compulsory in the following countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France and Monaco, the Federal Republic of Germany, Greece, the Republic of Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Switzerland; and whether, in the interests of accident prevention, they will consider introducing it in Great Britain.

We know that the use of warning triangles when vehicles break down is compulsory in most European countries. Here it is permissible but not obligatory. We have some reservations about the use of these triangles. They can easily be blown over or knocked down by passing traffic, they are not always easily visible by night, and setting them out can be risky for the person doing so. We would not therefore at the moment wish to make their use compulsory here.We believe the use of hazard flashers to be a more effective means of giving warning of a broken-down vehicle. They are already fitted to most new vehicles, and we are proposing to make their provision mandatory.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will list the obstacles which prevent the return of Albania's gold, and particularly if they will give details of any outstanding claims against Albania which they consider have to be met or withdrawn before the gold is returned.

The Tripartite Commission's eventual decision about the disposal of the gold provisionally allocated to Albania in 1948 will have to take account of a number of claims against Albania or on the gold itself. As set out in my Answer of 27th October, the United Kingdom has a claim against Albania for the damages awarded by the International Court of Justice in the Corfu Channel case. I understand there are also American claims agains Albania and an Italian claim on the gold.House adjourned at twenty-eight minutes before eight o'clock.