asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether it is true, as stated to the Commons Public Accounts Committee, that 2,300 beds in new hospitals cannot be used because of shortage of funds; and whether there are waiting lists for admission.

No. The press report of the evidence of the department's Permanent Secretary to the Public Accounts Committee was incorrect. The committee was told that the present position in relation to the commissioning of the nine new hospital developments, on which it commented in its 17th Report (Session 1980–81), was very substantially improved. Four of the hospitals—St. Peter's, Chertsey; Guildford Phase I; the William Harvey Hospital, Ashford; and Ealing DGH—were now fully operational. At the other five the number of beds still to be brought into use was as follows:

University Hospital, Nottingham	694
Derriford DGH, Plymouth	30
Kettering Hospital	34
St. George's Hospital, Tooting	12
Witney Hospital, Oxfordshire	42

This makes a total of 812 beds unopened in the hospitals on which the committee commented in its report. In addition, there are 38 beds unopened at Walsgrave General Hospital, Coventry and 84 beds unopened at Chase Farm Hospital, Enfield. This makes a total of 934.These beds will be brought into use as the resources become available. There are no waiting lists for admission to these particular beds, but there are of course waiting lists in the districts concerned as in every district.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will establish a public inquiry into the sale of drugs by British firms to third world countries in view of the allegations by Mr. David Warburton, president of the pharmaceutical division of the International Federation of Chemical Energy and General Workers Unions, that drugs are supplied at exorbitant prices without proper medical supervision, often causing deformity and death.

The Government are not aware of the evidence on which Mr. Warburton's allegations are based. We believe that the only effective and appropriate method of controlling the safety and efficacy of medicines in the less developed countries is for them to devise their own procedures for control, assisted as necessary by the World Health Organisation. Each country has its own problems and needs in relation to the suitability of medicines which the United Kingdom is not necessarily well placed to judge. In these circumstances we do not consider that a public inquiry would be appropriate.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the figure of £3,475 million for child benefit payments is or is not net of the sum returned in tax, and, if not, what proportion of the child benefit is returned to the Exchequer in tax and as what sum.

Child benefit is not taxable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will consider relieving the taxpayer of the cost of the Charity Commission by charging an annual fee on a sliding scale on the calculated capital and income of the charity, in view of the fact that charities pay no income tax and have substantial relief from the payment of Capital Transfer Tax by donors of capital.

The purpose of the Charity Commission, which is to assist charities and to save them money whenever possible, would not be furthered by charging them for its services.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When the research into Rule 43 protection was completed; when the research into Rule 43 good order and discipline commenced; when the latter research is scheduled for completion and whether they intend to publish the results.

Research into Rule 43 (own request) was completed in June 1979; research into Rule 43 (good order and discipline) was started last year and should be completed within three years. A decision on publication of the results will be made when the research has been completed.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether there is any evidence that crime among young people is related to pornography.

The Williams Committee on Obscenity and Film Censorship concluded that the research evidence then available did not establish conclusively a causal relationship between pornography and violent sexual crime. There is no evidence at present available to suggest such a relationship in respect of crime in general among young people. Concern, however, has been expressed, in the light of practical experience in the courts about the effect of pornography in stimulating the acting out of fantasies with added elements of violence. We shall keep a careful watch on the implications of further research in this field.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will publish the report of the committee under the chairmanship of Sir Brian Hayes into the state of agriculture of Northern Ireland.

There are no plans for publishing the results of the inter-departmental review of Northern Ireland agriculture which was conceived and undertaken as an internal exercise, but on the basis of the information contained therein the Government have already announced in another place on 1st April their decisions on special measures costing £16 million for 1982–83. My honourable friend the Minister of State, has also initiated discussions with the Ulster Farmers' Union on the longer-term prospects for agriculture in Northern Ireland.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why, in connection with the EEC's Disaster Fund, Mid-Devon District Council were only given 75 minutes to state how many properties were damaged during the severe weather conditions of December 1981 and January 1982.

The initial approach to Mid-Devon District Council, and other Councils in the South-West, was made on 11th January in order to provide the European Commission with such information as could be assembled quickly on the extent of damage to homes caused by the severe weather. Authorities were asked to respond on the same day. On 9th February, when the Commission had indicated that limited aid would be available from its Disaster Fund, Mid-Devon and the other authorities were again contacted in order to review the preliminary estimates and to ascertain whether they would be prepared to arrange distribution of the aid. In view of the clear wish of the Commission that aid should be distributed quickly, authorities were asked to reply within two days. Mid-Devon were one of the authorities which adjusted their original figures.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What military aid has been given to Honduras since the beginning of 1977, and what has been the value of arms sales licensed for Honduras over this period.

The last defence sales contract with Honduras was signed in 1978. A modest amount of military assistance has been given in the form of training related to this contract.

asked the Leader of the House:How many Members of this House have applied for leave of absence during 1982 and for what period.

Leave of absence is granted for the duration of a parliament. Lords may however apply at any time for their level of absence to be terminated.There are at present 156 Lords on leave of absence. Only one Lord has applied for leave of absence in 1982, while another has applied for his leave of absence to be terminated.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether as a humanitarian gesture to Poland and the Polish people they will send a large consignment of medical supplies of which that country is in great need.

Her Majesty's Government are providing financial and other assistance, both nationally and through the European Community, to assist the efforts of the voluntary agencies supplying humanitarian aid to Poland. A significant proportion of that assistance has been taken up by the provision of medical supplies. The Government believe that it is for the voluntary agencies themselves to determine their priorities in this respect.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether compensation to the 900 families evicted from the Chagos archipelago in the Indian Ocean has been increased in response to their claim for £8 million and, if so, by how much from the original offer of £1.25 million.

An agreement was initialled in Port Louis on the 27th March under which Her Majesty's Government will make an ex-gratia payment of £4 million to the Mauritius Government in full and final settlement of all Ilois claims. The Mauritius Government will on its part make available to the Ilois and the Ilois community in Mauritius land to the value of £1 million. The money will be administered by a board of trustees to be established by an Act of the Mauritius Parliament. The agreement is to be formally signed in the near future and will thereafter be subject to internal procedures by both Governments. Parliamentary approval for the expenditure will be sought in a supplementary estimate in due course. We welcome the settlement of this long outstanding matter which has been the cause of concern for both Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Mauritius.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to interview priority applicants for quota vouchers in India who applied between January and March 1977, and April and June 1977 respectively.

Priority applicants who applied in January, February and March 1977 were invited in February and March 1982 to attend for interview during May and June 1982. Priority applicants who applied in April and May 1977 were invited in March 1982 to attend for interview in June 1982. Priority applicants who applied in June 1977 are being invited this month for interview in July.House adjourned for the Easter Recess at sixteen minutes past three o'clock.