asked Her Majesty's Government:When the Foreign Secretary will be attending the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.

The Foreign Secretary has no plans to attend the Special Session. The Prime Minister intends to address the meeting on 16th June.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What support they are giving to the proposal for establishing a United Nations register of arms production, deployment and transfers between countries.

The Government expect that the proposal will be considered in the context of the United Nations study on conventional arms on which work will soon begin. The Government will support realistic proposals for exchanges of information about conventional arms where the exchanges will increase confidence and reduce tension.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What reply they have made to the demands of the United Nations Association's lobby of Parliament of 27th April.

The Government welcomed the initiative of the United Nations Association to draw attention to the Second United Nations Special Session on Disarmament. My right honourable friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Hurd) replied to the mass lobby's proposals for disarmament and development in a speech on 27th April. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office also prepared a leaflet setting out the Government's view. Copies of both have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proposals for confidence-building measures they will be submitting to the United Nations Special Session on Disarmament.

The draft Comprehensive Programme of Disarmament to be discussed at the Second Special Session incorporates the programme co-sponsored by the United Kingdom and contains a section on confidence-building measures. Confidence-building measures also are an integral part of the Western proposals put forward at the Mutual-Balanced Force Reductions negotiations in 1979. Western countries at the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe Review at Madrid, now suspended until November, have also proposed a mandate for a conference on confidence and security-building measures in Europe. At the Second Special Session the Government will draw attention to the proposals on confidence- building measures in the MBFR negotiations and at the CSCE Review Conference.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether account has been taken, when drawing up the Western Isles Integrated Development Programme, of the requirements and obligations placed upon Her Majesty's Government by Article 4 of Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds.

The Western Isles Programme has been drawn up in full conformity with Council Regulation (EEC) No. 1939/81, which specifically required an assurance that the actions envisaged were compatible with the protection of the environment. The requirements of Directive 79/409 (EEC) will be taken into account in implementing the programme.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What steps have been taken to integrate the conflicting requirements of nature conservation and agricultural and forestry development and intensification proposed in the Western Isles Integrated Development Programme (IDP), what sums have been specifically put aside for this purpose, and what percentage does this represent of total expenditure on the IDP.

The Nature Conservancy Council was fully consulted when the programme was being prepared, and it should not be assumed that the programme content necessarily implies conflict. However the council will continue to be consulted on any individual projects which may be proposed under the programme and which imply any risk to nature conservation interests. It is not possible to quantify the resources needed to protect these interests until and unless proposals implying risk are made, but the council is seeking funding to increase its advisory service in the area.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What consultations have been held with the Nature Conservancy Council, Countryside Commission (Scotland) and Royal Society for the Protection of Birds during the planning of the Integrated Development Programme for the Western Isles of Scotland.

The Nature Conservancy Council, in its role as the Government's statutory adviser on conservation, was represented at all meetings of the committee which prepared the Integrated Development Programme. The committee also consulted the Countryside Commission (Scotland) and met representatives of that organisation.House adjourned at a quarter before eleven o'clock.