asked Her majesty's Government:Whether they will confirm that the decision not to continue to extend diplomatic privileges or courtesies to representatives of Latvia and Estonia springs solely from the fact that they can no longer appoint anyone who held diplomatic rank at the time of the annexation in 1940, and does not in any way betoken a weakening in the Government's resolve not to recognise

Yes. In 1940 Her Majesty's Government ceased to recognise any authorities as constituting the Governments of the Baltic states and they still take a similar position. Thus there is no authority which can appoint diplomatic representatives for Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania. Therefore, no person who did not hold diplomatic rank in the legations of those countries in 1940 can be accorded displomatic courtesies. But the Government have no intention of recognising de jure the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their attitude to the proposal that non-government organisations should participate in the United Nations World Disarmament Campaign and, if it is favourable, in what way they consider such participation should take place.

We would welcome this. At an early stage we and our allies pressed for the participation of non-governmental organisations in this campaign. The latter could disseminate material published by the disarmament department of the United Nations; they might organise events which would strengthen support for international efforts to achieve balanced reductions of arms by all states.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the decrease in the number of civil servants since the present Government took office; and to what extent the decrease results from the substitution of contractors' labour for Civil Service labour.

Latest figures show that the number of civil servants has fallen by 79,800 since the Government took office. Information to show the extent of the decrease which has resulted from the substitution of contractors' labour for Civil Service labour is not kept centrally.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether legislation is necessary to reach the uniform interpretation of the term "temporarily employed" as it affects mandatory awards for children of British citizens working in the European Community; and when they expect a decision to be reached.

Eligibility for mandatory awards is governed by the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations. It would probably be necessary to amend these regulations in order to reach a uniform interpretation of the term "temporarily employed". I am not yet in a position to say when Her Majesty's Government will reach a decision on whether such an amendment is necessary.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What response they have made to the second report of the Brandt Commission on the gulf between the standards of life of the richer and poorer nations.

The Government have welcomed the Brandt Commission's timely and valuable memorandum, and are studying it carefully and seriously. We accept the memorandum's principal message, that we live in an interdependent world, and we share the Commission's concern about the economic difficulties facing developing countries.Some important steps have already been taken. For example, the recent meeting of the International Monetary Fund's Interim Committee under the chairmanship of the Chancellor of the Exchequer set the seal on an impressive package of measures virtually doubling the effective resources available to the fund. They will be of major practical benefit in developing countries.The United Kingdom is also actively involved in other areas covered by the memorandum. We support the Integrated Programme for Commodities. We share the view of the commission on the importance of resisting protectionism and maintaining the open trading system. We support the proposal for a World Bank Energy Affiliate, provided that it can attract additional funds. We maintain a substantial and effective aid programme. The United Kingdom has traditionally been a stalwart member of the World Bank. We support appropriate new measures to help developing countries in the present recession, such as the World Bank Special Assistance Programme.The international community will be discussing action in the areas covered by the Brandt Commission's memorandum at a number of meetings during 1983. These include the OECD Ministerial Meeting, the Williamsburg Economic Summit and UNCTAD VI. Britain will approach these meetings in a constructive spirit, with the aim of agreeing practical action wherever possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have noted some recent reports in the Press of disorderly behaviour by British nannies in public places in Toronto and whether there are any effective restrictions that the Government can place upon persons such as these joining itinerant football fans and other short-term visitors to Europe and elsewhere in ruining this country's former reputation for decent behaviour abroad.

The British Consul General in Toronto has reported that what was a minor incident in a Toronto restaurant had been greatly exaggerated in certain press reports. There is no proof that British nannies were in fact responsible for disorderly behaviour there.It is difficult to see what effective restrictions could be placed on British citizens who misbehave abroad, as their misbehaviour and possible punishment would be a matter for the local police and judicial authorities. It is the policy of Her Majesty's Government (except in certain specialised circumstances) to withhold passports only from persons wanted by the police or when serious issues affecting the national interest, especially in the context of security, are involved.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will be able to initiate a national plan based on the submitted regional plans for the educational provision of blind handicapped children in both day and residential schools.

It is intended that a draft national plan will be circulated for consultation at the end of June in accordance with the agreed timetable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Further to the Secretary of State for Transport's reply of 19th November 1982, as announced in another place, when they intend to bring the proposed changes in traffic area boundaries into effect.

My right honourable friend laid before the House on 24th February the Traffic Areas (Reorganisation) Order 1983 which, if approved by resolutions of both Houses, would have given effect to the proposed changes on 1st April 1983. The Joint Committee of both Houses appointed to scrutinise delegated legislation drew attention in their Fifteenth Report to doubts whether certain transitional provisions of the order were intra vires, in part because of a lacuna in the principal Act. In view of these doubts my right honourable friend does not think it right to ask Parliament to pass the resolutions for approval of this order. My right honourable friend will shortly make and lay before Parliament a new order containing amended transitional provisions which, subject to the necessary resolutions, will give effect to these boundary changes on 1st April 1984.