asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, bearing in mind that private investors have access to computers if only through the agents which such investors employ, they will reconsider their decision in the Finance Act 1983 to deny private investors the alternative method of calculating liability to capital gains tax now extended to institutional investors.

These provisions are designed to assist in those cases where computerised records have to be maintained of large share portfolios subject to rapid turnover, as is the case with certain institutional investors. Private investors do not generally face this problem and, in our view, would not welcome the necessity of making an irrevocable choice between the two methods of calculating their tax liability.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many extra staff have been employed by the Inland Revenue, and at what cost, in order to deal with the complex formulae for indexing capital gains which were introduced in the Finance Act 1982.

The staffing effect of indexation cannot be readily distinguished from that of increasing the threshold for capital gains tax. The combined effect of the two measures is a staff increase of about 20 units at a cost of £250,000 in 1983–84 but thereafter staff savings will arise.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What advice has been issued by the Department of Transport reminding local authorities of the importance of setting realistic speed limits, particularly where new street lighting is installed, in accordance with the undertaking given by the Lord Avon on 14th October 1982.

A Circular Roads containing this advice has been prepared and will be issued to local authorities. Copies will be placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received and are considering requests for additional exemptions from seat belt wearing as provided for under Section 70(3) of the Transport Act 1982, and, if so. what they are.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for Transport has received no such requests.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give an assurance that any requests by embassies in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea for increased reserved car parking areas will not be granted, so as not to reduce the facilities for residents and other users of car parks.

This is a matter for the Greater London Council, in consultation with the borough councils and the Metropolitan Police.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many prisoners there were in prison department establishments serving life sentences or detained for life under Section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 for offences other than murder or manslaughter on 30th September 1982: how many had been recalled after being released on licence: how many of those who had not been released on licence had been sentenced more than 10 years previously, and how many of those recalled after being released on licence had been in custody for more than 10 years since their sentence.

The information readily available centrally shows on 30th September 1982, 251 persons in prison department establishments in England and Wales, including 12 who had been recalled after being released on licence, serving sentences of life imprisonment or detained for life under Section 53(2) of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933 for offences other than murder or manslaughter. Forty-four of those who had not been released on licence had been received into a prison department establishment under sentence more than 10 years previously. Three of the 12 who had been released on licence had served more than 10 years in prison department establishments under sentence before their release on licence.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many life-sentence prisoners convicted on charges of homicide had served more than 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20 years respectively as at 1st June 1983; and how many of these prisoners in each case were in each security category

The information readily available is given in the following table: