asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the SAB Unclassified Attack of approximately 179 nuclear weapons totalling 193 megatons was used with the Dose Models referred to in ISBN 0 86252 033 9 of December 1981 and if so what casualty assessments resulted therefrom; andWhat casualty assessment resulted from the postulated attack referred to in Home Office Scientific Research and Development Branch Report

The attack pattern in question was used for test purposes in the development of the blast and dose models described in Home Office Scientific Research and Development Branch Report 16/82 referred to by the noble Lord (a copy has been placed in the Library). A version of these models was used in the illustrative casualty assessment published in The Nuclear Arms Race: Control or Catastrophe, C. F. Barnaby and G. P. Thomas (Eds), Frances Pinter 1982, p. 154, fig. 9.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will introduce legislation giving effect to the Convention on the Transfer of Sentenced Persons.

Having signed the Convention on 25th August, we intend to introduce the consequent legislation as soon as possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What plans they have for the historic buildings in Chatham Dockyard, including Medway House, the terrace houses and the church, now that the last Flag Officer, Medway, has hauled down his flag and left the Naval Base.

Her Majesty's Government are concerned that a way is found to preserve the historic buildings at Chatham Dockyard. A consultants' report, jointly commissioned by Kent County Council and the Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment, showed that there were a number of options for the future of the buildings but that any scheme would require very substantial investment. Her Majesty's Government are studying these options with a view to finding a solution which balances the importance of this historic site with the need to be realistic in investing public funds. In the meantime, every effort is being made to prevent any deterioration of the building.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action they propose to prevent the loss of public footpaths as a result of the failure of the highway authorities and the Department of the Environment to adhere to the procedural timetable laid down in the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.

Public rights of way do not cease to exist simply through failure to record them in definitive maps. It is of course desirable to keep up-to-date definitive maps and statements of public rights of way. The Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 introduced a new and more flexible procedure for this purpose which was brought into operation on 28th February this year and should prove more effective than the previous arrangements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On what date applicants for Special Quota Vouchers called for interview in November and December respectively originally applied.

Special voucher applicants in India invited for interview in November 1983 had lodged their applications in early/mid-July 1976 in the non-priority categories and between early March and mid-April 1977 in the priority categories. Those invited for interview in December 1983 applied in mid-July/early August 1976 in the non-priority categories and between mid-May and late November 1977 in the priority categories.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will ask the Malaysian Government for what crimes four more persons have been sentenced to death under procedures condemned by the International Council of Jurists and the Malaysian Bar Council and whether they will in these circumstances request the Malaysian Government not to carry out these sentences.

We have received no reports of death sentences of the type described. If the noble Lord would provide more details we will look into this matter.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, since chemical weapons now being manufactured have effects which can match nuclear weapons, they will seek international agreement for a comprehensive ban.

We have for some years sought international agreement on a comprehensive convention banning the production, stockpiling and use of chemical weapons with provisions for the destruction of existing stocks and for effective verification, including on-site inspection. We will continue to play an active part in the current negotiations of the Committee on Disarmament in Geneva to achieve such an agreement.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many of our Heads of Mission accredited to foreign states have not been honoured with the dignity of knighthood; whether it is considered that in present conditions and the historical context it is seemly that any representatives of Her Majesty or Her Majesty's Government should be seen as not having been so honoured; and whether, if the statutes of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George (or the number of available stalls in that order's chapel in St. Paul's Cathedral) are in any way a limiting factor, this should not be overcome by altering the statutes (adopting a larger chapel) or by conferring other forms of knighthood.

Seventy-two British Ambassadors and 31 British High Commissioners are currently neither knights nor dames. In present conditions it is neither unseemly, nor indeed unusual, that a British Head of Mission should be without an honour at this level. Accordingly, the question of amending the statutes of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, or of conferring other forms of knighthood, does not arise.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which ministers are now responsible for what aspects of maritime policy; whether any minister in the Cabinet, and if so which, has responsibility for co-ordination of maritime policy; what junior minister exercises day-to-day responsibility for the co-ordination of maritime policy; and for what other policy areas is the latter similarly responsible.

In June 1983, the Department of Transport took over responsibility for shipping and marine matters. Overall responsibility for maritime policy therefore rests with the Secretary of State for Transport, assisted by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the honourable Member for North-West Hampshire. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State is also responsible for railways, ports and aviation.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will make a statement about the current proposed level of fees for:— (

The fees set by the Education Department for home students at the long-term residential colleges in the United Kindom in the academic year 1983 –84 are £1,110 outside the London area (£1,320 within) for full board and accommodation and £540 for tuition. The rates are broadly comparable with those at other publicly funded residential further and higher education institutions. Despite recent increases in the board and accommodation charges to students, the income from this source has to be supplemented by Education Department subsidies to enable colleges to cover their costs.