asked Her Majesty's Government:Which of the 87 recommendations of the Committee on the Preparation of Legislation (Cmnd. 6053) involving a change have not yet been implemented; which of them it is still intended to implement: and whether they will publish in the

The majority of the recommendations made in this report, published in 1975, dealt with detailed matters of drafting practice. The view taken by successive Administrations has been that, while it is recognised that these recommendations constitute a valuable summary of the best drafting practice, parliamentary draftsmen should retain their discretion in applying them to the circumstances of particular legislation. The committee's recommendations are, however, taken fully into account in the drafting of all new Government legislation.With regard to the recommendations in the report relating to consolidation legislation (recommendations 46 to 53), I would refer to the references made by the Lord Chancellor to recent progress in the process of consolidation during the debate on my noble friend's Motion on 15th December 1982.Certain of the committee's recommendations involving questions of parliamentary procedure were subsequently considered by the House of Commons Select Committee on Procedure(Session 1977–78), and were included within the scope of that committee's first report.

asked Her Majesty's Government:To what degree the European Community was self-sufficient in (

Estimates prepared by the Milk Marketing Board indicate that in 1982 the European Community (excluding Greece) was 126 per cent. self-sufficient in butter. Similar figures in respect of milk and milk products indicate self-sufficiency ratios of 121 per cent. for butterfat and 127 per cent. for solids non-fat. Estimates for the level of self-sufficiency in future years are not available but the trend has been for self-sufficiency to increase.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What percentage of (

The most recent published figures indicate that in 1982 United Kingdom production of butter was estimated to be 64 per cent. of total new supplies. Estimates prepared by the Milk Marketing Board indicate that in 1982 in respect of milk and milk products the self-sufficiency ratios were 91 per cent. for butterfat and 131 per cent. for solids non-fat. Estimates for the level of self-sufficiency in future years are not available but the trend has been for self-sufficiency.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will present to Parliament a White Paper on agriculture, since many of the assumptions and conclusions of Cmnd. 6020 and Cmnd. 7458 have been overtaken by events; and which basic food supplies they still wish to see produced in larger quantities at home; andWhether they will publish a table, similar to that on page 15 of Cmnd. 7458 (1979) for the latest crop year and calendar year for which figures are available; and in which commodities that were in surplus in 1977 (or are estimated to be in surplus in 1983) it remains their policy to encourage higher production in the United Kingdom or in the European Community

the Government have no present plans to publish further White Papers of this kind, but the economic conditions and progress of the industry are examined each year during the annual review of agriculture. The supply tables in the White Paper published after these reviews show the proportion of the total supply of each of the principal temperate commodities produced in the United Kingdom. More up-to-date estimates will he made during the current Annual Review of Agriculture. It is our policy to encourage an expansion in production in the United Kingdom of those commodities for which it is economically sensible so to do.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will place in the Library a copy of the report of the inter-departmental committee reviewing the financial and administrative arrangements for land drainage and cost protection.

The review of land drainage has not yet been completed. However, once the review is concluded a consultation document will be produced and a copy of this will be placed in the Library.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will state the number of officials currently working for the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, and their grades; the comparable figures for each year since the inception of the scheme, and the number of cases considered by the board in each of these years.

I regret that staffing figures for years prior to 1973 are not readily available. Details of staff in post, as distinct from the authorised complement, are available only from 1977 and are set

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many destroyers and frigates will, in 1990, have been:

(a) On current plans