asked Her Majesty's Government:How many applications are outstanding before the European Commission of Human Rights concerning prisoners' communications; how many of them deal with matters arising after December 1981; what further changes in the prison rules are proposed in respect of prisoners' communications, and how it is proposed to dispose of those applications referring to matters arising before December 1981 which have been declared admissible.

We are informed by the commission that 15 applications relating wholly or partly to the control of prisoners' correspondence in the United Kingdom are outstanding before it, the majority of which have stood adjourned pending the outcome of the case of Silver and others before the European Court of Human Rights. None concerns events after December 1981. No changes in the prison rules relating to prisoners' communications are planned for the immediate future. The Government have made proposals which are now under discussion with the commission for the disposal of the outstanding cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What changes in the prison rules are proposed following the decision of the court in the case of

Effect was given to the judgment of the Divisional Court in R. v. Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Anderson by Circular Instruction 48/1984 and the accompanying amendments to Standing Order 5, copies of which are in the Library of the House. No changes in the prison rules were required to give effect to the judgment, but we are considering the comments of the court about an apparent inconsistency between Rules 37(2) and 33(5).

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will give the number of incidents in prisons in England and Wales were the substances sent for forensic analysis were identified as controlled drugs, in each of the years 1979 to 1983 inclusive; and whether they have any information about the number of incidents in which drugs were found but not sent for analysis because a prisoner had agreed to plead guilty to a charge.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have received a report from the Berkshire Probation Committee about Colin Evans.

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary has received a report from the Berkshire Probation Committee about the involvement of the Berkshire Probation Service with Colin Evans, and I am placing a copy in the Library of the House. The report sets out the history of the case and explains the circumstances in which Colin Evans' probation officer, Mr. P. G. Southerton, was disciplined by the chief probation officer in August 1982. In the light of the report from the Berkshire Probation Committee, the Home Office is reminding chief probation officers that it is the duty of all probation officers, when dealing with child sex offenders, to take every step to prevent their having contact with children. In addition, as my right honourable friend announced on 19th December, a review is in hand of the arrangements whereby information about the criminal background of those who seek to do any work, paid or unpaid, with children is made available to those who need to know it.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many war widows have received assistance to visit their husbands' graves under the scheme agreed with the Royal British Legion; how many applications have been refused, and for what reasons.

As my right honourable friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces announced in another place on 22nd October 1984, the scheme which has been agreed with the Royal British Legion to assist war widows to visit their husbands' graves overseas is due to start in financial year 1985–86. The Royal British Legion, who will be responsible for administering the scheme, have yet to complete their detailed arrangements for the visits. However, I understand that they are accepting applications from widows and will be making an announcement very shortly on the arrangements for the first year.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the number of cases of dental treatment, other than orthodontic cases, awaiting appeal hearing, after refusal of NHS treatment by the Dental Estimates Board.

At 31st December 1984 there were a total of 1,201 appeals against decisions of the Dental Estimates Board awaiting hearing. Cases awaiting hearing are not identifiable by type of treatment.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What proportion of the Greater London Council's revenue subsidy to London Transport in 1984–85 was included for British Rail—London Transport fares integration.

I understand that the GLC intended that £5 million of the £190 million revenue support determination for London Transport for 1984–85 should be applied to enable Travelcards to be used on BR services in London.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What London Regional Transport projects costing between £1 million and £5 million have been approved by the London Regional Transport Board since July 1984, and what is the cost of each project.

I understand that since July 1984 the following projects costing between £1 million and £5 million have been approved by the London Regional Transport Board.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the MOT vehicle test does not include an examination of the spare tyre.

As there is at present no legal requirement for a spare tyre to be carried, it would be inappropriate to require its examination to be included in the test. However, if an examiner observes a defective spare tyre during the course of a test, he is instructed to draw this to the owner's attention.