asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the regulations controlling advertisements on television forbid the appearance during a programme of advertisements which are related to that programme and, if so, whether they intend to instruct the IBA to prevent ITV from showing similar advertising to that broadcast during the showing of "The British Connection" on 15th January.

The broadcasting Act requires the IBA to ensure that all advertisements in its services are clearly distinguishable as such and recognisably separate from the rest of the programmes. There is, however, nothing in the Act or the IBA's code of advertising standards and practice to prevent the showing of an advertisement merely because it is related in subject matter to an adjacent programme. I understand that the IBA did consider carefully those advertisements which were due for transmission at the end of the programme to which the noble Lord refers and concluded that they were acceptable under the code.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is their estimate of the number of homeless people sleeping rough in the London area; and in view of the severe weather, what action is being taken to provide shelter on a temporary or permanent basis.

No reliable figures are available. Local authorities have specific duties to provide appropriate assistance to genuinely homeless people in conjunction with any statutory or voluntary bodies which have facilities to offer. The Department of Health and Social Security provides and maintains resettlement units for homeless single people without a settled way of life and there are vacant beds in five of the eight resettlement units in London.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will announce what action they propose to take on the 117 recommendations made by the Farm Animal Welfare Council in their Report on

Following publication of the report in June last year we immediately asked interested organisations for their comments. These comments have now been received and are being considered before proposals are issued for action on the report. The report raises many important and complex issues but we plan to issue our proposals as soon as possible.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What action is taken by the Forestry Commission to ensure that the terms of the Buckhunt licence, issued to the joint masters of the New Forest Buckhounds, are communicated to hunt servants, mounted followers and car followers, and whether the joint masters are held responsible by the Forestry Commission for any breach of the licence.

The joint masters are responsible, under the terms of the licence, for providing each hunt officer and servant with a copy of the licence and for ensuring that they observe its conditions. Any breach of the conditions by officers and servants may lead to the withdrawal of the licence by the Forestry Commission.There is no requirement to provide mounted followers and car followers with copies of the licence, but one of the joint masters always acts as hunt master, in which capacity he is in charge of the mounted followers and is in a position to ensure that they do not contravene the licence conditions. The joint masters are permitted, under the agreed arrangements, to specify the number of persons who may follow the hunt by car, and are required to provide at least two marshals to control the conduct of the car followers and to ensure that only those with permission take part.Forestry Commission keepers also attend the meets with the primary duty of ensuring that the terms of the licence are complied with.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the percentage and number of school-leavers in England from maintained and independent schools (separately) in 1982 and 1983 who attained 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8 or more higher grade O—level or CSE Grade 1 passes.

The information requested is given in the table below:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the percentage and number of school-leavers in England from maintained and independent schools (separately) obtaining 1 or more A-levels, 5 or more higher grade O-levels or CSE Grade 1 passes, 1 or more higher grade O-level or CSE Grade 1 passes, and no graded O-level or CSE results, in each year from 1963 to 1984.

The information available is given in the tables below.