asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in view of the impending withdrawal of British Transport Police from the docks operated by Associated British Ports, and the statement by the Parliamentary Secretary at the Department of Transport that this will involve a potential increase in the workload of county police forces, the Home Secretary proposes to raise the establishment of any of the police forces concerned.

Police authorities are responsible for fixing the authorised establishment of forces, subject to the Home Secretary's approval. Chief officers of the six forces concerned are working out the implications of the proposed withdrawal of British Transport Police from the policing of ports owned by Associated British Ports. My right honourable friend the Home Secretary will consider carefully any applications for increases in the police establishment of forces to take account of additional demands on their services in the light of the resources available nationally for increases in police manpower and advice from Her Majesty's inspectors of constabulary.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What evidence is available to them which was not available to the United States National Academy of Science which leads them to disagree with the National Academy of Science's conclusion that the long-term climatic effects of a major nuclear exchange "should be included in any analysis of the consequences of nuclear war".

The Answer I gave to the noble lord on 18th February (Official Report, House of Lords, Vol. 460, cols. 466–467) indicated that the Government accept both the assessment of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science of its own report as an interim statement and its reservations about the conclusiveness of existing knowledge. We await the outcome of the more detailed work currently in progress.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the certified normal accommodation of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs prisons on the most recent convenient date; andWhat was the population of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs prisons on the most recent convenient date.

On 8th March the certified normal accommodation and population of the establishments named were as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many baths, showers, WCs and urinals for the use of prisoners were there at Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs prisons on the most recent convenient date.

The information requested, which relates to the position on 7th March 1985, is as follows:—

asked Her Majesty's Government:How often are prisoners allowed to have a bath or shower at Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Wandsworth and Wormwood Scrubs prisons.

All prisoners at these six prisons have a bath or shower once a week. Prisoners at Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool and Wormwood Scrubs are permitted additional baths or showers in certain limited circumstances, for example after using the gymnasium.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are taking steps to ratify the Fourth Protocol to the European Convention on Human Rights (with any necessary reservations), which was signed by the United Kingdom in 1963 and which has been ratified by the majority of the members of the Council of Europe, and if not, why not.

We are still considering ratification in the light of the problem of compatibility with United Kingdom law raised by some of the provisions of the convention.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Which member states of the Council of Europe have yet to ratify the Fourth Protocol apart from the United Kingdom.

The following countries have yet to ratify:

• Cyprus
• Greece
• Liechtenstein
• Malta
• Spain
• Switzerland, and
• Turkey

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are now in a position to make a statement on the future of St. Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena.

Yes. Following the review of army training carried out by General Groom we have decided that adult training for the Royal Irish Rangers, together with certain Territorial Army and other reserve activities, will continue at St. Patrick's Barracks, Ballymena. However, junior soldiers of the Regiment will in future be trained at Ouston, Northumberland, with their junior leaders and the juniors of certain other regiments. We are also examining ways in which the accommodation at St. Patrick's released by the move of the juniors might be utilised for other military purposes, possibly by the TA. Overall, the reorganisation of junior training is expected to achieve civilian manpower savings of about 100, release significant numbers of military personnel to more operational duties, and produce capital savings of about £8 million.