asked Her Majesty's Government:Why, when large parts of the New Forest are car-free zones, supporters of the New Forest Buckhounds are allowed to take cars into such areas and into enclosures without restriction: how many cars are permitted to do this: why are they allowed to exceed 20 mph speed limit in force and drive on re-seeded areas, and how mane drivers have been banned after being reported for violations.

The Forestry Commission considers it reasonable to allow a limited number of supporters of the New Forest Buckhounds to follow the hunt in cars. Up to nine vehicles are permitted. It is a condition of the permission that they keep to gravelled tracks or roads and stay within the speed limit of 20 mph laid down in the Forestry Commission by-laws. They may not drive over reseeded areas.It is not known how many drivers have been banned by the Masters of the Buckhounds, on whom this responsibility falls.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many people in each of the following categories were employed in the public sector in June of each year from 1963 to the most recent year for which figures are available, and what percentage change each figure represents against the corresponding figure for the previous year:

Data from 1961 are shown in Economic Trends Annual Supplement 1985 edition (table 201). Figures for the most recent two years are shown below (with percentage change on previous years in brackets):

UK PUBLIC SECTOR EMPLOYMENT
	Thousands (headcount)
	HM Forces	National Health Service and other central government	Total central government	Local authorities	Public corporations
1983	322 (-0.6)	2,040 (-0.3)	2,362 (-0.4)	2,879 (0.5)	1,663 (-5.3)(2)
1984(1)	326 (1.2)	2,009 (-1.5)	2,335 (-1.1)	2,884 (0.2)	1,611 (-3.1)

Notes:(1) 1984 estimates are preliminary.(2) Britoil was reclassified to the private sector in October 1982 and Associated British Ports in February 1983, reducing public corporations employment by about 14,000.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have rejected proposals to stop compulsory dissection of animals as part of A-level biology examinations, and, if so, whether they will reconsider their decision, as objections to animal dissection may discourage pupils from pursuing the study of this subject.

The Government have no plans to seek to issue guidance on the issue of the inclusion of a limited amount of dissection in A-level biology syllabuses and examinations. Decisions on such requirements are for the GCE examining boards themselves, as was made plain when representatives of the boards recently met officials of the Department of Education and Science and of the Secondary Examinations Council to bring them up to date on the current position. The Government have made it plain that they recognise that this issue is a difficult one, which merits discussion by all of those professionally concerned.

asked Her Majesty's Government:If they are now in a position to announce the names of the remaining members who have been appointed to the Committee of Inquiry into the Handling of Geographic Information in the United Kingdom.

Pursuant to the reply given by Lord Avon on 28th February (Vol. 460 col. 1086), on the setting up of the Committee of Inquiry into the Handling of Geographic Information in the United Kingdom, I am pleased to announce that the following people have also been appointed members of the Committee:

• Dr. J. Balfour—Chairman of Countryside Commission for Scotland 1972–1982.
• Mr. I. Gilfoyle—Deputy County Planning Officer, Cheshire CC.
• Professor D. Rhind—Head of Geography Department, Birbeck College, University of London.
• Mr. F. P. Russell—Distribution Engineering Manager, British Gas.
• Dr. R. Schiller—Head of Research at Hillier Parker, Chartered Surveyors.
• Mr. G. Singh—Chairman and Executive Director, Pinpoint Analysis Ltd.
• Mr. D. T. Sinker—Managing Director, Hunting Surveys and Consultants Ltd.
• Dr. J. R. Townshend—Reader in Geography, University of Reading.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have any plans to seek to reverse Parliament's decision of 1981 banning the shooting of curlew and redshank.

The Government have no plans at present to add the curlew and redshank to Schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, but have asked the Nature Conservancy Council to review the position.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What funds are being given by the Countryside Commission to the major study of river valleys in England and Wales; whether the study will ultimately be made public; and, if so, when.

The Countryside Commission has let a contract to consultants for a study of river valleys in England and Wales within a maximum expenditure of £34,200. The final report is expected to be submitted in March 1986 and the commission intend to publish it shortly thereafter.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will publish their guidelines on tests for cervical cancer and how many district health authorities have observed them.

Revised guidelines were published in 1984 in the form of an English Health Circular HC(84)17 and a Welsh Health Circular HC(84)14 which were sent to all health authorities and other interested bodies and copies of which were placed in the Library. We are asking health authorities to examine urgently the adequacy of their present screening arrangements.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What advice or instructions they have given to pharmacists with regard to the dispensing of items prescribed on Forms F.P.10 for which the retail price would be less than the £2 per item prescription charge; andWhat is the duty of a pharmacist in cases where patients are unable immediately to pay the £2 prescription charge for items which may be urgently required for the treatment of those patients.

A pharmacist must recover from a patient a prescription charge in respect of each item dispensed under the National Health Service (unless the patient is exempt). Notwithstanding the provisions of his terms and conditions of service, he is under no obligation to dispense an item on a prescription form unless he is first paid the prescribed charge.A small proportion of prescribed items can be purchased as retail items at a price less than the standard prescription charge. In such cases we have no objection to the pharmacist concerned pointing this out to the patient. If he does so and the patient buys the item, the prescription is, obviously, not dispensed. We believe it is right to leave the decision to individual pharmacists. We do not consider it necessary to issue formal guidance on this to pharmacists.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied that all health authorities are taking positive action in the national Rubella Immunisation Campaign.

We are encouraged by the response of health authorities so far to the campaign being co-ordinated by the National Rubella Council. The council, with the support of health authorities, has run conferences in six regional health authority areas in England, two in Wales and one in Northern Ireland. A further four conferences are being planned for England and Wales this year. As a result of these conferences, local groups have been formed to undertake work which will be valuable in promoting rubella immunisation at local level.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What has been the annual expenditure on unemployment benefit from 1948 to the latest available year expressed in money terms and as a percentage change on the previous year.

The information requested is given in the table:

Financial year	Expenditure £millon	Percentage change from previous year
1948–49	15·2	—
1949–50	19·2	+ 26·3
1950–51	17·0	- 11·5
1951–52	14·8	- 12·9
1952–53	26·8	+ 81·1
1953–54	22·2	- 17·2
1954–55	15·7	- 29·3
1955–56	15·7	—
1956–57	20·9	+ 33·1
1957–58	25·4	+ 21·5
1958–59	49·4	+ 94·5
1959–60	41·9	- 15·2
1960–61	30·2	- 27·9
1961–62	36·3	+ 20·2
1962–63	64·5	+ 77·7
1963–64	64·6	+ 0·2
1964–65	44·9	- 30–5
1965–66	49·2	+ 9·6
1966–67	78·3	+ 59·1
1967–68	121·7	+ 55·4
1968–69	123·3	+ 1·3
1969–70	127·1	+ 3·1
1970–71	150·4	+ 18·3
1971–72	239·4	+ 59·2
1972–73	209·1	- 12·7
1973–74	174·1	- 16·7
1974–75	214·1	+ 23·0
1975–76	454·4	+ 112·2
1976–77	558·8	+ 23·0
1977–78	628·8	+ 12·5
1978–79	631·9	+ 0·5
1979–80	652·9	+ 3·3
1980–81	1,280·5	+ 96–1
1981–82	1,701·5	+ 32·9
1982–83	1,499·6	- 11·9
1983–84	1,496·5	- 0·2