asked Her Majesty's Government:Why the workshops at Parkhurst Prison were closed on 20th May 1985 for a period of two weeks; whether, and if so, where and for how long, workshops at other prison establishments in England and Wales are to be closed; and whether strict budgetary control will affect other facilities for prisoners, including educational classes.

The governor of Parkhurst Prison was faced with the threat of industrial action from prison officers over the provision of manpower to escort contractors engaged on building redevelopment work within the prison. In order to enable that work to be carried out from within the resources available the governor decided to close the workshops for two weeks from 20th May. The application of strict budgetary control at regional and local level must be seen against the increased resources available to the Prison Service, and I believe that it should be possible to avoid any general worsening of the facilities available to prisoners.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the establishment, and present strength of the drugs squad in each police force in England and Wales.

Within his overall force establishment, it is for each chief officer of police to determine the deployment of his officers on different duties and the establishment figures requested are therefore not available. Figures for the strength of drug squads for forces in England and Wales as at 1st January 1985 are set out in the table below. The responsibilities of drug squads vary between forces and the figures are therefore not necessarily directly comparable.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will limit the right to make representations on strategic and local plans, strategic guidance and unitary development plans, to persons whose lives, business or property are affected and to statutory and voluntary bodies having a direct interest in the matters in question.

No. There is no need to limit the right of persons to make objections to structure plans when they are submitted to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State, or their right to make objection to local plans or unitary development plans when they are placed on deposit by the local planning authority. Nor would we wish to limit the opportunity for comment on any strategic guidance that may be published by my right honourable friend the Secretary of State in draft. Interested parties often make a useful contribution to the preparation of development plans.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What job losses they estimate will occur in the National Health Service for 1985–86; andWhat is their view of the proposal of the National Health Service to reduce jobs by 2,000.

We are pleased that improved control of National Health Service manpower in England meant that we were able to set an overall manpower ceiling for March 1986 2,000 whole-time equivalents lower than the level set for 1985. The efficient use of manpower has been a key concern of the Government in Scotland and Wales also. We are not able, however, to estimate the effect on jobs, some of which may be part-time.

asked Her Majesty's Government:How many cases of alleged breaches of the Marine, etc., Broadcasting (Offences) Act have been drawn to the attention of the Department of Trade and Industry by the legal radio stations in the United Kingdom.

My department has had a considerable correspondence from authorised broadcasting stations about possible offences under the Marine, etc., Broadcasting (Offences) Act 1967. It is also in regular contact with the Independent Broadcasting Authority and the Association of Independent Radio Contractors on the subject. All the information we receive is passed immediately to the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, who usually asks for a police investigation before deciding whether to institute proceedings under the Act.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether any companies wholly or partly engaged in pirate radio broadcasting have been registered for statutory purposes through the Department of Trade and Industry or any of its agencies.

I am aware of two registered companies which have been engaged in unlicensed broadcasting in the United Kingdom.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in elaboration of their reply to Baroness Burton of Coventry's Starred Question of 16th May (col 1248), they will inform the House which of the eight proposals already before the Internal Market/Consumer Affairs Council "have been set aside, as it were, on the way".

Of the eight proposals referred to in the statement made by Commissioner Clinton Davies at the 11th February Internal Market Council, four were on the agenda for discussion at the 21st May Consumer Affairs Council of Ministers. These were the proposals on product liability, doorstep selling, consumer credit and the community system for surveillance of accidents.The remaining proposals are still being considered in working groups prior to any further discussion at a future Council of Ministers. These are the proposals for the price indication of non-food products, toy safety, and amendments to existing directives on the labelling of alcoholic beverages and on the labelling, presentation and advertising of foodstuffs.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What instances have been recorded since 1945 of any difficulties about expenditure having been incurred due to the non-inclusion in any statutory provision of the formula "with the consent of the Treasury", or words to like effect, when giving a power to, or imposing a duty on, a Minister of the Crown which might require public expenditure.

There is no central record of any difficulties that may have arisen from the absence of the formula in legislation: but as the formula is invariably included in legislation instances of difficulty are likely to be few in number.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What revenue they have received from the taxation of farmhouse cider in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Farmhouse cider is not specifically defined for revenue purposes, and a reliable estimate cannot be made. Such indications as there are, however, suggest that the annual revenue from cider duty and value added tax on this product is unlikely to exceed £1 million.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have completed the evaluation of the surveys of the ethnic origins of applicants in Civil Service recruitment schemes held in the North West and the County of Avon; and whether they will make a statement.

A report on the surveys is being published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The surveys covered non-industrial recruitment during March to August 1984. A high response rate was achieved. The proportion of respondents classifying themselves as being of ethnic minority origin was, overall, close to the estimated proportion in the working population as a whole, but was lower for those in the younger age range. Because of the small numbers involved, it was not possible to draw firm conclusions from the results.Building on this experience, a comprehensive twelve-month survey of executive officer recruitment will be conducted nationally, starting at the end of this year; there will be a continuing programme of sample surveys in the main areas of departmental recruitment; and there will be a service-wide study to follow the long-term progress of all staff who enter some of the main recruitment grades during 1986. In addition, ways will be explored of giving further encouragement to ethnic minority school-leavers, in particular, to apply for Civil Service posts.