asked Her Majesty's Government:What was the certified normal accommodation and the actual number of prisoners at Birmingham, Durham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Wandsworth prisons respectively on the most recent convenient date.

On 7th June the certified normal accommodation and population of the establishments named were as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is the timetable for the revision of the Prison Rules.

We do not have any immediate plans to change the rules or to undertake their general review.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will state the current charge made by the Metropolitan Police to the prison service for the use of a prison cell overnight; how this compares with the previous three years; and if the current charge can be broken down in terms of costs.

The average cost per prisoner/night of prisoners held in Metropolitan Police cells is estimated at £100 in 1982–83, about £150 in 1983–84 and £200 in 1984–85. No figures have been calculated for 1981–82, during much of which police cells were rarely used.Approximately two-thirds of the cost is accounted for by staffing costs, the remainder by accommodation and ancillary services. The cost is not assessed on a per capita basis but represents actual expenditure by the police on staff, accommodation and services determined by various factors, including the number of prisoners held.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will confirm reports that the police smashed the windows of a number of cars at Stonehenge on 1st June showering the occupants with glass; and if this is true, what was the purpose of the action.

The Chief Constable of Wiltshire Constabulary informs me that his officers, in accordance with a High Court injunction, stopped a convoy of vehicles approaching Stonehenge. The drivers of a number of vehicles ignored police instructions to stop, and the police faced a situation in which vehicles were driven at them and missiles thrown at them. The police operation led to a number of arrests, and it would be wrong to comment further since courts will shortly have to decide on the precise circumstances of individual cases.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they propose to publish details of the service components of local authorities' grant-related expenditure assessments for 1985–86.

My right honourable friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has today placed in the Library of the House copies of The Technical Handbook of Grant-Related Expenditure 1985–86, which provides this information. A copy is being sent to each local authority in England and to each of the local authority associations.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made with arrangements to mark the tercentenary of William and Mary in 1988.

The British Committee described in my reply to the noble Lord on 30th July has been set up, together with a number of specialist sub-committees. Mr. Charles Tidbury has taken over as chairman from Sir Charles Troughton, and the Committee will hold its second meeting on 18th June.We anticipate a programme of commemorative events in 1988–89 which will be a fitting celebration and reminder of our joint cultural heritage with the Dutch people and which will help further to strengthen our already excellent relations with The Netherlands.