asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they consider that there is an urgent need to provide further secure accommodation for prisoners on trial at Huntingdon Magistrates' Court which is accommodated in Huntingdon Town Hall, a listed building, and whether steps will be taken to expedite consultation with English Heritage so that the work may proceed without further delay.

Under Section 55 of the Justices of the Peace Act 1979 responsibility for the provision of magistrates' courthouse accommodation rests with the Cambridgeshire County Council. It would not be appropriate for Her Majesty's Government to interfere with the functions of the council—which has made no approach to the Home Office—or with the work of English Heritage, an independent body set up by the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England. However, it is understood that progress is being made in respect of the scheme, which involves only relatively minor works.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they have made any reduction in new grants to the Metropolitan Police; whether they will increase their grants in view of the statement by the commissioner that the cash limits will render the police less able adequately to discharge all their commitments; and whether they will take into account concern at the ability of the police to deal adequately with racial harassment.

My right honourable friend the Home Secretary announced in February a cash limit of £763–184 million on Metropolitan Police expenditure in 1985–86, which represents an increase of 5 per cent. on the equivalent figure for 1984–85. There has been no reduction in the cash limit or in the grants payable in support of the expenditure. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis fully realises that the force must live within its budget and that this sometimes involves adjustments to planned expenditure to accommodate additional commitments which arise after the cash limit has been set. But the commissioner's strategy, which includes reducing the number of racial attacks through improved detection as a force priority, remains unchanged.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the practice of the security services subcontracting investigations to private agents has become widespread, and whether this practice was adopted in the case of Miss Hilda Murrell.

I would refer the noble Lord to the reply given to his Question on 2nd May at cols. 468–9.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether having regard to their Answer of 2nd May (cols. 468–9) they are aware that Zeus Security Consultants were briefed by a client now known to the West Mercia Police to investigate Sizewell B public inquiry objectors, who included Miss Hilda Murrell, and whether they will name the client.

I understand from the Chief Constable of West Mercia that his officers have investigated the circumstances of inquiries undertaken by Zeus Security Consultants into the objectors at the Sizewell B inquiry. The police have established that these inquiries were totally unconnected with Miss Murrell and were concluded over a year before her death. The Chief Constable does not consider it appropriate to disclose the client's identity but I understand that it was not a Government department or agency.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they are satisfied with the arrangements to ensure that imported foreign goods, especially electrical plugs, switches and sockets, are not so designed as to be imitations of British products.

Under the Trade Descriptions Act 1968, the importation of goods bearing a false indication of the place of manufacture is prohibited, and also under this Act, where notice is given to HM Customs and Excise by the trade mark owner, imported goods improperly bearing a registered trade mark are liable to forfeiture under the Customs & Excise Management Act 1979. Protection against illegal copying or exploitation of products is also provided by copyrights, designs, and patent laws. There are in addition regulations, already in force or planned, which prohibit the marketing of unsafe electrical goods. The combined use of these remedies provides a broad measure of protection.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will introduce legislation applying the recommendations of the working party of the Hansard Society that companies making donations to political parties should seek the approval of their shareholders.

The proposals in the report from the Hansard Society about shareholder approval of companies' political donations are part of a voluntary code of practice and the report makes it quite clear tht the code is not dependent on any legislative changes. Moreover, the report stresses that a voluntary code is preferable to a statutory requirement. We have no plans to change the law on this matter.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What is proposed for the maintenance of Hainault Forest, which at present is owned and managed by the Greater London Council, in the event of the abolition of that authority, with regard to the three aspects:

On abolition of the Greater London Council, ownership and management of Hainault Forest and its facilities will go to the three councils in which it lies—that is, Redbridge and Havering London Boroughs and Epping Forest District Council—unless the councils put to my right honourable friend the Secretary of State an acceptable alternative solution, such as, for example, management of the forest by one council on behalf of the others.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will now make a statement on the future use of Gordon Barracks, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, and the Prince of Wales Depot, Cwrt-y-Gollen, Crickhowell.

We announced last year, following a detailed examination of junior recruit training, reductions in the size of the junior training organisation. As part of this process the two smallest training barracks, at Bridge of Don and Cwrt-y-Gollen, were earmarked for possible closure. Since then we have examined the possible alternative uses for these two barracks, and I am pleased to announce that:Firstly, we have decided to retain the majority of Gordon Barracks for Territorial Army purposes. This will relieve overcrowding in existing Territorial Army sites in Aberdeen and will enable the inadequate facilities at the Hardgate Territorial Army centre to be given up.Secondly, the Cwrt-y-Gollen barracks will be used in future as a training camp, thereby enabling the majority of the less satisfactory facilities at Monmouth to be given up. In addition, the barracks will provide a Territorial Army centre for a hospital detachment, thus saving the cost of having to build elsewhere.These decisions mean that the maximum military use will be made of both barracks while at the same time ensuring that the manpower and financial savings arising out of the rationalisation of junior training will still be achieved.