asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will update the information about Northern Ireland grants to voluntary bodies as stated in the

The information for the financial year ended 31st March 1985 is as follows:

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of widespread public acceptance of manipulative therapy, they will recognise chiropractic under the National Health Service, and set up a register to enable patients to locate qualified practitioners.

Decisions on the treatment to be provided under the National Health Service are for the clinical judgment of the doctors concerned, within the limits of available resources. The organisations representing chiropractors have made no recent approaches concerning the establishment of such a register.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether further enhancements to the RAF's reserve and auxiliary forces are under consideration.

I am pleased to announce a trial scheme to assess the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of recruiting RAF volunteer reservists to serve as aircrew in regular RAF squadrons. The trial, which will start next April and last for two years, will offer volunteer reservists the opportunity to fill certain rear-crew positions in the Nimrod Maritime Reconnaissance force and to provide a complete VC.10 transport crew. Eleven volunteer reservists will be recruited for the trial, including two pilots. The cost will amount to some £350K over the two-year period.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they expect to publish the report of the group set up under the chairmanship of the Minister Without Portfolio to review obstacles to the development of tourism and leisure.

The group's report was published today and copies have been placed in the Library. The report outlines the major and increasing contribution which tourism and leisure are making to the economy and describes action which the Government are taking to remove impediments to the industry's further growth.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will initiate discussion in the United Nations Security Council of the proposal to establish a nuclear weapon-free zone in the Middle East, in view of the fact that it is supported by Israel, Jordan and other Arab Governments.

No. We believe that the most appropriate forum for discussion of the Middle East nuclear weapon-free zone proposal is the United Nations General Assembly's First Committee, where all the countries covered by the proposed zone are represented. This committee has considered the proposal in depth and in recent years has adopted a consensus resolution which defines the steps which should be taken by the states in question prior to the establishment of the zone. Until each of these states has taken action on these, there can be no real progress on this proposal.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether the United Nations have considered and condemned the Soviet Union for its invasion of Afghanistan and to what effect.

At the United Nations General Assembly in November 1984 a record majority called for the immediate withdrawal of the Soviet army, which continues to occupy Afghanistan in contravention of the United Nations Charter. Similar resolutions have been passed each year since the Soviet invasion but regrettably the Soviet Union have not yet complied with them. We look to them to reconsider.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether in view of the recommendations of the Home Office psychiatrists who have thoroughly examined Ian Brady, and the recent visits by the head of Park Lane Hospital, they will now take steps to transfer him to a Special Hospital.

I will write to the noble Earl.

asked Her Majesty's Government:In regard to that part of the Agricultural Wages order dated 2nd June 1985, why the allowance that can be deducted for the provision of board and lodging is less for an 18 year-old than a 19 year-old; andIn regard to that part of the Agricultural Wages Order dated 2nd June 1985, why the amount deducted for the provision of free accommodation (£1·50 a week) has remained unaltered since 1976, over which period the Agricultural Wages Board has raised the minimum rate without overtime for skilled workers from £39·55 to £ 106·16; andIn regard to that part of the Agricultural Wages order dated 2nd June 1985, why the allowance authorised to be paid to shepherds for keeping a dog has been raised by 8·3 per cent. in line with the recommended wage increase, when over the same period the retail price index only rose by 5·1 per cent.

All such matters are determined by the Agricultural Wages Board. I understand, however, that the decisions on the various values set by Agricultural Wages Orders are taken in the light of issues raised by the representatives of the employers and workers on the board and of the overall wages award.

asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether, in view of the apparent inconsistencies in the Agricultural Wages Board's latest awards, they consider that the board should either be abolished or required to confine itself to recommendations on adult wages.

My right honourable friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food made it clear in another place on 17th June that Agriculture Ministers currently had no plans to review the operation of the Agricultural Wages Board. The board's existing operations, including the requirement that the wage determinations should cover all workers in agriculture, are governed by ILO Convention No. 99, which the Government decided in 1984 not to denounce in respect of the period to 1994.