Written Answers of 20 May 1988

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Debt Provision
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing, for each year from 1973 to 1987, the average interest rate for six-month Eurodollar variable debt.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Six month Eurodollar interest rates (Per cent. per annum)

  Year

  Per cent.

  1973

  9·3

  1974

  11·1

  1975

  7·6

  1976

  6·1

  1977

  6·4

  1978

  9·4

  1979

  12·0

  1980

  14·1

  1981

  16·5

  1982

  13·2

  1983

  9·8

  1984

  11·0

  1985

  8·5

  1986

  6·6

  1987

  7·2

  Source: Bank of England

  Pound Sterling
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from manufacturing industries in the last 12 months about the value of the pound; what industrial categories such representations have been received from; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.

  Own Resources
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about early payment of non-value added tax own resources to the European Communities in May.

  Mr. Brooke
  The European Commission estimates that its spending obligations in June will exceed its available revenues under the provisional twelfths regime. In accordance with article 10(2) of Council regulation 2891/77, the Commission has requested member states to advance from June the payment of own resources, other than VAT, in respect of agricultural, sugar and isoglucose levies and customs duties collected by the Government on its behalf.

  The Government are satisfied that this request is within the vires of article 10(2) and accordingly will make a
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  payment today, 20 May, of £153 million from the Consolidated Fund under section 2(3) of the European Communities Act, 1972. The payment of levies and duties on 20 June will be reduced by the amount of the advance.

  The article 10(2) facility does not affect the total amount which the Community is authorised to spend during the year. The Commission's request does not, therefore, involve any net addition to public expenditure.

  VAT
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to extend the category of those able to acquire a wheelchair exempt from value added tax to include elderly people who are unable to walk.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: Wheelchairs are zero-rated for VAT purposes when supplied to a handicapped person. Anyone who is permanently unable to walk will qualify for this relief.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Attorney-General what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with the Law Officers' Departments through the medium of the Welsh language.

  The Attorney-General
  It is the policy of the Lord Chancellor's Department to facilitate communication through the medium of the Welsh language, so far as is reasonably possible, and to that end Courts and offices for which the Lord Chancellor is responsible and which do not have access to a Welsh speaker are able to take advantage of an arrangement with the Welsh Office to provide a translation service.

  My own Department has no facilities for translating communications received in Welsh, and in those circumstances my officials would seek advice from the Welsh Office.

  Wright Memoirs
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will estimate the total current cost of the pursual of the legal cases to prevent publication of the Wright memoirs: and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  In the "Spycatcher" litigation here and in Australia, New Zealand and Hong Kong, the total amount of costs expended to date by the Government is about £787,000.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the establishment, by grade, of the legal aid area office, Birmingham; and how many people are presently in place.

  The Attorney-General
  Staffing levels in the individual area offices are the responsibility of the legal aid administration of the Law Society. There is no formal establishment figure, but I understand that there are 79.5 members of staff in post with one unfilled vacancy at administrative officer level.
  585
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average time taken by the legal aid area office, Birmingham, to deal with applications for legal aid; and what were the equivalent figures one and two years ago.

  The Attorney-General
  The latest figures available are published in appendix 2G of the 37th legal aid annual reports. These show that, for legal aid area No. 6, it took an average 78·13 days (actual, not working) from receipt of a legal aid application to the issue of a certificate during the financial year 1986–87. The equivalent figure for 1985–86 was 50·89 days. Prior to 1985–86, figures for individual area offices are not available.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects the legal aid area office, Birmingham, to make a decision upon an application on behalf of Mr. John Walker, reference No. 06018805154 QB3 which was submitted in February and acknowledged on 15 March; and what are the reasons for the time taken to deal with this application.

  The Attorney-General
  I understand from the legal aid administration of the Law Society that Mr. Walker's application is being processed in the normal way, and that a decision will be made on the application imminently.

  GEC/Marconi
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has decided whether a prosecution will take place following the investigation by the Ministry of Defence police into certain conduct of GEC/Marconi.

  The Attorney-General
  The investigation to which the hon. Member refers is not yet complete. It is being conducted in conjunction with the Serious Fraud Office. The director of the Serious Fraud Office will decide in due course whether any criminal proceedings should be instituted.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were in prison mother-and-baby units on the most recent convenient date.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  On 13 May, there were 70 women in prison mother-and-baby units.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of sentenced male and female prisoners, respectively, on the most recent convenient date had not served a previous custodial sentence;

  (2) what proportion of sentenced males and females under 21 years who were received into prison in the most recent convenient year had not previously served a custodial sentence;

  (3) what proportion of sentenced males and females under 21 years in custody on the most recent convenient date had not previously served a custodial sentence;

  (4) what proportion of sentenced males and females under 21 years received into custody in the most recent convenient year had not previously served a custodial sentence.
  586
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is not recorded centrally. The readily available statistics relate to all previous convictions and are published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (tables 3.5, 3.11, 4.3, 4.10, 5.3 and 5.10 of the latest volume, for 1986, (Cm. 210)), copies of which are in the Library.

  Civil Defence (Regional Government)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations he has received to improve procedures for the operation of regional government headquarters in wartime following the civil defence region No. 2 REGEX exercise; and if he will place a copy of the post-exercise report in the Library.

  Mr. John Patten
  The exercise is being evaluated, but it is not the practice to give details of these wartime arrangements.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Department has standing arrangements for translating and dealing with the small amount of correspondence received in Welsh.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to issue a circular to local authorities in Wales on the implications of the outcome of Newport's scheme to provide cheap television licences to pensioners.

  Mr. Renton
  No.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will circularise to all Welsh local authorities information advising them of the rules by which certain accommodation for elderly people can be adapted so that they can benefit from concessionary television licences.

  Mr. Renton
  No. Guidance on the requirements for eligibility for the accommodation for residential care licence is available on demand from the National TV Licence Records Office.

  Mr. Poonawalla Hatimbhai
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to give a substantive reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Hammersmith of 2 February, concerning the case of Mr. Poonawalla Hatimbhai (Home Office Ref.: P336477/2(s)); and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in dealing with this case.

  Mr. Renton
  I replied to the hon Member's letter on 7 March indicating that further inquiries into Mr. Poonawalla's case would be required. These inquiries have now been completed, and a decision has been taken to grant the application. The time taken to deal with this case arose from the need to ensure that Mr. Poonawalla's application met the requirements of the immigration rules, and I am satisfied that there was no unnecessary delay.

  National Lottery
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to amend the Lotteries Act 1976 to allow the establishment of a national lottery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are aware of interest in the idea of a national lottery in the light of recent developments and will continue to keep the position under review.

  Foreign Visitors
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visitors by nationality(a) arrived in the United Kingdom, (b) were admitted, (c) were required to submit to secondary examination and (d) were refused leave to enter for each month from January 1987 to the nearest available date.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 3 May 1988]: I have today written to the hon. Member enclosing in tabular form the available information requested. A copy of the letter has been placed in the Library.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  UN Relief and Works Administration
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to which Governments in the most recent year for which the figures are available, contributed to the funds of the United Nations relief and works administration, and as to how much each such Government contributed.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  This information is contained in annex I of the addendum to the report of the Commissioner General of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency of October 1987, UN Official Record No. A/42/13/Add I, copies of which have been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Falkland Islands
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the projects undertaken in the Falkland Islands to promote economic development which have received financial support from the United Kingdom and the extent of that support in each case to date at current and 1988 prices.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Following is the information:

  £ thousands

  Total expenditure to 31 March 1988

  Project

  At current

  At 1987–88 prices (using GDP deflators)

  Falkland Islands Development Corporation

  7,234

  7,588

  Land Transfer

  2,500

  2,718

  Port Stanley Electricity

  3,855

  4,243

  Port Stanley Water

  1,617

  1,658

  Fuel Depot

  43

  43

  School Hostel

  1,211

  1,392

  Foxbay Electricity

  72

  82

  Stanley-Mount Pleasant Airport Road

  1,359

  1,562

  Camptracks

  197

  200

  Wool Mill

  32

  37

  588

  Total expenditure to 31 March 1988

  Project

  At current

  At 1987–88 prices (using GDP deflators)

  Computers

  45

  45

  Technical Cooperation

  8,180

  8,918

  Hospital

  5,947

  6,322

  Stanley Airport Road

  262

  272

  Brewster Housing

  6,960

  8,551

  Stanley Roads

  2,500

  3,081

  Repairs/Replacements

  5,151

  6,324

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what has been the total cost to date of civilian projects undertaken by the Government in each year since the end of the war in the Falkland Islands at both current and 1988 prices.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Following is the information:

  £000s

  Financial year

  Current prices

  1987–88 Prices2

  1982–83

  9,429

  11,842

  1983–84

  6,037

  7,243

  1984–85

  7,005

  8,052

  1985–86

  8,509

  9,226

  1986–87

  9,683

  10,168

  1987–881

  6,502

  6,502

  Total

  47,165

  53,033

  1 Provisional.

  2 Using GDP deflators.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been given to the request on 14 April from the Government of Vietnam for assistance with the serious food shortage arising from the recent drought in northern Vietnam.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The request is under consideration by the European Community and international agencies. We shall not be making any bilateral response.

PRIME MINISTER

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will ensure that Ministers answering parliamentary questions by reference to previous answers enclose copies of such answers to the hon. Member asking the question.

  The Prime Minister
  My usual practice in such cases is to enclose copies of previous answers. I shall arrange for the hon. Gentleman's concern to be drawn to the attention of Departments generally.

  Ministerial Statements
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will set out her policy with regard to the making of statements about information reported on television, radio, or in the press and magazines.

  The Prime Minister
  Each case is decided on its merits.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) what co-ordination takes place between all those Government Departments which operate in Wales concerning their use of the Welsh language when dealing with the public;

  (2) what guidelines exist concerning the use of the Welsh language when dealing with the public by those Government Departments which have responsibility for aspects of the Government's work in Wales.

  The Prime Minister
  It is for each Department to decide how it responds to correspondence and deals with the public. Departments with offices in Wales seek to ensure that suitable arrangements exist so that letters written in Welsh are replied to in Welsh.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Prime Minister what is her policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with those offices for which she has direct ministerial responsibility through the medium of the Welsh language.

  The Prime Minister
  To refer the communication to the Welsh Office.

  1986

  Rates per 1,000 births

  Registered nurses and midwives in special care baby units at 30 September 1986

  District Health Authority

  Still births per 1,000 live and still births

  1All neo-natal deaths per 1,000 live births

  2Whole-time equivalent per 100 low weight births

  Trafford

  5·9

  4·2

  31·4

  Sheffield

  6·1

  4·7

  6·7

  Wandsworth

  4·4

  4·1

  7·5

  West Lambeth

  4·2

  4·6

  8·8

  North Lincolnshire

  6·7

  3·1

  31·9

  Sources: OPCS; DHSS Annual Census of NHS non-medical manpower.

  1 Neonatal deaths are deaths within 28 days.

  2 Calculated on unrounded whole-time equivalent staff in post and number of births.

  3 Trafford and North Lincolnshire health authorities export cases to other districts as they have limited neo-natal intensive care facilities. (NortthLincolnshirehaszerointensivecarecots;

  Social Security Reform
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has published or intends to publish statistics outlining the impact of the social security changes on the Afro-Caribbean and Asian communities.

  Mr. Portillo
  It is not possible to give the information requested. No information on ethnic minorities is contained in the national census, the annual family expenditure survey or DHSS administrative statistics.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if his Department has published or intends to publish statistics outlining the impact of the social security changes on people resident in(a) the inner cities, (b) the Greater London area and (c) Brent, South constituency.

  Mr. Portillo
  I regret that statistically reliable estimates for the areas requested cannot be provided.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Davyhulme of 22 March,Official Report, column 88, he will make a statement on the progress made in amending the social security rules.

  Mrs. Margaret Harris (Letter)
  Mr. Terry Lewis
  To ask the Prime Minister when she expects to reply to Mrs. Margaret Harris, of the Helping Hands Homecare Agency, 61 Hilltop road, Worsley in response to questions raised in her letter dated 12 March.

  The Prime Minister
  Following my usual practice with regard to such matters, I have asked the relevant Department, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise, to reply to Mrs. Harris as soon as possible.

SOCIAL SERVICES

  Child Mortality Rates
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the child mortality rates both at birth and within a month of birth, in Trafford, Sheffield, Wandsworth, West Lambeth and North Lincolnshire health authorities; what is the number of registered nurses in special care baby units per 100 low birthweight births in those authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Currie
  The information requested is in the table.

  Mr. Portillo
  We shall be considering proposals in the near future.

  Departmental Staff (Burnley)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the designated staff level for his Department's Burnley office for the current year; how many staff were in post on 1 April; what were the comparable figures for 1987 and 1986; and what is the comparable work load position for the same period.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:

  Complement

  Staff

  1986–87

  212

  1987–88

  236

  1988–89

  210·5

  591

  Staff in Post

  Staff

  1 April 1986

  214·5

  1 April 1987

  211

  1 April 1988

  226·5

  17 December 1985

  16 December 1986

  17 November 1987

  Supplementary benefits live load

  16,308

  16,772

  15,701

  Short term benefits live load

  6,660

  6,851

  7,054

  Comparable figures are not available for the full range of contributory benefits.

  The 1987 work load figures are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Direct comparisons between the numbers of staff and the live load are misleading as workloads vary considerably by type and duration of claim and the action that has to be taken. All these factors vary over time as a result of legislative, policy and procedural changes.

  Income Support
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services whether young people in full-time education who have become aged 19 years after 11 April are entitled to income support; and whether their parents are able to claim income support for them.

  Mr. Portillo
  People of 19 years and over in full-time education are treated as students for social security purposes. Disabled students, and lone-parent students, are eligible for income support throughout the year. Other students can claim only during the summer vacation. Parents cannot claim income support dependency additions for a person aged 19.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to correspond with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mr. Portillo
  Local offices of the Department in Wales will reply in Welsh to any letters received in that language.

  There are facilities for local social security offices outside Wales to have any document or correspondence received in Welsh translated into English, but the reply will normally be in English.

  Some social security benefits are administered centrally from offices outside Wales. Correspondence from Wales in Welsh received by any of these central offices is normally answered in Welsh.

  Benefits Regulations
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services when his Department's leaflets P11, D11, G11 and H11, explaining the new regulations regarding benefits covering National Health Service treatment charges will be delivered to the two offices of his Department in Birkenhead.
  592
  The latest caseload counts, based on a 100 per cent, count of all cases in action, and the corresponding figures for previous yars are as folows:

  Mr. Portillo
  The delivery of leaflets P11, D11, G11 and H11 to local offices is scheduled for mid-July. In the meantime, people with inquiries should use the freeline social security service, which can be contacted by dialling 0800–666555 free of charge, or alternatively contact their local DHSS office.

  Hospital Building
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that there is adequate consultation between the regional health authorities in planning the hospital building programmes; and if he will make it his policy that no proposal for new hospital building close to Worthing health authority district will be considered without taking fully into account the location of existing hospitals and the case for giving priority to the construction of phase II of the Worthing hospital.

  Mrs. Currie
  It is incumbent on all health authorities when planning capital schemes to take into account developments planned or in the pipeline in neighbouring authorities. In the case of Worthing and Brighton the authorities concerned are considering jointly the location of and services provided by existing hospitals in those districts and future plans for new building before submitting proposals to the Department.

  Income Support
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make it his policy that the compensatory element to be built into the April 1989 income support rates to reflect 20 per cent. of the average community charge will be, in the case of a single person aged 18 to 24 years inclusive, the same as that for a single person aged 25 years or over;

  (2) if he will make it his policy that the compensatory element to be built into the April 1989 income support rates to reflect 20 per cent. of the average community charge be paid to a full uprating of the remainder of the income support rates, according to the movement of the retail prices index exclusive of housing costs over the relevant measurement period.

  Mr. Portillo
  Decisions regarding the uprating of income support and the compensation for the liability to meet 20 per cent. of the average community charge will be taken in the autumn.

  Pensions
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has as to which countries in
  593
  Europe, other than the United Kingdom, pensions are paid (a) at a higher rate to married men than to single men or (b) to married women by virtue of their husbands' contributions.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 18 May 1988]: Among the member states of the European Community married men are paid higher pensions than single men in Belgium, Greece, Ireland, the Netherlands, Portugal and Spain. However, the rate of increase is in several cases very small. In Denmark a married couple receive a higher pension than the single person rate only if both partners qualify for a pension. The United Kingdom and Gibraltar are the only parts of the European Community in which a separate pension is paid to a wife by virtue of her husband's contributions.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Companies
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information he has as to which companies have their headquarters in the Yorkshire and Humberside region and have subsidiaries abroad.

  Mr. Atkins
  There are 52,171 companies which have their registered office address in the Yorkshire and Humberside region. The information concerning foreign subsidiaries could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  BP (Kuwaiti Shareholding)
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what action he proposes to take, pending a report from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission, in the event that the Kuwaiti Investment Office increases its shareholding in BP by taking its dividend in the form of additional shares.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  In accordance with normal practice, the Office of Fair Trading has invited the Kuwait Investment Office to give an undertaking, pending the outcome of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission inquiry, that it will not acquire additional BP shares.

  Mobile Communications
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster why Mr. Arthur Bird of 3 Ashanti close, Shoeburyness, has been advised that the allocation of a radio frequency cannot be given for his taxi firm for 10 weeks; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 17 May 1988]: The assignment of frequencies for private mobile radio users is a complex process. At present, over 1,000 cases a month are being received and there is a backlog of work. Steps are being taken to deal with this backlog, and new applications are now generally taking less than six weeks. I will write to the hon. Member about the options available to those who have an urgent need for mobile communications.

  Furnishings (Fire Safety)
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what account was taken in drawing up the 594
  draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations of the relevant European Economic Community standards.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 19 May 1988]: I am not aware of any such standards.

  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if his Department has had any discussions with the European Commission about the draft Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations.

  Mr. Butcher
  [holding answer 19 May 1988]: Several such discussions have taken place; the most recent was in Brussels on 17 May.

  Departmental Research Establishments
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the regional distribution of his Department's research establishments.

  Mr. Butcher [holding answer 19 May 1988]
  The distribution is as follows:

  Scotland

  National Engineering Laboratory at East Kilbride.

  South East Region

  Warren Spring Laboratory at Stevenage.

  Laboratory of the Government Chemist at Waterloo (London).

  National Physical Laboratory at Teddington.

  National Weights and Measures Laboratory at Teddington.

ENERGY

  Ministerial Statements
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his policy towards making statements in Parliament on matters raised by television or radio broadcasts or in the press and magazine articles.

  Mr. Parkinson
  Each case is decided on its merits.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy
  what is his policy with regard to dealing with those individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mr. Parkinson
  My Energy Efficiency Office can deal with inquiries in Welsh and issues selected publications in Welsh. If a wish emerged from individuals and bodies in Wales to communicate in Welsh with other parts of my Department, I would explore whether suitable arrangements could be made.

  THORP (Contracts)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the current contracts signed for THORP at Sellafield with non-United Kingdom companies is allocated for the expenditure to be incurred by(a) United Kingdom Nirex Ltd., (b) its successor body if reorganised under privatisation and (c) British Nuclear Fuels plc for the long-term storage or disposal of (i) low-level wastes and (ii) intermediate-level wastes to be retained in the United Kingdom after reprocessing.
  595
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Since 1976 BNFL's contracts for the reprocessing of overseas spent fuel have contained options for the return of wastes. Contracts signed before 1976 do not contain such options and therefore cover the costs of long-term storage and disposal of low and intermediate level wastes. I understand from BNFL that the costs of such storage and disposal are estimated to be less than 5 per cent. of the total costs associated with current contracts signed for THORP without return of waste options.

  Coal Mining Subsidence
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will extend the date for receipt of evidence submitted to his Department for its consultation paper, "Coal Mining Subsidence Compensation: Proposals For Legislation" until the autumn.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No; the deadline of three months from the issuing of the paper is a reasonable time to allow interested parties to comment.

  The Department is, however, always pleased to have the views of those with an interest in coal mining subsidence and where possible to take these into account.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will direct British Coal to make available to the owners of properties thought to be damaged by coal mining subsidence reports commissioned by the corporation with outside agencies or consultancies.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  No. Such reports belong to British Coal. This is a matter for the corporation.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Irish Language
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of students in teacher training institutions who are currently studying Irish as part of their teacher training course.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Forty-eight.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Generally, it is the practice of the Department to respond in English where a communication is received in another language, but so far as is reasonably practicable, the Department would seek to respond both in English and Welsh to correspondence received in the Welsh language. There is no facility in the Department for dealing orally with questions raised in that language.

  Haberdashers' Aske's Schools
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford, 16 May,Official
  596
  Report, column 319, what advice has been given to the governing body of Haberdashers' Aske's schools about entitlement to redundancy payments of staff of their Lewisham schools consequent upon any change of status to a city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My officials have given no advice to the governing body of the Haberdashers' Aske's schools on this subject.

  Schools Councils
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the setting up of the shadow National Curriculum Council and the shadow School Examinations and Assessment Council.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  During the debate on Second Reading of the Education Reform Bill, on 1 December 1987, at column 776, I announced my intention to set up the National Curriculum Council (NCC) and the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC) in shadow form during the passage of the Bill. Establishment of the councils in this way, which is without prejudice o parliamentary approval of the provisions in the Bill relating to the creation of statutory councils, will enable the bodies to begin planning: for implementation of the national curriculum and its associated assessment arrangements, and for the approval of qualifications and syllabuses provided for under the Bill. In particular. it will enable the shadow NCC to plan for consideration of, and consultations on, the reports of the curriculum working groups in mathematics and science due at the end of June.

  I am pleased to say that Mr. Duncan Graham, who is currently the chief executive of Humberside county council and formerly chief education officer of Suffolk, has agreed to be chairman and chief executive of the shadow NCC. Mr. Philip Halsey, deputy secretary in the Department of Education and Science until his retirement earlier this month, has agreed to be chairman and chief executive of the shadow SEAC. I am also appointing the following people as members of the shadow councils:

  National Curriculum Council

  Professor Paul J. Black, OBE. PhD: Professor of Science Education, Kings College, London and Head of the Centre for Educational Studies.

  Mr. Malcolm Brigg: TVEI Regional Adviser, Northern Region.

  Ms. Judith Chaplin: Head of institute of Directors' Policy Unit.

  Mrs. Daphne Gould: Head of Mulberry Girls' School, Tower Hamlets.

  Dr. Hilary Nicolle: Headmistress of Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston-upon-Thames.

  Mr. Colin Smith MBE: Headmaster, Delaval County Middle School, Northumberland.

  Mr. Christopher J. Webb: Principal, Handsworth Technical College, Birmingham.

  Mr. J. Peter Whitehouse: Industrial Consultant.

  School Examinations and Assessment Council

  Mr. Ivor H. Cohen: Chairman of Remploy Ltd.

  Mr. Richard Daughtery: Dean of the Faculty of Educational Studies, University College, Swansea.

  Mr. John Day: Secretary-General of the Associated Examining Board.

  Mr. Neil Fitton: Director of Education, Cheshire LEA.

  Dr. Arthur Hearnden: General Secretary of the Independent Schools Joint Council.

  Dr. Stephen Nepaulsingh: Deputy Headmaster, Heath Park High School, Wolverhampton.

  597

  Dr. Margaret Rayner: Vice-Principal, St. Hilda's College, Oxford.

  Ms. Hilary Steedman: Senior Research Officer at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research.

  Mrs. Elizabeth Tarr: Head, Thornbury Primary School, Plymouth.

  Ms. Kathleen Tattersall: Joint Secretary of the Northern Examinations Authority. Secretary of the North-West Regional Examinations Board.

  Mr. Christopher J. Webb: Principal, Handsworth Technical College, Birmingham.

  Mr. J. Peter Whitehouse: Industrial consultant.

  They have been chosen after a good deal of consultation with interests directly concerned with the work of the two councils, and between them reflect a wide range of knowledge and experience of educational matters. I am grateful to all for their willingness to serve.

  I have chosen not to fill all the places available on each council—15 if the Bill is passed in its present form—because I wish to consider further appointments in the light of the councils' early experience and of further comment about interests which should be reflected. But I shall be seeking to make an early further appointment to the NCC to bring to bear more knowledge and experience of primary education, and I also intend to ensure that people knowledgeable about special educational needs are appointed to both bodies.

  Subject to the Education Reform Bill completing its passage through Parliament and receiving Royal Assent, I expect to confirm the appointments to their respective councils of the chairmen/chief executives and of the members at a later date.

  The School Curriculum Development Committee and the Secondary Examinations Council, which will respectively be replaced by the NCC and SEAC, will continue their present work for the time being, but will be formally wound up in the autumn after Royal Assent. I am very grateful to their members, and to their chairmen, Professor Roger Blin-Stoyle and Sir Wilfred Cockcroft, for the valuable service they have given and for continuing to serve until the new councils are formally established.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Bangladesh
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of the United Kingdom military training assistance scheme relating to Bangladesh.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We meet the cost of providing a three-man team to help with instruction at the Bangladesh defence services command and staff college. In addition, we meet the cost of attendance by Bangladeshi students at a small number of military training courses in the United Kingdom. It is not our practice to disclose the cost of assistance to individual countries.

  Falkland Islands
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government have offered any financial assistance to Falkland Islanders who wish to emigrate from the islands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have not offered any financial assistance to Falkland Islanders wishing to emigrate from the islands. The FICZ has increased job opportunities in 598
  the islands over the last 18 months. The 1986 census showed an increase in population for the first time since 1930.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the present permanent population of the Falkland Islands; what was the population in 1980; and what proportion of the present population are native to the islands.

  Mr. Eggar
  At the last census held on 16 November 1986, the population of the Falkland Islands was 1,916. In 1980 the population was 1,813. The 1986 census figures established that at that time 67 per cent. of the population was born in the Falkland Islands.

  Ministerial Statements
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards making statements on matters raised by television or radio broadcasts or published in the press and magazines.

  Mr. Eggar
  Each case is decided on its merits.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mr. Eggar
  We would make the necessary arrangements for the translation of any communication received in the Welsh language.

  Gibraltar (Shootings)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his statement on 7 March,Official Report, column 22, on the shootings in Gibraltar, whether full information on the bullet wounds inflicted on the terrorists will be made available by the British Army and the commissioner of the Gibraltar police to the coroner; and whether it is the Government's intention to release this information to the public when the inquest has been completed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  It will be for the coroner to decide to whom he makes available the evidence laid before the inquest.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, further to his statement of 7 March on the shootings in Gibraltar,Official Report, column 21, to whom the police commissioner addressed his request for military assistance; and when.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. and learned Friend on 7 March.

  Albania
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on current relations with Albania.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have no diplomatic relations with Albania but a British trade mission has recently visited that country and there are other unofficial contacts.
  599
  In 1980, we offered to establish diplomatic relations with Albania without preconditions. That offer remains open, but unfortunately the Albanians have not taken it up. FCO officials held talks with Albanian officials in 1985, with a view to finding mutually acceptable solutions to the outstanding problems. These talks did not lead to agreement, but we should be glad to resume discussion if this seemed likely to lead to a satisfactory outcome.

SCOTLAND

  Cavendish Memoirs
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate the current cost of the pursual of the legal case to prevent publication of the Cavendish memoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Proceedings in Scotland in relation to Anthony Cavendish's book "Inside Intelligence" have been brought by the Lord Advocate on behalf of the Government. Those proceedings have not been concluded and in these circumstances it would be inappropriate for any estimate to be made as to the current cost of the pursual of the proceedings. My right hon. and learned Friend therefore does not intend to make any statement in relation to the matter.

  Radioactivity (Monitoring)
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian on 16 May,Official Report, column 347, if he will list the 26 sites for radioactivity monitoring stations in Scotland; and if it is his intention to make information collected at these stations available to the public.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The location of a number of the 26 monitoring stations to be established in Scotland has yet to be decided. Those 18 sites which will be established this year under phase 1 of the scheme are as listed. (I regret that my reply of 16 May erroneously gave this number as 20.) The locations of the remaining eight sites required to complete the network will be decided later this year and their installation and the automation of all 26 sites are expected within the next two years.

  The information collected at these stations will be made available to local authorities and to other interested bodies or members of the public.

  Phase 1 monitoring stations in Scotland

  Aultbea

  Leuchars

  Aviemore

  Lossiemouth

  Benbecula

  Machrihanish

  Dalcross

  Oban

  Dyce

  Stranraer

  Eskdalemuir

  Stornoway

  Fort William

  Tiree

  Kirkwall

  Tummel Bridge

  Lerwick

  Wick

  Paisley
  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received regarding the delay in the commencement of the Paisley town centre development; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have received a number of representations on behalf of a company which has 600
  indicated an interest in acquiring land purchased with public funds and owned by Paisley college of technology in order to facilitate a projected development in Paisley town centre. In reply I have explained that the site in question will be disposed of by open tender; and that the Scottish Education Department will not stand in the way of any arrangement which is in the interests of the college and which secures a proper return on the sale of a publicly-acquired asset.

  Paisley College (Land Drainage)
  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) when he last met the governors of Paisley college to discuss the situation regarding land owned by the college in Storie street, Paisley; what was the outcome of these discussions; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what advice his Department gave, and on what date, to the governors of Paisley college regarding the land at Stork street, Paisley, which is in the ownership of the college; what action was taken by the governors; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what plans he has to discuss with the governors of Paisley college the anticipated completion date for the disposal of the land owned by the college at Storie street, Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have had no discussions with the governors of Paisley college about the land owned by the college in Storie street. However, officials of the Scottish Education Department have on a number of occasions in the last few months had discussions about the land with senior management of the college. They offered advice on various options for marketing the land so as to secure the best return on a publicly-acquired asset. I understand that the land will be exposed for sale by tender shortly.

  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he had to assist the town of Paisley in celebration of the 500th anniversary of its formation by grant of Royal Charter during 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None, nor has any such assistance been sought. My right hon. and learned Friend would like, however, to extend to the citizens of Paisley every good wish in this their 500th anniversary year.

  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has of the number of jobs which will be created by the development of the Paisley shopping centre(a) during construction, and (b) when completed.

  Mr. Lang
  The project, which is due to begin early next year, is expected to create 200 construction jobs. It is estimated that it will provide 500 retail jobs when completed in 1991.

  Sheepmeat
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will outline the procedures adopted following the discovery of sheep with bequerel readings in excess of 1,000 per kilogram to stop(a) the tested sheepmeat carcases concerned and (b) sheepmeat from carcases in the same batch entering the food chain.
  601
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since there have been no cases of the discovery in slaughterhouses of sheep for sale with readings in excess of 1,000 bq/kg it has not been necessary for any such procedures to be adopted.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what time elapsed from the sampling of sheep at slaughterhouses under the Food and Environment Act to the results becoming available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  On average four days.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the monitoring of sheep at slaughterhouses under the Food and Environment Protection Act was introduced; and if this was by live monitoring.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The monitoring of caesium levels in sheep at slaughterhouses was introduced on 28 May 1986. It serves as a check on the effectiveness of movement and slaughter restrictions and is undertaken on carcases.

ENVIRONMENT

  Nuclear Waste (Sea Dumping)
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how he proposes to ensure that sub-seabed burial of low and medium level nuclear waste will conform with recent resolutions of the contracting parties to the London dumping convention; whether it would require London dumping convention approval; and what assessment he has made as to whether it would involve levels of technology as yet untried and untested for that purpose.

  Mr. Moynihan
  There are no current proposals to bury low-level or intermediate-level radioactive waste under the sea-bed. Any future proposals would, of course, have to satisfy all national and international safety requirements.

  Water Authorities
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many staff were employed by each English water authority at the latest available date.

  Mr. Moynihan
  As of 31 March 1988, the numbers of staff employed by each regional water authority was:

  Staff

  Anglian

  5,102

  Northumbrian

  1,459

  North West

  7,936

  Severn Trent

  8,174

  Southern

  3,162

  South West

  1,958

  Thames

  9,210

  Wessex

  1,891

  Yorkshire

  4,981

  Ofwat
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals his Department is currently making with regard to the protective powers of Ofwat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The conditions of appointment of the water utility companies will provide a framework of protection to be operated by the water services office 602
  under powers to be provided in legislation to be laid before Parliament. A series of policy letters, copies of which will be placed in the Library, was announced in the answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow) on 8 March, at column 121. The letters will give details of the regulatory framework. The first dealt with the regulation of charges by the new water utility companies.

  Water Supply
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to how much the Thames water authority spent in each of the last five years on controlling the levels of nitrites and nitrates in rivers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My Department does not hold such information.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to(a) nitrate levels, and (b) nitrite levels in the rivers within the Thames water authority in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information held by the Department on nitrite and nitrate levels in rivers within Thames water authority over the last five years is as follows:

  Mean annual levels of nitrate expressed in milligrams of nitrogen per litre

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Cherwell Oxford

  7·1

  7·8

  10·0

  8·2

  8·6

  Thame Dorchester bridge

  8·9

  9·8

  9·3

  8·8

  8·3

  Kennet

  4·8

  5·4

  4·8

  4·8

  4·5

  Loddon, Twyford

  6·8

  7·1

  7·1

  6·1

  6·0

  Thames, Egham

  7·0

  7·7

  7·8

  6·9

  7·0

  Colne

  6·8

  7·1

  6·1

  7·3

  6·8

  Wey

  5·6

  6·2

  6·2

  5·6

  5·4

  Mole

  7·4

  7·6

  7·0

  6·5

  6·3

  Thames, Teddington

  7·1

  7·5

  7·5

  6·9

  6·9

  Lee Waterhall

  10·7

  9·9

  12·4

  11·6

  11·6

  Lee, Ware

  7·7

  7·5

  7·8

  8·8

  8·4

  Lee, Springfield

  12·5

  13·0

  12·8

  9·7

  10·8

  Roding, Redbridge

  9·8

  11·5

  8·2

  10·9

  9·5

  Mean annual levels of nitrite expressed in milligrams of nitrogen per litre

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  Cherwell, Oxford

  —

  —

  —

  <0·07

  0·09

  Thame, Dorchester bridge

  —

  —

  —

  <0·05

  0·05

  Kennet

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·07

  Lodden, Twyford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·08

  Thames Egham

  —

  —

  —

  <0·07

  0·07

  Colne

  <0·08

  <0·10

  <0·13

  <0·67

  <0·10

  Wey

  —

  —

  0·14

  <0·13

  0·12

  Mole

  —

  —

  <0·22

  <0·17

  0·13

  Thames, Teddington

  —

  —

  <0·13

  <0·10

  0·10

  Lee, Waterhall

  0·15

  <0·10

  0·17

  <0·10

  0·18

  Lee, Ware

  <0·08

  <0·07

  <0·07

  <0·12

  0·06

  Lee, Springfield

  <0·17

  0·29

  0·25

  —

  —

  Roding, Redbridge

  0·54

  <0·60

  0·20

  0·68

  —

  < signifies - less than.

  Radioactive Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations will be made by his
  603
  Department at the international conference on low and intermediate-level nuclear waste management organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency and Commission of the European Communities to be held in Stockholm from 16 to 20 May;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report all those United Kingdom participants referred by his Department for the International Atomic Energy Agency Commission of the European Communities joint international symposium on low and intermediate-level nuclear wastes to be held in Stockholm on 16 to 20 May; and what specific departmental representation is arranged.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Twenty five United Kingdom delegates attended the IAEA/CEC symposium on low and intermediate level waste held in Stockholm 16–20 May. The following organisations were represented:HM Inspectorate of Pollution; HM Industrial Pollution Inspectorate; United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority; Central Electricity Generating Board; South of Scotland Electricity Board; British Nuclear Fuels plc; National Radiological Protection Board; Taywood Engineering Ltd; Associated Nuclear Services; and the Open university.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what physical checks are made on consignments of radioactive wastes on arrival at the Drigg dump near Sellafield to ensure that the packaged waste contains only what Her Majesty's Pollution Inspectorate authorisations allow.

  Mr. Moynihan
  BNF plc is responsible for quality assurance monitoring at the Drigg site. Her Majesty's Inspectors of Pollution also carry out quality checking. Material can be removed to an independent laboratory for analysis by inspectors.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total radioactivity content in becquerels of nuclear wastes currently deposited at the Drigg dump near Sellafield; and what authorisations exist for disposal up to the year 2010.

  Mr. Moynihan
  470 terabecquerels were disposed of at Drigg up to 1 January 1986. An authorisation controlling the disposal of solid radioactive waste to the Drigg site was issued on 1 February 1988. It will be reviewed by 1992.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his policy towards the import by the United Kingdom of foreign nuclear wastes in low and intermediate categories for(a) treatment, incineration and compaction and (b) disposal, once Nirex has finalised its search for a suitable deep disposal site.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No low and intermediate level waste arising from anywhere in the world is imported into the United Kingdom. Any proposals to do so would be considered on its merits, with a view to ensuring that neither the public nor the environment should be placed at any risk.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made any consideration of planning gains to be offered to the residents of Drigg and Carleton in Cumbria near Sellafield in the light of the planning and environmental blight brought about by the radioactive waste dump at Drigg; and if he will make a statement.
  604
  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend has made no consideration of planning gains in the Drigg area. This is a matter for BNFL and the local authorities.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total plutonium content(a) by weight and (b) by radioactivity content of plutonium contamination material currently deposited at the Drigg dump near Sellafield; and if he will make a statement on the extractability of the plutonium by current methods or methods known to his Department presently under development.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I understand from BNFL that there are about 500 g of plutonium dispersed throughout 700,000 cum of low-level radioactive waste currently deposited at Drigg. The radioactive content of this is estimated to be approximately 25 tera becqerels. Much research has been carried out into methods to remove plutonium from wastes prior to disposal; however, none has proved to be worth while.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to initiate a special development order to permit British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. to conduct borehole testing as part of suitability evaluation for deep disposal of nuclear waste at the Sellafield site, in light of the rejection of the planning application for such a test from British Nuclear Fuels plc by the Copeland borough council planning committee.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have at present no plans to initiate a special development order.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of radioactive wastes currently deposited at the Drigg dump near Sellafield arise from contracts made with foreign companies or Governments; and what proportion of the volume of wastes expected to be deposited at the Drigg dump by the year 2010 will be of foreign origin.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Approximately 4 per cent. by volume of the radioactive waste disposed of by burial into the ground at the Drigg disposal site up to the end of 1987 arose from British Nuclear Fuel's contracts with foreign customers. This percentage is not expected to change significantly in the period to 2010.

  Ministerial Statements
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy regarding making, statements in Parliament on matters raised by television or radio programmes or in the press and magazines articles.

  Mr. Ridley
  Each case is decided on its merits.

  Heat Exchangers (Nuclear Plants)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current policy towards the disposal of heat exchangers from decommissioned nuclear power plants.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The power plant operator is responsible for management of decommissioned wastes. I expect him to make proposals for safe disposal to Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Pollution who will assess them against radiological and environmental criteria set out in the HMSO booklet "Disposal facilities on land for low and
  605
  intermediate level radioactive wastes: Principles for the protection of the human environment." If I am satisfied with the proposal and the assessment the operator will be authorised to proceed.

  Mustard Gas (Clwyd)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to publish the report commissioned from the laboratory of the Government Chemist by the Property Services Agency in 1985 on mustard gas contamination at Rhydymwyn in Clwyd.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The report commissioned from the Government Chemist to assess the level of mustard gas contamination on this site was not prepared nor intended for publication.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy with regard to dealing with those individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mr. Ridley
  The Department's policy is to answer communications in languages other than English in the writer's language wherever possible. Normally, unless an urgent reply is required, any correspondence to the Department that is written in Welsh will be answered in Welsh.

  Office of Water Regulation
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how his Department proposes that the members of the Office of Water Regulation will be selected; what the composition of the Office of Water Regulation will be; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Planning for the establishment of the water services office is still at an early stage, but we expect to recruit a suitably experienced and qualified Director General of Water Services. The staff of the office is likely to be a mixture of civil servants on loan from their Departments and specialist staff recruited on contract from elsewhere.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources his Department intends to place at the disposal of the Office of Water Regulation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The water service offices is likely to be a non-ministerial department, the Exchequer costs of which will be financed by licence fees from the utility companies which will hold appointments as water and sewerage undertakers. The Department will ensure that it is established with adequate resources to commence its regulatory tasks; thereafter this will he the reponsibility of the Director General of Water Services.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers the Office of Water Regulation will have with regard to the level of charges paid by water customers/users.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The charges of water utility companies will be limited in accordance with one of their conditions of appointment, which will be administered by the 606
  Director General of Water Services. The arrangements for the regulation of charges are described in a policy letter dated 3 March 1988 (reference WRP1), copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Water Industry (Privatisation)
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what his Department estimates the severance costs will be to the water industry, or to any other body covering these costs of breaking up the water industry into private companies and a National Rivers Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No information is yet available. Following Royal Assent to the Public Utility Transfers and Water Charges Act, water authorities have been asked to provide outline schemes of organisation on the separation of their businesses into a utility and NRA component. These will identify, inter alia, any costs of the necessary reorganisation. The National Rivers Authority Advisory Committee will be scrutinising these restructuring proposals very carefully.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers the National Rivers Authority will have with regard to monitoring and influencing levels of capital expenditure by privatised water companies on their assets.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Regulatory decisions taken by the National Rivers Authority in respect of abstraction and impounding licences and discharge consents may influence levels of capital expenditure by privatised water companies. The expenditure needed will be taken into account by the Director General of Water Services in reviewing the prices which companies may charge their customers. In addition, the NRA will have an interest in the costs which companies incur in maintaining and operating river-regulating reservoirs, for which the NRA will pay them a charge.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many water pollution incidents were recorded in each English water authority in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The numbers of water pollution incidents reported by English water authorities in the last three years for which figures are available are:

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  Anglian

  1,557

  1,707

  1,468

  Northumbrian

  654

  722

  729

  North West

  2,241

  2,202

  2,480

  Severn Trent

  4,372

  4,500

  4,497

  Southern

  1,574

  1,668

  1,743

  South West

  1,685

  1,718

  2,075

  Thames

  2,486

  2,695

  2,890

  Wessex

  1,125

  993

  1,332

  Yorkshire

  1,536

  2,006

  2,262

  The Water Authorities Association will publish figures for 1987–88 later this year.

WALES

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of water pollution incidents recorded for each of the last three years in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The Welsh water authority's annual water quality report shows the reported water pollution incidents for the years 1984–85, 1985–86 and 1986–87 were 1,418, 1,681 and 1,619 respectively.

  The report for 1987–88 is expected to be issued in the near future.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is now in a position to he able to announce the outcome of the consultation process undertaken by his Department during 1986–87 concerning the desirability of initiating new Welsh language legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 25 April, at columns 6–7.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the evidence submitted to his Department in response to its consultation exercise on the desirability of new Welsh language legislation carried out in 1986 and 1987 to be made available to the public for inspection.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 January at column 426.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what detailed evaluation has been carried out by his Department of the responses to its consultation exercise on the desirability of new Welsh language legislation carried out in 1986 and 1987; in what form he expects such evaluation to he made available to the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Substantive comments have been individually considered in depth and the main thrust of these will he reflected in the announcement which my right hon. Friend hopes to make shortly on his plans for action with regard to the Welsh language.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consider publishing a White Paper on reform of the legal status of the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  No.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon of Friday 11 March,Official Report, column 367, why his Department has not compiled a list of those persons, bodies and associations which submitted evidence to his Department on the desirability of new Welsh language legislation during the consultation exercise carried out in 1986 and 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 11 March, at column 367.

  Nursery Nurses (Clwyd)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified nursery nurses are employed by 608
  each of the local education authorities in Wales; if he will grant extra funds to Clwyd education authority so as to avoid cutbacks in nursery nurse numbers in the junior schools of Clwyd; if he will meet the Clwyd parent-teacher associations to discuss the work of nursery nurses in Clwyd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The number of qualified nursery assistants employed by each local education authority in Wales as at September 1987 is as follows:

  Local Education Authority

  Number

  Clwyd

  309

  Dyfed

  152

  Gwent

  339

  Gwynedd

  64

  Mid Glamorgan

  341

  Powys

  74

  South Glamorgan

  105

  West Glamorgan

  260

  It is for Clwyd local education authority to determine its own priorities within the total resources available to it.

  We have no plans to meet the Clwyd parent-teachers associations.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he will prepare regional coalfield statements In Wales concerning opencast coalmining; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  In accordance with the code of practice produced by the local authority associations, British Coal Corporation has agreed to prepare a national assessment of the market requirement for opencast coal.

  Subsequently, British Coal will prepare regional coalfield statements which will indicate the regional impact of the national assessment, for discussion with the mineral planning authorities in each region.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he will ensure that local people, as well as county mineral planning authorities, will be involved in opencast mining applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The Government believe that local people should be given the opportunity to make their views known both to the industry and to the mineral planning authorities. Thus the law requires an applicant for planning permission for opencast mining to advertise his proposals in the local press and on a notice to be displayed on the site. The application cannot then be determined for a minimum of 21 days during which members of the public and anyone with an interest in the land may make representations to the mineral planning authority. In addition, where proposals relate to large sites or sites that may be worked over many years the Government encourage the industry to discuss the proposals at an early stage with the local community by holding public exhibitions and meetings.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what further action he proposes to take to combat homelessness in Wales.
  609
  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: There are specific proposals in the Housing Bill which aim to increase the supply of rented accommodation for those in greatest housing need.

  Housing
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in Wales are classified as unfit to live in.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: The results of the Welsh house condition survey show that in 1986 the number of dwellings in Wales classified as unfit was 79,700. In 1981 there were 90,000 unfit dwellings.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many houses in Wales lack(a) one or more basic amenity, (b) an inside toilet and (c) a fixed bath.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 16 May 1988]: The results of the Welsh house condition survey show that in 1986 there were 47,600 dwellings in Wales lacking one or more basic amenity, 20,800 dwellings in Wales lacking a WC inside the dwelling, and 16,300 dwellings in Wales lacking a fixed bath or shower inside the dwelling. These figures show a significant improvement on the situation in 1981 when 83,600 lacked one or more basic amenity, 55,000 lacked a WC inside the dwelling, and 44,300 lacked a fixed bath in a bathroom.

  House Condition Survey
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the cost of compiling the latest Welsh house condition survey; and what assessment he has made of its value to his Department.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 17 May 1988]: The 1986 Welsh house condition survey was the first undertaken at the district level and provides both the Department and district councils in Wales with a uniquely detailed picture of the Welsh housing stock, and with a large amount of social data about householders. The report identifies the considerable progress we have made in improving housing conditions in Wales and also highlights the areas with outstanding housing problems. It will assist us in determining priorities and financial allocations. The cost of the survey was £1·6 million. The value of the survey will be determined by the extent to which local authorities and others make use of the results.

DEFENCE

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has to extend monitoring of equal opportunities in Her Majesty's forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend's evidence to the Defence Committee. The Committee's report (HC 391) was published on 25 April and we shall be responding to it shortly.

  Procurement Contracts
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many current procurement contracts valued at more than £10 million are currently behind schedule.
  610
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Ministry has a well-developed system which ensures that all projects running seriously behind schedule are brought to the notice of senior officials and, for major projects, Ministers. Information about major projects is also regularly made available to the Public Accounts and Defence Select Committees. The detailed information requested, however, would require a special survey and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Falkland Islands
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost of the defence of the Falkland Islands since the end of the conflict; and what percentage of the expenditure involved represents payments to United Kingdom-based contractors in respect of construction works and so on.

  Mr. Freeman
  The additional cost of maintaining a garrison in the Falkland Islands from April 1983 to the end of the last financial year is estimated to be £1,544 million (including campaign costs in 1982–83 but excluding residual campaign costs subsequently). Approximately one third of this amount has been spent on capital works projects. The placing and management of works contracts is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimate of the annual cost of defending the Falklands.

  Mr. Freeman
  The additional cost of maintaining a garrison in the Falkland Islands in 1988–89 is estimated to be £97 million. This includes all extra costs relating to the Falklands garrison; it excludes residual campaign costs, and those personnel, equipment and other costs which would be incurred in the absence of the Falklands commitment.

  Ministerial Statements
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy towards making statements in Parliament on matters raised by television or radio or in the press and magazine articles.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  Each case is decided on its merits.

  Deaf Persons
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people employed in his Department are(a) deaf without speech, (b) deaf with speech, and (c) hard of hearing, for the latest date for which figures are available; and what percentage this represents of all employees in his Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I regret the information requested is not held centrally. However, action is being taken within the Ministry of Defence to set up a central database on people with disabilities.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.
  611
  Mr. Sainsbury
  Written presentations to the Ministry of Defence in any language other than English are translated within the Department or sent to commercial agencies for translation if resources are not available.

  It is normal practice to reply in English, the working language of the Department, irrespective of the language used by the original inquiry.

  P and O Staff (Training)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what training facilities are provided at Deal barracks for staff of the P and 0 company; and when such facilities were first made available.

  Mr. Freeman
  No training facilities are being provided at Deal barracks for staff of the P and O company. The Royal Marines school of music owns a swimming pool outside the camp which is regularly made available to the general public and commercial organisations—including the cross-Channel operators. P and O has been using the pool from time to time since 9 May and I understand that it has carried out some staff training in life saving duties there.

  Defence Estimates
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of compiling the Defence Estimates White Paper.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  The estimated costs of producing the 1988 Statement on the Defence Estimates were approximately £63,000.

  Fishermen (Compensation)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to take to compensate fishermen whose boats and gear are damaged or sunk after being ensnared by submarines at sea.

  Mr. Ian Stewart
  There is already a well-established procedure by which fishermen may claim compensation when their boats or gear are damaged or sunk by Her Majesty's ships, including submarines. Every incident reported is carefully investigated and compensation is paid where it is shown that the Ministry of Defence is legally liable.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what measures he has introduced to improve the employment prospects of disabled persons in the armed forces.

  Mr. Freeman
  No new measures have been initiated. It is not our practice to recruit disabled people and the nature of employment in the armed forces is such that it is not often possible to continue to employ service personnel disabled whilst in the forces, though individual cases are considered on their merits.

  HIV Screening
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will introduce HIV screening for pilots of fighter aircraft; and if he will make a statement.
  612
  Mr. Freeman
  No. It is not Ministry of Defence policy to impose compulsory HIV screening within any area of the armed forces. This accords with the current overall Government policy on employment.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food and Environment Protection Act
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place in the Library copies of all the correspondence sent to farmers affected by restrictions under the Food and Environment Protection Act since 20 June 1986.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  I am placing in the Library of the House a copy of the correspondence sent by my officials to all farmers in England affected by restrictions under the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985.

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress is being made on the development of a tuberculosis vaccine for badgers; what research is presently carried out with that aim; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  [holding answer 19 May 1988]: Research work on the development of a reliable vaccine for use in badgers has been carried out at the Middlesex hospital. Proposals for field trials to determine the efficacy of the vaccine and a suitable method of administration are under active and careful consideration.

EMPLOYMENT

  Self-employment
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the fact that a self-employed worker on the enterprise allowance scheme or otherwise has only one initial client for his services constitutes a valid reason for denying or refusing such work a self-employed status.

  Mr. Cope
  The employment status of workers for tax and national insurance purposes is determined on a case by case basis. The number of clients will be one of the factors taken into account in deciding whether a person is self-employed.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimates he has of the number of employees who would become self-employed if employers and workers were able to agree such status, free from existing legal constraints.

  Mr. Cope
  Employers and employees are, in general, free to agree whatever contractual arrangements they wish. For tax and national insurance purposes, self-employed status applies only to those people who are genuinely taking the business risks associated with self-employment. We can make no estimate of the numbers who might be affected by a change in these arrangements.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases in which employed or self-employed status was in dispute came to the attention of officials in his Department in 1987.
  613
  Mr. Cope
  Questions about employment or self-employment status are primarily a matter for the Inland Revenue and Department of Health and Social Security. However, Ministers received 30 representations about cases concerning employment status in 1987. This excludes cases and inquiries handled by the small firms service.

  Mines and Quarries Act 1954
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what responses he has received to the consultative document entitled "Restrictions on Employment of Young People and the Removal of Sex Discrimination in Legislation which refers to the Mines and Quarries Act 1954"; and whether these will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department has received a total of 81 responses to the consultative document from various organisations and individuals. They will not be placed in the Library for reasons of confidentiality.

  Special Learning Needs
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what specialist courses will be available under the new training scheme to bridge the skills gap for those with special learning needs.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training will offer all participants an individual action plan, drawn up to meet their particular training needs. This may involve training designed specifically for those people with learning difficulties.

  Disabled Persons
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take so that training agents and managers in the new programme are aware of the potential of people with disabilities and of the help available to assist them where appropriate.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Employment training will cater for the needs of all unemployed including those with disabilities.

  The MSC will ensure this in a number of ways. A guide for trainers of disabled participants will be produced together with a handbook for both training agents and training managers. Awareness modules will also be organised and a short presentation video produced.

  Sexual Harassment
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about equal opportunities and protection from sexual harassment in Manpower Services Commission training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Manpower Services Commission is committed to, and actively implements, a policy of equal opportunities throughout its training programmes. The commission will not tolerate sexual harassment by its officials, its training providers or by its trainees.

  Departmental Spending
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much was spent by the Manpower Services Commission and his Department for each of the 614
  years 1985, 1986 and 1987 and in each of the standard regions on (a) direct employment services for the disabled in jobcentres, (b) disabled resettlement officers and (c) advertising and promotional material.

  Mr. Lee
  [holding answer 17 May 1988]: I regret that the information for (a) is not available. Information at (b) is not available by region, but nationally is estimated as: 1985–86— £7·1 million; 1986–87— £7·1 million; 1987–88£7·4 million. Exact figures are not available as jobcentre costs are not separately apportioned between DROs and other jobcentre staff. Information for (c) is not available by region, but nationally is 1985–86— £223,000; 1986–87—£201,000; 1987–88—£488,000.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Cleaning Staff
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, answering on behalf of the House of Commons Commission, whether he is operating a vacancy discount system to the cleaning staff establishment; how long each of the 16 unfilled vacancies have been unfilled; which posts are currently in the process of being filled; what instructions have been given to reduce the cleaning specifications; and what assessment he has made of the adequacy of standards of cleanliness.

  Mr. Beith
  No. As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Lady on 17 May 1988, at column 436, the difference between the complement of posts and cleaning staff employed represents the number of unfilled vacancies due to the steady and continuous turnover of staff. Two additional cleaning staff began work on 16 May 1988, reducing the shortfall against complement from 14 to 12. Another recruitment exercise is in progress, with a closing date for applications of 20 May 1988. No instructions have been given to reduce the cleaning specification. I understand that the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee plans to review the adequacy of standards of cleanliness.

TRANSPORT

  National Bus Company
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what inquiries he made as to the status of purchasers of National Bus Company assests in relation to the holding of public service vehicle licences before the National Bus Company's assets were sold.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Before putting forward its proposals for disposal of subsidiary companies NBC took steps to satisfy itself about the suitability of prospective purchasers including, where appropriate, their status as PSV operators.

  London Underground
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the basis of the current statutory rules relating to the operations of one-person deep tube railways in London, other than the Victoria line; on what date they commenced; and what was the respective preceding instrument.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Section 2 of the London Regional Transport Act 1984 makes London Regional Transport
  615
  statutorily responsible for the safe running of its railways. There are no statutory rules relating specifically to one-person-operation. However, the criteria adopted for one-person-operation were drawn up by London Underground Limited in consultation with the Railway Inspectorate.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he proposes to take to ensure that the owners of the Channel tunnel do not reduce their fares to less than the full cost, including interest payments on capital, in order to force the Channel ferries out of business.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  Under the Channel fixed link treaty and concession agreement, Eurotunnel is free to set tariffs without Government interference. It is, however, subject to national and Community competition law. Any necessary action would be for the Director General of Fair Trading and the European Commission or, since Community law is of direct effect, for private parties in the courts.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will publish in the Official Report (a) the projected cross-Channel passenger and freight traffic for 1987 as given or implied in his Department's 1973–74 report on the economics of the Channel tunnel, (b) the assumed level of fares and rates in 1987 in terms of 1987 prices and (c) the realised 1987 figures in each case.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The forecasts to which the hon. Member refers are those in a report by Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd. presented to the then Secretary of State for the Environment on 31 May 1973. These forecasts were published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in "The Channel Tunnel: A United Kingdom transport cost benefit study."

  Section V of the report deals with traffic between Britain and Europe in the absence of a Channel tunnel and includes passenger and freight forecasts (tables 5.1 and 5.2). These forecasts relate to 1980 and 1990. The table compares the actual figures for passengers and freight in 1986, the latest year for which full figures are available, with the forecasts given in the report for 1980 and 1990.

  Forecast

  Actual

  1980

  1990

  1986

  PASSENGER TRAFFIC (000'S)

  Shipping services:

  Accompanied vehicle passengers

  9,230

  19,331

  14,000

  Other passengers

  7,756

  10,718

  7,300

  Air services:

  passengers

  29,778

  63,221

  33,200

  Total passengers

  46,764

  93,270

  54,500

  FREIGHT TRAFFIC (tonnes 000's)

  616

  Forecast

  Actual

  1980

  1990

  1986

  Roll-on/Roll-off and container traffic

  13,139

  25,283

  23,800

  The forecasts assumed that fares and rates would remain at the 1971 level in real terms (except for a 20 per cent. increase in real terms on the Belgian straits shipping routes). As I indicated in my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on Friday 13 May, at column 275, the Department has no responsibility for ferry fares and does not compile records of ferry fare levels.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy with regard to dealing with individuals and bodies in Wales who wish to communicate with his Department through the medium of the Welsh language.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Department's policy is to answer communications written in languages other than English in the same language, when practicable. Where there are time constraints, a reply in English is given. At the driver and vehicle licensing centre in Swansea, letters written in the Welsh language are answered in the same medium.

  Mr. J. M. Heron (Accident)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the recent accident to Mr. Herron, a seaman on the P and. O vessel European Trader, and what information he has as to Mr. Herron's previous maritime experience.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  It is assumed that the person referred to in the question is Mr. J. M. Heron who is a seaman on the European Trader. It is understood that Mr. Heron suffered bruising to his legs in an incident during mooring on 15 May.

  Mr. Heron passed the examination for an efficient deck hand certificate in 1984.

  Associated British Ports (No. 2) Bill
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 16 May,Official Report, column 364, what specific aspects of the Associated British Ports (No. 2) Bill he discussed with the chairman of Associated British Ports at their meeting on 24 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Mitchell
  The chairman explained ABP's proposals for developments at King's Lynn, Port Talbot and Immingham. It is perfectly normal and proper for the chairman of a major port undertaking to keep Ministers informed from time to time about developments affecting their ports. Among other things, he informed my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State of the extent of the opposition to this Bill and of I he petitions against it.

  EC AGRICULTURE MINISTERS' MEETING, 16th/17th MAY
  EC AGRICULTURE MINISTERS' MEETING, 16th/17th MAY