Written Answers To Questions
Monday 21st November 1977
Small Businesses
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to conclude his study of the problems facing small businesses.
With the Under-Secretary of State for Industry—my hon Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer)—I am actively working on the problems facing small firms and it would not be appropriate to set any date for the termination of this work.
Chancellor Of The Duchy Of Lancaster (Appointments)
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishng between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.
I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on the 27th July 1977—[Vol. 936, c. 211.] I appoint some 3,000 persons to magisterial duties and eight to governing bodies of universities and schools. All these appointments are unpaid and part-time.
Chancellor Of The Duchy Of Lancaster (Responsibilities)
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the matters for which he is responsible in England he is not responsible for in Scotland; for which matters he is currently responsible in Scotland; and which matters for which he is currently responsible in Scotland will become the responsibility of the Scottish Assembly and executive under the terms of the Scotland Bill.
None, Sir.
Prices And Consumer Protection
Bread
asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Pro- tection whether, in view of the Government's 10 per cent. wage policy, and the fall in inflation, he will refer to the Price Commission for investigation the proposed increase in the price of bread, in the light of the fact that this will add to the inflationary spiral.
Individual price increases are a matter for the Price Commission. The Commission decided on 17th November, after careful consideration, not to investigate proposed increases in the prices of flour and bread prenotified by the larger milling and baking firms.
Railway Fares
asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when he expects to receive the report of the Price Commission on the investigation of proposed increased passenger fares proposed by British Railways to be effective from 1st January 1978.
In accordance with Section 6(1)(b)(i) of the Price Commission Act 1977 the Price Commission has to make its report by early February 1978.
Metals
asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will make a statement on the present situation with regard to the EEC draft directive on precious metals.
I understand that the Commission has recently announced its intention to withdraw its proposal for a directive in this field. The Government regarded this draft directive as unsatisfactory in a number of ways, notably that it would have led to reduced consumer protection in this area so far as the United Kingdom is concerned. I accordingly welcome the Commission's decision to abandon it.
Consumer Advice Centres
asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will now make a statement concerning the provision of grants to consumer advice centres from 1st April 1978 onwards.
My Department will be making available grants next year to maintain the coverage of consumer advice centres in Great Britain. Grants will be available to local authorities and other organisations for the year from 1st April 1978. Local authority associations will be invited to discuss details of the grants with my Department.
Engineers
asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he has referred to the Monopolies Commission the fees and practices of consulting engineers.
There are no plans to do so at present. But the Director General of Fair Trading is continuing to keep professional practices under review in the light of recent Monopolies and Mergers Commission reports. If my hon. Friend has any views on the desirability of such a reference, perhaps he would care to write to the Director General direct.
Social Services
Vaccination
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement about the proposed publicity campaign on vaccination.
I had made plans to launch a publicity campaign at the end of October in order to draw attention to the danger of leaving children unprotected from three serious infectious diseases, diptheria, whooping cough and poliomyelitis. I then found, by coincidence, that the Report of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration on Whooping Cough Vaccine was to be published the day before. In the circumstances I thought it best to postpone the campaign lest its effect be lost in discussion of the Commissioner's findings.Also at the end of last month, the Committee on Safety of Medicines held a meeting, at which it had before it a paper based on a preliminary examination of some of the cases which had been submitted by the Association of Parents of Vaccine Damaged Children. The Committee is examining the Association's evidence at my request.
Its study has not gone far enough to allow the Committee to reach any conclusions but, on this preliminary sample, the Committee thought that the degree of risk of neurological adverse reactions needed to be reassessed. The chairman of the Committee recorded the conclusion which it reached at their meeting as follows:
"The Committee are unable to comment on the crude figures before them, but, in the light of the current concern, and their knowledge that an examination of a number of cases is at present being undertaken, they doubted whether this is an opportune time to promote an advertising campaign for pertussis vaccine."
I have since consulted the chairman of the Committee, and also the Chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, who have advised me that there will be serious difficulties in drawing firm conclusions about the degree of risk now associated with whooping cough vaccine from the Committee on Safety of Medicines' study even when it is completed. Some of the cases go back many years, and it is difficult to distinguish coincidence in time from a causal connection between vaccination and damage. Moreover, the vaccine used in a proportion of the cases has been superseded, and many of the children whose cases are being examined were vaccinated at a time when less was known about contraindications than is known at present.
At the same time a separate study, the National Childhood Encephalopathy Study, has been in progress since 1976 under the auspices of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. By contrast to the Committee on Safety of Medicines' study, this is a study of current cases rather than a retrospective one, and it should therefore provide a more reliable basis for assessing the risk associated with vaccine.
In the light of the advice of the Committee on Safety of Medicines quoted above, I cannot for the time being proceed with a publicity campaign of the kind originally envisaged. I am, however, seeking further advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation. In particular, I am asking it:
I am also asking the Committee on Safety of Medicines when it expects to complete the study which it is carrying out.
I will report further to the House when the two Committees have had a chance to consider these matters. The Chairman of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation has advised me that it is his view that, pending consideration of these issues by the Joint Committee, whooping-cough vaccination should continue to be offered as part of the programme for routine immunisation of babies and infants. I consider this particularly important in view of the likelihood of a serious outbreak of the disease this winter. The number of cases of whooping-cough up to 11th November this year was 9,251, compared with 3,392 over the same period in 1976; and the number of cases in the week ended 11th November was 704, compared with 448 in the preceding week.
It remains important, of course, for all concerned to pay great attention to indications against use of the vaccine in individual cases; and where parents, in consultation with their doctors, decide against whooping-cough vaccination for a particular child, it also remains most important to protect them against the other serious diseases of poliomyelitis, diphtheria and tetanus. I strongly urge parents not to neglect this precaution.
Mobility Allowance
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his latest timetable for introducing mobility allowance for those between 55 years of age and retiring age; and what is the estimate of the additional cost of extending the scheme to this age group.
We have just extended the age limits to bring 54- and 55-year-olds into the mobility allowance scheme. Almost 1,000 claims have been received in the first week. The inclusion of further age groups depends largely on the availability of medical manpower and the correctness of our forecasts, but I have assured the House tht the phasing-in programme will be completed by the end of 1979. The additional cost of extending the scheme up to pensionable age, based on a £7-a-week mobility allowance, is provisionally estimated at £12 million in a full year.
Gynaecology (Berwick-Upon-Tweed)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the current average waiting period for patients requiring non-urgent specialist consultations in gynaecology in the Berwick-upon-Tweed area of Northumberland.
Forty-five days.
Vaccination Certificates
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if Her Majesty's Government will raise in the World Health Assembly the need to review the requirement of the World Health Assembly that international vaccination certificates should be authenticated.
The International Health Regulations are due for review by the World Health Organisation when the position on eradication of smallpox has become clearer and the use of a more stable yellow fever vaccine has been evaluated. The procedure for authentication will be borne in mind. In the meantime, as more countries no longer make a general requirement of smallpox vaccination on entry, the need for these certificates has diminished considerably.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services further to the reply of 10th November, why the World Health Assembly does not regard the signature and stamp of a medical practitioner as adequate proof of the validity of a vaccination certificate.
Authentication is needed which is recognisable at immigration controls in other countries and which provides independent confirmation that the certificate has been signed by a qualified medical practitioner.
Expenditure
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the key sector allocations to each local social service authority from the Department of Health and Social Services for the financial years 1977–78 and 1978–79.
Local social services authorities in England are not given individual key sector allocations. My Department invites bids each year for loan sanction for projects up to a total cost, which is expressed in pence per head of population. For 1978–79 bids are being invited up to 80p per head of population. In addition, authorities may bid for two further projects over that guideline to assist those with a small population.In selecting projects for loan sanction approval my Department follows generally the priorities proposed by the local authorities.As part of the post-Layfield discussions with the local authority associations, consideration is being given to whether changes should be made in the capital procedures generally.
Death Grant
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the present level of death grant; and what proportion of the average cost of a funeral it now represents compared with the year when it was last raised.
The £30 death grant represents about 18 per cent. of the present average cost of a funeral, compared with 35 per cent. in 1967, the year when the grant was last raised. The grant therefore is a significant contribution towards meeting funeral costs. The Government keep the level of the grant under review, but any proposal to increase it has to be weighed against other competing social security priorities.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now allow death grants for those in the higher age groups at the full current level available to other persons; and what would be the annual cost of so doing.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 16th June 1977.—[Vol. 933, c.264-5.]
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the annual cost of increasing the death grant to the £60 level proposed by Age Concern Wales, and the £108 which represents the minimum basic funeral costs in Wales in 1976.
The additional annual cost would be about £15 million and £40 million, respectively.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table to show the actual value of the death grant for each period since 1948, together with its value in real terms.
On the basis of the movement in the general index of retail prices up to September 1977—the latest month for which figures are available—the value, at constant September 1977 prices, of the maximum rate of death grant over the period requested is given in the following table:
| Year (September) | Maximum rate of Death Grant | Value of constant September 1977 prices | |
| (£) | (£) | ||
| 1949 | … | 20 | 114·95 |
| 1950 | … | 20 | 112·73 |
| 1951 | … | 20 | 100·39 |
| 1952 | … | 20 | 94·06 |
| 1953 | … | 20 | 91·65 |
| 1954 | … | 20 | 89·54 |
| 1955 | … | 20 | 85·60 |
| 1956 | … | 20 | 81·98 |
| 1957 | … | 20 | 78·89 |
| 1958 (January*) | … | 25 | 96·79 |
| 1958 | … | 25 | 96·52 |
| 1959 | … | 25 | 96·25 |
| 1960 | … | 25 | 94·68 |
| 1961 | … | 25 | 90·59 |
| 1962 | … | 25 | 87·73 |
| 1963 | … | 25 | 86·20 |
| 1964 | … | 25 | 82·60 |
| 1965 | … | 25 | 78·80 |
| 1966 | … | 25 | 76·04 |
| 1967 | … | 25 | 74·95 |
| 1967 (October*) | … | 30 | 89·27 |
| 1968 | … | 30 | 84·94 |
| 1969 | … | 30 | 80·83 |
| 1970 | … | 30 | 75·51 |
| 1971 | … | 30 | 68·71 |
| 1972 | … | 30 | 64·21 |
| 1973 | … | 30 | 58·77 |
| 1974 | … | 30 | 50·19 |
| 1975 | … | 30 | 39·65 |
| 1976 | … | 30 | 34·69 |
| 1977 | … | 30 | 30·00 |
Health Services
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services which are the relative sums per head spent on the National Health Service in the North-West and other areas, respectively.
The capital and revenue costs per head of population of the health services, including family practitioner services, in regional health authorities areas in England in 1976–77 were respectively as follows:
| Capital | Revenue | ||
| £ | £ | ||
| Northern | … | 8·02 | 91·39 |
| Yorkshire | … | 6·36 | 91·78 |
| Trent | … | 10·00 | 83·44 |
| East Anglia | … | 7·12 | 87·95 |
| North West Thames | … | 5·38 | 112·35 |
| North East Thames | … | 6·49 | 111·94 |
| South East Thames | … | 6·58 | 112·39 |
| South West Thames | … | 8·59 | 104·75 |
| Wessex | … | 6·74 | 87·56 |
| Oxford | … | 6·98 | 88·27 |
| South Western | … | 6·91 | 97·28 |
| West Midlands | … | 5·44 | 86·70 |
| Mersey | … | 9·56 | 97·85 |
| North Western | … | 6·55 | 94·20 |
Postage-Paid Envelopes
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services under what circumstances catalogues advertising men's and women's fashions have recently been sent to members of the public in prepaid envelopes of his Department; and if he will make a statement.
A small number of postage-paid envelopes issued by Her Majesty's Stationery Office to a firm which undertakes contract mailing, for use in the distribution of a national insurance leaflet on behalf of my Department, were surplus to requirements. Instead of being returned as they should have been, they were inadvertently used by the firm on another, commercial, mailing. The firm has apologised and steps have been taken to ensure that the error is not repeated. The cost of postage has not in fact fallen on public funds.
Burns
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of burns were recorded in England and Wales in 1976; how many of these were treated in burns units; and how many included plastic surgery.
The latest year for which the information requested is available is 1974. In that year, the estimated number of burns cases admitted to National Health Service hospitals in England and Wales was 13,900, of which around 2,920 are known to have received plastic surgery. Information on the numbers of patients treated in burns units is not available centrally.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many cases of burns were recorded in the North-East Thames health region in 1976; and how many of these cases had to be treated in burns units outside the region.
In 1974, the latest year for which figures are available, it is estimated that about 900 cases of burns were admitted to hospitals within the North-East Thames region. Information on the number of burns cases from the North-East Thames region who were treated outside the region is not available.
Doctors (Medical Notes)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many general practitioners in the Brighton area are using computers to record the medical notes and history of individual patients;(2) how many general practitioners in the East Sussex Health Area are using computers to record the medical notes and history of individual patients.(3) if he will publish the names and addresses of all general practitioner medical practices in the East Sussex health area using computers to record the medical notes and history of individual patients.
I am not aware that any general medical practitioners in Brighton or the East Sussex Health Authority area are using computers for such purposes.
National Health Service (Computers)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what safeguards exist to ensure that medical information and history of individuals recorded and retained in National Health Service computer data banks is accurate.
The safeguards that are applied to ensure accuracy of such personal medical data are a matter for local decision by those responsible for the computer system but the degree of validation is no less than that afforded to similar data held on manually maintained medical records. The discipline inherent in the design and operation of computer systems ensures that validation safeguards are rigorously and, in practice, often more effectively applied than is possible using manual systems.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will allow any individual whose medical record and history is recorded on a National Health Service computer access to the information.
The decision whether a patient may have access to, or know the contents of, his medical record rests with the doctor in charge of the case who will exercise his professional judgment concerning what should be disclosed and it is not a matter in which it would be appropriate for me to intervene.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many computers are in use by National Health Service hospitals; and what are their principal functions.
The latest date for which figures are available is 31st March 1975, when there were 100 computers in National Health Service hospitals in England, mostly small machines executing single tasks.The principal functions are:
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services who is responsible for determining those people who have access to the medical records of individuals stored on computers used in National Health Service hospitals.
The right of access to individual medical records, whether stored on a computer or not, is determined by the doctor in charge of a case. In the design of a computer system consultations are held with representatives of the medical and other professions in the hospital on the general questions of the safeguarding of information on the computer and who in the hospital should have access to it.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many computers are in operation in (a) teaching hospitals in London, (b) general medical practices, (c) National Health Service hospitals in England, and (d) National Health Service hospitals in Wales.
The latest date for which figures for England are available is 31st March 1975. They are as follows:
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what safeguards are taken to prevent unauthorised people from extracting information stored on computers used in National Health Service hospitals.
Careful precautions are taken by staff handling records whether these are maintained by computer or manually. In addition, computer records may be protected from unauthorised disclosure by automatic computer programme means such as the requirement for authorised users to provide passwords, or to present to the computer badge readers or keys or a combination of more than one technique. Within computer installations physical security includes security personnel, special locks, passes, and badge reading devices. The safeguards vary according to the particular installation commensurate with the sensitivity of the data held.
Fraudulent Claims
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether his Department will include in its fraud statistics cases where persons have drawn full sickness benefit while receiving more than £9 a week for attending council meetings.
Any cases of this type in which fraud is suspected are included in my Department's fraud statistics but are not separately identified.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action his Department has taken in any cases in the last six months following the discovery that persons were drawing full sickness benefit incompatible with income from attending council meetings.
Any case of this type brought to our notice is investigated, recovery action is taken and, where fraud is suspected, prosecution is considered. I assume, however, that the hon. Member has a particular case in mind and I am sending him a copy of a statement that I made last week, to which I have nothing to add.
Benefits
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will make a statement on the conditions under which councillors can claim attendance money for council meetings while also drawing sickness benefit;(2) how much councillors attending council meetings are allowed to claim for such attendance before it affects their sickness benefit claims.
Sickness benefit is payable only where the claimant is incapable of work because of specific disease or bodily or mental disablement. If a claimant does work on a particular day, he cannot be treated as incapable of work on that day, but if he does work under medical super vision as part of his treatment while he is a patient in or of a hospital, or work which he has good cause for doing—normally interpreted as being on the advice of his own doctor—he may earn up to £10 a week net.The independent authorities who decide claims to sickness benefit may accept that attendance at a council meeting is permitted, provided that incapacity for work continues; the claimant's doctor gives prior approval; and that earnings are not more than £10 a week.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much councillors are allowed to claim for attending council meetings without their unemployment benefit being affected.
The allowance payable to councillors for attending council meetings is regarded as "earnings" by the independent adjudicating authorities who decide claims to benefit. Consequently, a councillor cannot receive unemployment benefit for any day in respect of which such an allowance is payable unless the allowance does not exceed 75p and certain other conditions are met.
Mental Health Examinations
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the recommended fee now payable to doctors for an authorised mental health examination; and what exemptions there are from payment of such a fee.
In accordance with the terms of Section 105 of the National Health Service Act 1977, certain medical practitioners are eligible to receive payment of a fee from the appropriate authority.The amounts payable are:
| For consultant or specialist work | £10·80 |
| For medical work other than consultant or specialist work | £9·00 |
Family Income Supplement
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the number of families who would be eligible for family income supplement were it not for the fact that the wife, not the husband, is the full-time worker;(2) what is his estimate of the cost of extending eligibility for family income supplement to families where the wife works full-time and the husband does not.
I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Hospital Beds
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds are currently out of use because of lack of nursing staff.
This information is not available centrally.
Departmental Correspondence
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he now expects to complete his review regarding which communications from his Department in future need not be sent by first-class mail.
I refer the hon. Member to my reply to his earlier Question on 4th July—[Vol. 934, c.422.] The review is proceeding, but I still do not expect the results from inquiries to be available until the first part of 1978.
Disabled Persons (Vehicles)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on his negotiations with the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation about the methods of financing the purchase of cars for use by the disabled.
The discussions to which my right hon. Friend referred in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ilford, South (Mr. Shaw) on 28th July—[Vol. 936, c.499–500]—are being actively pursued. There will be a further statement to the House as soon as possible.
Industrial Injury Benefit (Boiler Making Industry)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons in the boiler-making industry, in the last five years, were adjudged to be suffering due to, or have had other diseases materially accelerated by chest-related diseases; how many successfully claimed industrial injury benefit; and how many of these were previously rejected by a medical board in claiming industrial injury benefit.
I regret that the information requested is not available.
Unemployment Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of recipients of unemployment benefit are not required to attend weekly at a benefit office.
Information is not available in precisely the form requested. However, as at autumn 1977, approximately 16 per cent. of registered unemployed persons claiming unemployment benefit and/or supplementary benefit were either claiming by post or attending fortnightly at an unemployment benefit office; and a further 5 per cent. claiming supplementary benefit only, were attending quarterly.
Hospitals (Cumbria)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what extent the hospitals in Cumbria are affected by staff shortages.
Four hospitals in the East Cumbria district have had beds withdrawn from use in certain specialties as follows owing to shortages of nursing staff:
| Cumberland Infirmary: | |||
| General Surgery | … | … | 20 |
| Orthopaedic | … | … | 8 |
| City General: | |||
| Gynaecology | … | … | 4 |
| Kendal Green: | |||
| Geriatric | … | … | 4 |
| Garlands: | |||
| Mental Illness | … | … | 60 |
Pregnancy Tests
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what is his estimate of the number of children born malformed due to the use of the drug Primodos by their mothers in hormonal pregnancy tests;(2) on what date his Department was first informed of the link between congenital abnormalities and hormonal pregnancy tests;(3) on what date the suggested link between congenital abnormalities and hormonal pregnancy tests was found to be supported by the Committee on Safety of Medicines;(4) what action his Department took when first informed of a possible link between congenital abnormalities and hormonal pregnancy tests;(5) if he will now take steps to ban the use of the drug Primodos;(6) what discussions he has had with the manufacturers of the drug Primodos about the payment of compensation to the families of children damaged by this drug;(7) what responsibility his Department will accept for damage caused by the drug Primodos;(8) if he will now hold an independent inquiry into the use of the drug Primodos.
A study reported in May 1967 suggested that hormonal pregnancy tests were associated with a certain type of congenital abnormality. Other investigators had not reproduced these findings, which were open to criticism on scientific grounds, but the then Committee on Safety of Drugs encouraged the publication of the results. In 1969 the Committee began a pilot scheme for a long-term study of congenital abnormalities. By 1975 its preliminary findings also suggested an association between hormonal pregnancy tests and non specific congenital abnormalities, which was confirmed this year. In 1975 pregnancy testing was removed from the permitted indications in the product licences, and in June of that year the Committee on Safety of Medicines warned all doctors of the hazard. The manufacturers included an appropriate warning in their product literature. The Committee has recently issued a reminder to doctors, following the publication of the further results of the study. The products have not been banned, since they are still found useful in the treatment of certain gynaecological disorders.It has not been proved that the drug actually causes malformations: the study only shows that there is a statistically significant difference between the incidence of malformations in babies born to mothers who have taken the drug, and the incidence in babies born to mothers who have not taken it. A calculation of the possible numbers of malformations due to the drug cannot be made using the data available, which are derived from study of a selected sample. My Department has had no discussions on compensation with the manufacturers. Compensation in this instance would be a matter for the individual patient and the manufacturer or doctor; if agreement between the parties could not be reached, then it would be for the courts to decide on the facts of each particular case. I have looked carefully into this matter, and I do not consider that any further inquiry would be helpful.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, if he will list in theOfficial Report the pregnancy tests which can he taken without the danger of foetal damage.
I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
Primodos
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of prescriptions for the use of the drug Primodos in the last 12 months and in each year since the promotion was ended.
My Department is at present considering the possibility of publishing figures of the annual number of prescriptions for individual preparations used in the National Health Service. In the meantime, we continue to treat information about the volume of sales of named products as confidential between the Department and the manufacturer concerned.
Asbestosis
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases, from 1967 to date, deaths have occurred among recipients of disability benefit arising from asbestosis.
The information is not available in the form requested. The number of successful claims for industrial death benefit for the three years from and including 1974 in which death was accepted as due to or materially accelerated by asbestosis is 196. Prior to 1974 awards of death benefit for asbestosis, which are included in the awards for pneumoconiosis, were not separately identified.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, from 1967 to date, in how many deaths asbestosis was attributed as the primary cause; in how many cases asbestosis was mentioned but not as primary cause; what was the primary cause in those cases; and in how many cases asbestosis was given as the underlying cause of death.
The numbers of deaths recorded for Great Britain with a mention of asbestosis were as follows:
| Assigned to asbestosis as underlying cause (ICD 515.2) | Assigned elsewhere* | Total | ||
| 1968 | … | 16 | 65 | 81 |
| 1969 | … | 22 | 55 | 77 |
| 1970 | … | 30 | 50 | 80 |
| 1971 | … | 27 | 51 | 78 |
| 1972 | … | 32 | 71 | 103 |
| 1973 | … | 28 | 82 | 110 |
| 1974 | … | 25 | 106 | 131 |
| 1975 | … | 47 | 116 | 163 |
| 1976 | … | 29 | 140 | 169 |
| * The underlying causes to which these deaths were assigned could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost | ||||
Mesothelioma
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in how many cases, from 1967 to date, death certificates were issued recording death from mesothelioma; how many additions to the mesothelioma register have been made over the same period; and how many people in either group received disability benefit.
The number of deaths in Great Britain where the certified cause on the death certificate contained mention of mesothelioma were as follows:
| 1969 | … | … | 120 |
| 1970 | … | … | 169 |
| 1971 | … | … | 165 |
| 1972 | … | … | 187 |
| 1973 | … | … | 201 |
| 1974 | … | … | 196 |
| 1975 | … | … | 252 |
| 1976 | … | … | 289 |
| 1967 | … | … | 148 |
| 1968 | … | … | 207 |
| 1969 | … | … | 195 |
| 1970 | … | … | 224 |
| 1971 | … | … | 204 |
| 1972 | … | … | 229 |
| 1973 | … | … | 229 |
| 1974 | … | … | 260 |
| 1975 | … | … | 276 |
| 1976 | … | … | 314 |
Pension Schemes (Trade Unions)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the approximate date on which he is likely to introduce legislation requiring half of the trustees of a pension scheme to be appointed by trades unions.
I refer the hon. Member to what my right hon. Friend has already said in reply to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) during the debate on the Address on 4th November.—[Vol. 938, c. 268–9.]
Hearing Aids
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of adults and children, respectively, fitted with behind-the-ear hearing aids, and the number of those reported as waiting for appointment and fitting in each region in England at the last date for which figures are available: and if he will make a statement.
In the period November 1974 to 30th September 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, 242,000 behind-the-ear hearing aids were issued to adults and 17,000 to children.The numbers of adults and children in each region for whom an appointment had been made or who were on a waiting list for fitting of a behind-the-ear hearing aid the at 30th September 1977 were as follows:
| Region | Adults | Children | |
| Northern | … | 5,869 | 9 |
| Yorkshire | … | 2,553 | 12 |
| Trent | … | 2,544 | 23 |
| East Anglia | … | 702 | 7 |
| North West Thames | … | 967 | 14 |
| North East Thames | … | 4,819 | 6 |
| South East Thames | … | 5,157 | 10 |
| South West Thames | … | 290 | 10 |
| Wessex | … | 1,086 | 11 |
| Oxford | … | 1,129 | 14 |
| South Western | … | 6,925 | 5 |
| West Midlands | … | 1,655 | 12 |
| Mersey | … | 2,295 | 2 |
| North Western | … | 2,101 | 9 |
| Total | … | 38,092 | 144 |
Re-Establishment Centres
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the criteria under which a person attends a Department of Health and Social Security re-establishment centre; and under what circumstances, if any, payment of supplementary benefit may be made conditional on such attendance.
The criteria are that the person is suffering from the ill-effects of a long period of unemployment or irregular employment and is likely to benefit from a course designed to restore the habit of working; and that his attendance at a centre will not give rise to unreasonable difficulties for his family, if he has one, or for other people whom he will meet while on the course. Where a person not in receipt of unemployment benefit refuses or neglects to maintain himself or his dependants by working, payment of supplementary allowance may be made conditional on attendance at a centre, subject to the direction of an independent appeal tribunal.
Christmas Bonus
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the extra administrative cost involved in ensuring that no duplicate payments of the Christmas bonus are paid to those who would qualify under more than one criterion; if he is satisfied this is an appropriate use of his Department's resources; and if he will make a statement.
Christmas bonuses are paid in accordance with a strict order of priority of qualifying benefit which enables the Department to prevent duplication without any elaborate system of cross-checking between benefit records Some checks to prevent duplication are necessary in a minority of cases in relation to a few benefits, but it is not possible to separate the administrative costs of these from the total cost of the operation. I do not consider the cost of checking on this small scale inappropriate.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what would be the extra cost of making duplicate payments of the £10 Christmas bonus to those who qualify under more than one of the criteria.
Rather over £20 million in benefit cost.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the number of recipients of the Christmas bonus who are under retirement age.
It is estimated that about 1,200,000 recipients will be under pension age.
Child Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what periods of delay are occurring in the authorisation of the payment of child benefits by the Washington headquarters of the service; and if he will make a statement.
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I have given my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) today.
Disabled Persons (Vehicles)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to resolve the problems of supply of adapted Minis from British Leyland which at present are resulting in long delays in replacing damaged cars belonging to existing disabled users.
My officials are frequently in touch with those concerned at British Leyland to ensure that there is no avoidable delay in delivery of motor cars for disabled people in our scheme. The steps taken include liaison visits to the firm. I am advised that the agreed future production programme will enable the backlog of orders to be cleared fairly quickly and that thereafter delivery periods should be much improved. This depends crucially, however on continuity of output. Unfortunately, output has been interrupted on several occasions in recent months owing to component shortages and industrial disputes.
Benefits And Allowances
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will up-date the reply given to the right hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Jenkin) on 15th November 1976, showing all the benefits and allowances which include an element for child support at the rates operative from November 1977, distinguishing between those which are taxable and those which are not.
pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 10th November 1977; Vol. 938, c.199–200],gave the following information:Child benefit is not taken into account as income when arriving at the amount of an award of family income supplement and the obelisk shown against the entry for family income supplement in column 1 of the table in my earlier reply should be deleted.
Mrs L M Maccutchan (Child Benefit Claim)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services on what date the Child Benefit Unit received a claim for child benefit from Mrs. L. M. MacCutchan, 19 Price Park, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire; when a payment was made; and when it is now proposed to issue a payments book.
pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th November 1977; Vol. 939, c.142],gave the following information:Mrs. MacCutchan's claim for child benefit was received at Hemel Hempstead local office on 16th June, 1977 and reached the Child Benefit Centre on 20th June. Because Mrs. MacCutchan had been out of the country since 1975, inquiries were necessary to establish whether the residence conditions for benefit were satisfied. On 22nd August a payment for arrears of child benefit from April to August and of family allowances for a six-month period in 1975 was sent to Mrs. MacCutchan, with a letter explaining that an order book for current payment was being sent separately. The book was in fact dispatched at about the same time, but was sent in error to the Post Office for collection by Mrs. MacCutchan instead of direct to her. Under standing instructions the book would not have been returned as unclaimed until after the end of October, so the Department was not aware of the error. A letter was received from Mrs. MacCutchan on 31st October saying she had not received the book. The arrears due from 22nd August were paid to Mrs. MacCutchan on 17th November and a new book will be issued as soon as possible.
Child Benefit Claims
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average time taken for the Child Benefit Branch to process claims for child benefit; how many claims have so far been received; how many claims are still outstanding; and whether he is satisfied with the efficiency of the Child Benefit Branch.
pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th November 1977; Vol. 939, c.143],gave the following information:The average time taken by the Child Benefit Centre to process a claim depends largely on whether or not the claim can be handled entirely by automatic processes. New claims handled automatically now take an average of 10 days from the date of receipt at the centre to the date the letter awarding benefit is sent to the claimant; claims for additional children take an average of five days. Nearly 50 per cent. of new claims and 85 per cent. of claims for additional children fall into this category. Claims which require special clerical action—usually writing out to the claimant for more information—naturally take much longer; the average time from receipt to issue of the award letter is six weeks. The total number of claims to child benefit, including those for children qualifying since the scheme started, was 2,957,000 at the latest count. About 52,000 claims are still outstanding, representing about three weeks' intake of claims. As to the efficiency of the Child Benefit Centre, I am aware that there have been some serious delays and some mistakes. The centre has had to tackle an enormous task, which has proved even larger than we had originally estimated from experience of the family allowance scheme. Inevitably a high proportion of the staff needed more experience. But I am satisfied that the management of the centre responded well to the problems they faced, and credit is due to the staff as a whole who worked substantial amounts of overtime, with the result that the situation is now much improved.
Trade
Shipbuilding
26.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement comparing the credit facilities afforded for building ships in the United Kingdom with those afforded in competing foreign countries; and in what respects particular foreign countries offer more advantageous terms.
The export credit facilities officially supported by major shipbuilding countries are governed by the terms of an OECD understanding. Support from ECGD is available to British exporters of ships within the terms of this understanding. We believe that this enables them to offer commercial credit terms which are fully competitive with the facilities offered by foreign builders.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has received about the need to improve the credit facilities for the building of ships in the United Kingdom.
I have received representations on behalf of the shipbuilding industry that sales, particularly to developing countries, could be increased if more liberal export credit terms were allowed than those currently prescribed by the OECD understanding. This would, of course, require the agreement of other participants in the OECD understanding.
Hotels And Restaurants (Service Charges)
27.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will have discussions with the British Hotels, Restaurants and Caterers Association to establish a code with regard to service charges, so that both management, staff and guests can understand the purpose of a tip, understand when a tip is expected and when service is included, including a charge for staff.
I understand that BHRCA recommend to its members that service charges be included in the tariff. This is a principle embodied in the Government's voluntary code of booking practice and foreshadows part of the statutory order on price notification to be laid before the House shortly.
Palma Airport (Security)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade, further to his reply of 14th November to the hon. Member for Tyne-mouth, whether he is now satisfied with the security arrangements at Palma Airport.
Though I am always reluctant to express complete satisfaction with security arrangements anywhere, the steps recently taken by the Spanish authorities at Palma and elsewhere have resulted in greatly increased security.
Oman, Abu Dhabi And Dubai
asked the Secretary of State for 'Trade (1) if he will indicate the balance of trade between the Sultanate of Oman and the United Kingdom, giving the value of the total United Kingdom goods and services provided to the Sultanate for the most recent years for which figures are available, and the nature of imports received from that country;(2) if he will indicate the balance of trade between Abu Dhabi and the United Kingdom, giving the value of the total United Kingdom goods and services provided to Abu Dhabi for the most recent years for which figures are available, and the nature of imports received from that country;(3) if he will indicate the balance of trade between Dubai and the United Kingdom, giving the value of the total
| 1975 | 1976 | January to September 1977 | ||||
| Value | Quantity | Value | Quantity | Value | Quantity | |
| (£ million) | (tonnes) | (£ million) | (tonnes) | (£ million) | (tonnes) | |
| Textile yarn, fabrics, made-up articles and related products | 40·2 | 29,418 | 54·6 | 26,230 | 39·0 | 23,305 |
| Textile clothing | 159·4 | 39,443 | 221·3 | 41,422 | 151·4 | 26,120 |
| Total | 199·5 | 68,861 | 276·0 | 67,652 | 190·3 | 49,425 |
Food Imports
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table showing the value of imports of bacon,
| £ million c | |||
| 12 months ending October 1976 | 12 months ending October 1977 | ||
| Bacon (including ham and other treated pig meat) | … | 227 | 269 |
| Beef (including veal) | … | 160 | 247 |
| Butter | … | 314 | 300 |
Ships (Radio Beacons)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what investigations he is currently making into the subject of survival radio for ships at sea; and whether it is his intention to make it a mandatory requirement for British traw United Kingdom goods and services provided to Dubai for the most recent years for which figures are available, and the nature of imports received from that country.
The crude balance of trade in goods with these countries—that is, exports valued fob minus imports cif—can be determined from Table IB of the 1976 annual issue and the 1977 September issue of the "Overseas 'Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom". Table II of these publications, which are available in the House of Commons Library, also provides a detailed commodity analysis of imports. Statistics of services provided to these countries are not available.
Hong Kong
asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will set out in theOfficial Report the extent of the decline in the level of imports of clothing and textiles from Hong Kong in the last two years.
Following is the Information:beef and butter over the latest 12 months compared with their value for the preceding 12 months.
Following is the information:lers to carry radio beacons, as is demanded by the Governments of Norway, the United States of America and Australia.
My Department is co-operating in research into the performance of emergency position-indicating radio beacons and also in international studies on the development of a device using satellite techniques. In view of the current limitations of such equipment I do not at present feel justified in making their carriage on trawlers a statutory requirement.
Oil Imports
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list each month's imports of crude oil throughout 1976; and what has been the monthly level of crude oil imports for the first 10 months of 1977.
Following is the information:
| IMPORTS OF CRUDE PETROLEUM (SITC(R) 331·01) | |||||
| Million tons | |||||
| 1976 | 1977 | ||||
| January | … | … | … | 7·75 | 7·22 |
| February | … | … | … | 7·63 | 5·60 |
| March | … | … | … | 7·16 | 6·87 |
| April | … | … | … | 7·66 | 5·37 |
| May | … | … | … | 6·95 | 7·03 |
| June | … | … | … | 7·25 | 5·79 |
| July | … | … | … | 6·94 | 4·71 |
| August | … | … | … | 6·57 | 5·14 |
| September | … | … | … | 7·02 | 5·32 |
| October | … | … | … | 6·07 | 5·28 |
| November | … | … | … | 8·43 | |
| December | … | … | … | 7·14 | |
Departmental Abbreviations
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by his Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions, with their respective meanings.
I try to avoid all except the most instantly recognisable abbreviations. A guide to many international abbreviations is published in "EEC: Your questions answered". This is in the Library of the House, but I am sending my hon. Friend a copy for his convenience.
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.
I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Tourism
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will commission a special study of the tourist potential of Merseyside.
My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. The English Tourist Board commissioned a study of the North-West in 1973, which included the Merseyside area.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what plans he has to increase the investment in tourism in (a) the North West, and (b) Merseyside.
We have no present plans to do so, but as a special development area Merseyside is eligible for selective tourist project assistance from the English Tourist Board.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) why Merseyside was not included among the ares selected for the concentration of tourist developments;(2) if he will indicate the criteria employed for selecting areas with fragile economies as being eligible for tourist schemes.
The three districts chosen for pilot experiments in the development of tourism growth points which all fall in scheduled development areas are characterised by particularly acute economic difficulties yet have a high degree of under-developed tourism potential. Additionally, they are sufficiently typical to gather valuable experience in extending the technique elsewhere should success justify this, and the necessary resources become available. I am bearing in mind the position of Merseyside but it did not appear to have this combination of features justifying the choice of the districts selected for the trial run. As a development area it has already benefitted under Section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 and applications under this section for assistance for projects in Merseyside can still be considered.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade why Scotland and Wales together received almost as much as England in the amounts allocated to the respective tourist boards for 1976–77 when England has a much larger population and significantly higher unemployment.
My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales are responsible for the Scottish and Wales Tourist Boards, respectively, for their tourism budgets. These are not
| 1977–78 ESTIMATES PROVISION | |||
| £ million | |||
| English Tourist Board | Scottish Tourist Board | Wales Tourist Board | |
| Grant-in-Aid | 4·151 | 1·770 | 1·230 |
| Selective Tourist Project assistance | 1·940 | 1·100 | 1·158 |
| Hotel Development Incentive scheme—outstanding claims | 0·250 | — | — |
asked the Secretary of State for Trade why the North-West received only £134,590 between 1st April 1971 and 31st December 1976 under Section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969, whereas Cumbria received £1,024,732, the West Country £1,023,637, Northumbria £1,002,017 and North Yorkshire £701,989.
The administration of selective tourism project assistance in England under Section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 is a matter for the discretion of the English Tourist Board, whose responsibility it is.
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total sum expended from his Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how he ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
£745,000 in 1976–7. The estimate for the current year is £692,000. These figures relate to the Department's expenditure on research in the aviation and marine fields, for example, into aircraft noise and ways of clearing offshore oil pollution. In addition, functions connected with international agreements on scientific and technological matters account for about £100,000 of the Department's annual provision for salaries and general administrative expenditure.All my Departments projects are completely investigated before any funds are committed to them.
therefore determined centrally, but are allocated having regard to the overall economic needs and potential of the country concerned.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade how much is being allocated to the English, Welsh and Scottish Tourist Boards, respectively, for 1977–78.
Following is the answer:
Iron And Steel Scrap
asked the Secretary of of State for Trade (1) if he will list in theOfficial Report the grades and tonnages and price per tonne of the 111,271 tonnes of scrap iron and steel exported from the United Kingdom in July 1977 at an average price per tonne;(2) if he will list in the
Official Report the grades, tonnages and price per tonne of the 4,436 tonnes of scrap iron and steel imported into the United Kingdom in July 1977 at an average price £104·2 per tonne;
(3) if he will list in the Official Report the tonnage of iron and steel scrap imported into the United Kingdom and the value of such imports in 1977 and the exports of iron and steel scrap for 1977 and the value of such exports;
(4) if he will state the grades and tonnages of iron and steel scrap exported from the United Kingdom in 1977 and the grades and tonnages imported in 1977.
In January to October 1977 exports of waste and scrap metal of iron or steel were 793,180 tonnes, valued at £32·014 million fob and imports were 90,044 tonnes valued at £8·612 million cif. Information by grade of scrap iron and steel is not collected in the overseas trade statistics.
Oil Rigs (Standby Vessels)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many vessels presently used on standby duties at oil rigs and production platforms in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea fly the British flag; how many fly flags of other countries; and if he will list these countries;(2) how many vessels, currently engaged as standby vessels at oil rigs and production platforms in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea, fly flags of convenience.
Under safety survey agreements agreed with offshore oil operators my Department has issued certificates of survey in respect of 84 British standby vessels. In addition, certificates have been issued to 18 foreign flag vessels made up as follows: Holland, 4; Norway, 10; Panama, 1; United States, 1; and West German, 2.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied with the standard of first-aid equipment currently carried on board standby vessels in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea; and what action he proposes to take to improve the situation.
The recommended minimum standard for medical equipment to be carried by standby vessels operating in the United Kingdom sector of the North Sea are based upon scales laid down in the Merchant Shipping (Medical Scales) Regulations 1974 supplemented by additional equipment. I have no evidence to lead me to conclude that the recommended standard is not being complied with.
Home Department
Police
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many police officers left the Greater Manchester Constabulary prior to the completion of their term of service during the first nine months of 1977; and what were the equivalent figures for the same period of 1974, 1975 and 1976;(2) how many police officers left the Metropolitan Police Force prior to the completion of their full term of service during the first nine months of 1977; and what were the equivalent figures for the same period of 1974, 1975 and 1976;
(3) how many police officers left the Lancashire Constabulary prior to the completion of their full term of service during the first nine months of 1977; and what were the equivalent figures for the same period of 1974, 1975 and 1976.
Police officers are entitled to retire on pensions after 25 years service. But, taking full service as the age of compulsory retirement under Police Regulations, the figures are:
| Year (January—September) | Left below age limit | Transfers to other forces in England and Wales | ||
| GREATER MANCHESTER CONSTABULARY | ||||
| 1977 | … | … | 331 | 12 |
| 1976 | … | … | 291 | 19 |
| 1975 | … | … | 183 | 28 |
| 1974 | … | … | * | * |
| LANCASHIRE CONSTABULARY | ||||
| 1977 | … | … | 148 | 7 |
| 1976 | … | … | 145 | 6 |
| 1975 | … | … | 61 | 16 |
| 1974 | … | … | * | * |
| METROPOLITAN POLICE FORCE | ||||
| 1977 | … | … | 1,367 | 45 |
| 1976 | … | … | 864 | 52 |
| 1975 | … | … | 749 | 141 |
| 1974 | … | … | 844 | 112 |
| * Figures for 1974 are not comparable due to boundary changes on 1st April 1974. | ||||
Criminal Proceedings
30.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to implement the recommendations of the Criminal Law Revision Committee with regard to the right to silence in criminal proceedings.
I expect that this issue will be considered by the Royal Commission on Criminal Procedure. My right hon. Friend does not contemplate reaching conclusions on it until the Royal Commission has finished its work.
Firemen (Pay)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will immediately take steps to reduce the hours of firemen to 40 per week and, until recruits can be trained, for them to receive overtime payments up to their present normal hours of work, in addition to a 10 per cent. wage increase.
I refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made to the House during the course of the debate on the motion for the Adjournment on Tuesday 15th November—[Vol. 939, c. 301–310]—about the negotiations which are taking place between both sides of the National Joint Council for Local Authorities' Fire Brigades. The Government have made it clear that there can be no question of any settlement with effect from 7th November 1977 which is not within the limits of the Government's guidelines on pay. The Government are prepared for a reduction in working hours to be negotiated, but it would not be possible to implement any reduction before the autumn of 1978, although preparation, including the recruitment and training of the additional firemen required, could begin before then.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the fact that those whose incomes are on a fee-earning basis are not within the Government's income guidelines, he will seek to resolve the firemen's dispute by allowing them to negotiate a fee on all fires attended additional to their below national average wage.
No. Fees paid to employees are subject to the Government's guidelines on pay. Attendance at incidents for fire-fighting purposes is part of a fireman's normal duties and it would not be practical or desirable to base firemen's pay on the number of fires attended.
Carlton Community Home, Bedford
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will indicate the cost of keeping a resident at Carlton Community Home, Bedfordshire, on an annual basis; and the number at present at the home together with accommodation capacity and the total staff involved.
I have been asked to reply.I understand from Bedfordshire County Council, which runs with Carlton community home, that the home has 30 places at present and on the 16th November 1977 all places were occupied. There were 34 staff in post on 16th November 1977 including care staff, teachers and instructors, administrative and dom estic staff. The annual cost per place in 1976–77 was £8,627.
Police
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in theOfficial Report details of the current strength of each police authority, and the numbers needed to bring them up to full strength.
The figures which relate to police officers are as follows:
| Strength at 30th September 1977 | Vacancies | |
| Avon and Somerset | 2,775 | 76 |
| Bedfordshire | 859 | 82 |
| Cambridgeshire | 1,012 | 78 |
| Cheshire | 1,726 | 79 |
| Cleveland | 1,310 | 101 |
| Cumbria | 1,000 | 82 |
| Derbyshire | 1,506 | 203 |
| Devon and Cornwall | 2,541 | 132 |
| Dorset | 1,084 | 24 |
| Durham | 1,285 | 64 |
| Dyfed Powys | 911 | 5 |
| Essex | 2,333 | 178 |
| Gloucestershire | 1,047 | 53 |
| Greater Manchester | 6,310 | 425 |
| Gwent | 946 | 18 |
| Hampshire | 2,794 | 141 |
| Hertfordshire | 1,457 | 26 |
| Humberside | 1,778 | 161 |
| Kent | 2,608 | 7 |
| Lancashire | 3,037 | 43 |
| Leicestershire | 1,635 | 70 |
| Lincolnshire | 1,141 | 41 |
| Merseyside | 4,260 | 191 |
| Norfolk | 1,185 | 79 |
| Northamptonshire | 895 | 55 |
| Northumbria | 3,195 | 127 |
| North Wales | 1,229 | 47 |
| North Yorkshire | 1,277 | 51 |
| Nottinghamshire | 2,060 | 84 |
| South Wales | 2,395 | 174 |
| South Yorkshire | 2,521 | 231 |
| Staffordshire | 1,976 | 90 |
| Suffolk | 1,010 | 76 |
| Surrey | 1,464 | 39 |
| Sussex | 2,661 | 124 |
| Thames Valley | 2,738 | 257 |
| Warwickshire | 856 | 20 |
| West Mercia | 1,646 | 25 |
| West Midlands | 5,778 | 731 |
| West Yorkshire | 4,648 | 456 |
| Wiltshire | 940 | 55 |
| City of London | 834 | 188 |
| Metropolitan | 22,126 | 4,502 |
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen and others have resigned from the police forces during the past 12 months.
The number of police officers resigning without pension or gratuity during the 12 months ended 30th September 1977 was 4,929 of whom 3,718 were men and 1,211 women. If the hon. Member will indicate what other classes of staff he has in mind, I will see whether the information is available.
Nottingham Prison
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department for how long the pre-release hostel at Her Majesty's Prison, Nottingham, has been in use; what has been the average occupancy of the hostel; what steps are taken to ensure that dangerous criminals are not admitted to it; and how many incidents involving prisoners and the locality have occurred.
The present hostel has been in use since 1957. Since 1970, the average daily occupancy has been 13. Applications for the pre-release employment scheme are considered most carefully, and a recent instruction to selection boards has stressed the importance of avoiding risks to the public. Six charges have been brought against hostellers at Nottingham in the last two years. None involved personal violence or housebreaking. Two offences were committed in Nottingham.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his proposals for changing the accommodation of the pre-release hostel at Her Majesty's Prison, Nottingham, to what was formerly the Prison Governor's residence; in what way existing arrangements at Nottingham would be changed by this proposal; how many prisoners it is intended to accommodate under the proposal; and what is the reason for the proposed change.
The proposal is to move the hostel from a wing of the prison to the former Governor's house nearby. The accommodation for hostellers will remain between 16 to 20, security in the prison will be improved and there will be more accommodation available within the prison. Following Lord Mountbatten's report in 1966 it has been the policy to locate hostels outside the prison walls whenever opportunity offers.
Taxis
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to change the law relating to taxis and private hire cars outside the London region; and if he will make a statement.
I have at present no such proposals. Part II of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, which came into force on 15th November 1976, introduced an adoptive code of control for private hire cars and made some important amendments to the law on taxis. Many district councils are in process of adopting these provisions.
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total sum expended from his Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how he ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
Provision is made in the current year's parliamentary Estimates for nearly £4·8 million on scientific research and development, other than social. This is allocated as follows:
| £ | ||
| Prisons | … | 110,000 |
| Forensic Science | … | 369,000 |
| Police | … | 3,347,000 |
| Fire | … | 505,000 |
| Water safety | … | 6,000 |
| Civil Defence | … | 45,000 |
| Staff costs not included above | … | 303,000 |
| Radio and Television | … | 109,000 |
| 4,794,000 |
Civil Service
Work Experience Scheme
38.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what contribution the Civil Service makes to the Government's work experience scheme.
Following consultation at national level with trade union and staff association representatives, Departments are now considering possible schemes for local implementation. There will be local consultation on points of concern. No scheme is yet in operation.
Civil Servants
34.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received regarding staffing levels in the Civil Service.
I have received one representation in recent weeks.
Public Appointments
39.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many (a) paid and (b) unpaid appointments are currently made by the Government compared with 1st January 1974.
The information the hon. Member seeks is not readily available in this form but paid appointments are listed in the Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers. This, and a list of advisory bodies are in the Library of the House.
Parliamentary Papers
40.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make immediate arrangements for the simultaneous publication of Bills, White Papers, Green Papers and Government reports in Edinburgh, Cardiff and London.
Such arrangements already exist. Where time and security considerations permit, all important parliamentary papers are published simultaneously throughout the country.
Her Majesty's Stationery Office
asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will take steps to establish a branch of Her Majesty's Stationery Office in No. 9 Bridge Street, recently vacated by Boots the Chemist, to sell a selection of HMSO publications and to receive orders for those not in stock; and if he will make a statement concerning the use of any shops falling vacant on this site.
There are at present no plans to open an HMSO book shop in No. 9 Bridge Street or in any other premises falling vacant in that area.
Pensioners
asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will introduce a regulation whereby top civil servants who retire on indexed pensions have such pensions pro tanto reduced by the amount of salary or income that they receive in addition to their pensions in the same manner as ordinary retirement pensioners.
Retired civil servants in receipt of State retirement pensions are subject to the earnings rule applicable to all pensioners. Further, any Civil Service pensioner re-employed in the Civil Service is liable to have his Civil Service pension reduced so that his total pension plus salary is related to his salary on first retirement. If he is appointed to a public board his pension may be taken into account in determining his pay from his pay from the board. I am not aware of any occupational scheme which goes further than this, and I do not believe that it would be either fair or practicable to introduce a generalised regulation of the kind suggested.
Pay Research Unit
asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will now take steps to re-establish the Pay Research Unit.
asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he now proposes to appoint an independent chairman to the Pay Research Unit.
I would refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for West Stirlingshire (Mr. Canavan).
Lord President Of The Council (Appointments)
asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Knox) on 5th August 1976—[Col. 916, c.933.] I make no paid or full-time appointments.
House Of Commons
Members' Pay
asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will initiate a review of salaries of Members of Parliament in comparison to those paid to their counterparts in Western European countries.
No, Sir.
European Community Legislation
asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make it his practice not to seek to secure the approval of or to refer to a Standing Committee any definitions of treaties order until either it has been scrutinised by the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments or any report they have made is available to the House.
It is the Government's intention to continue to defer consideration of any Statutory Instrument requiring affirmative resolution, whether or not discussion in Standing Committee is proposed, until it has been considered by the Statutory Instruments Committee. The only rare exception to this remains where affirmation is essential in advance of such scrutiny.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
Fishing (Falkland Islands)
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which other countries are now fishing in Falkland Island waters; and to what extent fishing by such countries is dependent on co-operation with Argentina.
No vessels from outside the Falkland Islands are fishing within the Islands' territorial waters.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the result of the commercial crab fishing trials in the Falkland Islands inshore waters; and what steps have been taken to develop commercial fishing for blue whiting and other species of fish.
I would refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, gave to the hon. Member for Surbiton (Sir N. Fisher) on 22nd March 1977 and to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 26th October 1977.—[Vol. 928, c.527; Vol. 936, c.817.]
Agricultural Investment
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the levels of investment in British agriculture in 1976, 1975, 1974 and 1973.
The latest statistics of gross capital formation in United Kingdom agriculture for the years specified are published in Tables 10.8 and 12.1 of "National Income and Expenditure 1966–76" (Central Statistical Office—HMSO 1977). Revised estimates, now being prepared for the 1978 Annual Reviews of Agriculture, will be published in the White Paper following that review.
Milk
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals United Kingdom Ministers have put to the EEC to stimulate milk consumption.
Formal proposals are a matter for the European Commission. We have, however, consistently emphasised our regard for the maintenance of a high level of milk consumption and have, therefore, welcomed such measures as the butter subsidy which was agreed by the Council of Ministers in the spring. More recently, we have supported the school milk scheme, pressed for co-responsibility finds to be used for promoting liquid milk consumption, and underlined the rôle of the Milk Marketing Boards in maintaining scales of liquid milk in this country.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy farmers have applied to leave milk production under the EEC compensation scheme.
703 applications under the Non-Marketing of Milk and Milk Products and the Dairy Herd Conversion Premium Regulations 1977 had been received up to 14th November 1977.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present estimate of the milk price support that the EEC will have to expend in the next year.
Chapter 62 of the European Communities' Draft General Budget for 1978, as amended by the letter of amendment adopted by the Council on 7th October 1977, estimates expenditure in the milk and milk products sector as 2,914·6 million EUA (£1897·9 million). This figure is net of estimated receipts of 214·2 million EUA (£139·5 million) under the Co-responsibility Levy. Amounts in European units of account are converted at £1 = 1·5357 EUA.
Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs
Ministerial Travel
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many days he spent outside the United Kingdom during the first half of the 1977–78 from 6th April 1977 to 30th September 1977 in the pursuit of his duties as Secretary of State as defined for tax relief on overseas employment earnings in the Finance Act 1977, and what is his estimate of the days he will spend outside the United Kingdom on a similar basis for the second half of the 1977–78 tax year.
None. Like all Crown servants, Ministers of the Crown are excluded from the benefit of the tax relief on overseas earnings available under Schedule 7 to the Finance Act 1977.
Departmental Premises (Political Party Recruiting)
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether recruiting by and for political groups on official premises is forbidden under departmental regulations, including those of the Government Communications Headquarters at Cheltenham.
The regulations governing political activities by Crown servants include a ban on any form of political activity while on duty, in uniform or on official premises.
National Association For Freedom
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many complaints have been made about members of the National Association for Freedom employed at the Government Communications Centre, Cheltenham, attempting to recruit to the Association other members of staff employed at Government Communications Headquarters during working hours.
Earlier this year representatives of staff associations informally approached the official side of the Government Communications Headquarters about the question of membership of the National Association for Freedom by personnel of the Government Communications Headquarters. No formal complaint has been received by the Government Communications Headquarters.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he proposes to take in view of the fact that personnel of R (Security) Division at Government Communications Headquarters, Cheltenham, are members of the National Association for Freedom; and whether he will make a statement.
The National Association for Freedom is not an organisation membership of which would bar members of the Civil Service from positive vetting clearance. The Government Communications Headquarters personnel are being reminded of the rules governing political activities by civil servants. If it were to be established that these rules had been broken further action would of course be taken.
Government Communications Headquarters
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the duties of a personnel assessors at the Government Communications Headquarters at Cheltenham; how many people are employed in this capacity; and what is their usual tour of duty.
In a Press statement released on 8th January 1952 the then Government announced the introduction of the positive vetting procedure to ensure the reliability of Government staff employed on secret work. A number of personnel security assessor posts have been established at the Government Communications Headquarters at Higher Executive Officer level, as part of the machinery for implementing this procedure. The holders of these posts have authority to grant positive vetting clearance but can only recommend withholding or withdrawal, the decision on these being taken at progressively higher levels of management. There is no fixed term of duty for personnel security assessors.
Hong Kong
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent demonstration in Hong Kong against the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
My right hon. Friend deplores the behaviour of the very small minority of individuals involved in this violent demonstration.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there has been any reaction from the People's Republic of China following the recent amnesty in Hong Kong, with particular reference to corruption arising from protection rackets in the distribution of drugs.
No.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if charges are to be made against persons involved in the recent demonstration in Hong Kong against the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
A report on this incident is with the Attorney-General of Hong Kong. A decision on whether there is sufficient evidence to order prosecutions will be taken shortly.
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many persons took part in the recent demonstration in Hong Kong against the Independent Commission Against Corruption; how many people were injured; and what damage was caused.
About 40 people took part in the attack on the Independent Commission Against Corruption Headquarters. In the scuffle five officials of the Independent Commission Against Corruption received superficial injuries, and minor damage was done to a window, the doors and some fittings.
Ghana
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance is now being provided for famine relief in northern Ghana; and if he will make a statement.
I have been asked to reply.We have promised 5,000 tonnes of soft wheat to be delivered free to Ghana before the end of January next. The distribution of this aid will be monitored by the British High Commission in Accra. We have also given 10 five-ton lorries to help with the transport of food within the area. They were shipped to Ghana in July, and we learn that they have already been intensively used.At the beginning of September the following food aid from other donor countries was reported for emergency relief in the Northern and Upper Regions of Ghana:
| Donor | Tonnage | Type |
| USA | 1,875 | Sorghum |
| Netherlands | 5,000 | Maize |
| 5,000 | Wheat flour | |
| EEC | 3,300 | Wheat |
| 500 | Butteroil | |
| 500 | Dried skimmed milk | |
| Catholic Relief Services | 7,000 | Sorghum grits |
Rhodesia
asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish as a White Paper the history of South African military involvement in Rhodesia since the Unilateral Declaration of Independence in 1965.
No.
Overseas Development
Departmental Abbreviations
asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by her Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions with their respective meanings.
Copies of my Department's publication "ABC of Development Assistance: Some International Terms and Institutions" have been placed in the Library and are available through the Vote Office.
Commercially Important Projects
asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will list projects so far agreed under the arrangements for financing out of the Overseas Aid Programme, up to 5 per cent., projects of commercial importance to Great Britain.
It has been agreed in principle that seven projects may be supported under this arrangement. Firm commitments will, however, depend on the eventual decisions of the developing countries about the projects.
Science And Technology
asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the total sum expended from her Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how she ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
There is an element of science and technology in almost all of the capital aid and technical co-operation projects with which my Ministry is concerned, but it cannot be quantified separately. Expenditure from the official Aid Programme on Scientific Research and Development as such amounted in 1976–77 to some £10·5 million, compared with £9·5 million in 1975–76. A description of how this expenditure is allocated, and of my Ministry's methods of control, is given in the opening pages of the Ministry's Report on Research and Development 1976, a copy of which is in the Library of the House. I hope that the 1977 edition of this report will issue before the end of this year. Additionally, £205,000 was recently allocated from the aid programme to support new activities in the field of appropriate technology in 1977–78. No expenditure has been incurred yet, but a further sum of at least £540,000 will be allocated in 1978–79. This follows the report of an official Working Party on Appropriate Technology published as Overseas Development Paper No. 8, a copy of which is being placed in the Library of the House.
Advisory Committee On Development Education
asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will publish the first report of the Advisory Committee on Development Education and arrange for copies to be available in the Library.
I received at the end of last week a report on development education in the United Kingdom by a working party of the Advisory Committee on Development Education. I shall need a little time to study it and will take a decision on publication as soon as possible.
Scotland
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total sum expended from his Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how he ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as the necessary information has been assembled.
Fuel Bills (Arrears)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will take steps to stop energy boards using warrant sales in Scotland to collect arrears.
My right hon. Friend's responsibility for the operations of energy boards in Scotland extends only to the Scottish electricity boards. The action to be taken to recover debt in particular cases is a matter for the boards' commercial judgment, and he has no power to intervene. I understand, however, that it is only on extremely rare occasions that the boards have warrant sales carried out.
Shipbuilding (Apprentices)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Government are taking to ensure that those apprentices, resident in the Edinburgh area, currently employed in the Robb Caledon Yard in Leith, will be offered employment in that yard; and if he will make a statement.
I have been asked to reply.The employment of apprentices is a matter for the company concerned.
Transport
Motorway (Kirkhamgate-Dishforth)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the date when building work on the proposed Kirkhamgate to Dishforth motorway may be expected to commence.
It is too early to say. The appropriate standards for the new road will be determined as its preparation proceeds.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he regards his decision on the choice of route for the proposed Kirkhamgate to Dishforth motorway as final or under what circumstances he might envisage a change of policy.
Yes, subject to consideration of any objections to the draft orders when they are published.
Lorry Drivers (Working Hours)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will outline representations he has made to the EEC Commission on the proposed new regulation dealing with the harmonisation of certain social legislation relating to road transport as far as the working period for drivers is concerned.
The Council of Ministers (Transport) adopted a number of permanent amendments to the EEC Regulation 543/69 as well as agreeing a safeguard provision under which the Commission can authorise a staged programme of up to three years for full implementation by the United Kingdom of the EEC régime. We have now made the necessary application to the Commission and in particular have proposed that the changes to be effective from 1st January 1978 should be limited to the following:
Article 7—Driving timeThe complete legislative framework of Regulation (EEC) No. 543/69 will apply in place of existing national legislation. This will involve,inter alia, a reduction in the maximum period between the start of the first duty and the end of the last duty of the day for passsenger vehicle crews from 16 hours to 15½ hours.
- Daily—10 hours;
- Weekly—60 hours (reduction of 10 hours for passenger vehicles);
Fortnightly—118 hours (reduction of 12 hours for passenger vehicles and 2 hours for goods vehicles);
Continuous period—5½ hours.
Article 11—Daily rest period
- Goods vehicles—full implementation;
- Passenger vehicles—10 hours with 3 x 8½ hours.
Article 12—Weekly rest period (retaining Transport Act definition of a "week")
- Goods vehicles—Add daily rest period to 24 hours rest;
- Passenger vehicles—24 hours, not necessarily joined to a daily rest period, with the exceptional possibility of one rest period of 24 hours in two weeks.
Vehicle Registration (Cherished Numbers)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to complete his review of the new transfer arrangements for cherished number plates; and if he will make a statement.
The review is virtually complete and the result will be announced shortly.
Road Warning Signs
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that the design of road warning signs will in future embody the results of the research carried out by Dr. Neil Millward, the details of which have been sent to him.
Any benefits which might be derived from the use of the carriageway markings resulting from Dr. Mill-ward's work are likely to be minimal and might be outweighed by dangers which could arise from the particular characteristics of their design.
Driving Instructors
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many people have been prosecuted for offences in connection with the registration of driving instructors under Sections 126 to 142 of the Road Traffic Act 1972; how many and what percentage of such prosecutions have resulted in convictions; and what penalties have been imposed.
The assembling of this information will take a little time. I will write to my hon. Friend.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will now ensure that the necessary training courses for training instructors are made generally available;(2) whether he will introduce legislation to seek to repeal the provisions for the licensing of trainee drivers;(3) whether he will limit the charges made for driving instruction, where given by a trainee instructor;(4) whether he has now received adequate comments as a result of his consultation paper sent out in January 1976, so as to enable him to take such steps as may be necessary to improve the present system of driving instruction.
My hon. Friend is no doubt concerned about the proposals related to the scheme for the licensing of trainee driving instructors included in the Department's consultation letter of 27th January 1976. My right hon. Friend received many useful comments and I announced his decisions in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Wigan (Mr. Fitch) on 3rd February 1977—[Official Report, 3rd February, c. 325–6.] My right hon. Friend still intends to propose the repeal of those licensing provisions when there is a suitable legislative opportunity. This repeal would have the effect of prohibiting charges for car driving instruction by trainees; legislation to limit such charges would therefore be unnecessary The provision of off-the-job training courses for trainee instructors is a matter for the profession.
Learner Drivers
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will take steps to obtain adequate statistics regarding road accidents involving learner drivers.
A Steering Group on Reporting of Road Accidents, comprised of representatives of the police, local authorities and central government, spent two years reviwing the information to be collected on the report form. The group judged that this information could not be collected reliably and did not therefore include it on the revised form which is to be introduced by some police forces in January 1978.
Seat Belts
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will now introduce legislation to make the wearing of seat belts compulsory.
I regret that there will not be time during this parliamentary Session to legislate for the compulsory wearing of seat belts in Great Britain.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many fatalities in road accidents he calculates would have been avoided, had the deceased been wearing a seat belt, during the first six months of 1977, and during each of the previous five years for which records are available.
About 1,000 each year from 1972 to 1976, and about 500 in the first six months of 1977.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many or what percentage of personal injuries he estimates would have been avoided or reduced in their severity, respectively, had the injured parties worn seat belts, in driving accidents which occurred during the first six months of 1977 and during each of the previous five years, respectively.
It is estimated that about 45 per cent. of those unbelted casualties who were seriously injured in road accidents each year would have been uninjured or suffered only slight injury if they had worn available seat belts. It is not possible on current information to estimate the uninjured and reduced injury proportions separately.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much he expects to spend during the years 1977 and 1978, respectively, in campaigns to encourage the voluntary wearing of seat belts.
There have been two publicity campaigns during 1977 to encourage drivers to wear their seat belts. A national campaign using television and posters and costing £355,000 ran from January to March. A separate national poster campaign costing £176,000 ran from August to October. I expect to spend a substantial amount on this subject next year, but the details have not yet been decided.
asked the Secretary of State for Transport in how many cases in which damages for negligence have been awarded arising out of road traffic accidents the damages have been reduced as a result of the contributory negligence of drivers and passengers,
| Amount | Date of increase | Amount of increase | Average annual increase/decrease | |
| £7 10s. 0d. plus 5s. 0d. each hp over 6 hp. | 1st January 1940 | … | ||
| £1 for each 100 cc new registrations only[£7 10s. 0d. minimum]. | 1st January 1947 | … | New basis for calculations cc vice hp. | |
| £10—Registrationsfrom 1st January 1947. | 1st January 1948 | … | New basis—Flat rate superseding rising scale. | |
| £12 10s. | 1st January 1953 | … | £2 10s. 0d. | 5 per cent. increase. |
| £15 | 17th April 1961 | … | £2 10s. 0d. | 2·4 per cent. increase. |
| £17 10s. | 6th April 1965 | … | £2 10s. 0d. | 4 per cent. increase. |
| £25 | 20th March 1968 | … | £7 10s. 0d. | 14·3 per cent. increase. |
| £40 | 15th April 1975 | … | £15 | 8·5 per cent. increase. |
| £50 | 30th March 1977 | … | £10 | 12·5 per cent. increase. |
Motor Cyclists
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will introduce legislation to require motor cyclists to use dipped headlamps in daylight conditions of danger.
The use of headlamps is already required in conditions of poor-daytime visibility. The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is carrying out research into the effectiveness of the
respectively, in that they failed to wear seat belts; and what is the total sum known to him to have been lost by claimants as a result of such reductions.
I regret that this information is not readily available.
Froom And Others V Butcher
asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will take steps to draw the effects of the Court of Appeal decision in Froom and Others versus Butcher to the attention of drivers.
The appeal court decision to which my hon. Friend refers was given in July 1975, and I would not wish to draw special attention to it now.
Car Tax
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1945 the average annual increase or decease in the price of car tax, and indicate both the date and amount of each increase.
The rates of vehicle excise duty on cars since 1945 are given below. Where no year is shown the rates remained unchanged.use of headlamps at all time as an aid to conspicuity, and we will decide whether any further action is needed when we have considered the results of that work.
Sutton-In-Ashfield Bypass
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had regarding the route of the proposed Sutton-in-Ashfield bypass; what is the present estimate of the cost of the bypass; and when it is expected that it will be built.
No written representations have been made to my right hon. Friend about the route of the proposed Sutton-in-Ashfield Bypass. This is a principal road proposal for which the Nottinghamshire County Council is the highway authority. It has included it in the base programme of its latest TPP submission at an estimated total cost of £4·4 million based on November 1976 prices, with the start of works forecast for the financial year 1982–83.
A615/A38
asked the Secretary of State for Transport why the A615 road running from Junction 28 of the M1 motorway to Mansfield has been renumbered A38; and when this was done.
A short section of A615 east of M1 was renumbered by Derbyshire County Council last month as part of the renumbering of the route between Derby and Mansfield as A38.
Rail Fares
asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to meet the Chairman of British Railways; and whether he will discuss with him the inflationary rail fare increases proposed as from next January which proposals contribute to the wage and inflation spiral and run counter to the Government's 10 per cent. wage policy.
I would refer my hon. Friend to my answers to the hon. Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury) on 16th November 1977.—[Official Report, Vol. 939, c. 556.]
A13 (Traffic Signals)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he received a request from the London borough of Newham for installation of bus-actuated traffic signals on the A13 in that borough; when his Department initiated research into bus-controlled traffic signals; and what information he has on the extent of equipment available to local authorities from stock.
The installation of bus actuated traffic signals at the A13-New Barn Street junction was first raised by the London borough of Newham in June 1975.The Department started research on bus detection to give buses priority at traffic signals in 1969. This research is still continuing. Manufacturers are currently developing equipment to meet the Department's specifications. It is not yet available to local authorities.The proposals now agreed for this junction do not involve the use of bus actuated signals. It is hoped that installation will be completed by the summer of next year.
A390 (Speed Limit)
asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, in view of the fact that speeds of traffic on the A390 Liskeard—Lostwithiel road now satisfy his Department's recommendations for a 40 mph speed limit, he is prepared to introduce a speed restriction at East Taphouse; and if he will state the reasons for his decision in this matter.
If the highway authority, the Cornwall County Council, wishes to impose a speed limit at East Taphouse, it is for it to publish a draft order and submit it, with the supporting documents required, for my consent.To date the County Council has only sought and received my Department's informal advice.
Driving Tests
asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average waiting time for driving tests in England and in Cumbria, respectively.
Information is not readily available in the form requested. At the end of October the average waiting times for tests in Great Britain and Cumbria were 13·4 weeks and 7·6 weeks respectively.
Driving Licences
asked the Secretary of State for Transport why it is necessary to have dates of birth in a barely disguised form on driving licences.
This number, combined with part of the licence holder's name and with other entries, serves to identify the individual driver's record amongst 22 million. It has the advantage that it can readily be reconstructed if the holder loses his licence—an arbitrarily allocated number would have to be separately noted or remembered—and it can assist the police in cases of impersonation.
Education And Science
Departmental Correspondence
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to reduce the present long delays in her Department in answering letters from hon. Members.
I have written to my hon. Friend. Every effort is made to avoid delays in replying to letters from hon. Members.
Voluntary Organisations
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total sum granted to voluntary organisations in each of the year 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77; and what is the size of the grants budgeted for 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80.
As the Question involves difficulties of definition. I am writing to the hon. Member.
Languages
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action she proposes to take to increase the number of students in training for teaching modern languages.
Teacher training institutions have been asked in their recruiting and forward planning to give priority to intending specialist teachers of modern languages and other subjects in which there is a shortage of staff in schools.
Schoolchildren (Data Storage)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will state the circumstances, if any, in which information on individual schoolchildren, prepared by teachers at their primary or secondary schools, is stored on a centralised computer facility.
The only records my Department holds on indivi- dual schoolchildren are those made by schools in England and Wales for the school leavers survey, the results of which are published in Volume 2 of the annual series "Statistics of Education". This survey concerns entries made in and the results of GCE and CSE examinations and, if known, the leavers destination, and is based on a 10 per cent. sample of children leaving school in the preceding academic year.
National Environmental Research Council
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the names of the members of the National Environmental Research Council, together with the dates of their appointment and their annual remuneration.
The information in respect of the Natural Environment Research Council is as follows:
| Name | First appointed |
| Chairman: | |
| Professor J.W.L.Beament, F.R.S. | 1.10.77* |
| Members: | |
| Professor J. A. Allen | 1.10.77 |
| Dr. W. R. Boon, F.R.S. | 10.12.76 |
| Professor T. J. Chandler | 1.10.74 |
| Professor A. H. Cook, F.R.S. | 1.10.74 |
| Dr. J. C. Coulson | 1.10.77 |
| Dr. D. S. Davies † | 1.4.77 |
| Mr. H. Fish, O.B.E. | 1.10.76 |
| Professor J. L. Harper | 1.10.75 |
| Dr. M. W. Holdgate † | 1.10.76 |
| Professor F. G. T. Holliday, C.B.E. | 1.10.73 |
| Sir Peter Kent, F. R. S. ‡ | 1.10.73 |
| Sir Cyril Lucas, C.M.G., F.R.S. | 1.12.70 |
| Professor E. Naylor | 1.10.76 |
| Sir Charles Pereira, F.R.S.† | 1.10.71 |
| Mr.J.S.Sawyer, F.R.S. | 1.10.75 |
| Professor J. Sutton, F.R.S. | 1.10.76 |
| Professor E. A. Vincent | 1.10.75 |
| Mr. G. Williams, O.B.E. | 1.10.76 |
| The Chairman receives an annual salary of £5,683 based on two days a week devoted to NERC affairs. | |
| Non-Departmental members receive an honorarium of £750 per annum. | |
| * First appointed 1st June 1970 as member. | |
| † Departmental member. | |
| ‡ Chairman until 30th September 1977 | |
Schools (Rural Areas)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in how many cases she has refused to consent to closure of village schools in each year since she took office; and what the figures have been for each year since 1967.
Up to January 1977, records were not kept of proposals relating to the closure of schools, and the information for earlier years cannot be provided without a disproportionate amount of work and cost. Since January 1977, three proposals to close village schools have been rejected under Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, as amended. I will write to the hon. Member.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will reconsider the three mile rule on travel to school.
My right hon. Friend has commissioned a study of the administrative and financial implications of an alternative to the present arrangements which would involve the introduction of a flat-rate charge for all distances, to be remitted in cases of hardship.
Tameside
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total cost to public funds of her Department's litigation in the Tameside dispute; and if she will make a statement.
The figures are not yet available. It has not been possible in negotiations between the Treasury Solicitor and the legal representatives of the Tameside local authority to agree a figure for the authority's costs. At present, formal bills of costs are awaited from the authority and these can if necessary be placed before the court for determination.
Gifted Children
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what new provision she is making to ensure that gifted children are enabled to attain the full potential of their ability: and if she will make a statement.
Problems associated with the education of gifted children were discussed in a recent report by Her Majesty's inspectors "Gifted Children in Middle and Comprehensive Secondary Schools". The issues involved were the subject of a conference last weekend organised by Her Majesty's inspectors and attended by representatives of local education authorities, including educational psychologists. A conference report will be circulated to all local authorities and my right hon. Friend will be giving careful consideration to whatever suggestions and recommendations it may contain.
School Holidays
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance she is giving to local education authorities with regard to the timing and relative duration of school holidays.
I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to a Question from the hon. Member for Staffordshire, South-West (Mr. Cormack) on 14th November—[Vol. 939, col. 73.]
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, what is the total sum expended from her Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how she ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
In 1977–78 I shall be making grants of about £635 million to the universities, of which about 60 per cent. may be attributed to science and technology, and of nearly £250 million to the Research councils and other recipients of the science budget. The scientific eminence and good judgment of those in the universities, the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, the research councils and the other bodies responsible for taking decisions are, and must be, the main assurance that these sums will be used wisely.
Student Grants
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will establish a representative working party to investigate thte system of support for students in further education and to consider making grants mandatory for approved courses.
My right hon. Friend sees no advantage in establishing a working party of this kind. The scope of mandatory awards will be extended as money becomes available, but no major extension is possible within present resources.
University Teachers
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will make a statement on university teachers' salaries; and, in particular, what steps she is taking within the pay guidelines to rectify the disparities which arose when the arbitration award was not implemented in 1975.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assurances she has given to the General Secretary of the AUT concerning her intention to rectify the disparities in university teachers' pay; whether any settlement will be retrospective and if so from what date; and when she expects that the Government's pay policy will enable payment to be made to the teachers concerned.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will now take steps to implement the salary awards to university teachers made after arbitration in May 1975.
Following the substantial Houghton award in 1974 to teachers employed at colleges of further education, who subsequently received a cost-of-living award from 1st April 1975, university teachers sought to reopen the settlement they had made on 1st October 1974. The claim went to arbitration, and the board of arbitration was instructed to establish the appropriate relativity between the two groups of teachers at an October 1974 price base, although it was recognised that no increase could be made in the pay of university teachers before 1st October 1975 because of the TUC guideline that there should be a 12-month interval between major pay settlements. It was to be assumed that further increases related to the cost of living would subsequently be negotiated subject to pay policy current at that time.The arbitration award of June 1975, that is, the salary rates judged appropriate on an October 1974 price base, was put into effect in October 1975. What was denied to the university teachers was a further allowance to take account of changes in prices between October 1974 and October 1975. This was ruled out by the pay policy introduced in July 1975 and by the policy adopted in the succeeding year. Instead, the university teachers received the standard pay supplements allowable under those phases of pay policy.The Government have given a clear commitment to review the anomaly between university teachers' pay and that of teachers engaged in comparable work in further education establishments, as soon as pay policy permits. Current pay policy allows for the most serious difficulties only to be tackled this year, if necessary on a phased basis, and taking full account of the need to keep the total settlement within single figures. What scope this policy offers for progress towards remedying the pay anomaly for university teachers has not yet been resolved. Meanwhile, there have been frequent informal discussions between Departmental officials and representatives of the university teachers and the university authorities, but no formal negotiations yet, in respect of the settlement for 1st October 1977.
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of university teachers in the years 1974, 1975 and 1976 who emigrated to take up full-time academic appointments overseas.
Excluding clinical academic staff in respect of whom the information is not available, the numbers were 235 and 234 in the academic years 1974–75 and 1975–76, respectively. The figure for 1976–77 is not yet available.
Building Allocations
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the local education authorities which to date have not taken up their building allocations for voluntary youth service, village hall and community centre projects for 1976–77 and the amounts involved.
Sums which were offered by the Department of Education and Science for capital grant for voluntary youth service, village hall and community centre projects for the financial year 1976–77 but not taken up are set out below:
| YOUTH SERVICE PROJECTS | ||
| Local Education Authority | Original allocation | Amount not taken up |
| £ | £ | |
| English Counties | ||
| Bedfordshire | 17,850 | 5,375 |
| Berkshire | 16,870 | 655 |
| Buckinghamshire | 19,675 | 2,175 |
| Cheshire | 95,135 | 65,511 |
| Cumbria | 3,531 | 850 |
| Derbyshire | 28,156 | 22,474 |
| East Sussex | 10,000 | 10,000 |
| Gloucestershire | 28,324 | 8,324 |
| Hampshire | 63,525 | 28,369 |
| Hereford/Worcestershire | 14,858 | 2,129 |
| Hertfordshire | 47,550 | 25,425 |
| Northumberland | 3,960 | 1,000 |
| Salop | 10,750 | 10,750 |
| Somerset | 13,275 | 3,375 |
| Suffolk | 7,250 | 1,250 |
| Surrey | 40,792 | 40,792 |
| Warwickshire | 16,538 | 16,538 |
| West Sussex | 23,300 | 552 |
| Metropolitan Districts | ||
| Kirklees | 4,500 | 4,500 |
| Leeds | 3,250 | 2,500 |
| Liverpool | 92,387 | 1,600 |
| Manchester | 26,937 | 26,937 |
| Sefton | 11,750 | 5,000 |
| Sheffield | 17,062 | 1,200 |
| Greater London | ||
| ILEA | 314,500 | 212,642 |
| Barnet | 17,000 | 2,928 |
| Hillingdon | 4,160 | 160 |
| Merton | 17,500 | 4,750 |
| Newham | 12,000 | 4,805 |
| Wales | ||
| Clwyd | 9,500 | 9,500 |
| Dyfed | 25,600 | 15,600 |
| VILLAGE HALL AND COMMUNITY CENTRE PROJECTS | ||
| Local Education Authority | Original allocation | Amount not taken up |
| £ | £ | |
| English Counties | ||
| Avon | 57,259 | 24,672 |
| Cheshire | 49,610 | 7,884 |
| Cumbria | 16,022 | 395 |
| East Sussex | 9,550 | 1,750 |
| Essex | 71,500 | 49,718 |
| Gloucestershire | 90,610 | 38,610 |
| Hampshire | 69,620 | 234 |
| Hereford/Worcestershire | 79,985 | 1,235 |
| Hertfordshire | 58,250 | 34,750 |
| Humberside | 47,328 | 1,946 |
| Isle of Wight | 13,375 | 12,500 |
| Kent | 173,340 | 13,350 |
| Lancashire | 44,082 | 1,982 |
| Leicestershire | 54,630 | 41,083 |
| Lincolnshire | 131,925 | 4,035 |
Local Education Authority
| Original allocation
| Amount not taken up
|
£
| £
| |
English Counties
| ||
| Northamptonshire | 70,800 | 1,816 |
| Nottinghamshire | 40,006 | 1,500 |
| Surrey | 22,422 | 1,490 |
| Warwickshire | 11,378 | 9,652 |
| West Sussex | 64,783 | 14,748 |
| Wiltshire | 49,783 | 439 |
Metropolitan Districts
| ||
| Dudley | 13,824 | 12,500 |
| Leeds | 37,000 | 27,000 |
Greater London
| ||
| ILEA | 53,000 | 4,014 |
Wales
| ||
| Clwyd | 32,250 | 1,222 |
| Dyfed | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Powys | 39,660 | 3,250 |
| South Glamorgan | 9,112 | 2,832 |
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the local education authorities which have notified her Department of intended under-use of their building allocations for primary and secondary schools for 1976–77 and the amounts involved.
The following local education authorities notified the Department that for various reasons they did not intend to take up the amounts shown of their original allocations for primary and secondary school building in 1976–77.
| £000 | ||||
| Bradford | … | … | … | 483 |
| Knowsley | … | … | … | 446 |
| Kingston-upon-Thames | … | … | … | 105 |
| Manchester | … | … | … | 37 |
| Oxfordshire | … | … | … | 769 |
| Shropshire | … | … | … | 250 |
| Surrey | … | … | … | 1,020 |
| West Sussex | … | … | … | 1,472 |
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the local education authorities which to date have not taken up their allocations for nursery education in 1976–77 and the amounts involved.
The information requested is as follows:
| NURSERY EDUCATION BUILDING PROGRAMME 1976–77 | ||||||
| Local Education Authorities who took up none of their allocation: | ||||||
| LEA | Original allocation | Final allocation after redistribution and uprating | Released allocation | Additional allocation | Take up | |
| Bexley | … | 42,000 | 47,000 | 47,000 | — | — |
| Bromley | … | 10,000 | 12,000 | 12,000 | — | — |
| Croydon | … | 144,000 | 159,000 | 159,000 | — | — |
| Redbridge | … | 29,000 | 29,000 | — | — | |
| Sutton | … | 21,000 | 21,000 | — | — | |
| Dudley | … | 40,000 | 40,000 | — | — | |
| Sandwell | … | 100,000 | 100,000 | — | — | |
| Knowsley | … | 156,000 | 173,000 | 173,000 | — | — |
| Wirral | … | 46,000 | 46,000 | — | — | |
| Rochdale | … | 42,000 | 47,000 | 47,000 | — | — |
| Barnsley | … | 48,000 | 48,000 | — | — | |
| Rotherham | … | 82,000 | 91,000 | 91,000 | — | — |
| Bradford | … | 67,000 | 74,000 | 74,000 | — | — |
| Kirklees | … | 131,000 | 145,000 | 145,000 | — | — |
| North Tyneside | … | 45,000 | 50,000 | 50,000 | — | — |
| Avon | … | 223,000 | 223,000 | — | — | |
| Cheshire | … | 147,000 | 162,000 | 162,000 | — | — |
| Cumbria | … | 54,000 | 54,000 | — | — | |
| Devon | … | 149,000 | 149,000 | — | — | |
| Essex | … | 109,000 | 109,000 | — | — | |
| Gloucestershire | … | 112,000 | 112,000 | — | — | |
| Hampshire | … | 575,000 | 634,000 | 634,000 | — | — |
| Kent | … | 49,000 | 49,000 | — | — | |
| Lancashire | … | 170,000 | 170,000 | — | — | |
| Lincolnshire | … | 37,000 | 37,000 | — | — | |
| Salop | … | 38,000 | 42,000 | 42,000 | — | |
| Somerset | … | 15,000 | 15,000 | — | ||
| Surrey | … | 48,000 | 48,000 | — | ||
| Warwickshire | … | 65,000 | 65,000 | — | ||
| West Sussex | … | 25,000 | 25,000 | — | ||
| Wiltshire | … | 15,000 | 15,000 | — | ||
| Where column 2 is blank authorities released their allocation before redistribution and updating. | ||||||
| NURSERY EDUCATION BUILDING PROGRAMME 1976–77 | ||||||
| Local Education Authorities who took up their allocation in part: | ||||||
| LEA | Original allocation | Final allocation after redistribution and uprating | Released allocation | Additional allocation | Take up | |
| Barnet | … | 33,000 | 33,000 | 3,000 | 3,000 | |
| Birmingham | … | 365,000 | 403,000 | 253,000 | — | 150,000 |
| Bury | … | 73,000 | 81,000 | 56,000 | — | 25,000 |
| Wigan | … | 98,000 | 109,000 | 82,000 | — | 27,000 |
| Derbyshire | … | 186,000 | 94,000 | 19,000 | — | 75,000 |
| Hereford & Worcester | 54,000 | 60,000 | 9,000 | — | 51,000 | |
| Isle of Wight | … | 21,000 | 24,000 | 11,000 | — | 13,000 |
| Leicestershire | … | 114,000 | 114,000 | 28,000* | 28,000* | |
| North Yorkshire | … | 224,000 | 247,000 | 239,500 | — | 7,500 |
| Northumberland | … | 28,000 | 31,000† | 12,665 | — | 18,335 |
| * Due to special circumstances approval given for 1975–76 project to be carried over to 1976–77 programme year. Allocation made from 1975–76 nursery building programme. | ||||||
| † In releasing part of their allocation the Authority only acknowledged their original allocation. Where column 2 is blank authorities released their allocation before redistribution and uprating. Local education authorities which made a nil bid: | ||||||
Environment
Palace Of Westminster (Lifts)
29.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions are taking place regarding the Palace of Westminster dispute over lift maintenance; when the lifts will be back in normal service; and if this dispute is connected with the lift maintenance workers strike affecting high rise blocks of flats in the London area and causing hardship and distress to elderly residents and disabled people.
The issues raised by the disputes affecting the Palace of Westminster are being considered in relation to pay guidelines and the lifts will not be back in normal service until they are resolved. There is no connection between this dispute and that affecting high-rise flats.
Palace Of Westminster (Staff)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the numbers of staff from his Department employed in the Palace of Westminster in the years 1970, 1973 and at present; and if he will set out the numbers employed in the main respective jobs.
These numbers are:
| 1970 | 1973 | 1977 | |
| Custodians and Firemen | 61 | 93 | Nil |
| Works and maintenance staff | 165 | 173 | 182 |
| Supplies staff | 23 | 30 | 28 |
| Cleaners | 43 | 43 | 43 |
| Total | 288 | 339 | 253 |
Waste Recycling
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress being made on the Government's waste and recycling campaign, so far as it lies within his Department's responsibility.
Useful progress has been made under the national anti-waste programme in developing economic viable schemes for recycling household waste. Over 16,000 copies of the Guide to Voluntary Waste Collection, published in June this year, have been requested by interested voluntary groups and others, and I am particularly encouraged at the response from local authorities, many of whom are taking steps to organise local schemes. Initiatives have also been taken by industry. We are collecting information on the new developments so that we may be able to give whatever further guidance is needed. We are also continuing to provide financial support for the two pilot plant for the mechanical sorting of refuse collected by local authorities.
Waste Paper
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider assisting local authorities with the capital cost of setting up waste paper collection services.
Our present aim is to help as many local authorities as possible to devise schemes which are viable without grants of this kind.
Snowdonia (Maps)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the remaining outdoor leisure maps 1:25,000 of the Snowdonnia National Parks to be published; and what other new outdoor leisure maps 1:25,000 will be published during 1978.
Of the three remaining outdoor leisure maps in the series covering the Snowdonia National Park, two are scheduled for publication in the spring of 1978 and the last early in 1979. New outdoor leisure maps covering parts of South Devon and the South Pennines are also in preparation for publication in 1978.
Building Regulations
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment for how long the possibility of changing public building regulations in both public sector and private sector housing has been under discussion between his Department and other interested parties; and when he expects a decision to be reached.
Building regulations are kept constantly under review. Before making building regulations the Secretary of State is required to consult the Building Regulations Advisory Committee and such other bodies as are representative of the interests concerned. The next set of amendments to affect housing was the subject of consultative letters sent out in March, June and August 1977. It is hoped that the regulation will be made by the middle of 1978.
Construction Industry (Tax Certificates)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Construction Industry Manpower Board concerning the introduction of new style tax certificates for subcontractors in the construction industry.
None as yet. The Inland Revenue's revised scheme was introduced on 6th April: when it has been in operation long enough to judge its effects, the Construction Industry Manpower
| Name and Reference | Date made | Date debated | |
| Orders and Regulations | |||
| The Community Land (Prescribed Forms) (England) Regulations 1976 (S.I. 1976 No. 230) | 16th February 1976 | … | — |
| The Community Land Act 1975 (First Appointed Day) (England and Wales) Order 1976 (S.I. 1976 No. 330) | 1st March 1976 | … | — |
| The Community Land (Register of Land Holdings) (England) Regulations 1976 (S.I. 1976 No. 417) | 15th March 1976 | … | — |
| The Docklands Board Order 1977 (S.I. 1977 No. 480) | 11th March 1977 | … | — |
| Directions | |||
| The Community Land Accounts (England) Directions 1975 (DOE Circular No. 128/75) | 19th December 1975 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (England) Directions 1976 (DOE Circular No. 98/76) | 28th October 1976 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Derbyshire County Council No. 1) Special Direction 1977 | 21st January 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Derbyshire County Council No. 2) Special Direction 1977 | 21st January 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Derbyshire County Council No. 3) Special Direction 1977 | 21st January 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Nottinghamshire County Council No. 1) Special Direction 1977 | 27th May 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Nottinghamshire County Council No. 2) Special Direction 1977 | 27th May 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Nottinghamshire County Council No. 3) Special Direction 1977 | 27th May 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Nottinghamshire County Council No. 4) Special Direction 1977 | 27th May 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Wellingborough Borough Council) Special Direction 1977 | 8th July 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Taunton Deane Borough Council) Special Direction 1977 | 12th July 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (Devon County Council) Special Direction 1977 | 18th August 1977 | … | — |
| The Community Land Accounts (West Sussex) Special Direction 1977 | 10th November 1977 | … | — |
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list by name and reference number all published circulars, guidance notes,
Board will report on the extent and effect of subcontracting in the industry by the self-employed.
Community Land
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list by name, date on which it was made and, where appropriate, the date on which it was debated in the House or Committee of the House, any orders or statutory directions so far made by him under the Community Land Act 1975.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given him on 18th November—[Vol. 939, Cols 424–426]—about orders and regulations made jointly for England, Scotland and Wales. On other orders and regulations and on directions made by my right hon. Friend the information is as follows.design bulletins or other official communications which he has sent to local authorities or new town corporations about the Community Land Act 1975.
giving the date of publication in each case.
The following table lists the published circulars and develop
| Title | Date of Publication or Issue | Reference No. | |
| Community Land Circular 1—General Introduction and Priorities. | 3rd December 1975 | … | Circular 121/75. |
| Community Land Circular 2—Community Land Accounts 1975–76. | 19th December 1975 | … | Circular 128/75. |
| Community Land Circular 3—Scheme of Accounts for Land Bought for Private Development. | 23rd January 1976 | … | Circular 5/76. |
| Community Land Circular 4—Community Land (Prescribed Forms) (England) Regulations 1976. | 27th February 1976 | … | Circular 22/76. |
| Community Land Circular 5—Planning Applications and Permissions for Relevant Development. | 27th February 1976 | … | Circular 23/76. |
| Community Land Circular 6—Land for Private Development: Acquisition, Management and Disposal. | 15th March 1976 | … | Circular 26/76. |
| Community Land Circular 7—Compulsory Purchase Procedures. | 16th March 1976 | … | Circular 30/76. |
| Community Land Circular 8—Development Advice Notes. | March 1976 | … | Circular 31/76. |
| Community Land Circular 9—The Community Land (Register of Land Holdings) (England) Regulations 1976. | 25th March 1976 | … | Circular 36/76. |
| Community Land Circular 10—Accounts Directions | 20th October 1976 | … | Circular 98/76. |
| Community Land Circular 11—The Community Land Scheme and the New Towns. | 4th February 1977 | … | Circular 10/77. |
| Community Land Circular 12—Supplementary Information. | 27th June 1977 | … | Circular 59/77. |
| Community Land Notes—Land Acquisition and Management Schemes. | 20th May 1975 | … | GNLA1. |
| Community Land Notes—Joint Land Accounts | 7th August 1975 | … | GNLA2. |
| Community Land Notes—Community Land Accounts. | 19th September 1975 | … | GNLA3. |
| Preparation of Local Authorities' Programmes of Land Acquisition and Disposal. | 22nd October 1975 | … | GNLA4. |
| Handling Planning Applications | 7th November 1975 | … | GNLA5. |
| Community Land Note—First Year Arrangements: Allocation of borrowing approval in 1976–77 and Submission of First Programmes of Land Acquisition and Disposal. | 7th April 1976 | … | GNLA6. |
| Submission of Community Land Surplus Accounts for 1975–76. | 13th April 1976 | … | GNLA7. |
| Compulsory Purchase Orders | 13th April 1976 | … | GNLA8. |
| Development Land Tax: Exemption for projects started before the Appointed Day. | 26th May 1976 | … | GNLA9. |
| Round-up of outstanding points | 21st June 1976 | … | GNLA10. |
| Intra-Public sector transactions | 21st July 1976 | … | GNLA11. |
| Effect of Public Expenditure cuts | 16th December 1976 | … | GNLA12. |
| Joint Land Accounts | 4th February 1977 | … | GNLA13. |
| Application for Loan Sanction—1977–78 | 7th September 1977 | … | GNLA14. |
| The Development Brief: Private Residential Development. | 24th March 1976 | … | Development Advice Note 1. |
| Residential Density in Development Briefs | 1st September 1976 | … | Development Advice Note 2. |
| The Provision of Land for Private Residential Development. | 7th September 1977 | … | Development Advice Note 3. |
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has constituted any joint boards under Section 2 of the Community Land Act 1975; whether he has received any requests from local authorities to do so; and, if so, whether he will list the local authorities in each case.
ment advice notes together with the guidance notes issued to authorities about the community land scheme. Design bulletins are primarily concerned with the design aspects of housing.
My right hon. Friend has made one such order. It was to set up a joint board for the Dock-lands area at the request of the Greater London Council and, the London Boroughs of Greenwich, Lewisham, Newham, Southwark and Tower Hamlets. He has received no other requests for a joint board.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet received any requests from any county authority that he should make an order under Section 18 of the Community Land Act 1975 in respect of designated relevant development for any or all of the county areas concerned; if so, which were the authorities; what response he has made to the request; and whether he envisages making any such order within the next 12 months.
No county authority has applied. Basildon District Council asked for an order in 1976; this was refused as premature. My right hon.
| Local authorities | Location of disposal notification areas declared | Date of coming into effect | ||||
| Medway DC | … | … | Frindsbury Peninsula | … | … | Withdrawn |
| Haringey LBC | … | … | Wood Green No. 1 | … | … | 3rd August 1976 |
| Wood Green No. 2 | … | … | 3rd August 1976 | |||
| Wood Green No. 3 | … | … | 3rd August 1976 | |||
| Kettering DC | … | … | Kettering Central Area | … | … | 1st October 1976 |
| Shrewsbury and Atcham DC | … | … | Radbrook Area | … | … | 17th June 1977 |
| Hillingdon LBC | … | … | Vine Lane | … | … | 1st July 1977 |
| Cheney Street | … | … | 1st July 1977 | |||
| Carew Road North Side | … | … | 1st August 1977 | |||
| Carew Road South Side | … | … | 1st August 1977 | |||
| Barnsley DC | … | … | Silkstone Area | … | … | 30th December 1977 |
Water Charges
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what representations he has received, and from whom, regarding increases in water charges in Cumbria arising from the Water Equalisation Act; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will give details of the amount each local authority will now have to contribute over and above that already being paid arising from the Water Equalisation Act.
The Water Charges Equalisation Act 1977 provides that my right hon. Friend may direct any of the 10 regional water authorities and 28 water companies to which the Act applies to pay an equalisation levy to the National Water Council and shall direct the Council to pay over the aggregate of these levies to such statutory water undertakers as may be specified. The levies and payments proposed for 1978–79 have been calculated after consultation with the water industry in accordance with the Act and details are contained in the draft Water Charges Equalisation Order 1977 laid before the House on 14th November.
Friend has no plans at present to make an order.
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any local authorities have yet sent him, as required by paragraph 2(1) of Schedule 8 to the Community Land Act 1975, copies of resolutions declaring disposal notification areas; if so, which were the authorities concerned; what are the names of the areas contained in those resolutions; and from what date or dates the resolutions become operative.
Yes. Details are given in the following table:The Act provides that any levy or payment shall be passed on in full in the form of increased or reduced charges to those consumers supplied with water on an unmeasured basis. Local authorities would only be affected in so far as they may be such consumers; the effect will vary from area to area and individual details are not available.No specific representations have been received about increases in water charges in Cumbria resulting from the proposed levies but the North-West Water Authority has made representations about the effect of equalisation on their region generally.
Sand And Gravel
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress is being made in discussions between his Department and the Sand and Gravel Association about future supply policies; and when he expects such discussions to conclude.
Discussions on the factual bases for future supply policies are proceeding through the regional aggregates working parties in which the Sand and Gravel Association, the local planning authorities, my Department and other interested bodies participate. The interim results of the working parties' deliberations are expected to become available in the early part of 1978.
Manchester-Salford Partnership Committee
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the membership of the Partnership Committee for Manchester/Salford and the structure of committees which he expects will work to it.
The regular membership of the Manchester/Salford Partnership Committee is as follows:
Chairman:
Minister for Housing and Construction (Department of the Environment).
Members:
- A Minister from the Departments of Employment, Industry, Health and Social Security and Education and Science.
- Leader and two members (Manchester City Council).
- Leader and two members (Salford City Council).
- Leader and one member (Greater Manchester Council).
- Chairman (Manchester Area Health Authority).
- Chairman (Salford Area Health Authority).
Other Government Departments and public bodies will be able to attend meetings when matters relating to their responsibilities are raised.
The Partnership Committee will be supported by a working party at officer/official level.
The prime responsibility for preparation of the inner area programme and the monitoring of its implementation will lie with an Inner City Group of co-ordinators from the local authorities and the area health authorities, led by the officer representing the City of Manchester. Government Departments and agencies will also nominate a liaison officer to act as a point of contact.
Local authorities and central Government Departments have separate arrangements to co-ordinate their contributions to the work of the partnership.
Disabled Persons
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of registrable disabled people who are denied rent and rate rebates because they have not been identified and registered by their local authorities under the terms of Section 1 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act: what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.
Details of the rent and rate rebate schemes are widely publicised. I have no reason to suppose that a disproportionate number of disabled people are among those eligible for rebates but not claiming.Where a householder or his wife are registered in pursuance of Section 29(1) of the National Assistance Act 1948, the amount of rent and rate rebate is more than would otherwise be the case. Rebate officers of local authorities are aware of this and advise applicants accordingly.Any action in connection with the duties of local authorities under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970 would be a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.
New Towns
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will list in theOfficial Report the (a) outstanding loan debt and (b) estimated current market value of those assets involved in transfer schemes which have been submitted for Aycliffe, Bracknell, Corby, Harlow, Peterlee and Stevenage;(2) whether he will list in the
Official Report ( a) the outstanding loan debt and ( b) the current estimated market value of those housing and related assets to be transferred from the Commission for the New Towns to the appropriate district council from 1st April 1978 at the time of valuation under the transfer schemes approved for Hemel Hempstead, Hatfield, Welwyn Garden City and Crawley.
Valuation of new town assets has not been a continuous task for the Commission for the New Towns or development corporations and information about current market values of property to be transferred to local authorities is not available. Such a valuation is not a requirement of transfer under the New Towns (Amendment) Act 1976 which provides for the transfer of housing and related assets to take place on the basis of outstanding loan debt. The calculation of that debt cannot be completed until the final figures in their housing accounts for the current year are available from the Commission and from the development corporations for the towns where transfer on 1st April 1978 is proposed.
Rate Support Grant
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names of people, both in Government and local authority associations, involved in the negotiations on the rate support grant.
As my hon. Friend realises many people are involved to a greater or lesser extent in the rate support grant negotiations. However, those principally involved are the local authority members and Government Ministers who normally attend the Consultative Council on Local Government Finance.These are:
- Mrs. Coker (Association of County Councils).
- Mr. Grugeon.
- Mr. Pickering.
- Lt. Col. McLelland.
- Mr. Walker.
- Mr. Toft.
- Mr. Gervas Walker.
- Mr. Jones.
- Mr. Smart (Association of Metropolitan Authorities).
- Mr. Collins.
- Sir Ron Ironmonger.
- Commander Lock (Association of District Councils).
- Mr. Smith.
- Mr. McCallum.
- Mr. Hicks.
- Mr. Slater.
- Mr. Morgan.
- Mr. Merrett.
- Sir Lou Sherman (London Boroughs Association).
- Mr. Taylor.
- Mr. Brew (Greater London Council).
- Secretary of State for the Environment (Chairman).
- Secretary of State for Education and Science.
- Secretary of State for Wales.
- Secretary of State for Social Services.
- Chief Secretary.
- Secretary of State for Transport.
- Minister, Housing and Construction.
- Minister of State, Home Office.
- Minister of State (Department of Employment).
- Minister of State, Department of Prices and Consumer Protection.
Thermal Insulation
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many householders have to date applied for, or obtained financial assistance for, domestic thermal insulation; what has been the average assistance per applicant; how much of such financial assistance has been financed by local government; and how much by his department.
Local authorities may pay an improvement grant for loft insulation to meet the special needs of elderly or disabled persons who cannot reasonably meet the whole cost themselves. Prior to the issue of DOE Circular 38/77, the consent of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was required to the approval of such applications and this was given in three cases covering 10 dwellings. For nine of these dwellings the average grant paid was £19; the amount paid on the other dwelling is not known. Since then local authorities have had discretion to decide such cases themselves, and I have no information about the number or value of grants approved for this purpose.The normal rate of grant is 50 per cent. of the cost and this attracts a Government contribution of 75 per cent. of the notional loan charges. In housing action areas and general improvement areas where higher rates of grant apply, the Government contribution is 90 per cent.
National Dwelling And Housing Survey
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what public funds will be used to meet the cost of the National Dwelling and Housing Survey.
On 6th July I told the House that the cost of the survey was estimated to be £2 million-£2½ million.Parliamentary approval for expenditure on this survey in 1977–78 will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Housing England Vote. Pending that approval application will be made for repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.
Derelict Land
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of acres of derelict land cleared and the amount of money spent on the clearance of derelict land in each county of England for each of the last 10 years.
The acreage of derelict land reclaimed in each administrative county in England is shown in the following tables (i) for each calendar year from 1966 to 1972 inclusive in respect of the former administrative counties, excluding the former county boroughs, (ii) for the period from 1st January 1972 to 31st March 1974 and the financial years 1974–75 and 1975–76 in respect of administrative counties as now constituted. Figures for subsequent periods are not yet available.
| TABLE 1 | ||||||||
| ACREAGE OF DERELICT LAND RECLAIMED IN ADMINISTRATIVE COUNTIES IN ENGLAND (EXCLUDING COUNTY BOROUGHS) 1966–72 | ||||||||
| Administrative County | 1966 | 1967 | 1968 | 1969 | 1970 | 1971 | 1972 | |
| Bedfordshire | … | 15 | 6 | 17 | 50 | 34 | 235 | Nil |
| Berkshire | … | 22 | 31 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Buckinghamshire | … | Nil | 54 | Nil | Nil | 36 | Nil | Nil |
| Cambridge and Isle of Ely | … | 2 | 19 | Nil | 29 | 15 | 67 | 45 |
| Cheshire | … | 22 | 5 | 98 | 24 | 19 | 20 | 117 |
| Cornwall | … | 34 | 16 | 7 | 16 | 40 | 35 | 13 |
| Cumberland | … | 39 | 2 | 17 | 55 | 110 | 208 | 207 |
| Derbyshire | … | 48 | 45 | 60 | 55 | 190 | 250 | 396 |
| Devon | … | Nil | 73 | 12 | 5 | Nil | 116 | 16 |
| Dorset | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Durham | … | 166 | 242 | 529 | 231 | 398 | 756 | 925 |
| Essex | … | Nil | 6 | 7 | 29 | 23 | 5 | Nil |
| Gloucestershire | … | 3 | 7 | 11 | 9 | 15 | Nil | 7 |
| Hampshire | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | 17 | 58 |
| Herefordshire | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | 2 | Nil | 293 | 1 |
| Hertfordshire | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Huntingdon and Peterborough | … | 27 | 7 | 24 | Nil | 12 | 57 | Nil |
| Isle of Wight | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | 5 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Kent | … | 176 | 4 | 69 | 45 | 31 | 18 | 21 |
| Lancashire | … | 94 | 91 | 117 | 265 | 185 | 391 | 752 |
| Leicestershire | … | 7 | Nil | Nil | Nil | 6 | 12 | 8 |
| Lincolnshire— | ||||||||
| Holland | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Kesteven | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Lindsey | … | 10 | Nil | Nil | 12 | Nil | 1 | 5 |
| London | … | 2 | 2 | Nil | 24 | 6 | 34 | 4 |
| Norfolk | … | Nil | 9 | 59 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 11 |
| Northamptonshire | … | 8 | Nil | 1 | Nil | 11 | 10 | 6 |
| Northumberland | … | 23 | 49 | 22 | 327 | 197 | 436 | 586 |
| Nottinghamshire | … | 32 | 32 | 61 | 108 | 205 | 232 | 268 |
| Oxfordshire | … | Nil | 21 | 27 | 8 | 129 | Nil | Nil |
| Rutland | … | Nil | 9 | Nil | Nil | 6 | Nil | Nil |
| Salop | … | 7 | 2 | 15 | 24 | 30 | 28 | Nil |
| Somerset | … | 14 | 5 | 11 | 11 | 69 | 28 | 1 |
| Staffordshire | … | 118 | Nil | 142 | 176 | 191 | 133 | 146 |
| Suffolk—East | … | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 6 |
| Suffolk—West | … | 7 | 37 | 3 | 3 | Nil | Nil | 18 |
| Surrey | … | 6 | 3 | 25 | 53 | 18 | Nil | 2 |
| Sussex—East | … | Nil | Nil | 10 | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Sussex—West | … | 7 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Warwickshire | … | 83 | 20 | 13 | 19 | 66 | 42 | 21 |
| Westmorland | … | Nil | Nil | 4 | 1 | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Wiltshire | … | Nil | Nil | Nil | 1 | 5 | Nil | 26 |
| Worcestershire | … | 17 | 38 | 30 | 23 | 42 | 92 | 4 |
| Yorkshire (East Riding) | … | 8 | 1 | 3 | 16 | 258 | 1 | 1 |
| Yorkshire (North Riding) | … | 32 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 30 | 4 |
| Yorkshire (West Riding) | … | 38 | 160 | 91 | 103 | 537 | 305 | 542 |
Total expenditure on derelict land reclamation by local authorities in England over the period 1968–69 to 1976–77 was as follows:
| £million | |||||
| 1968–69 | … | … | … | … | 1·2 |
| 1969–70 | … | … | … | … | 1·9 |
| 1970–71 | … | … | … | … | 3·5 |
| 1971–72 | … | … | … | … | 6·6 |
| 1972–73 | … | … | … | … | 7·6 |
| 1973–74 | … | … | … | … | 9·6 |
| 1974–75 | … | … | … | … | 8·2 |
| 1975–76 | … | … | … | … | 10·7 |
| 1976–77 | … | … | … | … | 9·9 |
Expenditure figures for years prior to 1968–69 are not available and figures in administrative county terms over the period given are not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member.
| TABLE II | |||||||
| ACREAGE OF DERELICT LAND RECLAIMED IN ENGLAND FOR THE PERIOD 1ST JANUARY 1972 TO 31ST MARCH 1974 AND THE FINANCIAL YEARS 1974–75 AND 1975–76 | |||||||
From 1st January 1972 to 31st March 1974 (27 months)
| 1974–75
| 1975–76
| |||||
Administrative County—
| |||||||
| Avon | … | … | … | … | 5 | Nil | 13 |
| Bedfordshire | … | … | … | … | 25 | 8 | 20 |
| Berkshire | … | … | … | … | 5 | Nil | Nil |
| Buckinghamshire | … | … | … | … | Nil | 55 | 80 |
| Cambridgeshire | … | … | … | … | 63 | 48 | 93 |
| Cheshire | … | … | … | … | 110 | 5 | 128 |
| Cleveland | … | … | … | … | 300 | 23 | 190 |
| Cornwall | … | … | … | … | 10 | 55 | Nil |
| Cumbria | … | … | … | … | 618 | 78 | 385 |
| Derbyshire | … | … | … | … | 588 | 123 | 250 |
| Devon | … | … | … | … | 95 | 8 | 18 |
| Dorset | … | … | … | … | 10 | Nil | Nil |
| Durham | … | … | … | … | 1,548 | 708 | 608 |
| East Sussex | … | … | … | … | 23 | Nil | 13 |
| Essex | … | … | … | … | 160 | Nil | Nil |
| Gloucestershire | … | … | … | … | Nil | 18 | 28 |
| Hampshire | … | … | … | … | 10 | Nil | 5 |
| Hereford and Worcester | … | … | … | … | 25 | Nil | 8 |
| Hertfordshire | … | … | … | … | Nil | 5 | Nil |
| Humberside | … | … | … | … | 215 | 35 | 65 |
| Isle of Wight | … | … | … | … | 128 | Nil | Nil |
| Kent | … | … | … | … | 68 | 18 | 18 |
| Lancashire | … | … | … | … | 320 | 108 | 163 |
| Leicestershire | … | … | … | … | 55 | 43 | 58 |
| Lincolnshire | … | … | … | … | 13 | Nil | 430 |
| Norfolk | … | … | … | … | 23 | 8 | 15 |
| North Yorkshire | … | … | … | … | 30 | 3 | 148 |
| Northamptonshire | … | … | … | … | 18 | 38 | 33 |
| Northumberland | … | … | … | … | 685 | 113 | 185 |
| Nottinghamshire | … | … | … | … | 518 | 35 | 88 |
| Oxfordshire | … | … | … | … | 463 | Nil | 3 |
| Salop | … | … | … | … | 330 | 10 | 193 |
| Somerset | … | … | … | … | 3 | 53 | 10 |
| Staffordshire | … | … | … | … | 855 | 175 | 388 |
| Suffolk | … | … | … | … | 85 | 10 | 45 |
| Surrey | … | … | … | … | 55 | 23 | 60 |
| Warwickshire | … | … | … | … | 63 | Nil | 293 |
| West Sussex | … | … | … | … | Nil | 123 | 105 |
| Wiltshire | … | … | … | … | 130 | 8 | 30 |
Metropolitan County—
| |||||||
| Greater Manchester | … | … | … | … | 1,215 | 208 | 490 |
| Merseyside | … | … | … | … | 415 | 8 | 45 |
| South Yorkshire | … | … | … | … | 670 | 178 | 150 |
| Tyne and Wear | … | … | … | … | 1,185 | 325 | 383 |
| West Midlands | … | … | … | … | 738 | 155 | 440 |
| West Yorkshire | … | … | … | … | 540 | 425 | 420 |
| Greater London | … | … | … | … | 75 | 83 | 63 |
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total sum expended from his Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how he ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
Very substantial parts of my Department's work are concerned with science and technology in a wide sense.
This is especially true of water engineering, environmental pollution and my responsibilities for the construction industry.
Total spending on the Environmental Research Vote in 1976–77 was £20·4 million, and the estimated sum for 1977–78 is £19·9 million. Funds are allocated by committees of my most senior officials, which take full account of the ways in which proposed projects are related to policy needs. They and I are advised on the overall strategy and balance of the research programme by external advisory councils, and each of my research establishments has an advisory committee.
Housing Associations
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what public funds will be used to cover the loss incurred on the resale of sites and on abortive fees resulting from housing association projects cancelled as part of the July 1976 public expenditure savings.
On 15th March I told the House that a total loss of about £4 million would fall on public funds as a result of the cancellation of these schemes.Parliamentary approval for expenditure to cover payments to the Housing Cor-
| 1st quarter | 2nd quarter | 3rd quarter | 4th quarter | |||||||
| (Seasonally adjusted) | ||||||||||
| 1970 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 99·4 | 99·8 | 100·2 | 100·6 |
| 1971 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 99·9 | 100·7 | 100·2 | 100·3 |
| 1972 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 96·9 | 103·0 | 103·6 | 106·3 |
| 1973 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 109·7 | 109·5 | 110·6 | 109·8 |
| 1974 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 103·9 | 108·8 | 109·0 | 105·6 |
| 1975 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 104·8 | 101·0 | 100·0 | 100·8 |
| 1976 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 101·4 | 102·5 | 101·8 | 103·2 |
| 1977 | … | … | … | … | … | … | 103·5 | 102·2 | 102·4 | — |
Royalties
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer further to his answer,Official Report, 21st July 1977, column 711, what additional revenues the Government expect from royalties in addition to the figures mentioned for petroleum revenue tax and corporation tax; and if he will give a similar gross Government revenue figure for the years 1981, 1982 and 1983.
Government revenues from Royalties on North Sea oil and gas until the end of 1980 is expected to be in the region of £1½ billion to £2 billion at 1976 prices. The combined yield of royalties, petroleum revenue tax and corporation tax is now expected to be £5 billion—£5½ billion in
poration in 1977–78 will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Housing England Vote. Pending that approval applications are being made for repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.
National Finance
Industrial Production
28.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the figures for industrial production for each quarter since 1970; and in which previous three year period the rate of growth has been smaller than during the past three years.
The all-industries index of industrial production since 1970 is as follows:the period up to the end of 1980 at 1976 prices. During the early 1980s the combined yield is expected to rise to about £3½ billion per annum at 1976 prices.
Value Added Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is proposing to change the basis of assessment of value added tax on the buyers' premium charged by certain auctioneers on the sale of works of art and antiques; and whether he will make a statement.
While there is at present no intention to change the basis of assessment the matter is under review, since the Sixth EEC Directive on VAT requires member States to agree a common system of taxation for works of art, antiques and collectors' items.
Death Duties
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an up-to-date table showing, for EEC member States, USA, Japan, and Australia, the comparative yield of death duties as a percentage of (a) total taxes, and (b) total taxes and social security contributions, on a basis similar to that used in Command Paper No. 4930 "Taxation of Capital on Death: A possible Inheritance Tax in place of Estate Duty".
The information asked for is given below for the year 1975, the latest year for which full information is available.TABLE SHOWING COMPARATIVE YIELD OF DEATH DUTIES IN UNITED KINGDOM AND 0OTHER COUNTRIES FOR 1975. DEATH DUTIES
* AS PERCENTAGES OF:
Total taxes †
| Total taxes 1 + social security contributions
| |
| Australia | 1·5 | 1·5 |
| Belgium | 1·1 | 0·7 |
| Denmark | 0·4 | 0·4 |
| France | 1·3 | 0·8 |
| Germany | 0·2 | 0·1 |
| Ireland | 1·3 | 1·1 |
| Italy | 0·4 | 0·2 |
| Japan | 1·4 | 1·0 |
| Luxembourg | 0·5 | 0·3 |
| Netherlands | 0·6 | 0·4 |
| United Kingdom | 1·0 | 0·8 |
| United States of America | 1·8 | 1·4 |
* Death duties include taxes on estates, inheritances and gifts. | ||
| † Total taxes are all taxes levied by central and local governments. | ||
Source:Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries 1965–75.
Coinage
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will now take steps to introduce a 25p coin;(2) whether he will now take steps to introduce a £1 coin;(3) whether he will reconsider the size, shape and nature of Great Britain's current coinage.
The denominations and specifications of the coinage are reviewed from time to time, as is the balance between notes and coin. These reviews will continue but I have no present intention of making a change.
Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1945 the total public sector borrowing requirement, the total public sector borrowing requirement per house- hold and the total public sector borrowing requirementper capita.
Estimates of the public sector borrowing requirements are not available for the years prior to 1963. The table below shows the information for the period 1963 to 1976. Any differences between movements in the figures on a per household, and aper capita, basis will reflect changes in both the composition of households and the relative size of the non-household (institutional) population.
| Public Sector Borrowing Requirement | Public Sector Borrowing Requirement per household | Public Sector Borrowing Requirement per capita | ||
| £ million | £ | £ | ||
| 1963 | … | 842 | 47 | 16 |
| 1964 | … | 989 | 55 | 18 |
| 1965 | … | 1,205 | 66 | 22 |
| 1966 | … | 961 | 52 | 18 |
| 1967 | … | 1,863 | 100 | 34 |
| 1968 | … | 1,279 | 68 | 23 |
| 1969 | … | -466 | -25 | -8 |
| 1970 | … | -17 | -1 | — |
| 1971 | … | 1,373 | 71 | 25 |
| 1972 | … | 2,047 | 106 | 37 |
| 1973 | … | 4,168 | 213 | 74 |
| 1974 | … | 6,336 | 320 | 113 |
| 1975 | … | 10,515 | 528 | 188 |
| 1976 | … | 9,512 | 476 | 170 |
Sources:
National Income Blue Book 1966–76 Table 13.10.
Annual Abstract of Statistics Table 12.
Ministers And Civil Servants (Perquisites)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in theOfficial Report details of the letter he sent to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West dated 8th November 1977 showing that the worth to Ministers and the top civil servants of their cars, drivers, tax and insurance and upkeep of their vehicles is between £850 per annum and £1,400 per annum per head.
The letter did no more than refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to his Questions on this subject on 26th October—[Vol. 936, c. 662–3]—and 28th July—[Vol. 936, c. 513 and 514.]
Gross Domestic Product
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1945 both in current market prices and in 1970 prices gross domestic productper capita and gross domestic product per family.
The figures available are given in the following table. Estimates at current prices are not available for 1945 and the earliest year for which constant price figures are available is 1948.
| GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT PER CAPITA | |||||
| At current market prices | At 1970 market prices | ||||
| £ | £ | ||||
| 1946 | … | … | … | 203 | n.a. |
| 1947 | … | … | … | 216 | n.a. |
| 1948 | … | … | … | 235 | 552 |
| 1949 | … | … | … | 247 | 565 |
| 1950 | … | … | … | 257 | 580 |
| 1951 | … | … | … | 286 | 601 |
| 1952 | … | … | … | 309 | 598 |
| 1953 | … | … | … | 332 | 624 |
| 1954 | … | … | … | 353 | 645 |
| 1955 | … | … | … | 375 | 668 |
| 1956 | … | … | … | 403 | 676 |
| 1957 | … | … | … | 425 | 686 |
| 1958 | … | … | … | 440 | 684 |
| 1959 | 461 | 708 | |||
| 1960 | 485 | 735 | |||
| 1961 | 514 | 754 | |||
| 1962 | … | … | … | 534 | 754 |
| 1963 | … | … | … | 565 | 781 |
| 1964 | … | … | … | 613 | 819 |
| 1965 | … | … | … | 655 | 833 |
| 1966 | … | … | … | 694 | 844 |
| 1967 | … | … | … | 729 | 862 |
| 1968 | … | … | … | 785 | 888 |
| 1969 | … | … | … | 836 | 897 |
| 1970 | … | … | … | 917 | 917 |
| 1971 | … | … | … | 1,023 | 939 |
| 1972 | … | … | … | 1,129 | 960 |
| 1973 | … | … | … | 1,288 | 1,020 |
| 1974 | … | … | … | 1,465 | 1,013 |
| 1975 | … | … | … | 1,845 | 998 |
| 1976 | … | … | … | 2,182 | 1,025 |
Source:
1955–76 National Income and Expenditure 1966–76.
1946–54 CSO Macro-Economic Databank.
Estimates of gross domestic product per family, or per household, have not been provided as this would require an allocation of gross domestic product between the household and non-household population on some arbitrary basis.
Mining And Quarrying
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider the feasibility of permitting the costs of all planning applications or appeals in relation to the mining and quarrying industry to constitute an allowance against corporation tax; and what is his estimate of the cost to the revenue.
I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion. The cost cannot be estimated.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend the Capital Allowances Act 1968 to permit expenditure on capital works connected with the development of mineral resources to attract 100 per cent. first year allowances which appertain to plant and machinery in other industries.
I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion. An initial allowance of 100 per cent. is already given on the cost of construction of mining works in development areas and Northern Ireland; the rate for expenditure elsewhere is 40 per cent. The 100 per cent. first year allowance for expenditure on machinery and plant applies equally to the mining industry as to other industries.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend Section 60 of the Capital Allowances Act 1968 to incorporate both percentage depletion and cost depletion to enable the mineral and quarrying industries to secure and maintain adequate resources for the more effective operation of their businesses.
I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion, but I think depletion allowances must be related to the cost of acquisition of the mineral asset.
Personal Incomes
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, pursuant to his Written Answer,Official Report, 7th November 1977, columns 38–9, he will estimate the rise in real personal disposable income which would be likely if earnings rose at 15 per cent. rather than 10 per cent. per annum.
No, because so much would depend on the consequences for exchange markets, for prices and for the growth rate of the economy.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is able to establish the net value of benefits actually received by way of take-home pay, and social wage benefits, by a married man with two young children earning the average industrial wag at (a) March 1974, (b) October 1974 and (c) at the latest date for which figures are available, each updated to the value of money at the latest date.
I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the disposable income before his April Budget of a single man, a childless married couple and a married man with two children under 11 years of age assuming a tax rate of 33 per cent., and that all were on average national earnings of £78·42; and what will be the disposable income in each case following the latest increase in personal allowances.
I will let my right hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net income after tax, national insurance contribution and child benefit of a married couple with two children as a percentage of the net income of a single person following his recent tax changes, assuming average national earnings in both cases; and what will be the percentage after April 1978, assuming the levels of child benefit and personal tax allowances he has announced.
I will let my right hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit),Official Report, 10th November 1977, column162, (1) if he will now publish figures showing the tax and national insurance contributions net of family allowances and child benefits as a percentage of average gross earnings at constant prices in 1973–74 and 1977–78 and showing also the percentage fall in net weekly income at constant prices which has taken place;(2) if he will publish a table on the same basis as the figures given in the
Written Answer to the hon. Member for Chingford (Mr. Tebbit)
Official Report, 10th November 1977, column 162, including average local authority rates as well as tax and national insurance contributions and showing also the percentage fall in net weekly income at constant prices which has taken place.
Tax and national insurance contributions net of family allowances and child benefits as a percentage of average gross earnings at constant prices in 1973–74 and 1977–78 were 20 per cent, and 21·7 per cent., respectively. The fall in net weekly income at constant prices between 1973. 74 and 1977–78 was 9·9 per cent.Estimates of average local authority rates paid by someone with average gross earnings are not available. The average rates paid on domestic properties in Great Britain in 1973–74 and 1977–78 were £1·25 and £2·56 per week. respectively. If expressed at 1973–74 prices the latter figure would be £1·32 per week. These figures are calculated after deducting domestic support grants but before allowing for rate rebates. The 1977–78 figures include charges for sewerage and sewerage disposal collected by local authorities in England and Wales on behalf of regional water authorities, which in 1973–74 formed part of the general rate.
Fares
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer to what extent the Government intend relaxing their 10 per cent. wage increase policy from January next to compensate for the recently announced fare increases by amounts ranging up to 16 per cent.
None.
Mortgage Interest Rates
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the saving to public expenditure of a further reduction in the mortgage rate by 1 per cent.; and what representations he has made to the Building Societies Association in this regard.
A 1 per cent. reduction in the Building Societies Association's recommended mortgage rate would, in a full year, reduce expenditure on the option mortgage scheme by about £18 million and reduce by some £80 million the amount of income tax relief given on mortgage interest payments. The Government maintain regular contacts with the building societies about the prospects for interest rates and mortgage finance generally.
Treasury Abbreviations
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by his Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions with their respective meanings.
Apart from those in general English usage, the most common abbreviations used recently are:
Abbreviations Most Commonly Used
Real economy
- CEGS—Current Expenditure on Goods and Services.
- GDFCF—Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation.
- GDP—Gross Domestic Product.
- GNP—Gross National Product.
- PDI—Personal Disposable Income.
- RNDI—Real National Disposable Income.
- RPDI—Real Personal Disposable Income.
Monetary
- CGBR—Central Government Borrowing Requirement.
- DCE—Domestic Credit Expansion.
- EMU—European and Monetary Union (European Community).
- EUA—European Unit of Account (European Community).
- IBELS—Interest Bearing Eligible Liabilities (of banks).
- IPD—Interest, profits and dividends.
- M3—The broader measure of the money supply; briefly, cash plus bank deposits by United Kingdom residents.
- M1—The narrower measure of the money supply; limited to cash plus sight deposits.
- £M3—Sterling M3—excludes United Kingdom residents' deposits in other currencies.
- MLR—Minimum Lending Rate.
- PSBR—Pubic Sector Borrowing Requirement.
- SDRs—Special Drawing Rights (at the IMF).
- UA—Unit of Account.
Prices and Earnings
- FES—Family Expenditure Survey
- NES—New Earnings Survey.
- WPI—Wholesale Price Index.
- RPI—Retail Price Index.
Taxation, etc.
- ACT—Advance Corporation Tax.
- CGT—Capital Gains Tax.
- CT—Corporation Tax.
- CTA—Child Tax Allowance.
- CTT—Capital Transfer Tax.
- NIC—National Insurance Contribution.
- NIS—National Insurance Surcharge.
- PAYE—Pay-As-You-Earn (income Tax Schedule E).
- VAT—Value Added Tax.
Organisations
- BIS—Bank for International Settlements.
- BNOC—British National Oil Corporation.
- BP—British Petroleum Limited.
- BR—British Rail.
- BSC—British Steel Corporation.
- CAA—Civil Aviation Authority.
- CBI—Confederation of British Industry.
- CSO—Central Statistical Office.
- ECGD—Export Credits Guarantees Department.
- EEC—European Economic Community.
- EIB—European Investment Bank.
- IBRD—International Bank for Reconstruction and Development.
- IMF—International Monetary Fund.
- NCB—National Coal Board.
- NEB—National Enterprise Board.
- NEDC—National Economic Development Council.
- NEDO—National Economic Development Office.
- NSB—National Savings Banks.
- OECD—Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development—includes industrialised countries and advanced primary producing countries.
- Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries.
- PWLB—Public Works Loan Board.
- TSB—Trustee Savings Banks.
- TUC—Trades Union Congress.
Other
- CAP—Common Agricultural Policy.
- FIS—Financial Information System
- FSBR—Financial Statement and Budget Report.
- LDCs—Less Developed Countries.
- NLF—National Loans Fund.
- PES—Public Expenditure Survey.
- RSG—Rate Support Grant (to local authorities.
- SIC—Standard Industrial Classification.
- SITC—Standard Industrial Trade Classification.
Construction Industry (Tax Certificates)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Construction Industry Manpower Board concerning the introduction of the new style tax certificates for subcontractors in the construction industry.
None.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the average length of tune for which a new style subcontractor's tax certificate is valid.
The certificates are now normally valid for three years, but, in order to spread the work on renewals, those issued initially were valid for periods of between 13 months and three years.
Prices
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will circulate an appeal to all Ministers asking them when making their regular and consistent appeals for wage restraint they should also call for price stabilisation and where possible for reductions.
I am sure that my colleagues will have noted this suggestion, which reflects Government policy.
South Africa
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are applied by his Department for granting permission for the transfer of funds out of the United Kingdom for investment in South Africa.
Exchange control rules for the transfer of funds to South Africa are the same as those applied to transfers to any other country outside the Scheduled Territories.
Development Land Tax Office
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the approximate number of disposals so far notified to the Development Land Tax Office in Middlesbrough since the start of the tax on 1st August 1976; how many positive assessments of tax due have actually been made; what is the ratio of assessments made to staff in post over the 15 months of the tax; what is the total value of the assessments to tax; and how much of it has so far been paid.
I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the Inland Revenue has recently undertaken a survey of the staffing establishment of the Development Land Tax Office in Middlesbrough; over what period of time this survey was conducted; what staffing reductions it proposed and for what grades; what action he intends to take upon it; and whether he will place a copy of the survey in the Library.
I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will set out in tabular form the number of officials in each Civil Service staff grade in the Development Land Tax Office in Middlesbrough on each of the following dates, 1st August 1976, 1st November 1976, 1st February 1977, 1st May 1977, 1st August 1977 and 1st November 1977; and what is the current authorised establishment in each case.
I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Budgets (Structure)
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he uses a full employment budget model to assist his decisions on the structure of his budgets; (2) what would be his best estimate of the public sector borrowing requirement if unemployment were at 1¼ million, 1 million, 750,000 and 500,000.
In framing his Budget policy my right hon. Friend looks at a wide range of forecasts and indicators, including, of course, the prospects for output and employment. I am not convinced that any satisfactory method of calculating full employment adjusted figures has been found. In any event a calculation of this kind ignores the financing implications of the actual budget balance. For these reasons I do not regard a full employment budget as a reliable indicator of the stance of economic management. Nor can I provide the estimates requested.
Income Tax
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss in revenue in the financial year 1978–79 resulting from introducing the following income tax scales: 20 per cent. on nil to £5,000, 25 per cent. on £5,000 to £10,000, 30 per cent. on £10,000 to £15,000, 35 per cent. on £15,000 to £20,000. 40 per cent. of £20,000 to £25,000, 45 per cent. on £25,000 to £30,000 and 50 per cent. on over £30,000.
I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the loss in revenue in the financial year 1978–79 resulting from introducing the following income tax scales: 25 per cent. on nil to £5,000, 30 per cent. on £5,000 to £10,000, 35 per cent. on £10,000 to £15,000, 40 per cent. on £15,000 to £20,000, 45 per cent. on £20,000 to £25,000, and 50 per cent. on over £25,000.
I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.
Agricultural Investment
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has given consideration to the creation of a tax-free investment fund to encourage farmers to invest.
I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.
National Debt And Reserves
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, in the light of his statements that the United Kingdom's debts and reserves are about £20 billion,Official Report, 10th November, columns 875 and 886, what were the analogous figures for 28th February 1974 and 18th June 1970.
The total outstanding official borrowing abroad and the total official reserves on these dates were:
| $billion* | |||
| Total outstanding official borrowing from abroad | Official reserves | ||
| End-June 1970 | … | 8·9 | 2·8 |
| End-February 1974 | … | 7·5 | 6·0 |
| End-October 1977 | … | 22·0 | 20·1 |
| * Non-dollar currencies converted to dollars at the parity rates on the dates in question. | |||
Cigarettes
asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he can give an assurance that in the next round of negotiations with the EEC, the United Kingdom will still be able to levy at least half its tax on cigarettes through a specific tax.
I can assure my hon. Friend that in the current negotiations on the draft Fifth Directive on tobacco tax harmonisation, the United Kingdom would not accept a proposal which would limit the specific element in the duty on cigarettes to less than half of the total tax.
Industry
British Steel Corporation
18.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to make a statement on the financial position and investment programme of the British Steel Corporation.
My right hon. Friend is in close consultation with the Corporation and the trade unions.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry, what is the annual wastage in employment over the last four years for the British Steel Corporation; and what this represents as a percentage of the total number of employees.
This is a matter for the British Steel Corporation.
Post Office
19.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he next expects to meet the Chairman of the Post Office Corporation.
My right hon. Friend meets the Chairman of the Post Office frequently.
Manufacturing
21.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his Department's latest estimate of the probable level of investment in manufacturing industry in the next 12 months.
The latest investment intentions survey carried out by my Department in August and early September indicated that the volume of manufacturing industry investment would be between 12 and 17 per cent. greater in 1978 than in 1977. This would bring it to between £1,980 million and £2,070 million at 1970 prices.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what recent studies his Department has made into the reasons for low private investment in the United Kingdom manufacturing industries as compared with other industrial countries.
Studies in my Department and elsewhere suggest that over the last two decades in relation to manufacturing output, manufacturing investment has not been particularly low compared with other industrial countries. However, the rate of growth of investment as of output has been well below that of our main competitors. Investment has been particularly depressed over the last few years as a result of the world recession. But with the recent improvement of the financial climate and the prospect of a significant increase in output over the next year a considerable improvement in the level of investment can be expected.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1945 in terms of both current prices and revalued at 1970 prices the proportion of the gross national product devoted to investment by manufacturing industry.
Data at current prices are only available from 1948 and at constant prices from 1948. The proportions for the years 1948 to 1976 are:
| CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BY MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AS PERCENTAGE OF GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT AT MARKET PRICES | ||||
Current Prices
| 1970 Prices
| |||
| 1948 | … | … | 2·7 | not available |
| 1949 | … | … | 3·0 | |
| 1950 | … | … | 3·3 | |
| 1951 | … | … | 3·5 | |
| 1952 | … | … | 3·5 | |
| 1953 | … | … | 3·2 | |
| 1954 | … | … | 3·2 | |
| 1955 | … | … | 3·5 | 3·2 |
| 1956 | … | … | 4·0 | 3·7 |
| 1957 | … | … | 4·2 | 3·8 |
| 1958 | … | … | 3·9 | 3·6 |
| 1959 | … | … | 3·6 | 3·3 |
| 1960 | … | … | 4·0 | 3·7 |
| 1961 | … | … | 4·5 | 4·2 |
| 1962 | … | … | 4·1 | 3·9 |
| 1963 | … | … | 3·5 | 3·3 |
| 1964 | … | … | 3·7 | 3·5 |
| 1965 | … | … | 3·9 | 3·8 |
| 1966 | … | … | 4·0 | 3·8 |
| 1967 | … | … | 3·7 | 3·6 |
| 1968 | … | … | 3·6 | 3·6 |
| 1969 | … | … | 4·0 | 4·0 |
| 1970 | … | … | 4·1 | 4·1 |
| 1971 | … | … | 3·8 | 3·8 |
| 1972 | … | … | 3·2 | 3·2 |
| 1973 | … | … | 3·1 | 3·0 |
| 1974 | … | … | 3·8 | 3·5 |
| 1975 | … | … | 3·3 | 3·1 |
| 1976 | … | … | 3·2 | 2·9 |
Sources: National Income and Expenditure Blue Books and Economic Trends. Annual Supplement.
Note: The figures for 1968 and 1969 have been adjusted to transfer from 1968 into 1969 the capital expenditure brought forward to secure the higher rate of investment grant operating up to 31st December 1968.
Steel
22.
asked the Secretary of Sate for Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Scottish steel industry.
I would refer my hon. Friend to my answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart (Mr. Taylor) on 17th November 1977.—[Vol. 939, c.308–309.]
24.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what discussions he is having with the British Steel Corporation, the EEC Commission, and world steel producers, including Japan and the United States of America, to avoid price cutting and dumping, securing improvements in productivity, and maintaining employment within the United Kingdom.
My right hon. Friend is in close touch with the British Steel Corporation on all important mat-terms affecting it. The problems of the steel industry are being discussed today by the Council of Ministers, which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade is attending. Multilateral discussions on steel have been organised by the OECD; the United Kingdom is taking part.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry, what is now the rate of output of mild steel, by cate-
| DELIVERIES OF FINISHED NON-ALLOY STEEL | |||||||||
| '000 tonnes | |||||||||
| First half 1972 | First half 1976 | First half 1977 | |||||||
| Home production | Imports | Exports | Home production | Imports | Exports | Home production | Imports | Exports | |
| Ingots, blooms, billets and slabs | 207 | — | 64 | 234 | — | 65 | 322 | — | 158 |
| Plates 3mm. thick and over | 1,327 | 142 | 284 | 1,076 | 267 | 154 | 1,016 | 219 | 162 |
| Other heavy rolled products | 1,127 | 18 | 261 | 976 | 48 | 283 | 974 | 56 | 279 |
| Light rolled products | 1,847 | 335 | 329 | 2,023 | 204 | 428 | 1,961 | 203 | 607 |
| Bright steel bars | 208 | — | 17 | 237 | 3 | 19 | 254 | 4 | 25 |
| Hot and cold rolled strip | 475 | 27 | 32 | 436 | 28 | 24 | 440 | 32 | 29 |
| Sheet, hot rolled and cold reduced | 2,151 | 369 | 680 | 1,346 | 658 | 225 | 1,304 | 465 | 303 |
| Tinplate and black-plate | 659 | — | 160 | 561 | 91 | 103 | 645 | 65 | 132 |
| Tubes and pipes | 699 | 68 | 172 | 612 | 273 | 147 | 590 | 177 | 176 |
| Other finished steel | 127 | 1 | 16 | 146 | 3 | 18 | 129 | 3 | 13 |
| Total | 8,828 | 960 | 2,015 | 7,647 | 1,575 | 1,467 | 7,635 | 1,225 | 1,884 |
Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.
Raw Materials
23.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what has been the rise in industrial raw material costs in the current financial year to date.
On average there has been no rise in the costs of materials purchased by manufacturing industries. On the contrary, the Wholesale Prices Index shows that average prices in October were 5 per cent. less than in April.
National Enterprise Board
25.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what finances will be available to the two new development boards at Merseyside and the North-East for the year 1977–78.
gory and in total, expressed as a tonnage and value in the British steel industry, including the British Steel Corporation, how much of this is exported, and what are the corresponding imports; how this compares with ( a) a year ago and ( b) five years ago.
The only relevant information available is in respect of deliveries of non-alloy steel in tonnage terms and is as follows:
The NEB has set no limit on the amount of its funds available to the boards.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list, separately for the North-East, North-West and Merseyside, the recommendations made by the National Enterprise Board and indicate, in each case (a) the action taken so far, (b) work in progress, and (c) future plans; and, where no action has been taken or planned, why no action has been taken or is planned.
I take it my hon. Friend is referring to the recommendations made by the National Enterprise Board in its report to the Prime Minister on Investment Potential in the northeast and north-west of England. The recommendations were as follows:
North-East. (i) To stimulate the tourist industry in the North-East, the scope and need for improving training facilities in the hotel and catering trades should be examined.
(ii) The NEB should continue to support potentially profitable industry in the North-East, and should join with Government Departments, the BNOC and other interests to see whether, by co-ordination of their efforts, a major British offshore contracting company can be established.
(iii) The nationalised industries should take increasing account of international design and specifications so that their United Kingdom suppliers in the North-East and elsewhere are able to build up a thriving export business.
(iv) The procurement Executive of the Ministry of Defence should consider sponsoring the development of certain products—e.g., Coastguard defence vessels and on/off road heavy vehicles—which can be manufactured and have substantial export potential.
North-West (including Merseyside). (v) To stimulate office employment on Merseyside special arrangements should be made between the Liverpool Corporation, a developer and the Department of Industry to build a speculative office block in Liverpool to attract office employment from outside the assisted areas.
(vi) The measures already announced by the Government to provide resources for the innner areas of large cities should be used to stimulate the construction industry on Merseyside and the need for further resources of a similar nature should be kept under review.
(vii) The designation of industrial improvement areas should be considered on Merseyside and they should be recognised as areas of highest priority for all forms of assistance in order to ensure a balanced improvement.
(viii) The Department of Industry's counselling service for small businesses should be extended to Merseyside.
(ix) The Liverpool Corporation should examine the possibility of encouraging larger companies with manufacturing space to spare to release part for small companies possibly in return for rate relief.
(x) The Department of Industry should initiate a study to identify industries which might be attracted to the port area of Merseyside.
North-East and North-West (including Merseyside). (xi) The Government should consider a widening of the differential in regional assistance which the special development areas enjoy compared with other areas.
(xii) The Government should consider a relaxation of the eligibility rules for selective assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 which presently apply to locally based service industry in the special development areas.
(xiii) The NEB should intensify its efforts to stimulate the growth of smaller manufacturing companies in the North and North-West Regions by providing finance for expansion and modernisation.
(xiv) The NEB should examine the feasibility of setting up a contracting company to undertake certain companies in the North-East and also whether a similar approach might be adopted in other industrial sectors and other localities in the Northern and North-West Regions.
(xv) The Government should devote a larger proportion of the resources available for advance factories to the provision of nursery factories in Merseyside and the North-East.
Nine of the 11 recommendations accepted have been, or soon will be, implemented by the Government or the NEB as appropriate.
Recommendations (ii) and (v) are still under consideration.
The Government have not accepted recommendations (i), (iv) and (xii). In the case of (i) the Government considers that there is no evidence that training facilities are inadequate. In the case of (iv) the Procurement Executive feels it cannot sponsor the development and production of items for which there is no United Kingdom service requirement. Through the defence organisation, the Procurement Executive is always willing to assist in the promotion of sales of all defence equipment overseas. In the case of (xii) locally based service industries depend on local demand, which would not be increased by giving aid to them. Recommendation (ix) is a matter for Liverpool Corporation.
The creation of NEB regional boards will enable added local stimulus to be given to the implementation of these initiatives.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to notify the National Enterprise Board of the size of its capital debt.
The Board was notified on 4th February 1977 of the size of its initial capital debt, in accordance with the provisions of Schedule 2 to the Industry Act 1975, and is being notified of the revised amount reflecting the repayment by Ferranti Ltd on 10th November 1977 of a loan of £6,333,334.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give details of the National Enterprise Board's investment the sale of which he refused to allow; and if he will explain why permission for the sale was withheld.
No; this information is commercially confidential.
Machine Tools
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps are being taken to protect the British machine tool industry from unfair foreign competition; and if he will make a statement.
If my hon. Friend has evidence of unfair foreign competition against this industry I should be grateful if he would send it to me. I can assure
| October 1976–March 1977 | April 1977–September 1977 | |||
| Number | Value (£000) | Number | Value (£000) | |
| Imports of new gear-making machinery from West Germany | ||||
| Gear hobbing | 7 | 325 | 8 | 513 |
| Gear cutting and other gear making and finishing | 12 | 141 | 4 | 16 |
| TOTAL | 19 | 466 | 12 | 529 |
| United Kingdom sales of gear making and finishing machines | ||||
| TOTAL | 110 | 2,537 | N/A | N/A |
| of which: | ||||
| Exports | 32 | 547 | ||
| Sales to home market | 78 | 1,990 | ||
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is aware of the Swedish Machines Tool Company installing numerically controlled lathes in Rolls-Royce, Glasgow, free of charge for a him it will receive careful attention, and the Government will consider taking whatever action is possible consistent with our international obligations.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what action he has taken to assist and advise the machine tool industry, in view of the rate of unemployment.
Officials of my Department are available to give advice through the industrial strategy sector working party and in discussions with the trade association and individual companies. Through the machine tool industry scheme my Department is providing financial assistance to a large number of companies in the industry to help them to improve their manufacturing facilities and to develop new products. The industry is also eligible for the normal range of Government incentives and assistance, including temporary employment subsidy.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many hobbing machines have been imported from Germany into Great Britain during the last six months; at what cost; and how this compares with sales of British manufactured machines.
United Kingdom sales figures for so specific a machine type as gear hobbing are not separately collected. The table below shows the most recently available, broadly comparable, statistics for imports from West Germany and sales by United Kingdom machine tool manufacturers:period of three months; and if he will institute an inquiry into this practice under anti-dumping legislation.
The first part of the Question is a matter for the NEB. On the second part of the Question, if the British industry has evidence that goods are being dumped on the United Kingdom market and that this is causing material injury, the Department of Trade will be pleased to receive details from the industry and to assist it with the preparation of a complaint to the European Commission.
Pricing Rules
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what provisions are made by the Treaty of Paris regarding alleged contravention of pricing rules.
Article 64 of the Treaty of Paris empowers the European Commission to fine undertakings which contravene the pricing rules of the Treaty.
Regional Aid
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what further progress he expects to make in 1978 with the EEC Commissioner for Regional Policies on the Regional Fund.
I hope that agreement will be reached by the end of this year on proposals for a Community regional policy and for amendments to the European Regional Development Fund Regulation.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many inquiries his Department has received since January 1975 from companies in the EEC contemplating new projects in the development areas of the North Region.
Since 1st January 1975 an estimated 100 EEC firms made specific inquiries of my Department about the possibility of setting up manufacturing projects in the Northern Region. Officials in my Department and of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in posts in EEC countries are also in regular contract with foreign firms, discussion with which may lead at a later date to investment in the Northern Region. In addition, my Department makes a grant in aid of £1 million annually to the North of England Development Council to support its own promotional work on inward investment.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the amount of public money expended during the years 1974, 1975 and 1976 to the latest available figures to encourage the movement of industry to the North-East development area.
I regret that information is not available in the form requested, but the estimated annual amounts of expenditure on regional assistance to industry in the northern development area for the years 1974–75–1976–77 are as follows:
| (Units = £ million) | ||||
| 1974–75 | … | … | … | 122 |
| 1975–76 | … | … | … | 185 |
| 1976–77 | … | … | … | 237 |
| (Units = £ thousands) | |||
| 1974–75 | … | … | 100 |
| 1975–76 | … | … | 106.6 |
| 1976–77 | … | … | 106.6 |
Laboratory Equipment
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what study he has made of the effects on the laboratory equipment industry of curbs in university spending; what plans he has to stimulate the industry; and if he will make a statement.
The difficulties facing some firms in the laboratory equipment and scientific instrument industry have no doubt been increased by curbs in public sector spending. The problems of this sector were taken into account in formulating the instrumentation and automation industry scheme announced last August, which complements the assistance already available under the Science and Technology Act 1965. It is too early to assess the effect of the scheme, but the number of inquiries generated by the announcement indicate that it will prove a significant stimulant.
Sowerby
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many jobs have been created or safeguarded by all forms of public financial assistance since 1972 for which his Department is responsible in the Sowerby constituency; and if he will make a statement.
Up to 30th September 1977, 14 offers of regional selective assistance had been made under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 in respect of 13 projects in the Sowerby constituency. These projects are expected to provide 700 new jobs and to safeguard a further 200 jobs. Employment was also safeguarded by payments of regional employ
| Travel to Work Area | 1972–73 | 1973–74 | 1974–75 | ||||
| Number | Value | Number | Value | Number | Value | ||
| £ | £ | £ | |||||
| Halifax | … | 1 | 7,700 | 5 | 568,900 | 5 | 132,503 |
| Brighouse | … | — | — | 3 | 21,380 | 2 | 18,500 |
| Hebden Bridge | … | — | — | 1 | 5,300 | — | — |
| Todmorden | … | 9 | 92,000 | 1 | 68,000 | 1 | 1,700 |
| Travel to Work Area | 1975–76 | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | ||||
| Number | Value | Number | Value | Number | Value | ||
| £ | £ | £ | |||||
| Halifax | … | 2 | 127,111 | 7 | 411,601 | 5 | 103,222 |
| Brighouse | … | 2 | 3,902 | 4 | 72,643 | 1 | 3,324 |
| Hebden Bridge | … | 1 | 2,526 | — | — | — | — |
| Todmorden | … | 2 | 178,912 | 1 | 27,438 | — | — |
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much financial assistance, outside the provisions of the Industry Act 1972, has been given to companies in each of the areas of the former constituent authorities now comprising Calderdale Metropolitan District Council on an annual basis since 1972; and how many individual companies have benefited.
The information required is not available in the form requested and could only be assembled at disproportionate cost.
Shipbuilding
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the workload of the Scottish shipbuilding industry.
ment premium and temporary employment subsidy.
Calderdale
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much financial assistance has been given in total to companies in the areas of each of the four constituents authorities now comprising Calderdale Metropolitan District Council on an annual basis, since the introduction of the Industry Act 1972; and how many individual companies have benefited.
Offers of regional selective assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 have been made between the start of the Act and 30th September 1977 to companies in the Calderdale metropolitan district as described below. Companies may also claim regional development grant under Part I of the Act on the cost of new building. Details of these payments are not readily available.
Like shipyards all over the world the Scottish yards are experiencing difficulty in finding an adequate flow of new orders. However, the Scottish yards have benefited substantially from the Intervention Fund, as a result of which many workers who would otherwise have been without work are in employment.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the amount of the subsidy granted from the Shipbuilding Fund in respect of ships ordered by the Polish Government.
It is not my practice to disclose the amount of assistance offered for particular orders, as this could prejudice negotiations on other applications.
Liverpool
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made in implementing the recommendations of the report of the National Enterprise Board on investment potential in the North-East and the North-West that, in order to stimulate office employment on Merseyside, special arrangements should be made between the Liverpool Corporation, a developer and his Department to build a speculative office block in Liverpool to attract office employment from outside the assisted area.
The Liverpool City Council has been consulted about the proposal, which is still being studied by the Department.
Departmental Abbreviations
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by his Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions with their respective meanings.
In general my Department uses abbreviations in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions only where the meaning has been made clear elsewhere in the text. The most common abbreviations are as follows:
- B.Ae—British Aerospace
- BL—British Leyland
- BS—British Shipbuilders
- BSC—British Steel Corporation
- CADC—Computer Aided Design Centre
- CDA—Co-operative Development Agency
- ERDF—European Regional Development Fund
- IA—Intermediate Area
- IDAB—Industrial Development Advisory Board
- i.d.c—industrial development certificate
- ISERBS—Iron and Steel Employees Redundancy Benefits Scheme
- LGC—Laboratory of the Government Chemist
- MFA—Multi-Fibre Arrangement
- NEB—National Enterprise Board
- NEL—National Engineering Laboratory
- NMI—National Maritime Institute
- NPL—National Physical Laboratory
- NRDC—National Research Development Corporation
- PO—Post Office
- SDA—Special Development Area
- WSL—Warren Spring Laboratory
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.
I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total sum expended from his Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how he ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
The main bulk of my Department's expenditure on science and technology is made under the Science and Technology Act and the Civil Aviation Act 1949. Net expenditure under these Acts is expected to total £122·3 million in 1977–78, and is allocated as follows:
| INDUSTRIAL INNOVATION | |
| General Industrial Research and Development Class IV Vote 3 | |
| £ million | |
| Industrial Research Establishments and Computer Aided Design Centre | 18·1 |
| Industrial Research and Development Contracts, Grants and Other Support | 22·2 |
| Technological and Industrial Sponsorship Class IV Vote 4 | |
| Industrial support and development contracts and software development scheme | 9·5 |
| Aerospace—Class IV Vote 5 | |
| Aircraft and Aeroengine projects and assistance | |
| Aircraft and aeroengine general research and development programme | 15·6 |
| Development of the Concorde Aircraft | 23·1 |
| Development of RB 211 engines | -1·5 |
| Other civil aircraft and engine projects | 2·8 |
| Space | |
| National Space Technology Programme | 3·3 |
| International Space Programmes | 29·2 |
| Further detail is available in Supply Estimates 1977–78 Class IV. | |
| INDEX OF INDUSTRIAL PRODUCTION | ||||||||
| All industries | Manufacturing industries | |||||||
| Index 1970=100 | Percentage change from previous year | Index 1970=100 | Percentage change from previous year | |||||
| 1945 | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 1946 | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 1947 | … | … | … | … | … | … | … | … |
| 1948 | … | … | … | … | 50·5 | … | 47·8 | … |
| 1949 | … | … | … | … | 53·8 | +6·5 | 51·3 | +7·3 |
| 1950 | … | … | … | … | 57·1 | +6·1 | 55·2 | +7·6 |
| 1951 | … | … | … | … | 58·4 | +2·3 | 56·8 | +2·9 |
| 1952 | … | … | … | … | 56·6 | -3·1 | 54·0 | -4·9 |
| 1953 | … | … | … | … | 60·2 | +6·4 | 57·8 | +7·0 |
| 1954 | … | … | … | … | 63·3 | +5·1 | 61·0 | +5·5 |
| 1955 | … | … | … | … | 66·4 | +4·9 | 64·8 | +6·2 |
| 1956 | … | … | … | … | 66·9 | +0·8 | 64·7 | -0·2 |
| 1957 | … | … | … | … | 68·1 | +1·8 | 66·2 | +2·3 |
| 1958 | … | … | … | … | 67·5 | -0·9 | 65·5 | -1·1 |
| 1959 | … | … | … | … | 70·9 | +5·0 | 69·3 | +5·8 |
| 1960 | … | … | … | … | 75·8 | +6·9 | 74·9 | +8·1 |
| 1961 | … | … | … | … | 76·7 | +1·2 | 75·0 | +0·1 |
| 1962 | … | … | … | … | 77·4 | +0·9 | 75·2 | +0·3 |
| 1963 | … | … | … | … | 79·7 | +3·0 | 77·9 | +3·6 |
| 1964 | … | … | … | … | 86·5 | +8·5 | 85·1 | +9·2 |
| 1965 | … | … | … | … | 89·1 | +3·0 | 87·6 | +2·9 |
| 1966 | … | … | … | … | 90·6 | +1·7 | 89·2 | +1·8 |
| 1967 | … | … | … | … | 91·7 | +1·2 | 89·8 | +0·7 |
| 1968 | … | … | … | … | 97·2 | +6·0 | 96·0 | +6·9 |
| 1969 | … | … | … | … | 99·9 | +2·8 | 99·6 | +3·8 |
| 1970 | … | … | … | … | 100·0 | +0·1 | 100·0 | +0·4 |
| 1971 | … | … | … | … | 100·3 | +0·3 | 99·4 | -0·6 |
| 1972 | … | … | … | … | 102·5 | +2·2 | 102·0 | +2·6 |
| 1973 | … | … | … | … | 109·9 | +7·2 | 110·5 | +8·3 |
| 1974 | … | … | … | … | 106·9 | -2·7 | 108·8 | -1·5 |
| 1975 | … | … | … | … | 101·6 | -5·0 | 102·3 | -6·0 |
| 1976 | … | … | … | … | 102·2 | +0·6 | 103·4 | +1·1 |
| … equals not available. | ||||||||
Source:
1948–67 Economic Trends, November 1973.
1968–72 Monthly Digest of Statistics, October 1977.
1973–76 Latest CSO estimates.
Energy
Professor P Odell
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the terms of reference for Professor P. Odell's recent appointment as a consultant to his Department; what is Professor Odell's current activity for the Department; and
Production
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1945 for the index of industrial production, all industries, the index of industrial production, manufacturing only, and the annual increase or decrease in each index.
I have been asked to reply.The available information is below:how many departmental personnel have been assigned to him.
My Department has asked Professor Odell to review the regulation of oil developments on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. He will also report on the evolution of Government/oil industry relations in various countries which he is visiting. No departmental staff have been assigned to Professor Odell.
Electricity (Discount Scheme)
asked the Secretary of State for Energy why it is not practicable for his Department, as indicated in reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South on 26th October, to avoid duplicate payments if the electricity discount scheme were extended to people in receipt of attendance allowance.
The issue of payments of £5 to all regular recipients of supplementary benefit (SB) and family income supplements (FIS) for the week of 16th January 1978 and of discount vouchers to those recipients who get electricity bills in excess of £20 will be made by Post Office staff on the evidence of benefit documents. Recipients of attendance allowance include a number who also get SB but it is not possible for the Post Office staff to identify those who do so as to avoid making duplicate payments.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those categories of people mentioned in his reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South on 26th October who are recipients of non-means-tested benefits and who have the same need for extra heating as those who are so severely disabled that they are entitled to attendance allowance; and if he will make a further statement.
The relative needs of particular groups of people for extra heating are taken into account in assessing the need for and amount of supplementary benefit. The electricity discount scheme is not directly related to the need for heat regardless of income, but is intended to help the poorest households to meet the cost of electricity.
Science And Technology
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total sum expended from his Department's Vote upon science and technology; in what ways it is allocated; and how he ensures that such sums are spent wisely.
The Department's expenditure on research and development is shown in the "Report on research and development" which is published annually. The Report for 1975–76 showed:
| £m | |
| 1. Gas Standards | 0·1 |
| 2. Offshore oil and gas technology | 6·4 |
| 3. New sources, conservation, R & D strategy | |
| (a) Energy Technology Support Unit | 0·4 |
| (b) Other domestic non-nuclear contracts | 0·1 |
| 4. International non-nuclear projects under the wing of the International Energy Agency | 0·1 |
| 5. Nuclear R and D other than UKAEA | |
| (a) Tripartite Gas Centrifuge Collaboration | 15·2 |
| (b) Euratom Complimentary Programme | 0·3 |
| 22·6 | |
| 6. UKAEA | |
| (a) Authority R & D | 96·3 |
| (b) Design and development contracts with industry | 7·6 |
| 126·5 |
Thermal Insulation
asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is his Department's budget in the current year, and next year, for the provision of the financial assistance for domestic thermal insulation, under existing schemes referred to by the Under-Secretary of State,Official Report, 14th November, column 8;(2) further to the reply by the Under-Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, South-East,
Official Report, 14th November, column 8, if he will now list the considerable financial assistance already available for domestic thermal insulation.
Government support for energy conservation is provided by all the relevant Departments. The labour costs of roof insulation projects which meet the criteria of the job creation programme may be met from funds available to the Manpower Services Commission. Additionally, for local authorities using the job creation programme, the Department of Energy has negotiated with the manufacturers a bulk discount on loft insulation materials. In England and Wales housing subsidy administered by the Department of the Environment is available to local authorities in respect of insulation installed as part of general house improvement works to local authority dwellings or for elderly or disabled local authority tenants. Grant aid towards the cost of insulation is also available to elderly or disabled private owners who are unable to meet the total costs. In Scotland financial assistance for the roof insulation of local authority housing is generally covered by the block grant system. In the private sector house improvement grants can be given for the installation of loft insulation where the occupant is elderly or disabled and where there might otherwise be difficulty in meeting the cost. The Supplementary Benefits Commission can make single lump-sum discretionary payments to those already receiving benefit for small items such as simple draught proofing. Financial provision for these arrangements is in the budget of the Departments concerned.
| INCENTIVES TO FIT EXISTING BUILDINGS WITH THERMAL INSULATION | ||||
| Loans/Grants | Taxation | Remarks | ||
| Belgium | … | Up to 25 per cent. grants for insulation in dwellings, depending on income. | — | — |
| Denmark | … | 25 per cent. grants for insulating residential buildings. | — | — |
| Eire | … | General reconstruction grants available; two thirds cost, up to a maximum of £400. | — | — |
| France | … | Subsidies available for thermal improvement of houses built prior to 1948. | Tax credits for insulation in main residences. | Wider opportunities for taxable income deductions planned. |
| Germany | … | Proposed 20 per cent. grant for insulation/modernisation for projects between DM4,000 and DM12,000. | Tax allowances of 10 per cent. for pre-1957 buildings. | — |
| Italy | … | — | — | Permits for renovation only issued when insulation work included. |
| Netherlands | … | 33⅓ per cent. subsidy on housing improvements. | — | — |
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a comparative table of EEC countries indicating for each the proportion of buildings which are regarded as having satisfactory standards of thermal insulation, by the criteria laid down in the recommendations by the Commission.
No specific criteria for satisfactory standards of thermal insulation have been incorporated in a Commission recommendation. The information so far provided by EEC countries is based on differing methods and assumptions, and does not provide a basis for valid comparisons. Further work is in progress in the EEC on the establishment of common standards of measurement.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will detail schemes proposed or operational which offer financial assistance for domestic thermal insulation in the United Kingdom and in each of the other EEC countries, specifying what progress each country is making towards implementing the recommendations by the Commission on a programme for improved insulation standards.
The United Kingdom position is covered in the replies given today by my hon. Friend to previous Questions. The latest information available on schemes proposed or operational which offer financial assistance for domestic thermal insulation in EEC countries is as follows:
No information is available on Luxembourg.
The Commission's proposal for a directive on the modernisation of existing buildings has not yet been adopted by the Council of Ministers.
Gas And Electricity Disconnections
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he intends taking to prevent disconnections of gas and electricity supplies to retirement pensioners and other low income groups, especially during the winter months.
The Code of Practice on Payment of Domestic Electricity and Gas Bills which was published by the industries in December 1976 after consultation with this Department provides that premises will not be disconnected between the beginning of October and the end of March where it is shown that all members of a household in receipt of income are pensioners over statutory retirement pensionable age, unless it is clear that they have adequate financial resources. I am sending a copy of the Code of Practice to my hon. Friend.
Director Of Public Prosecutions
asked the Attorney-General what disciplinary or other action has been or will be taken against those concerned in the Director of Public Prosecution's Department for wrongly prosecuting a young girl, details of whom are in his possession; and whether he will call for the resignation of the Director of Public Prosecutions.
The Director of Public Prosecutions has given the necessary instructions to his staff in order to ensure that the correct advice is given in any similar cases in future. Neither the Director nor I consider that any further action is necessary. I have complete confidence in the Director and will not call for his resignation.
Evictions (Bailiffs)
asked the Attorney-General whether he is intending to establish a code of practice on eviction by bailiffs under Part II of the Criminal Law Act 1977.
As Part II of the Criminal Law Act 1977 does not alter the duties of bailiffs it will not be necessary for my noble and learned Friend to issue a code of practice or amend existing instructions on the conduct of evictions. However, guidance will shortly be given to court staff and bailiffs on those provisions of the Act which affect their work.
Attorney-General (Appointments)
asked the Attorney-General if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, and fee-paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.
I nominate one member of the Northern Ireland Supreme Court Rules Committee, a part-time and unpaid appointment. My noble friend the Lord Chancellor is responsible for appointments to a number of bodies and will be writing to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Defence
Television (British Army Of The Rhine)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many sets among the British troops and their families in the Federal Republic of Germany now receive the English language television programmes put out on the English television channel in the Federal Republic of Germany.
About 3,000.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether British troops stationed in the Federal Republic of Germany are required to pay for a television licence for viewing the special English television programmes that are being put out for them on the new English television network in the Federal Republic of Germany; and what is the cost of the licence.
A licence as such is not required, but those members of British Forces, Germany, who have television sets which receive the present limited service each contribute 2p per day towards its cost.
Fire Brigades (Substitution)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what training is being given to Service men in Northern Ireland in the use of anti-smoke breathing equipment normally used by civilian firemen.
Service men in Northern Ireland, as in the rest of the United Kingdom, are not being trained in the use of anti-smoke breathing equipment. Although the use of breathing equipment would protect a fire fighter from noxious fumes, there are other dangers inherent in operating in smoke-filled buildings with which only fully trained expert fire fighters could cope. 70 professional, specialist Royal Navy and Royal Air Force firemen have been deployed to Northern Ireland as a result of the firemen's dispute, and a number of breathing apparatus kits are being made available from Service sources for operation by these trained Service firemen.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the extra cost to the Armed Forces of the measures taken to provide protection against fire to the general public up to Thursday 17th November.
Records are being kept of the extra costs incurred by the Ministry of Defence for assistance during the firemen's strike, but it is not possible to make any final estimates at this stage.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether the whole cost of the protection against fire given to the public by Service men during the firemen's strike will be met from the Defence Estimates.
No. The extra costs to the Ministry of Defence arising out of the assistance given to the public during the firemen's strike will be recovered through the Home Office, Scottish Office or Northern Ireland Office, as appropriate.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will undertake. on behalf of Her Majesty's Government, that in the event of injury or loss of life among the Armed Forces standing in for firemen, they and their families will receive compensation at least as great as that which would be payable to a fireman under similar circumstances.
The pensions payable to officers and Service men who are injured in the course of their duty, and to the widows and children of those killed, do not vary with the kind of duty undertaken.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will undertake that no member of the Armed Forces currently standing in for the striking firemen, and working substantially longer hours than the 48-hour week of these firemen, will receive less than firemen's pay for the duration of the present strike.
I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter) on 17th November.—[Vol. 939, c.366.]
Nimrod Squadron (Mediterranean)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it remains the policy of Her Majesty's Government not to remove No. 203 Nimrod Reconnaissance Squadron from the Mediterranean before 1979.
The Government announced in the 1975 Defence White Paper their decision to withdraw the Nimrod force from the Mediterranean between 1977 and 1979. We have since done more detailed planning and, as I informed the hon. Member for Tyne-mouth (Mr. Trotter) in March this year—[Vol. 928, c.433]—the Malta Nimrod Squadron will in fact be disbanded and the aircraft returned to the United Kingdom in the first quarter of 1978.
Canberra Aircraft Accident
asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now make a full statement on the cause of the crash of the RAF Canberra on the Oxmoor Estate, Huntingdon, on 3rd May, which caused loss of life.
This aircraft had been engaged on a routine training exercise to be followed, on return to its base at Wyton, by a practice overshoot on asymmetric power. This particular manoeuvre involves approaching the runway with one of the two engines throttled back, but still running, and is designed to simulate the handling and safe recovery to base of the Canberra aircraft after failure of one engine. The manoeuvre itself is not in any way dangerous but, as with many aircraft manoeuvres, it requires the proper technique to be used. The pilot had been instructed in this technique and was in practice.On this occasion, the pilot started the manoeuvre normally. He approached the runway at Wyton with a right-hand turn from a height of about 1,000 feet, descending to about 600 feet and with the right-hand engine throttled back. It was expected that at the point where the aircraft would have ended its turn into line with the runway, its wings would have been levelled. This did not happen, but instead the aircraft's angle of bank to the right increased, leading rapidly into a downward spiral. It crashed nearly vertically into the ground in the Oxmoor estate.The investigation revealed no evidence of pre-impact damage or technical malfunction in the aircraft; nor from the evidence could any cause be established with absolute certainty. But it was concluded that the most probable cause was that the crash resulted from the pilot's misjudgment in starting his overshoot without first levelling the wings. This, combined with too much power on the left engine, led to a loss of directional control; there was insufficient height available in which to recover.On behalf of the Royal Air Force I offer my deepest sympathy to all who have suffered loss in this tragic accident.I have already explained on 8th November 1977, to the right hon. and learned Member the measures being taken with regard to the basic flying patterns at Wyton and the air traffic procedures at Wyton and Alconbury.—[Vol. 938, c. 972-4.] In addition, we are carrying out a comprehensive review of the asymmetric techniques for the Canberra PR-9 aircraft and in the mean time some handling limitations have been applied to this type of flying with this aircraft.
Chemical Warfare
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the chemical, biological and radiation protection for the Rhine Army's armoured fighting vehicles.
Armoured fighting vehicles in Rhine Army are equipped to give protection against nuclear, biological and chemical attack where the operational rôle of the vehicle makes this a requirement. The extent and level of protection also depends on the design and age of the vehicle. Protective measures are under constant review and are continuously improved in the light of developments in this field.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence to how many countries the United Kingdom has sold the Mark III protective suit for chemical warfare.
Information about commercial sales of the NBC protective suit No. 1 Mk III is not readily available; there has been one Government-to-Government sale.
Wales
Cwmbran New Town
2.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will now announce his decision on the proposed expansion of Cwmbran New Town.
I hope to make an announcement shortly.
Water Supply (Grants)
14.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now raise the grant on rural water supplies in Wales from the £585 per property at which the grant was assessed in 1973 to £1,240 per property, which would now be its equivalent, in view of the fact that the smallness of the grant in relation to the cost of construction is now hampering the extension of rural water supplies in Wales.
The question of an increase in the level of grant is under consideration.
Aberystwyth
6.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to visit Aberystwyth during the next month.
Although my right hon. and learned Friend has visited Aberystwyth five times in the past year he has no plans to do so next month.
Churches And Chapels (Repairs)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement about the introduction of a scheme to offer grants for repairs to historic churches and chapels in use for worship in the Principality.
I am ready to consider a limited number of applications for grant towards the repair of churches—apart from cathedrals—chapels and other buildings in use for worship in Wales. Aid will be restricted to buildings of outstanding architectural or historic interest where financial need is proven. Grant will be available as from the next financial year. In these matters I shall be advised by the Historic Buildings Council for Wales. My Department will shortly be arranging further discussion with representatives of all denominations in Wales. The relevant application forms will be available in the New Year.
Bilingual Education
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Welsh Joint Education Committee concerning the provision of a specific grant towards the cost of bilingual education in Wales; and if he will make a statement on his proposals in response.
The Welsh Joint Education Committee some time ago requested the Government to consider entering into negotiations with local authorities in Wales about the provision of specific grants, over and above rate support grant, towards expenditure on bilingual education. I have given consideration to the possibility of such a specific grant within the limit of existing resources and have invited the views of the Committee and other bodies on aspects of this matter. I hope to have the Committee's response soon.
Conservation Areas
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of designated conservation areas in Wales.
At 15th November 1977 the total number of designated conservation areas in Wales notified to the Welsh Office was 242.
asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether any record is kept of the number of planning applications made each year in conservation areas; what is the latest figure available; and what percentage of the total number of applications made this represents.
No central record is kept.
Planning Inquiry Inspectors
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many inspectors have been appointed to conduct planning appeals and other inquiries on his behalf; and how this figure compares with each of the last 10 years.
Six inspectors were transferred from the Ministry of Housing and Local Government to form the Welsh Office Inspectorate in 1970. By 1975 their number had increased to nine, which is the present strength.
Planning Applications
asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many planning applications he called in under Section 35 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 during the last 12 months for which figures are available.
Nine.
Planning (Staffs)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of staff employed by local planning authorities on development planning and control work; what is the total number of staff employed by his Department on planning work, including appeals; and how many in each case are qualified chartered town and country planners.
The number of staff employed by local planning authorities on town and country planning in September 1977 as indicated in the latest Job Manpower Watch Survey was approximately 1,650. The number of qualified chartered town and country planners is not readily available. The corresponding numbers employed by the Welsh Office are 76 and 13.
| CHURCHES OF THE CHURCH IN WALES | ||||||
| Grade I | Grade II* | Grade II | A | B | C | Total |
| 185 | 545 | 6,568 | 149 | 437 | 17 | 7,901 |
Ministerial Appointments
asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee-paid and unpaid appointments, in
| Body | Number of full-time salaried appointments | Number of part-time salaried appointments | Number of part-time unpaid appointments | Number of part-time fee paid appointments |
| Ancient Monuments Board for Wales | — | — | 12 | — |
| Area Health Authorities (8) | — | 8 | 109 | — |
| Celtic Sea Advisory Committee | — | — | 9 | — |
| Community Health Councils (22) | — | — | 87 | — |
| Council for the Welsh Language | — | 1 | 13 | — |
| Cwmbran Development Corporation | — | 9 | — | — |
| Development Board for Rural Wales | 1 | 13 | — | — |
| Forestry Commission Reference Committee Panels (2) | — | — | 14 | — |
| Historic Buildings Council for Wales | — | 1 | 6 | — |
| Land Authority for Wales | — | 9 | — | — |
| Local Government Boundary Commission for Wales | — | 5 | — | — |
| National Park Committees (3) | — | — | 24 | — |
| Place-names Advisory Committee | — | — | 4 | — |
| Rent Assessment Panel for Wales | — | — | — | 47 |
| Sports Council for Wales | — | 2 | 22 | — |
| Wales Tourist Board | — | 7 | — | — |
| Welsh Committee for the Development of Health and Social Research | — | — | 16 | — |
| Welsh Committee of the Health Services Board | — | — | — | 10 |
| Welsh Council | — | 1 | 37 | — |
| Welsh Development Agency | 1 | 9 | — | — |
| Welsh Health Technical Services Organisation* | — | 1 | 8* | — |
| Welsh Industrial Development Advisory Board | — | — | 8 | — |
| Welsh Language Advisory Translation Panel | — | — | 9 | — |
| Welsh National Water Development Authority | — | 1 | 10 | — |
| Welsh Scientific Advisory Committee | — | — | 24 | — |
| *Includes three Civil Service appointments. | ||||
Industrial Development (Cerrig-Y-Drudion)
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the attraction of appropriate light in
Listed Buildings
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the total number of listed buildings in Wales, and the numbers in each grade.
At 30th September 1977 the total was 7,901. The numbers in each grade are as follows:dicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.
The following table gives the required information in respect of bodies for which my right hon. and learned Friend has sole Ministerial responsibility:dustry to the area of Cerrig-y-Drudion, Cldyd, in order to alleviate the unemployment situation there.
Six advance factory units are under construction or planned at Corwen and Ruthin and premises are already available at Bala.
Llyn Brenig
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the general improvement of the infrastructure of the Llyn Brenig area, in view of the projected expenditure on leisure amenities there.
Consultations between the public authorities and private interests concerned have resulted in the production of a Llyn Brenig management plan which, among other things, assesses the impact of the development of leisure amenities on the infrastructure of the area. It will be for the public authorities concerned to consider the implications and to carry out appropriate improvements.
Building Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Wales what additional steps he will take to assist the building industry in Wales, particularly the smaller builders.
My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 9th November additional expenditure on construction in Welsh Office programmes of £15 million in 1978–79 and £8 million in 1979–80. We hope to announce detailed allocations shortly.
Heads Of Government (Downing Street Meeting)
asked the Prime Minister who is responsible for monitoring his Downing Street Summit in the United Kingdom.
I am.
asked the Prime Minister what growth figures were agreed at the Downing Street Summit and by how much, if at all, the various member countries of that summit are falling behind their targets.
The growth targets agreed at the Downing Street Summit were not made public at that time. Since then USA, Japan and Germany have published targets for 1977— fiscal 1977 in Japan—of 5 per cent., 6·7 per cent. and 4½–5 per cent. respectively. The USA are confident that they will achieve their target. The German authorities have said that their growth is likely to be in the order of 3–4 per cent. The Japanese have said that owing to the recent strong rise in the value of the yen and its depressive effect on export volumes, they will find it hard to achieve the 6·7 per cent. target.
asked the Prime Minister on how many occasions there have been meetings at international level to monitor the Downing Street summit.
The Heads of Government and their representatives keep in touch on the subjects discussed at the Downing Street summit through a number of different fora. Representatives of Heads of Government met in Washington on 29th–30th September to discuss overall progress.
Employment
Trade Unions
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the names and the colleges of the tutors whose training costs are being paid out of the grant made available by his Department for trade union education and training;(2) which trade unions received the £400,000 grant made available by his Department for trade union education and training in 1976–77; and how much each received;(3) whether courses at colleges and conference centres owned by trade unions are eligible for grants which have been made available by his Department for trade union education and training.
Grant to the TUC and affiliated independent trade unions for trade union education and training is made available jointly by my Department and by the Department of Education and Science. It is administered by the TUC in accordance with the terms and conditions of an agreed memorandum of agreements.Admissible categories of expenditure are defined within the memorandum. They include fees to LEAs for courses they run, course research and development and the provision of courses at the TUC training college and in unions' own Colleges. Grant is paid quarterly in arrears on certification by the TUC that the expenditure has been incurred within the terms of the memorandum.The TUC is required to produce annual audited accounts showing how the grant has been spent. The accounts are open to inspection by the Internal Audit Divisions of my Department and the Department of Education and Science. Itemised accounts identifying individual unions, colleges and tutors are not maintained by either Department.Courses at colleges and conference centres owned by trade unions are eligible for grant aid provided that the courses offered are within the terms of the memorandum which expressly precludes expenditure in connection with the function of full-time trade union officers and officials.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how his Department ensures that the trade union training and education financed by joint grants from his Department and the Department of Education and Science are free of party political bias and propaganda.
| JCP Area | Applications | Approvals | Currently under consideration | ||||
| London and South-East | … | … | … | … | 694 | 354 | 44 |
| Merseyside | … | … | … | … | 549 | 381 | 112 |
| Midlands | … | … | … | … | 650 | 315 | 158 |
| Northern | … | … | … | … | 1,636 | 1,231 | 124 |
| North-West | … | … | … | … | 857 | 561 | 64 |
| Scotland (East and North) | … | … | … | … | 1,171 | 925 | 86 |
| Scotland (West) | … | … | … | … | 898 | 682 | 36 |
| South-West | … | … | … | … | 657 | 439 | 64 |
| Wales | … | … | … | … | 889 | 577 | 146 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | … | … | … | … | 956 | 700 | 107 |
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will conduct an inquiry into the activities of the Merseyside region of the job creation scheme.
No. I am informed that the Manpower Services Commission has already studied the operation of the job creation programme in Merseyside and in other areas during the preparation of
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Education and Science.—[Official Report, 17th November; Vol. 939, c. 318.]
Job Creation
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases there have been since the inception of the job creation scheme when grants to approved schemes have been withdrawn.
I am informed that the Manpower Services Commission has withdrawn financial support from 15 projets approved under the job creation programme. In each case this was because the conditions for funding were not met.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of job creation scheme applications that have been received by each region in the current year and the number that have been approved.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of applications received and the number of projects approved in each area under the job creation programme since January 1977 is as follows:its new programme of special measures for unemployed people.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment who are the members of the Merseyside Regional Job Creation Committee: when they were appointed; how often they have met in the current year; and when their period of office expires.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the members of the Merseyside Job Creation Programme Action Committee and the dates of their appointment are as follows:Name and Date of AppointmentChairman: Prof. F. F. Ridley, BSc (Econ), PhD, Professor of Political Theory and Institutions, University of Liverpool—October 1975.Sir Stanley Holmes, DL, LLD, Chief Executive, Merseyside Metropolitan Council—October 1975.N. F. Kingham, FRIBA, Architect, King-ham Knight Associates—April 1976.A. V. Knowles, Branch Administration Officer, General and Municipal Workers Union—December 1976.J. G. Parkes, CBE, Chairman, Merseyside Chamber of Commerce and Industry—October 1975.H. R. Poole, OBE, JP, Chief Executive, Liverpool, Council for Voluntary Service—January 1976.J. S. Pugh, Editor, Liverpool Daily Post—February 1976.J. Rogers, Area Organiser, Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians—June 1976.A. J. Stocks, MA (Cantab), Chief Executive, Liverpool City Council—October 1975.To date the Merseyside Action Committee has met 20 times during 1977. It is not envisaged that JCP Action Committees will remain in being after 31st March next year.
Luton Campaign Forhomosexual Equality
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what public funds falling on the job creation scheme allocation have been paid to date to the Luton Campaign for Homosexual Equality.
I am informed that the Manpower Services Commission has paid £2,009 to Troika, a consortium of voluntary organisations which is sponsoring a project under the job creation programme in Luton. The project includes the employment of a counsellor/coordinator at the Luton headquarters of the Campaign for Homosexual Equality and it is estimated that £1,150 has so far been paid towards the cost of this part of the project.
National Training Survey
asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what use the result of the National Training Survey will be put; and how he believes the survey will benefit the future policy of his Department.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the National Training Survey was initially sponsored by the Training Services Agency to help it understand the significance of training in the context of the Government's wider manpower policies, and to formulate the rôle that it and the industrial training boards ought to be playing in the national training system.Valuable use had already been made of the first results both in the Report on Young People and Work, and by the National Economic Development Council's Economic Development Committees on Building and Civil Engineering in their studies of particular trades in the construction industry. The survey data enabled them to examine such topics as the consequences of insecurity of employment and the effect of shortages of skilled labour in the industry—a report is due to be published shortly. Extensive further analysis of the survey results is now proceeding.The survey will be of particular value for the determination of training policies.
Small Businesses
asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will consider the possibility of extending the scope of the small firms employment subsidy in special development areas to include such firms engaged in building and/ or construction work.
No. It is not intended to alter the conditions during the life of the experimental scheme which has now been extended to 31st March 1978, but a full review of the operation of the scheme, and its future, will be carried out during the next few months.
Retail Prices
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing the food component of the retail price index in the form of an annual index from 1945 to the present day, indicating any break points caused by redefinition of the index where appropriate;(2) if he will publish in the
Official Report a table showing the retail price
index in the form of an annual index from 1945 to the present day, indicating any break points caused by redefinitions of the index where appropriate.
The information requested on the retail price index is given in the following table. It should be noted that, because of continual changes in the pattern of consumers' expenditure, price comparisons over long periods can only be regarded as approximate.
| INDICES OF RETAIL PRICES—UNITED KINGDOM ANNUAL AVERAGES 1945–77 | |||
| January 1974–100 | |||
| year | All items | Food | |
| 1945 | … | 29·0 | 23·4 |
| 1946 | … | 29·0 | 23·3 |
| 1947 | … | 29·2 | 22·7 |
| 1948 | … | 31·2 | 24·0 |
| 1949 | … | 32·0 | 25·3 |
| 1950 | … | 33·0 | 27·2 |
| 1951 | … | 36·0 | 30·3 |
| 1952 | … | 39·3 | 35·0 |
| 1953 | … | 40·5 | 37·0 |
| 1954 | … | 41·3 | 38·0 |
| 1955 | … | 43·1 | 40·8 |
| 1956 | … | 45·3 | 42·6 |
| 1957 | … | 46·9 | 43·7 |
| 1958 | … | 48·4 | 44·6 |
| 1959 | … | 48·6 | 45·1 |
| 1960 | … | 49·1 | 44·8 |
| 1961 | … | 50·8 | 45·5 |
| 1962 | … | 53·0 | 47·2 |
| 1963 | … | 54·0 | 48·4 |
| 1964 | … | 55·8 | 49·7 |
| 1965 | … | 58·4 | 51·5 |
| 1966 | … | 60·7 | 53·3 |
| 1967 | … | 62·3 | 54·7 |
| 1968 | … | 65·2 | 56·9 |
| 1969 | … | 68·7 | 60·5 |
| 1970 | … | 73·1 | 64·7 |
| 1971 | … | 80·0 | 71·8 |
| 1972 | … | 85·7 | 78·2 |
| 1973 | … | 93·5 | 89·9 |
| 1974 | … | 108·5 | 106·1 |
| 1975 | … | 134·8 | 133·3 |
| 1976 | … | 157·1 | 159·9 |
| 1977* | … | 180·2 | 189·3 |
| * The figures for 1977 are based on the nine months to September. | |||
Sources: The figures are derived from:
Cornwall
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the numbers of people recorded in full-time employment in West Cornwall as at 1st January and 1st July for each of the years 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973. 1974, 1975, 1976 and 1977, together with the figures of unemployment for each of the same dates.
Employment estimates for local areas are available only for June each year. The following table gives the numbers of full-time employees in employment and the numbers of people registered as unemployed in West Cornwall, that is, the area covered by the Camborne, Redruth, Hayle, Falmouth, Helston, Newquay, Penzance, St. Austell, St. Ives and Truro employment offices.
| Full-time Employees in Employment (000's) | ||||
| June 1970 | … | … | … | — |
| June 1971 | … | … | … | 71·4 |
| June 1972 | … | … | … | 71·1 |
| June 1973 | … | … | … | 73·9 |
| June 1974 | … | … | … | 74·6 |
| June 1975 | … | … | … | 73·0 |
| June 1976 | … | … | … | — |
| June 1977 | … | … | … | — |
| Unemployed | ||||
| June 1970 | … | … | … | 3,001 |
| June 1971 | … | … | … | 3,283 |
| June 1972 | … | … | … | 3,923 |
| June 1973 | … | … | … | 2,486 |
| June 1974 | … | … | … | 2,871 |
| June 1975 | … | … | … | 6,034 |
| June 1976 | … | … | … | 9,207 |
| June 1977 | … | … | … | 10,060 |
Unemployed Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Employment, if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for both the United Kingdom as a whole and for Great Britain the total number unemployed, the seasonally adjusted number of unemployed and the number of school leavers unemployed at each of the following dates: (a) July 1945, (b) February 1950, (c) October 1951, (d) May 1955, (e) October 1959, (f) October 1964, (g) March 1966, (h) June 1970, (i) February 1974, (j) October 1974, and (k) at the latest available date.
Following is the information available:
| Thousands | |||||||
| Numbers unemployed | |||||||
| United Kingdom | Great Britain | ||||||
| Total | School leavers included in total | Seasonally adjusted excluding school leavers | Total | School leavers included in total | Seasonally adjusted excluding school leavers | ||
| February 1950 | … | 392·8 | 2·9 | 329·6 | 362·6 | 2·7 | 305·5 |
| October 1951 | … | 257·9 | 3·1 | 261·5 | 234·5 | 2·6 | 234·0 |
| May 1955 | … | 229·0 | 2·2 | 233·7 | 198·8 | 1·8 | 203·5 |
| October 1959 | … | 439·9 | 8·5 | 447·4 | 407·5 | 8·1 | 411·4 |
| October 1964 | … | 368·5 | 8·3 | 369·8 | 340·3 | 8·1 | 338·6 |
| March 1966 | … | 335·5 | 1·4 | 302·1 | 306·5 | 1·2 | 275·0 |
| June 1970 | … | 555·3 | 3·1 | 600·8 | 523·6 | 2·6 | 567·6 |
| February 1974 | … | 628·8 | 3·4 | 577·7 | 599·2 | 3·1 | 549·8 |
| October 1974 | … | 640·8 | 15·1 | 638·1 | 610·3 | 13·4 | 608·4 |
| October 1977 | … | 1,518·3 | 98·6 | 1,433·4 | 1,456·6 | 92·6 | 1,377·1 |
| Comparable information is not available for July 1945. | |||||||
asked the Secretary of State for Employment, for each year since 1973, what was the total number of males and females registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom.
In the following table the annual figures shown for the United Kingdom are averages of the monthly counts of the numbers registered as unemployed:
| Males | (Thousands) Females | |
| 1973 | 515·2 | 103·6 |
| 1974 | 513·8 | 101·4 |
| 1975 | 777·1 | 200·5 |
| 1976 | 1,025·1 | 332·6 |
| 1977 (January to October) | 1,070·7 | 411·6 |
Strikes
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in theOfficial Report a table showing for each year since 1945 the total number of days lost through strikes and the increase or decrease in percentage terms over the previous year of the number of days lost through strikes.
Following is the information:WORKING DAYS LOST THROUGH STOPPAGES OF WORK DUE TO INDUSTRIAL DISPUTES IN EACH YEAR FROM 1945 TO 1946, AND PERCENTAGE CHANGES OVER THE PREVIOUS YEAR
| Year | Number of working days lost | Percentage change over previous year | ||
| 1945 | … | … | 2,835,000 | — |
| 1946 | … | … | 2,158,000 | -23·9 |
| 1947 | … | … | 2,433,000 | +12·7 |
| 1948 | … | … | 1,944,000 | -20·1 |
| 1949 | … | … | 1,807,000 | -7·0 |
| 1950 | … | … | 1,389,000 | -23·1 |
Year
| Number of working days lost
| Percentage change over previous year
| ||
| 1951 | … | … | 1,694,000 | +22·0 |
| 1952 | … | … | 1,792,000 | + 5·8 |
| 1953 | … | … | 2,184,000 | +21·9 |
| 1954 | … | … | 2,457,000 | + 12·5 |
| 1955 | … | … | 3,781,000 | + 53·9 |
| 1956 | … | … | 2,083,000 | -44·9 |
| 1957 | … | … | 8,412,000 | + 303·8 |
| 1958 | … | … | 3,462,000 | -58·8 |
| 1959 | … | … | 5,270,000 | + 52·2 |
| 1960 | … | … | 3,024,000 | -42·6 |
| 1961 | … | … | 3,046,000 | +0·7 |
| 1962 | … | … | 5,798,000 | + 90·3 |
| 1963 | … | … | 1,755,000 | -69·7 |
| 1964 | … | … | 2,277,000 | +29·7 |
| 1965 | … | … | 2,925,000 | +28·5 |
| 1966 | … | … | 2,398,000 | -18·0 |
| 1967 | … | … | 2,787,000 | + 16·2 |
| 1968 | … | … | 4,690,000 | + 68·3 |
| 1969 | … | … | 6,846,000 | +46·0 |
| 1970 | … | … | 10,980,000 | + 60·4 |
| 1971 | … | … | 13,551,000 | +23·4 |
| 1972 | … | … | 23,909,000 | + 76·4 |
| 1973 | … | … | 7,197,000 | -69·9 |
| 1974 | … | … | 14,750,000 | + 104·9 |
| 1975 | … | … | 6,012,000 | -59·2 |
| 1976 | … | … | 3,284,000 | -45·4 |
Nurses
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many State registered nurses are currently unemployed and seeking posts in nursing;(2) how many State enrolled nurses are currently unemployed and seeking posts in nursing.
At 8th September, 4,715 unemployed State registered and State enrolled nurses and State certified midwives were registered at employment offices in Great Britain and seeking employment in these occupations. Information is not available for State registered and State enrolled nurses separately.
Prices
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish, based information from the retail price index,
| PERCENTAGE CHANGES DURING YEARS 1945 TO 1976 IN THE INDICES OF RETAIL PRICES UNITED KINGDOM | ||||||
| Percentages | ||||||
| Change during year (January to January) | Alcoholic drink | Tobacco | Housing | Fuel and light | Transport and vehicles | |
| 1945 | … | — | — | — | 3·8 | — |
| 1946 | … | — | — | — | 1·5 | — |
| 1947 | … | — | — | — | 10·8 | — |
| 1948 | … | — | — | — | 4·2 | — |
| 1949 | … | — | — | — | 1·1 | — |
| 1950 | … | — | — | — | 6·3 | — |
| 1951 | … | — | — | — | 14·6 | — |
| 1952 | … | 1·0 | 0·0 | — | 4·5 | — |
| 1953 | … | 0·5 | 0·3 | — | 5·9 | — |
| 1954 | … | 1·0 | 0·0 | — | 3·8 | — |
| 1955 | … | 0·6 | 2·6 | — | 11·1 | — |
| 1956 | … | 2·6 | 5·3 | 5·0 | 6·2 | 9·5 |
| 1957 | … | 3·1 | 2·4 | 12·1 | 8·9 | 3·0 |
| 1958 | … | 0·1 | 0·0 | 6·9 | 0·9 | 0·5 |
| 1959 | … | -7·4 | 0·3 | 2·8 | 2·1 | 2·3 |
| 1960 | … | 0·3 | 4·6 | 3·6 | 5·7 | 3·8 |
| 1961 | … | 10·0 | 9·3 | 4·9 | 3·8 | 5·2 |
| 1962 | … | 0·9 | 0·0 | 5·5 | 6·5 | -0·4 |
| 1963 | … | 2·3 | 0·0 | 5·1 | 3·4 | 1·0 |
| 1964 | … | 7·5 | 9·5 | 4·7 | 4·3 | 3·3 |
| 1965 | … | 7·3 | 10·3 | 6·5 | 4·3 | 5·0 |
| 1966 | … | 5·4 | -0·1 | 6·1 | 4·3 | 1·6 |
| 1967 | … | -0·3 | 0·1 | 5·6 | 6·2 | 2·7 |
| 1968 | … | 7·8 | 11·8 | 3·7 | 4·4 | 7·3 |
| 1969 | … | 6·2 | 0·5 | 4·8 | 5·0 | 12·6 |
| 1970 | … | 5·8 | 2·1 | 9·0 | 5·0 | 12·6 |
| 1971 | … | 1·9 | -0·1 | 8·9 | 10·2 | 7·5 |
| 1972 | … | 6·0 | 2·3 | 14·0 | 6·0 | 5·0 |
| 1973 | … | 1·7 | 0·4 | 10·5 | 5·8 | 9·8 |
| 1974 | … | 18·2 | 24·0 | 10·3 | 24·9 | 30·3 |
| 1975 | … | 26·1 | 31·1 | 22·2 | 35·1 | 20·5 |
| 1976 | … | 16·6 | 18·8 | 14·3 | 17·8 | 13·9 |
Sources: The figures are derived from:
(i) The General Index of Retail Prices 1956 to date. Since 1962 the weights for this index have been updated annually.
(ii) The Interim Index of Retail Prices June 1947 to January 1956.
(iii) The Cost of Living Index 1914 to June 1947.
Disabled Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been brought under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944 and 1958, during each of the past 20 years for which records are available; what has been the outcome of such prosecution's; and what penalties have been imposed.
the average increase or decrease in ( a) the price of alcoholic drink, ( b) the price of tobacco, ( c) housing, ( d) fuel and light and ( e) transport and vehicles for each year since 1945.
The following table provides the available information:
I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is as follows:
| Year | Number of prosecutions | Outcome and Penalties | ||
| 1964 | … | 1 | Fined £50 and 45 Guineas costs. | |
| 1973 | … | 1 | Fined £100 and £20 costs. | |
| 1974 | … | 1 | Case dismissed. | |
| 1975 | … | 3 | (1) Fined £5 | On each of two convictions in all cases. |
| (2) Fined £2 | ||||
| (3) Fined £100 | ||||
Sussex
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the numbers of unemployed in the areas covered by the East Grinstead, Tunbridge Wells and Uckfield employment
| East Grinstead | Tunbridge Wells | Uckfield | |||||
| Employment Office Area | Employment Office Area | Employment Office Area | |||||
| Total numbers unemployed | Unemployed over 26 weeks | Total numbers unemployed | Unemployed over 26 weeks | Total numbers unemployed | Unemployed over 26 weeks | ||
| October 1970 | … | 128 | ..* | 644† | ..* | —† | —† |
| October 1971 | … | 145 | ..* | 795† | ..* | —† | —† |
| October 1972 | … | 143 | 42 | 600† | 228† | —† | —† |
| October 1973 | … | 110 | 30 | 467† | 184† | —† | —† |
| October 1974 | … | 152 | 46 | 691† | 221† | —† | —† |
| October 1975 | … | 263 | 53 | 1,060 | 292 | 208 | 52 |
| October 1976 | … | 312 | 72 | 1,140 | 408 | 245 | 82 |
| October 1977 | … | 353 | 85 | 1,424 | 483 | 284 | 90 |
| * Not available. | |||||||
| † From 1970 to 1974 statistics for the Uckfield employment office area were included with those for Tunbridge Wells. | |||||||
Employed Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Employment, for each year since 1973, what was the total number of males and females in employment in the United Kingdom.
The following table gives estimates of the numbers of employees in employment in the United Kingdom at June each year.
| (Thousands) | ||||
| Males | Females | |||
| June 1973 | … | … | 13,771 | 8,891 |
| June 1974 | … | … | 13,659 | 9,131 |
| June 1975 | … | … | 13,532 | 9,174 |
| June 1976 | … | … | 13,388 | 9,151 |
| June 1977* | … | … | 13,352 | 9,245 |
| *Provisional | ||||
Vacancies
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what, for each year since 1973, was the total number of vacancies for males and females in the United Kingdom.
In the following table the annual figures shown for the United Kingdom are averages of the monthly counts of the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled. Information is not now available separately for males and females.
| (Thousands) | ||
| Employment Offices | Careers Offices | |
| 1973 | 307·0 | 95·9 |
| 1974 | 302·6 | 97·0 |
| 1975 | 150·1 | 33·5 |
| 1976 | 120·8 | 24·2 |
| 1977 (January-October) | 142·1 | 21·1 |
offices for October each year from 1970; and how many have been unemployed for more than 26 weeks in each of those years.
Following is the information:The vacancy figures relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices and are not a measure of total vacancies. Because of possible duplication the two series should not be added together.
European Council (Social Affairs)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the meeting held by the EEC Council of Ministers (Social Affairs) on 28th October 1977, at which Her Majesty's Government were represented.
I represented the the United Kingdom Government at the meeting of the EEC Council of Ministers (Social Affairs) at Luxembourg on 28th October.One of the two main items on the agenda was the review of the European Social Fund on which I am glad to report full agreement was reached. The Council settled outstanding administrative and other issues which remained following the agreement reached at the meeting of the Council on 28th June. It also agreed on certain transitional arrangements. A proposal to extend the scope of the Fund to provide an immediate new aid for job creation was not agreed, but this subject was further discussed in the context of the Commission's paper on Youth Employment (see below). One outstanding issue is agreement on proposals for an Article 4 scheme for women. Subject then to this point and to possible use of the conciliation procedure involving the European Assembly, the Review of the Social Fund has been completed.The second major item was the Commission communication on youth employment, which was the subject of a preliminary discussion. I welcomed in particular the Commission's recognition of the value of work experience schemes, which should be eligible for assistance from the Social Fund, and also the proposal for some increase in resources for the existing scheme of assistance to the young unemployed under Article 4 of the Social Fund. I suggested that the Council might consider declaring an intention that member States would seek to ensure that every school leaver has the opportunity of a job, training or further education. The Council asked the Commission to submit proposals for a new category of aid under the Social Fund which would be likely to promote employment—centering on employment for young workers—at the present time and which would not fall into the existing categories of aid for vocational training or occupational mobility.In addition, the Council agreed to extend the present programme of pilot schemes to combat poverty until 1980,
| TOTAL REGISTERED UNEMPLOYED AT THE HACKNEY AND SHOREDITCH EMPLOYMENT OFFICES | ||||||||
| Male | Female | Total | ||||||
| October 1973 | … | … | … | … | … | 1,819 | 191 | 2,010 |
| October 1974 | … | … | … | … | … | 2,392 | 260 | 2,652 |
| October 1975 | … | … | … | … | … | 4,012 | 776 | 4,788 |
| October 1976 | … | … | … | … | … | 5,242 | 1,321 | 6,563 |
| October 1977 | … | … | … | … | … | 5,692 | 1,652 | 7,344 |
| TOTAL REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AT THE HOLLOW AY AND KINGS CROSS EMPLOYMENT OFFICES | ||||||||
| Male | Female | Total | ||||||
| October 1973 | … | … | … | … | … | 1,907 | 296 | 2,203 |
| October 1974 | … | … | … | … | … | 2,580 | 415 | 2,995 |
| October 1975 | … | … | … | … | … | 4,811 | 1,110 | 5,921 |
| October 1976 | … | … | … | … | … | 5,814 | 1,591 | 7,405 |
| October 1977 | … | … | … | … | … | 6,031 | 1,731 | 7,762 |
and approved regulations amending the existing regulations concerning the application of social security schemes in the member States to migrant workers and their families. It also took note of three progress reports: on the activities of the Social Fund in 1976, on the implementation of the poverty programme, and on the work of the Advisory Committee on Safety, Health and Hygiene at Work.
Hackney And Islington
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether he will publish in theOfficial Report the unemployment figures in Hackney compared with each of the past five years; why there have been increases; and what action he has taken, or intends taking, to reduce these unemployment figures;(2) whether he will publish in the
Official Report the unemployment figures in Islington compared with each of the past five years; why there have been increases; and what action he has taken or intends to take to reduce these unemployment figures.
The numbers registered as unemployed in the employment office areas which most closely correspond with the London borough of Hackney during the past five years were:borough of Islington during the past five years were:skilled workers, in manufacturing industry.We have introduced a number of special employment measures. Some 690 people have benefited from these in the Hackney area and over 550 in Islington. We would welcome further applications under the job creation and work experience programmes and for the temporary and youth employment subsidies. On 29th June my right hon. Friend announced further measures to reduce unemployment which will come into operation during 1978 and which should benefit unemployed people in Hackney and Islington, as in the country as a whole. These include a youth opportunities programme which will give up to 230,000 unemployed youngsters each year a chance to participate in work preparation courses and to gain work experience. This is about double the provision for young people under the present scheme. In addition, the youth employment subsidy scheme will be extended to 31st March 1978. The first will provide 8,000 places for adults from the unemployment register to instruct and supervise youngsters on work experience schemes. The second, the special temporary employment programmes (STEP) will provide temporary employment opportunities of up to 12 months for 25,000 adults aged 19 and over.Finally, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 8th November he plans to offer a partnership arrangement to Hackney and Islington.
Respiratory Ailments
asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the chest ailments from the effects of toxic fumes in the boiler-making industry, if he will list the amount of medical research being carried out by Government establishments which are designed to combat such ailments.
I understand from the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the Employment Medical Advisory Service is beginning a local study of welders in the North-East Region. Studies of dockyard workers are also being undertaken under the auspices of the Institute of Naval Medicine.
Cumbria
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many new job opportunities in Cumbria have been notified to him since 1st October 1966.
I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that in formation is only available about the numbers of unfilled vacancies notified by employers. This information is not available for periods prior to January 1973. Information for subsequent periods is as follows:
| NUMBER OF UNFILLED VACANCIES NOTIFIED TO LOCAL OFFICES IN CUMBRIA | ||
| January 1973 to November 1974 | … | 40,675 |
| March 1975 to October 1976 | … | 27,230 |
| March 1977 to October 1977 | … | 13,268 |
| Total | 81,173 | |
Asbestos
asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Employment Medical Advisory Service survey of asbestos workers will be published.
I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the survey is long term and information about it is published from time to time. The latest position of the survey will be detailed in the EMAS Report of Work for 1975–76 which will be published early in 1978.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers have been examined in the Employment Medical Advisory Service survey of asbestos workers; how many have been found to have early diagnosable asbestosis; and what action is taken to notify such workers and their doctors.
I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that some 24,000 persons have so far been examined. The latest available figures show that 949 cases of early diagnosable asbestosis have been identified. All chest x-ray films and reports from radiologists and chest physicians are checked by Employment Medical Advisors within 24 hours of receipt. Wherever there are any abnormal clinical indications, whether of early diagnosable asbestosis or of other conditions which might call for further investigation or treatment, the workers concerned are referred to their general practitioners. The x-rays are subsequently referred to a panel of readers who provide three independent assessments of the films, details of which are returned to the Employment Medical Adviser.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the main findings of all stages of the survey of asbestos workers which is being conducted by the Employment Medical Advisory Service.
I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commisson that phase I was a pilot study to test survey methods. Phases 2 and 3 are a long-term attempt to assess the effectiveness of the Asbestos Regulations 1969. It will take several years for any general conclusions to be drawn, but information about the survey will be published from time to time. Where survey findings suggest that action is needed, for example, in individual cases of exposure, this will be taken.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Advisory Committee on Asbestos, being conducted by the Health and Safety Commission, to report.
I am informed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission, who also chairs the Advisory Committee, that the Committee is making good progress. The question of the precise quantitative relationship between asbestos exposure and the incidence of asbestos related diseases is complex, and the Committee does not intend to report on this until its medical working group have finished their careful consideration of the evidence. But the Committee is mindful of my request that any interim recommendations on which it is agreed should be submitted to the Health and Safety Commission and to me in advance of its final report. It is currently preparing recommendations for dealing with certain activities involving asbestos which present clear evidence of substantial risk, and the chairman expects the committee to be able to submit a report to the Health and Safety Commission and to me on this in the near future.
Pay Settlements
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if companies which have suspended employee contributions to a pension fund for one year are breaching the Government's pay guidelines if the wage and salary bill is increased by 10 per cent.
As under the last round, any increase in earnings resulting from a decrease in employees' contributions which does not involve a corresponding reduction in benefits should be taken into account at the time of the main settlement in determining the level of settlement in accordance with the guidelines set out in Cmnd. 6882.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will now list the major pay settlements which have been monitored by his Department, showing in each case the number of workers covered, in both public and private sectors, and the percentage increase over the previous settlement, such increase to include all fringe benefits and other arrangements over and above the flat rate increase.
As I and my predecessors have previously made clear, it would not be helpful or consistent with the basis on which some of the figures are collected to publish details of settlements. Since many different elements can be included in a pay settlement, its compliance with the Government's pay policy cannot be shown simply by the overall percentage increase.
Industrial Tribunals
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many industrial tribunals have been held from 1st January 1977 to the end of September 1977; and what was the average length of time each case took.
During the period 1st January 1977 to 30th September 1977 decisions in 14,606 cases were entered in the register following a tribunal hearing. On average slightly more than one case is dealt with on each session day.
Shipbuilding (Apprentices)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what redundancy payments are being withheld from shipyard apprentices on the completion of their four-year apprenticeship where there are no jobs available in the local yards; and if he will make a statement.
No redundancy payments are being withheld. Rebates from the Redundancy Fund are payable to employers making redundancy payments to employees who have a statutory entitlement. In the case of apprentices who have completed a fixed term of apprenticeship there may be no such entitlement.
Manchester
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in theOfficial Report the job creation schemes undertaken in the city of Manchester financed by the Manpower Services Commission, together with the numbers of persons employed, the total cost of each scheme, and the primary aim of each project set up.
I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
Sowerby
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been safeguarded in the Sowerby constituency by the introduction of the temporary employment subsidy; how many applications for temporary employment subsidy are being considered at present in that area; and if he will make a statement.
Since 18th August 1975, 25 jobs have been preserved in the Sowerby area with the assistance of the temporary employment subsidy. No applications are at present under consideration. In the Halifax travel-to-work area, which includes Sowerby, 1,084 jobs have been preserved since 18th August 1975 with the assistance of the subsidy and four applications covering 211 jobs are at present under consideration.
Scotsman Publications Ltd
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ask the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to assist the parties in the dispute at Scotsman Publications Limited following the decision of the Scotsman Publications Limited to suspend publication ofThe Scotsman and the Evening News despite the willingness of journalists to work to the conditions of their contracts.
I understand that publication ofThe Scotsman has been resumed, but I am sure that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service would consider carefully any request by the parties for assistance in resolving any remaining matters in this dispute.
School Leavers (Aberdeen)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons who left school in the current year are now signing on as unemployed in the Aberdeen travel-to-work area; and how many are male and how many female.
I have been asked to reply.At the latest available count, on 13th October 1977, 76 school leavers were registered as unemployed in the Aberdeen travel-to-work area, of whom 36 were male. It is estimated that about one-third of the boys and one-half of the girls left school this summer.
Ruskin College, Oxford
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what public funds were paid to Ruskin College, Oxford (a) in 1976–77 and (b) to date in 1977–78, for trade union education and training.
I have been asked to reply. Ruskin College receives a deficiency grant from my Department to support its provision for long-term residential courses of liberal adult education in a number of subjects. In the academic year 1976–77 this grant amounted to £227,441; and £99,764 has been paid to date in the current year. Students on these courses, of whom about a third pursue a course in labour studies, are eligible for State awards which include fees. The college's other provision which includes short courses and summer schools in trade union studies is, for the purposes of this deficit grant, required to be self-financing. For these short courses and schools, the college received no contribution through the TUC from the Government grant aid in support of the work of the TUC and independent unions in trade union education and training.
Northern Ireland
Mentally Handicapped Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is satisfied with provisions in Northern Ireland for the adult mentally handicapped.
I am not satisfied with provision in Northern Ireland for the adult mentally handicapped. While the Health and Social Services Boards provide a full range of services such as hospitals, residential homes, day facilities and domiciliary services, there is a current shortage of training facilities and of places in residential homes for adults. It is intended shortly to issue a statement on the future development of services for the mentally handicapped.
| Places provided in establishments operated by Health and Social Services Board | Places provided in voluntary and private establishment | Total | |||
| Eastern Health and Social Services Board | … | … | 149 | 101 | 250 |
| Northern | … | … | 45 | — | 45 |
| Southern | … | … | 35 | 62 | 97 |
| Western | … | … | 54 | — | 54 |
| Northern Ireland | … | … | 283 | 163 | 446 |
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of persons attending adult training centres in each area health board in the year ended 31st March 1977.
Following is the information:
| Eastern Health and Social Services Board | 862 |
| Northern Health and Social Services Board | 454 |
| Southern Health and Social Services Board | 427 |
| Western Health and Social Services Board | 284 |
Teachers (Appointments Committees)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied that the teachers appointments panels of the five Education and Library Boards are able to undertake the task allotted to them; and to what extent these panels have been inhibited from carrying out their work in the spirit of the Downing Street Declaration by the publi
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what residential accommodation, other than in mental hospitals, is provided in each area health board for people who are mentally ill;(2) what residential accommodation, other than in mental hospitals, is provided in Northern Ireland for people who are mentally ill.
Apart from beds in psychiatric hospitals the Health and Social Services Boards provided residential accommodation for the mentally ill by means of hostels which the Boards themselves operate. They also meet the cost of maintaining mentally ill people placed by them in residential establishments run privately or by voluntary bodies. The number of places provided is as follows:cation of the names and addresses of unemployed teachers.
I am not aware of any difficulties encountered by the teaching appointments committees of the Education and Library Boards in discharging their responsibilities under the Education and Libraries (Northern Ireland) Order 1972. Nor am I aware of any inhibition of their work as a result of any publication of the names and addresses of unemployed teachers.
Schools Management Boards (Rathgael And Whiteabbey)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who is responsible for the policy pursued by the Rathgael and Whiteabbey Schools Management Board with regard to assessments made under a training school order.
Assessments are the responsibility of the Rathgael and White abbey Schools Management Boards, which are responsible for all day-to-day policy at the training schools. However, in accordance with Schedule 5 to the Children and Young Persons Act (Northern Ireland) 1968 the Secretary of State may give directions if it appears to him that any provision for the education, training or welfare of persons under their care is inadequate or unsuitable.
Home Helps
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the number of home helps, full-time equivalents, in Northern Ireland at the last date for which figures are available;(2) what is the number of home helps, full-time equivalents, in each area health board at the last date for which figures are available.
At 30th September 1977 the position was as follows:
| Eastern Board | 1,527 |
| Southern Board | 634 |
| Western Board | 535 |
| Northern Board | 614 |
| Total employed in Northern Ireland | 3,310 |
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the expenditure on the home help service in Northern Ireland in the year ended 31st March 1977;(2) what was the expenditure on the home help service in each area health board in the year ended 31st March 1977.
The net expenditure after deduction of recipients' contribution was as follows:
| Board | Net Expenditure | ||
| £ | |||
| Northern | … | … | 1,184,750 |
| Southern | … | … | 1,430,270 |
| Eastern | … | … | 3,044,379 |
| Western | … | … | 817,553 |
| Northern Ireland | … | … | 6,476,952 |
Disabled Persons
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he is satisfied that health and social services boards in Northern Ireland are aware of the needs and numbers of disabled people in their areas; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will make a statement on his discussions with Outset about plans to identify disabled persons in Northern Ireland;(3) what efforts are being made in Northern Ireland to identify handicapped people in need of care or services by the health and social services boards.
More information is required about the number of the handicapped and their needs. As I said in my reply to Questions by my hon. Friend on 9th November 1977—[Vol. 938, c.148–9]—plans to carry out a comprehensive survey of the handicapped throughout Northern Ireland are at an advanced stage. It is intended that the survey should be conducted by Outset, and consultations are taking place involving Outset and officials of the Northern Ireland Departments of Manpower Services and Health and Social Services.
St Patrick's Training School, Belfast
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the annual grant paid to St. Patrick's Training School, Belfast; how much of this grant is for the salaries of staff; and what percentage of the total salaries is paid by this grant.
The grant paid to St. Patrick's Training School, Belfast, during 1976–77 totalled £743,37·865. Of this sum, £457,624·85 was attributable to staff salaries, wages and related expenses. The grant covers the full cost of salaries.
Cattle Exports And Imports
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will list in theOfficial Report the numbers of Northern Ireland fat bullocks, fat heifers, cows for slaughter, bulls for slaughter, store bullocks, store heifers, store bulls, breeding bulls, in-calf heifers, dairy and breeding cows and calves exported from Northern Ireland in the fat-stock years 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 to 31st October 1977; and for the first seven months of the 1975–76 and 1976–77 years, via Belfast-Birkenhead, Belfast-Liverpool, Belfast-the Continent, Belfast-the Isle of Man, Larne-Loughryan ports, Londonderry-Glasgow, Northern Ireland-Irish Republic and the total for each category of stock;(2) if he will list in the
Official Report the number of fat bullocks, fat heifers,
cows for slaughter, bulls for slaughter, store bullocks, store heifers, store bulls, breeding bulls, in-calf heifers, dairy and breeding cows, and calves from the Irish Republic which have been exported through Belfast-Birkenhead, Belfast-Liverpool, Belfast-the Continent, Belfast-the Isle of Man, Larne-Loughryan ports and Londonderry-Glasgow in each of the fatstock years 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 to 31st October 1977 and for the first seven months of the years 1975–76 and 1976–77.
I regret that information in the form requested is not readily available.
| 1975–76 (Year) | 1976–77 (Year) | 1977–78 (1st April 1977 to 31st October 1977) | 1975–76 (1st April 1975 to 31st October 1975) | 1976–77 (1st April 1976 to 31st October 1976) | ||
| Fat Bullocks | … | 22,451 | 2,221 | 364 | 16,485 | 1,847 |
| Fat Heifers | … | 4,043 | 512 | 435 | 3,571 | 311 |
| Store Bullocks | … | 145,925 | 83,997 | 49,499 | 101,873 | 37,423 |
| Store Heifers | … | 27,206 | 12,104 | 12,562 | 24,342 | 2,314 |
| Breeding Bulls | … | — | — | 46 | — | — |
| In-calf Heifers | … | 6 | 9 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| D and B Cows | … | 13 | 20 | 3 | 2 | 12 |
| Calves | … | 7 | 3 | 215 | 2 | 1 |
| Bulls | … | 82 | 91 | — | 72 | 30 |
| Total | … | 199,733 | 98,957 | 63,132 | 146,349 | 41,939 |
Rural Housing
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further plans he has to deal with the problem created by substandard privately owned rented housing in rural areas of Northern Ireland, especially where the cost of providing mains electricity, gas and water is high.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
Cattle (Slaughter)
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers of cattle slaughtered in Northern Ireland which came from (a) the Irish Republic and (b) Northern Ireland in the fatstock years, 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 to 31st October 1977; and what are the figures for the first seven months of the years 1975–76 and 1976–77.
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in theOfficial Report the number of fat bullocks, fat heifers, cows for slaughter, bulls for slaughter, store bullocks, store heifers, store bulls, breeding bulls, in-calf heifers, dairy and breeding cows, and calves imported from the Irish Republic into Northern Ireland in the fatstock years 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 to 31st October 1977 and also the numbers for the first seven months of the years 1975–76 and 1976–77.
The information requested is as follows:
The information requested is as follows:
| Cattle slaughtered | ||
| Period | From Irish Republic | From Northern Ireland |
| 1st April 1975–31st March 1976 | 151,370 | 342,337 |
| 1st April 1976–31st March 1977 | 57,983 | 331,316 |
| 1st April 1977–31st October 1977 | 49,303 | 216,227 |
| 1st April 1975–31st October 1975 | 107,426 | 198,311 |
| 1st April 1976–31st October 1976 | 39,828 | 174,885 |
Sheep And Lamb Exports
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list in the Official Report the number of fat sheep and fat lambs exported live from Northern Ireland in the fatstock years 1975–76, 1976–77 and 1977–78 to 31st October 1977; and the numbers for the first seven months of years 1975–76 and 1976–77, stating the country to which they were exported.
The information requested is as follows:
| Exports of | ||
| Period | Fat sheep | Fat lambs |
| 1st April 1975–1st April 1976 | 69,948 | 17,121 |
| 1st April 1975–30th September 1976 | 30,057 | 8,177 |
| 1st April 1976–1st April 1977 | 55,135 | 39,118 |
| 1st April 1976–30th September 1977 | 30,677 | 15,153 |
| 1st April 1977–30th September 1977 | 34,535 | 34,079 |