asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the implication for British industrial investment and exports presented by the proposed European monetary system of fixed exchange rates.

The arrangements under which the propsed system would operate are still under discussion. The Government have made clear their concern that these arrangements should not be prejudicial to growth in Europe. The Government will also take fully into account the implications for the British manufacturing industry.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total number of special advisers to Ministers; what is the total of their annual remuneration; what were the equivalent figures on the same date in 1977; and whether there is any time limit on their appointment, apart from the end of the Administration.

There are currently 25 special advisers to Ministers and their total annual remuneration is £196,000. In November 1977 there were 27 special advisers with a total annual remuneration of £202,000. Special advisers' appointments terminate automatically with the end of the current Administration. Their appointment may subsequently be renewed if there is no change of Government. There is no specific time limit.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many persons now in Government service stand to benefit from the changes to the Civil Service Order in Council 1969 effected by the Civil Service Order in Council of 29th September 1978 which establish that the term of appointment for special advisers is no longer subject to the five year limit previously observed by the Civil Service Commissioners.

The Civil Service Commissioners have never certificated special advisers, since they are appointed directly by Ministers to serve for the duration of the current Administration. Twenty-five advisers are now serving on this basis. They are not considered to fall within the scope of the existing Order in Council, and have been specifically excluded from the terms of the Civil Service Order in Council 1978 which comes into force on 1st December next.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the estimated total number of civil servants at the end of 1978 compared with the end of 1977.

At the latest date for which figures are available, 1st October 1978, there were 731,600 civil servants in post. No significant change in that level is expected by the end of the year. The corresponding figure for 1st January 1978 was 738,000, giving a reduction to date of 6,400.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will state any change in the terms of reference given to the Civil Service Pay Research Unit as a result of Stage 4 of the incomes policy.

There has been no change in the terms of reference given to the Civil Service Pay Research Unit as a result of the current incomes policy. It is at present collecting evidence upon which negotiations leading to a settlement from 1st April 1979 will be based, subject, as in the past, to the provisions of national pay policy.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what representations have been made to the Government about the industrial action at Her Majesty's Stationery Office; and what action they intend to take.

No representations have been made to the Government. The management of Her Majesty's Stationery Office is continuing negotiations to secure a return to normal working. In present circumstances, however, Her Majesty's Stationery Office expects that it will be able to maintain the supply of material essential to hon. Members for the functioning of Parliament.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received from Civil Service trade unions during the last three months on the matter of Civil Service pay.

My officials are in frequent contact with the Civil Service trade unions, and in recent months have had a number of discussions with them on issues relating to Civil Service pay. The parties are currently awaiting the reports from the Civil Service Pay Research Unit which will provide evidence for a pay settlement from 1st April 1979.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will make a statement about Civil Service pay.

I have little to add to my statements of 21st November 1977 and 15th May 1978 about the reactivation of the Civil Service Pay Research Unit. I understand that the first survey reports from the unit will be delivered shortly and these will provide the basis for the negotiations leading to the pay settlement from 1st April 1979, which will be subject, as in the past, to the provisions of national pay policy.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what consultations he has had with trades union representatives about Civil Service pay.

I refer the hon. Member to the Answer I gave earlier today to the Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr. Litterick).

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement of policy towards the Priestley Royal Commission proposals for fair comparison between the pay of the Civil Service and that of its private sector counterparts.

The Government remain committed to the reactivation of the Pay Research Unit which, in line with the Priestley Royal Commission proposals, is currently collecting evidence about the pay of civil servants' outside counterparts upon which negotiations leading to a settlement from 1st April 1979 will be based, subject to the provisions of national pay policy.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Government Departments employ 3 per cent. registered disabled people on their work force.

The Civil Service employs over 13,500 registered disabled people. This is more than any other single employer, and the Civil Service specifically encourages applications for employment from registered disabled people. About 2,500 copies of the Code of Practice for Employment of Registered Disabled People have been circulated to government departments. Despite our endeavours in this direction, the latest available figures show that two major Departments and nine smaller Departments—that is, those with less than 1,000 staff—are employing 3 per cent. or more registered disabled people.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to announce changes in the role of the Civil Service at Whitehall level.

I have no plans to announce any changes in the role of the Civil Service at Whitehall level.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will now give the publication dates of the 1978 "Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers", and the 1978 public boards White Paper listing members of public boards of a commercial character.

The second edition of the "Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers will be published by the Civil Service Department tomorrow, Tuesday, 7th November. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library. Because of industrial action affecting Her Majesty's Stationery Office distribution service, copies will not be available in Government bookshops until that industrial action ceases. A limited number of copies will be available from my Department.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what are his proposals for introducing more flexible and wider-ranging retirement age limits within the Civil Service.

I have no proposals for changing the existing age range for retirement from the Civil Service.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service to what extent the customary restrictions on participation in public political debate imposed on civil servants will be lifted for the purposes of the referendums on the Wales Act and the Scotland Act 1978.

The standard rules of conduct on civil servants' participation in national political activities will apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether extra payment for arriving at work on time is regarded as an allowable productivity deal within the Government's pay policy.

It is the responsibility of negotiators to ensure that self-financing productivity schemes, including those where payments are made in relation to timekeeping and attendance, are in accordance with the policy set out in the White Paper "Winning the Battle Against Inflation" (Cmnd. 7293).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the hon. Member for Chertsey and Walton may expect a reply to his letter of 2nd August concerning Laser Instrumentation Ltd. and the Engineering Industry Training Board.

I have replied to the hon. Member's letter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why commodities which are regarded by Her Majesty's Government as injurious to health, namely tobacco and alcohol, continue to be included in the calculation of the cost of living index.

The construction of the retail price index follows the recommendations of the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee which includes representatives of the TUC, the CBI and trade and consumer organisations together with leading academic experts and Government statisticians.The Committee has explicitly recommended that the index should reflect price changes over the whole field of goods and services purchased by households. I accept the judgment of the Committee on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, what is his estimate of the total number of people who have moved into new employment during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, and during each of the four previous 12-month periods.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to the Written Answer to the hon. Member for Blaby, Official Report, 13th June 1977, columns 51–2, if he will provide a table showing the approximate percentage unemployment rates among (a) nationalised industry and other public corporation workers and (b) central and local government employees, in February, May, August and November of each year from 1974 to 1978, inclusive.

The unemployment rates requested can be calculated only in an imprecise way by allocating the whole of the figures for each minimum list heading of the standard industrial classification involved to the sector appropriate to the majority of those in the heading.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) when he expects to receive the final report of the interdepartmental working committee investigating the feasibility of a compensation scheme for those, including potters, who suffer from pneumoconiosis;(2) if he will seek the early introduction of a scheme for all workers suffering from pneumoconiosis and undertake to provide similar financial support to that given to the coal miners' scheme.

The working group which has been set up to examine this question is aware of the importance which the Government attach to the matter but is not yet ready to report to Ministers. The Government's further consideration must await the group's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase in average weekly earnings since 1973 of all workers in the private and public sectors of the economy, respectively.

Approximate estimates derived from the new earnings survey indicate that between April 1973 and April 1978 average gross weekly earnings of full-time men aged 21 and over increased by about 111 per cent. in the private sector and 116 per cent. in the public sector. The corresponding figures for women aged 18 and over were 145 and 136 and reflect that in 1973 equal pay already operated to a greater extent in the public sector. These approximate sectoral figures are subject to important limitations which were described in the December 1977 issue of the Department's gazette. They are, for example, affected by variations from year to year in the timing of the implementation of pay settlements. Thus the April 1978 figures for women in the public sector took no account of settlements for nurses and telephonists and so were depressed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received in the last six months from (a) individuals and (b) organisations to reform the Firearms Act 1968 with a view to restricting the sale of air-guns.

During the last six months two individuals and two organisations have made representations about restricting the sale of air-guns.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what statistics are available of the number of injuries sustained by individuals through the use of air-guns; and if he will provide the most recent available statistics.

Certain statistics on wounds caused by missiles are collected but these cannot be broken down to show how many of these wounds are caused by different kinds of firearms.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to seek to amend the Firearms Act 1968 with a view to restricting (a) the sale and (b) the use of air weapons.

The Government are proposing, when the opportunity permits, to introduce legislation to amend the Firearms Act 1968. This will include provisions to raise the existing age limits relating to air weapons.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the negotiations with the profession for the establishment of hospital admission waiting lists which are common to private practice and National Health Service patients and include a final date for this practice to be implemented.

Following the widespread consultations which took place on the Health Services Board's report on common waiting lists (Cmnd. 6828) the Government reaffirmed their commitment to common waiting lists to ensure equal access to NHS facilities. I have therefore written to the Joint Consultants Committee setting out the Government's proposals for implementation, and I plan to meet them shortly to discuss the proposals. The Government are anxious that common waiting lists be introduced at an early date, but it would be premature to specify a final date of implementation in advance of the discussions with the profession.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what recent problems have arisen in the operation of the new EEC agreement covering self-employed persons in receipt of reciprocal medical assistance whilst in transit in other member States of the Community.

The extension to the self-employed of the cover given by Regulation (EEC) No. 1408/71, which governs the provision of social security benefits, including medical treatment to nationals of member States moving within the Community, is still under discussion within the Council. A proposal by the Commission to this effect was made to the Council on 6th January 1978, and an amended proposal to include also the non-employed on 28th September 1978. The main problems yet to be resolved concern the application of the regulation to self- and non-employed persons in member States with no unified social security system. Amendment of the implementing Regulation (EEC) No. 574/72 will also be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has to increase health service provision in the Cannock Chase district; and if he will resist the proposed closure of the Rugeley Hospital Casualty Unit.

Staffordshire area health authority's plans include the provision of an 122-bed community hospital at Cannock and I understand that the West Midlands regional health authority hopes to reach a decision on the priority that can be accorded to this in the new year. The area health authority also intends to convert the former White Lodge psychiatric unit in Cannock to a community unit for up to 14 mentally handicapped people by the summer of next year, and is discussing with Staffordshire county council the provision through joint finance funds of a 40-place day unit for elderly people at Chase hospital. Also planned, when resources permit, are a health centre at Heath Hayes and the extension and upgrading of the Beecroft Road clinic in Cannock.I understand that there has been community health council objection to the proposed closure of the casualty unit at Rugeley Hospital. If therefore the Staffordshire area health authority and in turn the West Midlands regional health authority wish to proceed with closure the consent of my right hon. Friend will be necessary. This stage, however, has not been reached as the area health authority has not yet decided, in the light of local representations received, whether or not to recommend the closure to the regional health authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will study the replacement of the various forms used to claim social security and supplementary benefits by a single multipurpose form from which the benefit to which the claimant is entitled can be determined;(2) if he will study the replacement of the forms used to claim various forms of disablement benefit and allowances by a single multi-purpose form from which the help to which the claimant is entitled can be determined.

I am afraid it would not be feasible for a single claim form to cover the whole range and diversity of supplementary benefits and all the other social security benefits, or even the less extensive though still wide variety of disablement benefits and allowances.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost to the National Health Service of the recent work-to-rule of hospital engineers; and who will be responsible for the cost of the dispute.

Information about the costs incurred as a result of the works supervisors dispute is not held in my Department and could not be identified without disproportionate cost. The general information available indicates that whilst increased costs were incurred on some items, notably linen supplies, planned expenditure on inpatient services and some minor works was not possible; thus the net effect of the dispute on costs is by no means clear-cut.Health authorities will be expected to absorb any effects of the dispute in their ordinary revenue and capital allocations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the yield of employers' national insurance contributions in 1977–78, including the allocations to the National Health Service and the redundancy fund, and also the national insurance surcharge, both in total and as divided, however, approximately, between private sector and public sector employees; and what are his best estimates of the comparable figures for 1978–79.

Of the Class 1 contributions, including the National Health Service, redundancy fund and national insurance surcharge, received in 1977–78 for employees in Great Britain, it is provisionally estimated that £6,793 million is from employers. On the assumptions stated in the report by the Government Actuary on the Benefit Up-rating Order 1978 (Cmnd. 7232) the corresponding figure for 1978–79 is £7,604 million.The division of the contributions in 1977–78 was approximately one-fifth to the public sector and four-fifths to the private sector. The private sector proportion may increase slightly in 1978–79 because of the higher proportion of employees in the public sector who will be paying national insurance contributions at the contracted-out rate.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will require the Medicines Commission to be satisfied that there is some medical or economic justification before licensing new drugs.

The criteria applicable for the grant of licences for new drugs are laid down in the Medicines Act 1968. I have no proposals for amending the Act so as to allow the licensing authority to refuse to grant a licence on the grounds suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will now answer questions relating to the identity of holders of consultant distinction awards.

The names of holders of distinction awards are not published at present but we have agreed changes in the confidentiality arrangements and other aspects of the distinction awards scheme with the medical and dental professions for introduction alonside the new consultant contract next year if the professions accept the pricing of the new contract. These arrangements will provide for information about the identity of award holders to be made available to, among others, hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement outlining progress of the inquiries into the outbreak of smallpox in Birmingham.

I understand that the investigating team under the chairmanship of Professor R. A. Shooter is making good progress and hopes to be able to make its report to me by the turn of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his estimate of the proportion of women of childbearing age who have immunisation against rubella.

I regret that information on which an estimate might be based is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services by how much, in percentage terms, he expects the total emoluments of the National Health Service works supervisors to be increased as a result of the recent pay settlement.

The works supervisors received an increase of just within 10 per cent. in the 1977–78 pay round. The recent settlement related to the introduction of a new grading structure in which works staff will compete for new posts and it is not possible at present to give the total increase in emoluments for the group of any individual. Staff who are appointed will receive the appropriate salary from dates of appointment which will vary, and any increase in salary will depend on existing salary and the salary of the new post. The new grades will be given an opportunity to participate more widely in self-financing incentive bonus schemes. Allowances up to 15 per cent. of basic salary from such participation will depend upon the savings from the schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the average cost of a funeral the present death grant of £30 now represents compared with its value in the year when it was first introduced.

The £30 death grant represents at present about 15 per cent. of the cost of an average funeral. The £20 grant, introduced in 1949, then represented about 60 per cent. of the cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of the average cost of a funeral the present death grant of £30 now represents compared with its value in the year when it was last raised.

The £30 death grant represents about 15 per cent. of the present cost of an average funeral. It is estimated that it represented rather more than 35 per cent. of the cost in 1967, when it was last increased.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what estimates are available for the number of elderly people who do not qualify for a death grant, or who only qualify for a reduced grant; and what would be the cost of including these in the scheme.

It is estimated that there are at present about 150,000 elderly people who, on their death, will not qualify for a death grant and about 1,150,000 who will qualify for only a half-rate grant. To pay a full grant in these cases would cost about an extra £3 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services to what figure the present £30 death grant would need to be increased in order for it to equal the value of the grant when it was first introduced in 1949.

Based on the movement of the General Index of Retail Prices up to September 1978, the latest date for which a figure is available, the present grant of £30 would need to be increased to over £123 to restore the value which the £20 grant had in 1949, when it was introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has plans to increase the death grant.

I have no plans to increase the grant at present. Its level is kept under review, but when resources are limited a choice has to be made between competing priorities. In these circumstances, the Government have thought it right to concentrate on protecting, and where possible improving, the position of pensioners, families with children and the disabled.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) if he will take steps to allow disabled people already in receipt of the mobility allowance to continue to receive the allowance after the age of State retirement; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will take steps to allow disabled people already in receipt of the mobility allowance to continue to receive the allowance after pensionable age.

There is no danger of existing beneficiaries losing their entitlement to the allowance in the near future, but the Government have the problem raised by these questions very much in mind. We hope to make an announcement on the subject in the very near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the White Paper on the elderly to be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the White Paper on the elderly to be published.

The response to the discussion document "A Happier Old Age" has been overwhelming. About 1,000 detailed comments have been received so far, many of which represent the views of groups of elderly people. Some organisations have asked for an extension of the original deadline of the end of October in order that their comments can be as detailed as possible. I have decided to accede to that request. The closing date for submissions and comments is to be extended until 31st December 1987.For this reason, and because consideration of some of the points raised will take time, I do not now expect the White Paper to be published as early as had been originally intended.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that his duty under section 125 of the Social Security Act 1975 has been carried out in respect of retirement pension increases due in November 1978.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the total number of persons employed in the National Health Service in the Northern Region in each of the last five years and the percentage involved in administration.

The figures prior to 1975 are not strictly comparable because of National Health Service reorganisation and the transfer of staff that took place from local authority health departments. Otherwise the information requested is as follows:

Year (30th September)	Number of staff employed (whole time equivalent)*	Administrative and clerical staff as percentage of total†
1973	37,537	8·5
1974	39,233	9·4
1975	47,156	11·0
1976	47,025	11·7
1977	47,295	11·7
* Excludes general medical, dental and other practitioners.
† There is no way of distinguishing "administrators" from the general class of administrative and clerical staff as there is no agreed definition of an administrator for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the present waiting list for surgery in the Northumberland area; and how this compares with the national position.

At 30th September 1978, there were 1,290 patients on the waiting list for surgery in Northumberland. At 31st March 1978, the latest date at which national figures are available, there were 1,244 patients waiting for surgery in Northumberland compared with 575,249 nationally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what plans he has for reducing the size of the waiting list for surgery in the Northumberland area; and if he will make a statement.

Sixteen additional beds are due to open shortly as Ashington hospital and consideration is being given to the possibility of providing further surgical beds on the same site. A third consultant surgeon has been appointed for the eastern part of the area and will take up his duties on 1st April 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many, and what are the names of, National Health Service hospitals closed or working below full capacity as a result of the recent industrial dispute of National Health Service workers; what is his estimate of the increase in the waiting list of patients in each case as a result; and if he will make a statement.

The following hospitals were closed:

• Hull Hospital for Women
• Holme Place Convalescent Home
• Thames Ditton Hospital
• Molesey Hospital
• Malvern General Hospital
• South Bank Nursing Home

I am pleased to say three of these have now reopened. Information is not held centrally about individual hospitals working below full capacity as a result of this dispute, nor of its effect upon their waiting lists. Services in all regions were affected to varying degrees. Overall, over 9,000 hospital beds were temporarily closed, some 68,000 persons who would normally have been admitted to hospital were not, and about 380 hospitals restricted admissions to emergency cases only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received in the last six months from (a) individuals and (b) organisations to reform the Firearms Act 1968, with a view to restricting the sale of airguns.

(a), 21; (b), 1.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics are available of the number of injuries sustained by individuals through the use of airguns; and if he will provide the most recent available statistics.

The number of indictable offences recorded by the police in which a person was injured by an air weapon is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—Table 3.6 of the volume for 1977, Cmnd. 7289. No information is available on other injuries sustained by individuals through the use of airguns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to seek to amend the Firearms Act 1968 with a view to restricting (a) the sale and (b) the use of air weapons.

When there is a suitable legislative opportunity we propose to introduce legislation to increase the age limits relating to the purchase and possession of air weapons by young people.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how the various fees in respect of the registration and issue of certificates to aliens were calculated.

In accordance with the Government's policy, the fees to be charged to people required under the Immigration Act 1971 to register with the police are reviewed annually, so that an appropriate part can be recovered of the costs incurred by police forces in meeting the requirements laid upon them by the Immigration (Registration with Police) Regulations 1972—as amended. Due regard is paid to the effect that increases in the fees may have on people required to pay them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to the police on inspection of security arrangements made by retail chemists in respect of dangerous drugs in their possession; and what information is available to him of the amount of police time spent on such work, of the cost to the police of this service and the amount of this cost which is recovered from the individual chemists.

Detailed requirements for arrangements to secure controlled drugs are laid down in the Misuse of Drugs (Safe Custody) Regulations 1973, which enable the police to inspect premises in order to see whether the requirements are being met. The Home Office has in addition given guidance to the police about the advice to be offered by them to retail chemists on the security of drugs cabinets. Further advice is also given to the police from the regional inspectors of the Home Office drugs branch.The information requested about the time spent by the police when inspecting the security arrangements made by retail chemists, and the cost of their doing so, is not available. No charge is made to a chemist who receives advice because it is part of the duty of the police to encourage sensible precautions against the theft of drugs, as against other crime.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance he has given to the police about making inquiries about applications for various licences under the liquor licensing legislation; and what estimate has been made of the cost of police time.

The form of help given by the police to assist justices in determining the suitability of applicants for licences under the Licensing Act 1964 is a matter for local arrangements. Home Office guidance issued following consultations with the Magistrates Association and chief officers of police indicates, however, that in general the police should limit their inquiries to the personal suitability of the applicant.The cost of police time devoted to this activity cannot readily be estimated, but I am not aware that it is significant.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information is available to him of the total cost of the crime prevention service given by the police, of the charges that are made for advice given to persons making use of the service and of the total cost that is recovered by means of these charges.

I regret that information about costs is not available. No charge is made for advice given by the police on crime prevention since the prevention of crime is a central part of the duties of the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the changes in law, classification of offences, recording practice and statistical methods, which may have affected the figures relating to the numbers of indictable offences in which firearms were (a) involved and (b) used during the period 1965–77, and indicate the effect of each change on apparent trends.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to end overcrowding in Her Majesty's prisons; and what steps are being taken to build some new prisons of a more up-to-date nature.

New statutory restrictions to reduce the use of imprisonment have been introduced by the Bail Act 1976 and the Criminal Law Act 1977, and the range of non-custodial measures, including community service, has been considerably expanded. Nevertheless, the volume of serious crime shows no sign of diminishing and on present trends there can be no early prospect of ending overcrowding in local prisons. I hope, however, that some much needed relief will be afforded soon by present building schemes and plans. The Government are spending £23 million on new construction and £8 million on maintenance and repair of existing premises. The present plans over the next four years will produce 4,500 new places: five new establishments are under construction; work is in progress to expand seven existing establishments and to redevelop two others; and forward plans include a start on another new prison in 1981–82.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the numbers of people from the New Commonwealth, including Pakistan (a) admitted for settlement in the United Kingdom and (b) accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom by revocation of conditions, in 1969 and each subsequent year, the figures for 1978 being estimated on the basis of the latest available monthly totals calculated at an annual rate;(2) if he will update the table of acceptances for settlement contained in his Written Answer to the hon. Member for Horsham and Crawley (Mr. Hordern),

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the scale of fees for doctor's services which apply to payments made by the Metropolitan Police.

Following is information about the attendance fees payable to police surgeons as laid down by the Joint Negotiating Committee for the fees of doctors assisting local authorities:When a doctor attends in response to a call by the police—except to provide National Health Service treatment—the following fees shall be paid—with effect from 1st July 1978:(

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the activities of a certain marketing company, details of which have been supplied to him by the hon. Member for Feltham and Heston, in setting up a computer list of children who are members of the Football Crazy Club for the purpose of their commercial exploitation; whether he thinks this is in the public interest; and whether or not he proposes to take any steps to ban such practices.

Following a number of complaints from hon. Members I had inquiries made of the firm on whose behalf this list was compiled. The firm recognises that a serious mistake has been made. I understand that it was never its intention that the list, or any part of it, should be disclosed to third parties: it had intended that any commercial use of the list should be carefully supervised by it and potential users strictly vetted. As soon as the firm realised what had happened the offers to sell the list were withdrawn and it took steps to prevent any similar occurrence. I also brought the matter to the attention of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis who is seeking to ascertain whether the list has in fact been passed on to anyone who might misuse it.The use of mailing lists is a well-established commercial practice. Lists consisting of children's names are, however, subject to special risks of abuse. I shall be considering this aspect of the matter in the context of the report of the Data Protection Committee, which is awaiting publication.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now publish and lay before Parliament the boundaries of the constituencies to be used for the direct elections to the European Parliament.

The Parliamentary Boundary Commissions for England and for Wales have submitted to me their reports with final recommendations for European Assembly constituencies in England and Wales. The statutory procedure requires me to lay these reports before Parliament, together with draft Orders in Council giving effect, with or without modifications, to the recommendations. Because of an industrial dispute at HMSO, it is not at present possible to publish the reports in the normal way. The reports and draft Orders in Council will however be laid before Parliament as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will order an urgent inquiry into the circumstances in which a prisoner was hanged in his cell by fellow prisoners at Risley Remand Centre.

No. The circumstances surrounding the murder of this young man have already been thoroughly investigated by the police, and fully ventilated in court. When this death was first reported I also ordered an immediate examination of the relevant procedures at Risley Remand Centre. I am arranging for a transcript of the proceedings to be studied in case this should reveal any points requiring further examination.

asked the Attorney-General if he will now answer questions relating to jury rigging.

No. But I am prepared to answer general questions concerning checks on jury panels.

asked the Attorney-General if he is now prepared to answer questions relating to the composition of juries.

I am prepared to answer general questions on this subject on behalf of my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list the cases where jury checks have been carried out since 1974, stating how many jurors were ruled out by such checks.

A record of the cases, in which jury panel checks have been made, has been kept only since the introduction of guidelines on the practice in August 1975. I have no record of the number of jurors, if any, stood by for the Crown in the 25 cases in which jury checks have been made since then. It would not be desirable to reveal the names of defendants in the cases in which jury checks have been made.

asked the Attorney-General if he will refer to the Director of Public Prosecutions for prosecution under the Official Secrets Act the publication of "Inside Story" by Mr. Chapman Pincher.

I have received no information which would justify my doing so.

asked the Attorney-General (1) how many prosecutions there have been so far for breaches of the Rhodesia sanctions order; how many convictions there have been; and what penalties have been imposed;(2) how many prosecutions axe pending for breaches of the Rhodesia sanctions order.

There have been 10 prosecutions for breaches of the Southern Rhodesia (United Nations Sanctions) (No. 2) Order 1968, of which nine have been successful. One prosecution is pending. There have also been 24 prosecutions for breaches of other legislation relating to Rhodesian sanctions, of which 21 have been successful. Three cases are pending.In cases where there have been convictions, fines ranging between £10 and £50,000 have been imposed. In some cases, where imports to the United Kingdom have been concerned, goods have been confiscated.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what steps he intends to take to provide additional salvage facilities and resources to the south coast of England to deal with accidents involving oil tankers to minimise the degree of coastal pollution;(2) if, in the light of recent incidents, he is satisfied that sufficient expert salvage facilities are available at all times to deal with oil tanker casualties which present a serious pollution threat;(3) if, in the light of the difficulties of finding ports of refuge which are prepared to accept damaged oil tankers with the result that these may have to be towed some considerable distance, with the attendant risks of pollution and further accidents, to ports outside the United Kingdom, he will review his policy; and if he will make a statement.

On 2nd August, my right hon. Friend announced that, as part of the follow-up to the Government's review of the contingency arrangements for dealing with oil Pollution, a detailed review of salvage arrangements, including the resources available, is in hand. We are well advanced with this work, which embraces the matters referred to in the hon. Member's Questions and includes proposals for the holding of specialised equipment by my Department which can be used by commercial salvors to augment their own resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether his Department has yet made an assessment of the extent to which the risk of pollution could be reduced by alternative levels of expenditure as proposed in the report "Accidents at Sea Causing Oil Pollution" published by his Department in July.

On 2nd August, my right hon. Friend announced that, as part of the follow-up to the Government's review of the contingency arrangements for dealing with oil pollution, proposals are to be worked out for an increase in the existing capability for dealing with oil pollution at sea with minimum harm to fisheries. That work is at an advanced stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the trade balance of the United Kingdom in manufacturing goods with the original EEC six countries in 1978 to the latest available date.

Following is the information for the first nine months of 1978:

	£million
(A) Exports fob	6,210
(B) Imports cif	8,017
Crude balance (A minus B)	-1,807

Source: UK Overseas Trade Statistics September 1978 (Trade II and V).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list the contributions made by various industries and services towards the balance of payments in order of importance.

The information is not available in the form of requested, as we do not have industry figures on a balance of payments basis and the trade figures are also in terms of commodities rather than industries. However, the overseas trade statistics are reclassified in terms of industries and the results published in Business Monitor, M10, "Overseas Trade Analysed in terms of Industries". Annual figures for services are available in table 1.2 of the "United Kingdom Balance of Payments 1967–1977". Copies of these publications are in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now answer questions relating to reasons for investigation or non-investigation of aircraft accidents.

No. In accordance with the Civil Aviation (Investigation of Accidents) Regulations 1969, the decision whether an aircraft accident is to be the subject of an inspector's investigation is taken by the Chief Inspector of Accidents. When I believe it is expedient in the public interest to do so, I shall continue the practice of ordering a public inquiry to be held.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now answer questions relating to air-miss inquiries.

No. This is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to report to Parliament concerning the total cost to public funds of the oil spillage and related problems brought about by the foundering of the "Christos Bitas".

It is too early to say when the full costs of the Government's anti-pollution operation will be known. Although this expenditure will initially be met from public funds, we shall claim reimbursement of the whole amount from the shipowner under the Merchant Shipping (Oil Pollution) Act 1971, which implements in the United Kingdom the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage 1969, and, if necessary, under the oil industry's voluntary scheme, the Contract Regarding an Interim Supplement to Tanker Liability for Oil Pollution—CRISTAL.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in addition to the official inquiry into the circumstances in which the tanker "Christos Bitas" went on the rocks off the Pembrokeshire coast, he will also hold an inquiry into the subsequent salvage and anti-pollution operations and publish a report on the lessons learned, and ensure that the inquiry investigates and comments on the availability in the United Kingdom and the suitability of (a) heavy-duty pumps for the discharge of oil cargo, (b) compressors suitable for marine salvage operations, (c) chemical dispersants, (d) oil pollution booms and spraying equipment, and (e) tugs or other vessels equipped for antipollution work.

A report on this salvage and anti-pollution operation will be published shortly. The specific matters referred to will be covered either in this report or in reports on studies set in hand following tanker casualties earlier this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the extent of the increase in British exports to Japan in the nine-month period ended 30th September as compared with the same period in 1977; in which areas the principal increase has taken place; and what is their total value.

Following is the information on the current basis of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom:

UK Exports to Japan	£ million
1977 (January—September)	347
1978 (January—September)	398
Increase	51
	14·7%)

The largest contributions to the increase in the value of total exports were made in the following sections of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 2):

£ million
Section 6 (manufactured goods classified chiefly by material)		15·5	(20·7%)
Section 7 (machinery and transport equipment)		13·1	(12·3%)
Section 8 (miscellaneous manufactured articles)		9·6	(23·2%)
Section 5 (chemicals and related products)		7·1	(13·0%)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many British oil tankers are at present laid up due to lack of work; and how many seamen would be needed to man them.

According to information compiled by the General Council of British Shipping, at 30th September 1978, there were 24 United Kingdom registered tankers, amounting to 1·9 million gross registered tons, laid up for lack of employment. No figures are available on the individual manning of these ships which depends on size, age, deployment and commercial manning agreements.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average pupil-teacher ratio in primary and in secondary schools in England and Wales at the latest date for which figures are available and on 1st April 1974.

Statistics for schools are collected by my Department in January of each year. In January 1978 the average ratios of pupils per qualified teacher within maintained schools in England were 23·6 for primary schools—including middle deemed primary schools and immigrant centres—and 16·9 in secondary schools—including middle deemed secondary schools. Comparable ratios for January 1974 were 24·9 and 17·5 respectively. Statistics for schools in Wales are now the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of qualified teachers employed by Rotherham borough council and the number of pupils in primary and in secondary schools there at the latest available date and on 1st April 1974.

Statistics for schools are collected by my Department in January of each year. The information requested for primary and secondary schools maintained by the Rotherham education authority is given below. Figures for January 1974 have been calculated from the component parts of education authorities as they existed prior to the April 1974 local government reorganisation.

	January
	1974	1978
Primary
Qualified teachers*	1,193	1,220
Pupils†	30,169	29,686
Secondary
Qualified teachers*	1,178	1,339
Pupils†	21,101	23,009
*Teachers employed within schools on the day of the annual count, including teachers temporarily absent and the full-time equivalent of part-time teachers, and excluding relief teachers and teachers absent for long periods; for example, those on full-time courses lasting one term or more.
† Counting each part-time pupil under 5 years as 0·5.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she expects to announce her decision as to the future of Eggington School, Bedfordshire.

The Secretary of State's decision whether to approve the proposal by Bedfordshire county council to cease to maintain Eggington will probably be known by the end of the week.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science why her proposals for the teachers' panel of the Burnham Committee do not include any representative of the Professional Association of Teachers.

In considering requests from bodies seeking representation of the teachers' panels of the Burnham Committees, my right hon. Friend, consistently with her predecessors, has had regard to three main factors. In addition to the size of membership of the body in question, the degree to which it represents a distinct category of teacher and its acceptability to associations already represented are highly relevant. Against this background she is not proposing that the Professional Association of Teachers should now be added to the teachers' panel of the primary and secondary committee.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will issue guidance to encourage local education authorities to publish examination results achieved in their schools.

This is a matter for local education authorities and individual schools to decide. My right hon. Friend made it clear in the Green Paper "Education in Schools" that "league tables" of school performance based on examination results can be seriously misleading because they fail to take into account other important factors such as the wide differences between school catchment areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the Government's present policy, towards schools, within the maintained sector which have boarding places, seeking pupils from other local education authorities.

My right hon. Friend does not consider that the existence of local authority boundaries should be an obstacle to the provision of boarding education where there is a need for it. Section 6(1) of the Education (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1948 enables the providing authority in such cases to recover the cost of tuition from the child's home authority unless my right hon. Friend otherwise directs. In certain circumstances expenditure on the provision of education for boarding pupils may be shared by all local education authorities. To try to ensure that boarding places in the maintained sector do not go unused my right hon. Friend is financing on an experimental basis a clearing house run by the Boarding Schools Association to provide information about the availability of boarding places in maintained schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the Government have any plans to encourage boarding schools within the maintained sector to increase the number of places which they have available to overseas students.

No, since I understand that the admission of overseas children to this country for the sole purpose of attending a maintained school would be precluded by the Immigration Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many boarding places are available within the maintained sector of education; and how this figure compares with (a) 10 years ago and (b) five years ago.

Other than handicapped pupils, there were 9,739 boarders at schools maintained by local education authorities in England and Wales in January 1978, compared with 10,736 in 1973 and 11,347 in 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what role the Government see for boarding education within the maintained sector of education.

As I said in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Lichfield and Tamworth (Mr. Grocott) on 16th March 1978, my right hon. Friend believes that boarding education should be available for those children for whom—for a variety of reasons—it is appropriate, and views with concern the decline in the provision of boarding places in maintained schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the local authorities which have now taken up the European Economic Community milk subsidy for school milk for 7 to 11-year olds.

Any local authority which provides free milk for schoolchildren is entitled to claim the EEC subsidy of just over 4½p per pint. Any local education authority which provides free milk for 7 to 11-year olds under the discretionary power available to it from the start of the present school year is entitled, in addition, to claim reimbursement from my Department of the balance of the cost, including overheads, of providing this milk during the 1978–79 financial year. The education authorities which have decided to take advantage of this latter arrangement are as follows:

• Barking
• Barnsley
• Birmingham
• Bolton
• Bury
• Brent
• Calderdale
• Cleveland
• Cornwall
• Derbyshire
• Devon
• Doncaster
• Durham
• Ealing
• Gateshead
• Gloucesteshire
• Haringey
• Harrow
• Havering
• Hillingdon
• Hounslow
• Humberside
• ILEA
• Isle of Wight
• Knowsley
• Leicestershire
• Liverpool
• Manchester
• Merton
• Newcastle
• Newham
• Northumberland
• Nottinghamshire
• Oldham
• Richmond-upon-Thames
• Rochdale
• Rotherham
• Salford
• Sandwell
• Sheffield
• Somerset
• St. Helens
• Stockport
• Sunderland
• Sutton
• Tameside
• Trafford
• North Tyneside
• South Tyneside
• Wakefield
• Walsall
• Waltham Forest
• Warwickshire
• Wigan
• Wolverhampton

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement about the Government's policy on school meals charges.

As the local authority associations are being told today, for the purposes of rate support grant next year the Government are planning on the basis of a rise of 5p—to 30p—in the school meal charge at the start of the academic year 1979–80, with the usual remission arrangements for poorer families. Even after this increase, the first for two years, the subsidy from public funds will cover nearly half the total cost of the school meals service.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in connection with clause 9.4 of the United States-United Kingdom double taxation treaty; what representations he has made to the United States Government; and if he will make a statement.

Representations have been received from bodies representing United Kingdom business concerns which have branch or subsidiary company operations in the United States and others who feel strongly about the issue of principle involved. As is to be expected, these show extreme disappointment with the decision of the United States Senate on 27th June 1978 to approve the proposed new double taxation convention subject to the reservation that the provisions of article 9(4)—which prohibits the use of the widely criticised unitary basis of taxation—shall not apply to the policial sub-divisions or local authorities of the United States. This reservation is important because the unitary basis is used by some individual states of the United States.The situation has been explored with the United States but it must be understood that the decision on the reservation was that of the United States Senate and not a decision of the United States Government which will remain bound as regards federal taxes by the prohibition in article 9(4).New proposals for the convention are now under consideration and a statement will be made shortly.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the possible liability to United States' social security and Federal unemployment taxes of companies incorporated in the United Kingdom and their employees making short-term visits to the United States of America; what representations he has made to the United States Government; and if he will make a statement.

The Inland Revenue has received representations about the incidence on United Kingdom employers of these taxes in respect of their employees visiting the United States of America and has raised the matter with the United States Internal Revenue Service. It is not possible to make any further statement on this matter at the present time.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in national productivity, defined as output per person employed over the economy as a whole, between 1973 and 1977, and for each of the six previous four-year periods, viz, 1969–73, 1965–69, 1961–65, 1957–61, 1953–57 and 1949–53, and if he will provide similar figures relating to productivity in manufacturing industry alone.