asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the retention of farm-bottled milk ; and if he is yet in a position to make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now make a statement about the supply of farm-bottled or green top milk.

The Government have considered very carefully the many representations they received on this question during the consultations they carried out earlier this year. Having taken full account of all the arguments, they have decided that simply to proceed along the lines previously announced in August 1975—[Vol. 897, c. 2061—and to prohibit such sales in 1980—except in areas where alternative supplies of pasteurised milk are not readily available—would have serious implications for the livelihoods of producer-retailers. Accordingly, the Government have concluded that it would be right to defer for three years the introduction of these measures. The policy will, therefore, now take effect as from 1st August 1983.The Government have also been reviewing the pricing arrangements for retail sales of farm-bottled milk. They have concluded that, as the original justification for allowing a 1p per pint premium to be charged on untreated sales no longer remains, the premium should be discontinued as soon as possible. They will be consulting the interests concerned about the date on which the premium will end, and, at the same time, they will wish to consider with them whether it would be right to make any exceptions to this general approach.In the meantime, in order to provide an incentive for producer-retailers to pasteurise their supplies, the Government intend to make available as from 1st April 1979 grant-aid towards expenditure incurred by such producers in installing on-farm pasteurisation equipment, and necessary ancillary work. The EEC Commission has been notified. Further details of these arrangements will be announced as soon as possible. Estimate provision will be sought in due course, and, pending the passing of the necessary enabling legislation, the service will rest on the authority of the Estimates themselves and the confirming Appropriation Act. The cost will be contained within the planned control totals for public expenditure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet Commissioner Gundelach of the European Commission.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will attend a meeting of the Council of Agricultural Ministers of the EEC.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet EEC Commissioner Gundelach.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects next to meet EEC Agricultural Ministers.

When I attend the next Council of Agriculture Ministers on 18th December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will be proposing reform of the common agricultural policy within the EEC.

Today and every day.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a White Paper reporting progress on his plans to reform the common agricultural policy.

The progress of negotiations on the CAP are already regularly reported to the House, most recently in the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister, after the European Council last week.— [Vol. 959, c. 1421–24.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the estimated extra cost to Great Britain in 1978 of buying food from the EEC that could have been purchased in world markets.

I refer the hon. Member to the speech my right hon. Friend made to the House on 21st March.—[Vol. 946, c. 1345–54.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the value of the green pound.

The value of the green pound is 1·57678 units of account, giving a United Kingdom MCA of 27·0 per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the expected increase in productivity of the farming industry in the current year ; and how this is likely to be reflected in the farm workers' pay award.

The annual review is currently in progress and, until the results are available, it is impossible to say what the average increase in productivity in the farming industry as a whole will be.As indicated in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) on 11th December, there is no reason why a farmer and farm worker should not agree to make provision for future productivity when they agree actual wage rates.—[Vol. 960, c. 51–2.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the fact that some food and drink additives create medical problems such as allergic reactions in consumers, he will seek to introduce legislation to provide that all additives are stated on the product label.

It is a general principle of our existing food legislation that the presence of additives in prepackaged foods should be indicated on the label.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the presidents of the National Farmers' Unions of England and of Wales.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when next he will meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, when he intends next to meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet the chairman of the White Fish Authority.

My right hon. Friend has done so recently and will do so again as occasion demands.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the sale of EEC butter to the USSR.

No. I have nothing to add on the subject of the most recent butter sale to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) on 22nd November.—[Vol. 958, c. 907–8.] My general views on sales of this sort are well known to the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the proposed sale of butter from the EEC to the Soviet Union.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend, the Member for Watford (Mr. Tuck).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet formulated specific proposals for the definition of marginal land ; and what representations he has made to the European Economic Commission for assistance to such areas under the provisions of the EEC less favoured areas directive.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state his proposals for aiding marginal land.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is his intention to establish a definition of marginal land.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Knox).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the situation since the Labour Government abolished the tied cottage ; and how many cases have been referred to the advisory committees as cottages necessary for agricultural purposes and with what result.

All the information reaching me indicates that this new legislation is generally working well. My right hon. Friend the Minister and I have received some representations, for example, to extend the protection which it offers to workers at present excluded and to widen the membership of the panels from which agricultural dwelling-house advisory committee chairmen are drawn.Between 1st January 1977 when the Act came into force and 30th September 1,603 cases had been referred to advisory committees in England ; 295 had been withdrawn and 52 were waiting to be dealt with. Out of the 1,256 remaining cases housing authorities were advised there was agricultural need, with varying degrees of urgency, in 1,135.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current size of the United Kingdom pig breeding herd.

The number of sows and gilts in pig in the United Kingdom breeding herd in June 1978 was 843,000 head of which 711,000 head were in England and Wales. A sample inquiry conducted only in England and Wales in September 1978 showed that the size of the breeding herd was 733,000 head compared with 697,000 head a year earlier.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what grants are available to horticulturalists for the growing of exotic vegetables.

Grants are available on a wide range of capital items to growers of all horticultural crops who are eligible under the rules of the farm and horticulture development scheme or the horticulture capital grant scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what was the size of the British distant water fishing fleet in each of the past 10 years.

Fishing vessel statistics are maintained in terms of registered length and method of fishing. They are published in Sea Fisheries Statistics, available in the Library of the House. With the steady change in fishing opportunities in Third country waters, some fishing vessels traditionally occupied there have turned successfully to other opportunities nearer to our shores. It is now therefore much less easy to characterise vessels as distant water or other and I am unable to give information in the form requested by the hon. Member.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the tonnages of principal EEC food surpluses to be disposed of on world markets during 1978.

Latest forecasts for disposal on world markets at below full EEC price levels in the 1978 crop or marketing years are as follows:

• Beef—150,000 tonnes
• Butter—155,000 tonnes
• Skimmed Milk Powder—475,000 tonnes
• Sugar—3·48 million tones
• Cereals—8·8 million tones

These figures include exports in the form of food aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has made to the EEC for reductions of the surplus of dairy products.

I have on numerous occasions made clear my view that it is essential to reduce the level of support prices for milk and milk products if a balanced market is to be re-established in this sector.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Bacon and Meat Manufacturers Association.

I maintain regular contact with the chairman of the Bacon and Meat Manufacturers Association but I have no immediate plans for a meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce his decision regarding the EEC proposal for a sheepmeat regime.

Technical examination within the Community of the EEC Commission's proposals continues but significant progress is unlikely pending the outcome of the case brought by the Commission against the French in the European Court of Justice regarding their import controls.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has held any recent discussions with representatives of the Agricultural Workers Union.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has had concerning the low pay of agricultural workers and what his reply was.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis) on 11th December. [Vol. 960, c. 51–21.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will introduce regulations requiring all canned food not subject to the infant food maximum of 0·2 mg per kg of lead to be labelled as unfit for consumption by infants and young children, in order to reduce the lead intake from food of young children.

No. Whilst it is right that canned foods described by manufacturers as being specially prepared for infants or young children should have to comply with very strict lead limits it does not follow that other canned foods with higher statutory limits are unfit for them to eat. I therefore consider that a requirement to label such foods as unfit for consumption by infants and young children would be misleading.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on progress towards brucellosis eradication in Northumberland.

By the end of November 1978, 1,003 herds in Northumberland were brucellosis accredited, and a further 123 were undergoing qualifying tests. Of the herds with testable animals outside the voluntary schemes, numbering about 420, some 300 have been participating in the free 45/20 vaccination scheme which has been successful in reducing the incidence of brucellosis in heavily infected herds.Before the commencement of compulsory eradication, on 1st November next year, the owners of herds still outside the schemes will be visited by veterinary officers who will explain the arrangements for compulsory testing and, if appropriate, the advantages of joining the brucellosis incentives scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board.

My officials and I are regularly in touch with the chairman and officials of the Milk Marketing Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to expedite the negotiations concerning the recalculation of pigmeat monetary compensatory amounts.

My right hon. Friend has continually pressed for further cuts in the pigmeat monetary compensatory amounts and we are hopeful that the Commission will shortly present its promised review of coefficients used to calculate MCAs on bacon and other forms of processed pigmeat.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to meet the president of the Food Manufacturers Federation.

My right hon. Friend the Minister meets the president of the Food Manufacturers' Federation when necessary and has accepted his invitation to open the federation's annual conference on 15th March 1979.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends next to meet his fellow Common Market Fisheries Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when next he will attend a meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers of the EEC.

I refer my hon. Friend and the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for North Fylde (Mr. Clegg) earlier today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has reached any conclusions in regard to the experience of fluorine poisoning at Warren House farm in the Rother Valley constituency.

Not yet. Since my hon. Friend brought the matter to my notice last July, our monitoring has revealed marked fluctuations in the levels of fluorine on pastures at this farm. Thus, by the autumn, they had declined to a point where there was no abnormal contamination, but significantly higher levels have been found in the most recent samples of the herbage. Over the same period, veterinary examinations have shown an improvement in the general condition of the stock, and detailed advice has now been given on a winter feed regime. Our specialists are continuing their investigations, and I shall write further to my hon. Friend as soon as we are in a position to offer any considered opinion.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further progress has been made in the implementation by the Soviet Union and its allies of the provisions of the Helsinki Final Act, in all its aspects, since the publication of the Government White Paper, Command Paper No. 7126 of March 1978, at the conclusion of the Belgrade meeting.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report,18th July 1978 ; Vol. 954, c. 145–8],gave the following information:Further Report on Implementation of the Helsinki Final Act—for the period July-November 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response Her Majesty's Government have received from the Governments of Guatemala and Belize to the proposals for the future of Belize.

The British Government have not yet received a direct communication from the Guatemalan Government in response to our proposals. However, the Guatemalan Foreign Minister in a broadcast speech on 30th November rejected our proposals but left the way open for further negotiations. We consulted the Belizean leaders on the proposals before they were put to the Guatemalans.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the present position of the negotiations regarding the future of Cyprus.

We very much hope that, following the initiative described in my reply to the hon. Member for Cambridge on 22nd November—[Vol. 958, c. 609–11—early agreement can be reached with the two Cyprus communities on a basis for the resumption of intercommunal negotiations under the auspices of the Secretary-General of the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth

MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT OF EEC COUNTRIES
					Annual salary	Income tax paid by married man with 2 children (assuming no other allowances)
Belgium	…	…	…	…	1,363,259 BF (£23,009)	164,000 BF (£2,768)
Denmark	…	…	…	…	134,884 DKR (£12,932)	58,713 DKR (£5,629)
France	…	…	…	…	188,188 FR (£21,850)	8,500 FR (£987)
Federal Republic of Germany	…	…	…	…	90,000 DM (£24,000)	24,544 DM (£6,545)
Republic of Ireland	…	…	…	…	£6,755	£1,420
Italy	…	…	…	…	20,256,000 Lire (£12,166)	500,000 Lire (£300)
Luxembourg	…	…	…	…	270,000 F Lux (£4,557)	Nil
The Netherlands	…	…	…	…	87,590 FLS (£21,520)	22,700 FLS (£5,577)
United Kingdom	…	…	…	…	£6,897	£1,643

Neither the European Commission nor the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development produces the required figures for cost of living, but figures showing the relative cost of living for United Nations officials stationed in the capitals of various countries are given in the United Nations Monthly Bulletin of Statistics. The latest information—referring to June 1978—covers all the EEC countries except Luxembourg and the Republic of Ireland and is as follows:

	Including housing	Excluding housing
United Kingdom	100	100
Belgium	141	129
Denmark	138	134
France	130	122
Netherlands	136	127
F.R. of Germany	137	133
Italy	91	90

Details of the salaries and taxation of Members of Parliament in each EEC country are as follows

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what amount of rate support from central funds will be provided in Wales in 1979–80 ; what this amount will be per head of population in that year ; and what amount he expects to be so provided in the current year.

It is not possible to give estimates of the total rate support grant for 1979–80 because the allocation of resources element will depend on the rate levy of individual authorities. However, it is expected that the per capita payment of needs element in Wales in 1979–80 will be £97·00. Rate support grant for 1978–79 is expected to total £510 million, which is about £184 per head.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the proposed Welsh Consolidated Fund would, using current figures, be drawn from moneys allocated to local authorities in response to their applications for rate support grant and other forms of aid through the standard existing procedure if the Wales Act 1978 were in operation at present.

Rate support grant payments to Welsh local authorities will be drawn from the Welsh Consolidated Fund and not vice versa. On the basis of 1977–78 data, local authority current expenditure financed by rate support grant and specific grant would have formed about 39 per cent. of the total cash requirement of the Welsh Consolidated Fund if it had existed in that year. It will be for the Welsh Assembly, following statutory consultation with Welsh local authorities, to determine the level of rate support grant payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will ensure that the present review of the Leasehold Reform Act takes into consideration the plight of leaseholders currently outside the scope of his present Act by virtue of having priorities with extended or renewed leases.

I have been asked to reply.Since the provisions about extension and renewal of leases may not be fully understood it may be helpful if I explain them briefly.The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 offers a qualified leaseholder a choice of enfranchisement—that is, the right to buy the freehold—or a 50-year extension of his lease. If he obtains an extension lease he will still have the right to enfranchise during the remainder of the term of his original lease. Once the 50-year extension has begun, however, he loses the right to enfranchise under the Act, but this need not prevent him from negotiating with the landlord for the purchase of the freehold.Where a landlord has granted a new tenancy in continuance of the original long tenancy the leaseholder retains his rights under the Act even if the new tenancy is for less than 21 years provided that it is still at a low rent—that is, less than two-thirds of the rateable value of the house on 23rd March 1965 or the date of the commencement of the lease if later.I would urge anyone who is uncertain of his position to seek legal advice.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he is satisfied with the security arrangements in the House ; and if he will make a statement.

The Joint Committee on Security has continued to meet regularly. It examines security arrangements for the Palace of Westminster and takes whatever additional steps it deems to be necessary to deal with emergencies as they arise.

asked the Lord President of the Council if, following the paint throwing incident of Thursday 7th December, he will now refer to the Joint Committee on Security the possible use of electronic devices such as those used at airports as a means of detecting metal objects.

The Joint Committee on Security has already considered this matter, and recommended that additional screening equipment should be provided. This equipment has been ordered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a table showing the number of children in Great Britain who received free school meals in each year from 1973–74 ; and if she will include estimates for 1978–79.

The figures for England and Wales are as follows:

Year	Numbers (000's)
1973–74	795
1974–75	750
1975–76	784
1976–77	839
1977–78	997
1978–79	1,155 (estimate)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the level of teacher unemployment is in each

		September	September	September	September	September
		1974	1975	1976	1977	1978
South East	…	684	1,271	2,391	3,818	3,140
East Anglia	…	82	73	161	256	273
South Western	…	315	478	659	1,102	1,287
West Midlands	…	241	486	701	891	845
East Midlands	…	102	179	358	560	573
Yorkshire and Humberside	…	167	267	562	1,213	1,165
North Western	…	294	462	987	1,669	1,716
Northern	…	204	298	667	1,015	978
Wales	…	123	241	489	871	1,120
England and Wales	…	2,212	3,755	6,975	11,395	11,097

These figures differ from those previously published since regional statistics provided by the Department of Employment exclude pre-primary and special school teachers.Teacher unemployment figures for Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.The Government have taken a number of measures to alleviate teacher unemployment. Expenditure plans allow for an improvement over existing pupil-teacher ratios by additional margins to provide for the alleviation of the problems caused by falling rolls, extra staff for schools with disadvantaged pupils, and a growth in the provision of induction and in-service training ; courses have been introduced to retrain suitably qualified unemployed teachers to teach certain subjects in which

			Primary schools			Secondary schools
	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1978
North	24·5	23·4	23·0	22·9	22·5	16·9
Yorks·/Humberside	24·2	23·8	23·5	23·3	23·2	17·3
North West	26·0	24·9	24·4	24·5	24·2	16·8
East Midlands	24·3	24·9	24·7	24·7	24·4	17·1
West Midlands	25·6	25·1	24·8	24·6	24·2	16·8
East Anglia	24·1	23·7	23·7	23·6	23·5	17·6
Greater London	23·7	22·7	22·6	22·3	21·8	15·9
Other South East	24·9	24·3	24·2	24·2	24·1	17·2
South West	25·5	25·0	24·7	24·5	24·4	17·6
Average for England	24·9	24·2	24·0	23·9	23·6	16·9

The Government's expenditure plans provide for an improvement to existing pupil-teacher ratios.

The number of teachers in England and Wales who have registered with the Department of Employment as unemployed and seeking school teaching posts over the last five years is as follows:there is a shortage ; regulations now allow for the early retirement of teachers over 50 in the structural interests of the education service ; and the reduction in the size of the teacher training plant will reduce the flow of those competing for teaching jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the pupil-teacher ratio in primary schools in each region in each of the last five years: and what action has been taken to reduce it ;(2) what is the pupil-teacher ratio in each region in secondary education ; and what action has been taken to reduce it.

The following pupil-teacher ratios relate to maintained schools in English regions:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the pupil-teacher ratio in (a) primary and (b) secondary schools in the public and private sectors of education in each of the last five years.

Separate primary and secondary ratios for direct grant and independent schools are not available, otherwise the information requested is as follows:

	Maintained schools
	Primary	Secondary	All Direct Grant schools*	All Inde pendent schools*
January:
1974	24·9	17·5	15·1	13·0
1975	24·2	17·2	15·0	13·0
1976	24·0	17·0	15·0	12·7
1977	23·9	17·0	14·7	12·5
1978	23·6	16·9	14·4	12·4
* Includes unqualified teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will issue a list of authorities subscribing to private education, stating in each case the contribution from public funds.

In reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald) on 20th November—[Vol. 958, c. 431]— I gave details of the support for pupils at independent schools given by local education authorities under the provisions of the Education Acts. Support for private education from local authorities using other statutory powers does not have to be reported to my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many school teachers were employed at the beginning of the current academic year.

Information supplied by local education authorities in England and Wales indicates that the number of teachers employed in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools in September 1978 was 467,900. This figure compares with my Department's estimate of 467,700 for January 1979, and is 3,000 higher than the number of teachers employed in January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether her attention has been drawn to the Appeal Court case of Mr. Peter Lewis on the question of the extra payment to teachers in stress areas what action she has taken or intends taking to enable the teachers to claim these payments in accordance with the ruling given by the three Appeal Court judges and whether she will make a statement.

No action arises for my right hon. Friend in consequence of the judgment of the Court of Appeal. I understand that the Dyfed county council has not yet decided whether or not to apply to the House of Lords for leave to appeal. I am not aware of any other area in which teachers in schools designated as social priority schools are not receiving the additional payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will refer to the Director of Fair Trading the operations of proprietors of provincial newspapers that are publishing largely advertising sheets under the guise of newspapers ; whether he will take action under the Trade Descriptions Act in respect of such publications and whether he will seek powers to direct that such publications are either distributed free or at a reduced price based on the profits distributed.

No. I am advised that the practice to which my hon. Friend refers is not a false or misleading description within the meaning of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. I am not convinced that consumers are unable to distinguish between a newspaper and an advertising sheet—and I understand that the latter are normally distributed free, though in certain instances they may bear an issue price. I recognise that, because of the current provincial newspaper strike, certain newspapers may contain a higher ratio of advertising to editorial content than is normal. But consumers should be sufficiently aware of this fact to enable them to exercise free choice in their decision to purchase or not during this period of temporary difficulty.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details of the assistance to be given to the United Kingdom from the European Social Fund for 1978–79.

The total of allocations from the European Social Fund

	Allocations for 1978 £	Allocations for 1979 £
	£	£
Training or retraining programmes for:
Workers leaving the textiles and clothing sectors	4,457,225	565,406
Young people	7,683,512	497,934
Disabled people	1,183,394	96,530
Migrant workers and their tamilies	292,500	—
Unemployed workers in the assisted areas and those affected by "technical progress "	21,229,397	1,764,602
	34,846,028	2,924,472

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to raise the level of the weekly payment to persons who retired prematurely under the provisions of the job release scheme by an amount consistent with the recent increase in the level of the State retirement pension and if he will make a statement.

The present job release scheme, which is due to end on 31st March 1979, will be reviewed early next year and, if it is decided to extend it, the question of an increase in the allowances will be considered then.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Professional Association of Teachers is recognised as an independent trade union for the purposes of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act.

The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977, made under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 provide that in order to invoke its statutory rights under the regulations a trade union must be both recognised by the employer and an independent trade union as defined in the relevant labour relations legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many schemes and individual places have been approved by the Manpower Services Commission's programme dealing with the youth unemployment special temporary employment premium and the youth opportunities programme in the Sandwell area since 1st April ; how many of these have been sponsored by (a) the local authority, (b) firms and (c) voluntary bodies ; and if he is satisfied with the response so far.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, since 1st April 1978, 258 schemes comprising 617 places for young people and 12 for adults have been approved under the youth opportunities programme in the Sandwell area up to the end of October. Of these schemes, 21 have been sponsored by the private sector, giving 418 places for young people, 13 schemes have been sponsored by local authorities giving 41 places and voluntary organisations have sponsored one scheme giving one place. A total of four schemes have been approved in Sandwell under the special temporary employment programme for adults between 1st April 1978 and the end of October, creating a total of 17 jobs. Two schemes have been sponsored in the private sector, creating 14 jobs: no schemes have been sponsored by local authorities or voluntary organisations in the Sandwell area.The Government and the Manpower Services Commission are grateful to employers, local authorities and voluntary organisations for the help they have given in sponsoring schemes in Sandwell, but they are also conscious that more needs to be done in the area for school leavers still unemployed, especially for those whose need of help is greatest. Any further assistance from potential sponsors would be greatly appreciated.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in rank order, from lowest to highest, all basic wages, other than those awarded by wages councils, and including agricultural wages ; and if he will indicate which of these basic rates are decided by statutory bodies.

Comprehensive information is not available. A substantial amount of information for national collective agreements is contained in the Department of Employment's annual and monthly publications, "Time Rates of Wages and Hours of Work "and "Changes in Rates of Wages and Hours of Work ", together with information for wages councils and the agricultural wages boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in greater detail the criteria that he uses in assessing the validity of self-financing productivity schemes proposed by individual employers.

Criteria relating to the introduction of self-financing productivity schemes in the current pay round were published in the July-August 1978 issue of "Employment News ". It is the responsibility of negotiators to ensure that the criteria are met, although my Department is happy to give guidance in cases of doubt.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish figures to show the average level of wage increases paid in settlements which include self-financing productivity schemes introduced in pay settlements since 31st July 1977 ;(2) what has been the average increase in productivity resulting from self-financing productivity schemes negotiated under the 1977–78 phase of incomes policy.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the Written Answer of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,Official Report, 24th October, column 898, how many officials in his Department are engaged in monitoring the progress of self-financing productivity schemes introduced as part of a pay settlement after 31st July 1977.

Apart from the public sector, which is primarily the responsibility of sponsoring Departments, 83 officials in my Department were at 1st December engaged in giving advice on, monitoring and vetting pay settlements of all kinds. It is not feasible to say what proportion of their time is devoted to monitoring the progress of self-financing productivity schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table to show what proportion of the total working population of the country was employed by (a) central Government, (b) local government, (c) nationalised industries, (d) quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations and (e) private firms receiving direct Government grants and subsidies, other than regional assistance, in each of the following years: 1945, 1951, 1964, 1970, and the latest 12 months for which figures are available.

The table below shows the proportion of the United Kingdom working population in those sectors for which figures can be given. Although information on the total number of employees in quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations is not available, employment in some of these organisations is included in the percentages in the table. Details of the coverage of the public sector are given in pages 102–104

UNITED KINGDOM: PERCENTAGE OF THE WORKING POPULATION*
	1951†	1964	1970	1977‡
Central Government (including HM Forces)	8·4§	7·0	7·5	8·8
Local authorities	6·1	8·3	10·1	11·4
Nationalised industries and other public corporations	12·0	8·2§	8·0§	7·9§
* The working population comprises employees in employment, the self-employed (with or without employees), members of Her Majesty's Forces and the registered unemployed.
† Because of changes in the classification and coverage of organisations in the public sector, figures for 1951, which are for Great Britain, are not comparable with those for later years.
‡ Provisional.
§Including the Post Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing registered unemployment as a percentage of the civilian working population for each

		Germany	France	Italy	Netherlands	Belgium	Luxembourg	United Kingdom	Ireland	Denmark
1972
Q1	…	1·3	1·9	5·6	2·6	2·7	0·0	3·9	7·0	2·1
Q2	…	0·8	1·7	4·9	2·0	2·5	0·0	3·5	6·4	1·0
Q3	…	0·7	1·7	4·8	2·1	2·6	0·0	3·4	6·1	0·7
Q4	…	0·9	2·0	5·1	2·5	2·9	0·0	3·2	6·4	1·0
1973
Q1	…	1·2	1·9	5·5	2·8	2·9	0·0	3·0	6·7	1·1
Q2	…	0·8	1·6	4·8	2·1	2·6	0·0	2·5	5·9	0·5
Q3	…	0·8	1·8	4·5	2·0	3·1	0·0	2·3	5·5	0·4
Q4	…	1·4	2·1	4·8	2·4	3·0	0·0	2·1	5·8	0·9
1974
Q1	…	2·3	2·1	5·0	3·0	2·9	0·0	2·5	6·3	1·1
Q2	…	1·8	1·8	4·6	2·4	2·6	0·0	2·2	6·0	1·0
Q3	…	2·0	2·1	4·6	2·7	3·5	0·0	2·5	6·0	1·8
Q4	…	3·1	3·2	4·9	3·4	3·8	0·1	2·6	6·9	3·9
1975
Q1	…	4·5	3·6	5·2	4·1	4·3	0·1	3·1	8·3	4·9
Q2	…	4·0	3·4	5·1	3·7	4·5	0·1	3·3	8·5	4·2
Q3	…	4·0	3·9	5·2	4·1	6·0	0·1	4·3	8·7	4·3
Q4	…	4·4	4·7	5·5	4·5	6·4	0·4	4·6	9·4	5·1
1976
Q1	…	5·1	4·5	5·7	4·8	6·3	0·3	5·1	10·1	5·2
Q2	…	3·9	3·9	5·4	4·1	6·0	0·2	5·0	9·7	4·1
Q3	…	3·6	4·0	5·5	4·4	7·4	0·2	5·7	9·6	4·3
Q4	…	3·9	4·8	5·6	4·4	7·3	0·4	5·3	9·8	5·2
1977
Q1	…	4·6	4·8	6·1	4·6	7·2	0·5	5·5	10·2	6·1
Q2	…	3·8	4·5	5·9	3·9	6·9	0·4	5·4	9·6	5·4
Q3	…	3·7	5·0	6·7	4·4	8·4	0·6	6·2	9·4	5·4
Q4	…	4·0	5·4	6·8	4·4	8·5	0·8	5·8	9·4	6·2
1978
Q1	…	4·6	5·1*	7·3	4·5	8·2	0·9	5·8	9·8	7·5
Q2	…	3·6	4·8*	6·8	3·9	7·7	0·7	5·5	8·9	6·2
Q3	…	3·5	5·4*	6·8	4·4	8·9	0·8	6·0	8·4	6·1
*Changes in procedure for counting registered unemployment from January 1978 have led to a small reduction in the rate from the previous basis.
Source: Statistical Office of the European Communities.

The unemployment percentage rates are given below. They are based on national definitions and are not comparable between countries owing to differences in the concept of unemployment, coverage and method of compilation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide statistics, in each year from 1974 to the latest available date, of percentage unemployment rates adjusted to United States concepts for each member of the European Community, the United States of America, Canada and Japan.

Period		United States	Canada	Japan	France	Germany	Italy*	Great Britain†
1972	…	5 ·6	6 ·2	1 ·4	2 ·8	0 ·8	3 ·6	4 ·1
1973	…	4·9	5·6	1·3	2·7	0·8	3·4	2·9
1974	…	5·6	5·4	1·4	3·0	1·7	2·8	2·9
1975	…	8·5	6·9	1·9	4·2	3·6	3·2	4·1 ‡
1976	…	7·7	7·1	2·0	4·6	3·6	3·6	5·5 ‡
Q1	…	7·7	6·9	2·0	4·5	3·8	3·4	5·4
Q2	…	7·5	7·1	2·1	4·5	3·6	3·6	5·7
Q3	…	7·7	7·2	2·1	4·5	3·6	3·7	5·6
Q4	…	7·8	7·4	1·9	4·6	3·5	3·6	5·7
1977	…	7·0	8·1	2·0	5·2 ‡	3·6 ‡	3·3 ‡	6·2 ‡
Q1	…	7·4	7·9	1·9	4·8	3·5	3·2	6·0
Q2	…	7·1	8·1	2·1	5·1	3·5	3·2	6·3
Q3	…	6·9	8·2	2·1	5·6	3·6	3·5	6·3
Q4	…	6·6	8·4	2·1	5·2	3·5	3·3	6·4
1978	…
Q1	…	6·2	8·4	2·1	5·1	3·5	3·4	6·4
Q2	…	5·9	8·6	2·3	5·1	3·4	3·4	6·4
Q3	…	6·0	8·5		6·1	3·4	3·6	6·2
July	…	6·2	8·4	2·3	6·0	3·4	3·6	6·2
August	…	5·9	8·5	2·3	6·2	3·4
September	…	6·0	8·5		6·0	3·4
*Quarterly rates are for the first month in each quarter.
†No rate is calculated for the United Kingdom.
‡Preliminary.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, United States Department of Labor, November 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out the numbers of people registered as unemployed and the number of job vacancies notified to the Woolwich employment

					Notified unfilled vacancies
				Numbers unemployed	Employment office	Careers offices
December 1977	…	…	…	4,245	452	57
January 1978	…	…	…	4,545	374	59
February 1978	…	…	…	4,436	528	69
March 1978	…	…	…	4,228	529	54
April 1978	…	…	…	4,455	600	67
May 1978	…	…	…	4,243	546	76
June 1978	…	…	…	4,215	714	71
July 1978	…	…	…	4,716	692	56
August 1978	…	…	…	4,910	745	66
September 1978	…	…	…	4,840	824	161
October 1978	…	…	…	4,374	777	108
November 1978	…	…	…	4.252	670	90

The vacancy figures relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices ; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be

The United States does not calculate adjusted unemployment rates for every member country of the European Community. The latest available figures are given below. Quarterly and monthly rates for the European countries should be viewed as only approximate indicators of the level of unemployment. The rate for Italy is under review.office and the careers office during each of the past 12 months.

Following is the information for the Woolwich employment office area. The table gives the numbers registered as unemployed and notified vacancies remaining unfilled at selected dates in each month:about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication, the two series should not be added together.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table to show the average level of unemployment (a) between June 1970 and February 1974 and (b) between March 1974 and the latest month for which figures are available.

The average numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain between (a) June 1970 and February 1974 and (b) March 1974 and November 1978 were 694,322 and 1,130,557, respectively.The averages are derived from figures which have not been adjusted for seasonal variations.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development who were the nine TUC-sponsored participants in the 53rd Overseas Development Ministry-Department of Employment industrial relations course for overseas trades unionists who received a grant from public funds of £29,210 ·96 in 1977–78 ; and what role she had in their selection.

I think it undesirable to publish names, though I am ready to write to the hon. Member if he wishes. The countries and organisations from which the participants came are as follows:

• Barbados Workers Union.
• Waterfront and Allied Workers Union of Dominica—two participants.
• Union of Workers in Engineering, Metal and Electrical Industries (Egypt).
• Pakistan Post Office and Railway Mail Service Workers Federation.
• ICI Employees Union, Pakistan.
• Punjab Road Transport Employees Federation (Pakistan).
• Pakistan Printing Press and Graphic Art Workers Federation.
• Zambia Electricity Workers Union.

My Ministry is represented on the selection committee for these courses. So, too, are the Department of Employment, the British Council and the TUC.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what control she exercises over the selection of overseas trade unionists who are selected for Trades Union Congress-run training courses and whose costs are borne out of public funds.

Selection in these cases is a matter for the TUC itself, subject to the terms of my Ministry's grant.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what grants have been paid to trade unionists from Kenya, Barbados, Cyprus, Ghana and Egypt, to date ; and whether she has any plans to make further grants to trade unionists from those countries.

Training for trade unionists from all these countries has been provided under my Ministry's grant to the Trades Union Congress. For 1977–78 details are given in the annual report on the grant, a copy of which is in the Library of the House.Training during 1978–79 has either been provided or is planned for a further two trade unionists from Barbados, two from Ghana and six from Kenya.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when the 53rd industrial relations course for overseas trade unionists was held, for which a grant from her Department of £29,210 ·96 was paid ; how many participants there were ; from which countries they came ; who were the principal lecturers ; and what proportion of the total costs was borne by her Department.

The course was held from 9th January to 14th April ·1978. There were 15 participants from Barbados, Dominica, Egypt, the Gilbert Islands, India, Pakistan. Tanzania and Zambia. The principal lecturers were provided by the Department of Employment, Oxford university, the Trades Union Congress, the Ministry of Overseas Development, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. All costs were borne by my Ministry.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will introduce legislation to seek to give the Parliamentary Commissioner powers to ensure that the recommendations contained in his reports are implemented.

No. The Government believe that Ministers should continue to be answerable to Parliament for the adequacy of action taken by their Departments following investigations by the Parliamentary Commissioner.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the size of her Department's grant to the Trades Union Congress in 1978–79.

Up to £180,000.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development approximately how many overseas pensions for the payment of which the Government have accepted responsibility (a) have been fully taken over by the Government and (b) remain to be taken over.

The numbers are 24,000 and 28,000 respectively.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when she expects the taking over of all overseas pensions for the payment of which the Government have accepted responsibility to be completed.

It depends on overseas Governments as well as ourselves, but we hope that the process will be complete by the end of next year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the approximate number of secretaries employed by the Government for assisting the information officer group ; and what is the annual cost.

There are approximately 40 secretaries employed by the Government for assisting the information officer group, representing a basic annual staff cost of about £200,000.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the number of press and information officers employed by the Government, breaking down the total between Government Departments and giving an estimate of the cost of these civil servants.

The table below shows by Departments the numbers of staff in post in the information office group on 1st April 1978. About one-fifth of the group are engaged wholly or partly in dealings with the editiorial side of newspapers and broadcasting. The remainder are employed on a variety of work including films, exhibitions, export promotion, and censuses and surveys. It is estimated that the current salary cost of the group is £.7·9 million a year.

Departments	Total
Civil Service Department	16
Defence	151
Education and Science	18
Employment	22
Energy	27
Environment	57
Health and Social Security	19
Home Office	24
Industry	57
Central Office of Information	503
National Savings	11
Overseas Development	9
Population Censuses and Surveys	129
Prices and Consumer Protection	15
Trade	99
Transport	19
Treasury and Sub-Departments	12
Welsh Office	20
Scottish Office	23
Other Departments	115
Total	1,346

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will introduce legislation to seek to give the Commissioner for Local Administration powers to ensure that the recommendations contained in his reports are implemented.

I have been asked to reply.The Commission for Local Administration in England is under a statutory duty to review annually the operation of part III of the Local Government Act 1974. It made no recommendation to me in its latest review about the enforcement of recommendations in its reports, and the Government have at present no plans to introduce legislation for this purpose.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish as much detailed information at the latest and most convenient stated dates, showing to what extent civil servants and hon. Members on the same or similar salary scales are entitled to pension rights after 10, 20 or 30 and more years' service ; what such pension would be ; what contributions are made towards such pension ; what is the earliest age at which a civil servant with 30 or more years' service can claim his pension ; what this would be on the assumption he was on a salary scale of £6,897 per annum on retirement ; and if he will give similar details for hon. Members.

Under the principal Civil Service pension scheme civil servants who have completed five years' qualifying service are entitled to receive pensions of 1/80th of pensionable salary and lump sums of 3/80ths of pensionable salary for each reckonable year of service. All male civil servants contribute 1½, per cent. of salary for widows' pensions and, as part of the pay research process, reductions are made in salary rates to reflect the value of other benefits, including pensions increases. The earliest age at which a civil servant can retire voluntarily with immediate payment of pension is 60. The benefits payable after 30 years of reckonable service based on pensionable pay of £6,897 would be a pension of £2,586 and a lump sum of £7,759.Under the parliamentary pensions scheme Members of Parliament who have completed four years' qualifying service are entitled to receive pensions of 1/60th of pensionable salary for each year of reckonable service, part of which may be commuted into a lump sum. Since 2nd August 1978 the contribution rate has been 6 per cent. of pensionable salary. An hon. Member with 30 years of reckon-able service could retire voluntarily at a General Election following his 62nd birthday and would then receive a pension of £4,686—based on current pensionable pay of £9,372. Part of the pension could be commuted into a lump sum, up to a maximum of £10,544, leaving an annual pension of £3,677—or £3,798 for a woman Member. A civil servant retiring with the same pensionable pay and length of service would receive the same lump sum and a pension of £3,515.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she has any plans to make a grant to the Confederation of British Industry for education and training purposes.

No, but I would of course be happy to consider any request which might be made.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what would be the current cost of implementing the recommendations published by the Priestley Commission in 1955, that unestablished service in the Civil Service, prior to 1949, should reckon in full for pension purposes.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24th October 1978; Vol. 955, c. 764–5],gave the following information:The revised estimate of the cost over a period of 25 years of reckoning in full for superannuation purposes unestablished service given before 14th July 1949 is about £400 million. As with the earlier figure, this estimate assumes that both past and future lump sum benefits would not be adjusted and that the revision of pensions would be made in stages over a period of 10 years, without payment of arrears. The increase in the estimate arises from salary and pensions increases awarded since 1975 but no allowance has been made for any future increase.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the degree of co-ordination between the Department of Health and Social Security and the Department of Education and Science in respect of forecasts of future population figures.

Yes. I understand that both Departments use the population projections made by the Government Actuary in consultation with the registrars general.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 14th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 14th December.