asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will arrange for an exhibition relating to the work that youth organisations are doing to promote good race relations in Great Britain to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday, 10 December to Friday, 21 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proportion of foreign students to British students at institutions of higher and further education in the current academic year.

In 1978–79, the latest year for which information is available, about 10 per cent. of full-time and sandwich students at institutions of higher and further education were students classified as "overseas" for fees purposes. If part-time students including those at the Open University are counted in the total, the percentage is 3·5 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the size of the bid for public funds for education and training purposes which was recently received from the Trades Union Congress.

The Trades Union Congress's request was for a modest increase in real terms in the Government grant towards the cost of trade union education and training next year. The TUC also asked about the possibility of a capital contribution towards the cost of a national centre for trade union education which it hopes to establish. No exact sums were mentioned.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers in medicine were employed in university medical schools, in whole-time equivalents, in 1975 and at the latest date for which figures are available.

The available information is that in 1975–76and 1977–78 there were respectively 3,787 and 4,240 full-time academic staff in departments of clinical medicine in university medical schools in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make a statement on a specific pay offer in relation to a pay settlement for the universities' academic staff.

Negotiations are in progress and my right hon. and learned Friend will make a statement when there is a matter of substance to report.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been carried out to ascertain the number and percentage of young offenders who have in the past been committed to borstals; how many and what percentage of such offenders have been again thereafter convicted of a criminal offence; and how many and what percentage are not known to have again offended.

The number and percentage of young offenders sentenced to borstal for indictable offences by year of sentence is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—tables 6.12–6.14 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670. Reconviction rates within two years of those discharged from borstal by year of discharge are published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales"—tables 8.3–8.4 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7626.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what levels of immigration he anticipates for each of the next five years from the Indian subcontinent if the White Paper proposals are enacted; and what those figures would have been without the new measures.

Reliable projections cannot be made because future immigration can be affected by so many continuously changing factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will bring up to date the information contained in the written answer contained in the Official Report, 10 February 1977, columns 818–30, relating to the number and treatment of applications in the queue to enter the United Kingdom from the Indian subcontinent.

Provision of all the information requested would involve disproportionate cost. Information on applications received in the Indian subcontinent for entry clearances for immediate settlement, over four-fifths of which are

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of parents and grandparents aged 65 years or over, of British residents of Asian origin who have the means to maintain them, who are likely to have a standard of living substantially below that of their own country and therefore to meet the conditions set out in paragraph 48 of the White Paper on immigration rules.

No such estimate is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what research has been carried out to ascertain the number and percentage of young offenders who have in the past been committed to institutions which administer a short, sharp shock; how many and what percentage of such offenders have been again thereafter convicted of a criminal offence; and how many and what percentage are not known to have offended subsequently.

I assume that the question refers to young offenders held in detention centres during the early years of their existence. The number and percentage of young offenders given detention centre orders for indictable offences by year of sentence is published annually in "Criminal Statistics. England and Wales"—tables 6.12–6.14 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670. Reconviction rates within two years of those dis-

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Dyfed Powys on the progress of investigations to identify those who were responsible for scattering nails on a rugby pitch at Llanelli.

I understand from the chief constable that the position has not altered since my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State wrote to my hon. Friend on 19 November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Persian nationals have entered the United Kingdom in each of the past five years and for each month in the current year; how many have left the United Kingdom in the same period; how many Persian nationals are currently in the United Kingdom; and how many of these are students at universities and centres of higher education.

The numbers of Iranian nationals who have entered the United Kingdom is published annually in the Command Papers "Control of Immigration Statistics"—table 1 of the issue for 1978, Cmnd. 7565. The latest available monthly figures are given in the following table. For more up to date information on admissions of Iranian nationals at Heathrow airport I refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to a question by my hon. Friend, the Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Biggs-Davison).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what replies he has received from the London Boroughs Association or its members to his appeal for London boroughs to house some of the additional 10,000 Vietnamese boat people; what approaches the Government have received for financial assistance towards these endeavours; what has been the Government's reply; and whether he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend's approaches to local authority associations, including the London Boroughs Association, indicated that offers should be conveyed direct to the voluntary refugee organisations. I understand from the Joint Committee for Refugees from Vietnam that the London boroughs of Barnet, Bromley, Camden, Merton, Redbridge and Waltham Forest have offered long- term housing for Vietnamese refugees. We have also received from the London borough of Harrow a request for further guidance on resettlement accommodation. A request for financial assistance for local authorities towards resettlement costs has been received from the London Boroughs Association and other local authority associations. The Government have asked the local authority associations to submit a detailed case for this assistance which will then be carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current annual cost of the prison department regional offices, inclusive of staffing, salary and all other costs.

About £3 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the article by Dr. C. Backhouse on the health of detention centre boys in the Prison Medical Journal, and if he has taken Dr. Backhouse's findings into account in devising his short, sharp, shock régimes.

I have read Dr. Back-house's article, which was written in 1978. The director of prison medical services is being fully consulted in the planning of the pilot project.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he has refused the request by the editor of the Prison Medical Journal that it should be publicly available.

The potential sales of this specialised journal do not justify its publication but copies are freely available in the Library of the House, in the copyright libraries and the Home Office library. Small stocks are held in the Home Office library for issue to inquirers on request.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the fire cover provided by the Merseyside fire services; and if he will make a statement.

Under the Fire Services Acts, responsibility for securing the provision for its area of such a fire brigade and such equipment as may be necessary to meet all normal requirements rests with the fire authority. I have no reason to believe that the Merseyside county council is failing to discharge these statutory duties.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated savings through public expenditure cuts in the Merseyside fire services over the next two years.

It is for the Merseyside county council to decide the pattern of its expenditure and the allocation between services, including the Merseyside fire brigade, in the light of local needs and conditions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the establishment of the Merseyside fire service; and what is the total number currently employed.

The authorised establishment of the Merseyside fire brigade provides for a total of 1,528 members of the brigade. I understand that the total number employed on 31 October was 1,601.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received against proposed public expenditure cuts in the Merseyside fire services.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many experiments on live animals were testing cosmetics and toiletries;

The latest available figures relate to experiments commenced in 1978 and were published in table 2 of "Statistics of Experiments on Living Animals: Great Britain 1978"—Cmnd. 7628.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what types of sedatives were prescribed for the 33women at Cookham Wood prison receiving night sedatives on 22 November;

I am having inquiries made and shall write to the hon. Gentleman when the information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what his attitude is to the experiment on prisoners with Depixol and Modecote by Dr. McCleery in view of the Minister of State's statement, Official Report, 27 July, c. 544, that prison medical officers may not prescribe any drugs for experimental purposes.

Dr. McCleery's contributions in the Prison Medical Journal give an account of his observations on the effectiveness of Depixol and Modecote in the prison setting. Depixol and Modecote are not new drugs. They were, and still are, being widely used outside prisons and their prescription and use by by Dr. McCleery cannot be described as experimental.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what types of sedative were prescribed for the 14 women at Styal prison and the 12 at Risley remand centre.

The sedatives prescribed at Risley remand centre were benzodiazepine derivatives and chloral hydrate. I regret that I misinformed the hon. Gentleman when I told him that 14 prisoners at Styal prison received night sedatives on 22 November; this was, in fact, the number of prisoners who received medication at 8 pm on that day and of the 14, none received a night sedative. When night sedatives are necessary, benzodiazepine derivatives and chloral hydrate are generally prescribed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women were in Holloway on 22 November; and how many were on night sedatives.

On 22 November there were 394 women in Holloway prison of whom 228 received night sedatives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what evidence he has received that in accordance with the requirements of the Fire Services Acts adequate consultations took place with the representatives of the firemen and all other interested parties before proposals were made to him by the Nottinghamshire county council for changes in the establishment scheme of the county fire brigade.

It is my practice before considering an application for approval of variation of an establishment scheme to ask to be informed about the consultations which the fire authority has carried out on its proposals, the objections to the proposals which may have been made to the fire authority, and the nature of the fire authority's response to the objections. Before I reach a decision on the proposals which have been made to me by the Nottinghamshire county council I shall wish to be satisfied on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, having regard to the likely lack of fire protection cover both in the city of Nottingham and in the adjoining areas which would result from the removal of one of the two pumping appliances from the Dunkirk fire station in Nottingham, he will, under the Fire Services Acts, call for a local inquiry prior to approving the envisaged reduction in establishment; and if not, why not.

Until I have considered the proposals which I have received from the Nottingham county council for varying the establishment scheme for its area, and the objections which have been received, including those from the Nottingham city council, I cannot say whether a public local inquiry will be necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranians and how many other persons entered this country from Iran in each of the last 12 months and in the current month to date; and what are the reasons for the increase.

[pursuant to his reply, 29 November 1979 c. 722]: Information is not available on the numbers entering this country from Iran. For information on all admissions of Iranian nationals to the United Kingdom I refer my hon. Friend to my reply today to a question by my hon. Friend, the Member for Northampton, North (Mr. Marlow). The latest available information relates only to admissions of Iranian nationals at Heathrow airport and is given in the. following table.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the reorganisation of parliamentary constituency boundaries to be completed.

I hope that the Commissions for England and Scotland will have completed the task of reviewing parliamentary constituencies by the end of 1981. The Welsh Commission has not yet begun its work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the employment prospects for the East Midlands during the next 12 months.

I expect the East Midland, because of its varied industrial base, to continue to have employment potential above the national average.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the employment prospects in the Northern region.

The Northern region continues to suffer from the decline of its traditional industries and all Government measures apply to assist in overcoming this structural problem. Over the last 20 years there has been some success in creating a wider industrial base. But in the Northern region, as elsewhere, real jobs can be created only by a successful partnership between Government measures and the energies and efforts of management and workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the employment prospects for the Northern region during the next 12 months.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead). This applies equally to the Northern region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

At 8 November the number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,292,284.I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Melton (Mr. Latham).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of persons unemployed on the latest available date.

At 8 November the number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,292,284.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what study his Department is carrying out into factors creating unemployment; and if he will make a statement.

My Department keeps all aspects of unemployment under review. A number of studies have been recently published and more are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to have heard from the Health and Safety Commission with regard to its views on night work in bakeries.

The chairman informs me that the Commission expects to be able to give its views early in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of unemployed adults in Kirkby, Ormskirk, Merseyside, and the North-West respectively.

At 11 October, the latest date for which an age analysis of the unemployed is available, the numbers of people aged 18 and over registered as unemployed in the areas specified were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the relationship between the careers service and jobcentres.

Generally, yes. The two services work together to ensure that young people get the maximum benefit from the provision of two different services which between them respond to the varied needs of youngsters. However, the Government and the MSC are conscious of the need to ensure that the relationship is made as effective as possible, and are currently studying ways of making improvements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further representations he has received over his intention to introduce legislation on trade unions.

Over 100 organisations and many individuals have commented on our various proposals for amending industrial relations legislation. A list of the major organisations that commented was printed in the Official Report on 15 November.—[Vol. 973, c. 612.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further talks he has had with Trades Union Congress leaders regarding proposed industrial relations and trade union legislation.

I discussed our proposals for industrial relations legislation with TUC leaders at our meeting on 29 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the Government intend to introduce legislation to deal with industrial relations and the rights of trade unionists.

My right hon. Friend hopes to introduce a Bill into the House before the weekend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the employment consequences of the reduction in the Manpower Services Commission's budget.

The reduction in the Manpower Services Commission's expenditure in 1979–80 did not affect the number of opportunities for unemployed young people under the youth opportunities programme. The target for places under the special temporary employment programme was reduced from 30,000–35,000 to 12,000–14,000 by concentrating the scheme on the areas of greatest need. For future years the Commission has yet to decide on the development of its programmes in the light of the expenditure and staff resources available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what the gross expenditure will be of the Manpower Services Commission in 1980–81; and how this compares in real terms with the 1979–80 estimated outturn.

I am informed that the Manpower Services Commission has still to consider its 1980–81 estimate. When it does it will take account of the provision in the White Paper "The Government Expenditure Plan 1980–81" (Cmnd. 7746)for holding the expenditure in that year to broadly the reduced level for 1979–80, modified as necessary following the Government's announcement about reductions in Civil Service manpower.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the chairman of the MSC on 27 November 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many working days have been lost due to industrial disputes since May; and how this compares with the same period in 1978.

20·7 million working days were lost in the six months ended 31 October 1979, of which three-quarters were accounted for by the recent engineering strike. In the same period of 1978 the figure was 4·6 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress he is making with the review of statistical services and other administrative burdens on industry.

The review of the statistical services is well advanced. The main load on industry arises from the earnings and employment surveys. Both these areas are of great interest to Government and also to industry and there is a clear need for the main structure of data. The information sought is for the most part very simple and samples are used to minimise the load, especially on small firms. I have already made some economies, notably in the cancellation of the 1979 census of employment, which saved 600,000 forms, but I hope to make further reductions. There has been a review of the need for each administrative form and some changes are being made.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the workings of the Employment Protection Act.

No. We shall be proposing a number of amendments to the Employment Protection Acts in our forthcoming Bill, which will be introduced into the House before the weekend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he will next meet the chairman of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

I am in frequent contact with Mr. Mortimer but currently have no firm date fixed for a further meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in designating Hunterston a scheme port under the Dock Workers (Regulation of Employment) Act 1946.

My Department is consulting the National Joint Council for the Port Transport Industry about the wording of a draft order applying the Dock Workers Employment Scheme 1967 to the port of Hunterston.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any estimate of the amount of wages lost by shop floor workers during the engineering dispute, the resulting loss to companies, and increase in rent arrears of councils.

It is estimated, in very round terms, from the monthly index of average earnings for August and September that the earnings of weekly paid employees in the engineering sector may have been some £200 million below what they might have been in the absence of the dispute. This estimate is very tentative. No estimate can be made of the loss to companies or of the increase in rent arrears of councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many closed shop agreements once entered into have subsequently been rescinded by mutual consent of management and work force.

I regret that the information is not available. Parties to collective agreements are not under any obligation to notify my Department when any collective agreements are entered into or rescinded.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what European Economic Community proposals are being considered relating to overtime working and night work.

Overtime working has been considered in a number of communications from the European Commission, most recently in its communication dated 14 November which proposed the adoption of a resolution of the Council on the reorganisation of working time.This resolution was agreed by the Council of Ministers (Labour and Social Affairs) on 22 November. In it, the Council considered that limits should be applied to systematic overtime working, provided that these took account of such factors as the necessary flexibility of the production process and the situation in the Labour market and were introduced in accordance with procedures in force in the member States and with due regard being paid to the independent role of employers and unions.A copy of the resolution, when available in final form, will be placed in the Library of the House.Separately, proposals relating to the social aspects of restructuring the steel industry are under consideration. These would involve limitations on the use of overtime.No proposals relating to night work are currently under consideration by the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates would be the cost to the British economy of a reduction in the standard working week to 39 hours.

My Department has estimated that a reduction in the standard working week to 39 hours could add up to 2·8 per cent. to the national wage bill. This estimate takes no account of the longer term effects of such a reduction, which could undermine the productive capacity and competitiveness of British industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the likely level of youth unemployment in autumn 1980.

None. But we shall be considering estimates made by the Manpower Services Commission when we review the special employment measures for unemployed young people in 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are at present unemployed in the Greater London area; and what percentage this is of the working population.

At 8 November the number of people registered as unemployed in the Greater London area was 132,598, 3·5 per cent. of employees—including the unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the current provision of training facilities and sheltered workshops for the mentally handicapped.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which is responsible for employment and train- ing services for disabled people, that it is aware of the needs of mentally handicapped people and that it is studying ways of increasing provision of sheltered employment places for them and meeting their training needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his latest estimate of the number of persons included in the unemployment figures who are voluntarily unemployed.

I do not have an estimate of the extent to which there are people on the unemployment register who may be described as voluntarily unemployed. Undoubtedly there are some people who are receiving unemployment benefit but who are not actively seeking work, and in that sense may be regarded as voluntarily unemployed. Unless job offers are made it is difficult to test people's attitudes to work. I have ordered officials of this Department to work with officials of the Manpower Services Commission employment services division to consider, as a matter of priority, those aspects of liaison which concern the application of the rules about the unemployed accepting jobs which are suitable and available. In addition the staff on unemployment review work within the Department of Health and Social Security has been strengthened.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to introduce legislation on industrial relations.

My right hon. Friend hopes to publish a Bill before the weekend.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the rate of recruitment to the British approval service for electrical equipment in flammable atmospheres; and when he expects the advisory group of industrialists to report its recommendations on methods aimed at speeding up the service's certification procedures.

Recruitment to bring BASEEFA up to supplemented levels is progressing. Five professional staff have taken up duty since the end of July and one is due to take up appointment in early January 1980. In addition four candidates from recent recruitment competitions were found to be suitable for the work at BASEEFA, and provided the usual pre-appointment inquiries are satisfactorily completed and the people concerned accept the offer of appointment, it is hoped that they will commence within the next few months. BASEEFA should then have a full professional staff including those on secondment, but recruitment will continue to fill the posts occupied by seconded staff.I have asked that the industry study group which I have set up to report on BASEEFA's problems should do so in a matter of a few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals specifically designed to reduce the level of unemployment in rural areas; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Eye (Mr. Gummer) on 8 November.—[Vol. 973, c. 236–37]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he next intends to meet the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has plans to meet the general council of the Trades Union Congress.

My right hon. Friend keeps in frequent contact with members of the TUC and is ready to meet them at any time.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many participants in the youth opportunities pro- gramme have subsequently found permanent employment; and what proportion this represents of the total.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that comprehensive statistics relating to young people leaving the youth opportunities programme are not available. However, seven out of 10 of the 1,500 respondents to a recent follow-up survey entered normal employment immediately on leaving the work experience elements of the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he plans to continue the job release scheme beyond 31 March 1980; and if he will make a statement on the current operation of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have retired early under the terms of the job release scheme; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement about the current operation of the job release scheme.

A decision about the future of the job release scheme will be made as part of the annual review of the special employment and training measures which is now in progress. Such a review has been the practice since the scheme's inception. Decisions will be announced as soon as possible before 31 March 1980.Up to 7 November 1979, 97,722 applications under the scheme had been accepted in Great Britain.With regard to the current operation of the scheme, I refer my hon. Friends to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden) earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the aggregate cost to public funds of the Clegg comparability commission to date.

The direct cost of the Standing Commission on pay comparability up to 31 October, including salaries and expenses of members, totalled £16,303. The costs of servicing the Commission fall on the Office of Manpower Economies (OME), which provides similar services to other bodies. It is difficult to attribute these costs accurately between the Commission and other bodies. The indirect costs clearly attributable to the Commission are estimated at £300,000 to date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he is holding with the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry to extend employee participation.

My right hon. Friend has had no formal consultations but he has taken many opportunities to make clear the Government's conviction of the need for the determined development in industry of methods of employee involvement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from the Trades Union Congress regarding his proposals to remove legal immunities from secondary pickets in the legislation to be presented to Parliament during the present Session.

My right hon. Friend received the TUC's retailed comments on our proposals for amending the law on picketing in August. He discussed these with the TUC at meetings on 22 August and 29 November.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the Scottish unemployment figures expressed as a percentage of the United Kingdom total last month, six months ago and one year ago.