Written Answers To Questions
Thursday 17th January 1980
Prime Minister (Engagements)
Q5.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q6.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q7.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q9.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q11.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q12.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q13.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q16.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q17.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q18.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q19.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q22.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q27.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q28.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q29.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q30.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q31.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q32.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
Q33.
asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 17 January.
Q34.
asked the Prime Minister if she will state her official engagements for Thursday 17 January.
I refer the hon. Members and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead).
Rhodesia
Q8.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on Southern Rhodesia and its progress towards full independence.
I have nothing to add at this stage to what my right hon. Friend the Lord Privy Seal said in this House yesterday.
Nuclear Security
Q10.
asked the Prime Minister if she has received an explanation from the Dutch Government as to why they did not inform Her Majesty's Government of security breaches at the joint centrifuge project, at Urenco, Almelo, until four years after the information was known to them.
The extent to which the significance of Dr. Khan's activities in Holland was fully appreciated within the Netherlands Administration is one of the issues examined in the report prepared by an internal working party of the Netherlands Government. A copy of this report has been received in confidence by the United Kingdom. No decision has yet been taken by the Netherlands Government to publish it and I cannot discuss its detailed findings.I have made my concern about the Khan affair very clear to Mr. van Agt, the Netherlands Prime Minister, and we remain in close touch with the Netherlands and German Governments through diplomatic channels and in the Urenco joint committee to ensure that all the necessary action to prevent a repetition is being taken.
Retail Distribution Companies
Q14.
asked the Prime Minister whether she will advise the institution of a special annual award to retail distribution companies which have distinguished themselves by the low percentage of imports in their purchases of merchandise.
No. British manufacturers can ensure that retailers stock their products by offering what the customer wants in terms of price and quality. I do, however, welcome developments in the footwear and clothing trades where retailers have accepted that United Kingdom manufacturers should have a fair opportunity to compete against imports.
Bootle
Q15.
asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to Bootle.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Tuc
Q21.
asked the Prime Minister when she intends next to meet the Trades Union Congress.
Q26.
asked the Prime Minister when next she will meet the Trades Union Congress.
No dates have been arranged.
Cbi
Q20.
asked the Prime Minister when last she met the leaders of the Confederation of British Industry.
At the meeting of NEDC on 9 January.
Prices And Incomes
Q23.
asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the present level of prices in relation to incomes.
We shall not be satisfied until we have brought inflation under control. That is why we are determined to continue with the necessary fiscal and monetary policies.
North-East Lancashire
Q24.
asked the Prime Minister if she will pay an official visit to North-East Lancashire.
I have at present no plans to do so.
Sport (Ministerial Responsibility)
Q25.
asked the Prime Minister if she will consider abolishing the ministerial appointment with special responsibilities for sport.
No.
Olympic Games
Q35.
asked the Prime Minister what steps she is taking to get the Olympic Games moved from Moscow.
No firm decision has yet been taken. The Government are currently discussing this possibility with our major international partners. We certainly favour in principle the removal of the Games from Moscow and believe the only chance of achieving this is by a concerted approach to the International Olympic Committee.
Council Of Europe
asked the Prime Minister what changes have been made in the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the Consultative Assembly of the Council of Europe.
I have appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Jessel) as a full member in place of my hon. Friend the Member for Hastings (Mr. Warren). I have also appointed my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Osborn) as a substitute member.
Home Department
Detained Persons (Deaths)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the tables which he annexed to his letter to the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 12 December 1979 regarding deaths of persons in police custody.
The tables, amended to take account of further information which has become available in respect of one case, together with my further letter of 8 January to the hon. Member, are as follows:
"I am aware from references in the press, and from the further parliamentary questions which you have put down, of your continuing concern about deaths in police custody. I am, as requested, arranging for the tables which John Belstead sent you on 12 December to be published in the Official Report. (I should point out that there is one amendment to the tables; in the Greater Manchester case in 1977 an inquest was in fact held but no verdict given. The amended tables are enclosed.)
As John Belstead explained in his letter, the Home Office does not receive routine reports of deaths in police custody from chief officers of police. Some information was, however, obtained from them and sent to Stan Newens following a question by him in June 1977, and in response to your question we obtained similar information for the ensuing period up to 30 June 1979. As John Belstead went on to say, the information was fairly comprehensive, but did not include all the details you requested. In particular not all the names of those who died were obtained in the earlier exercise, and I took the view that we should not be justified in asking chief officers to extend the scope of their earlier reports as well as to bring the figures up to date. However, in all the circumstances I have now given instructions that the further information you ask for should be obtained, including the names of those concerned, and the tables expanded to include figures for the whole of 1979. I will write to you again and give you this information as soon as it is available. Meanwhile, I think it would be helpful to repeat some of the other points made in John Belstead's letter.
As he explained, in the nine and a half years from January 1970 to June 1979 there were 245 deaths in police custody. Many persons are found by the police having collapsed in the street after too much alcohol or drugs, or after a fight, or are already ill when they are taken into police custody. If people show signs of illness at the time of their arrest or at the police station, it is normal police practice to send them to hospital for treatment. Of the 245 deaths mentioned in the returns made to the Home Office, 143 occurred while the person concerned was detained in a police station, and 102 while the person concerned was technically in police custody while detained in hospital. The latter figures include persons who were dead on arrival in the hospital.
Deaths in police custody are reported to the coroner in the prescribed manner. Inquests were held in 223 of the 245 cases and in these cases the cause of death shown in the tables was the inquest verdict. Inquest verdicts included: 66 deaths due to natural causes; 62 deaths by misadventure; 39 accidental deaths; 36 suicides; and two verdicts of manslaughter. Both verdicts of manslaughter were given formally after another person (not being a police officer) had been convicted by the crown court of manslaughter of the person in custody. There were also 15 open verdicts and 22 cases where an inquest was not held: in these cases the notes to the tables show the cause of death as given on the death certificate.
Finally, there are three cases where no inquest verdict has been given. The first two cases are those which occurred in 1977 in Greater Manchester and the West Midlands when, under section 20 of the Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926, the inquests were adjourned and not resumed because another member of the public had been charged with manslaughter: the relevant notes to the tables shows the cause of death as given on the death certificate. The other case is that of James Kelly in which the inquest is now to be resumed.
Given the public interest in the matter, and the widespread reports in the press of your comments on John Belstead's letter, I am arranging for a copy of this letter, and of the tables which he sent you (as amended), to be made available to the press".
| TABLE I | ||||||||||
| DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY 1970–79: ENGLAND AND WALES: BY CAUSE OF DEATH | ||||||||||
Year
| Natural causes | Misadventure | Accidental death | Inquest verdict Suicide | Manslaughter | Open verdict | No verdict given | No inquest | Total | |
| 1970 | … | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 7 |
| 1971 | … | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | 17 |
| 1972 | … | 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | 18 |
| 1973 | … | 10 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | 20 |
| 1974 | … | 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 3 | 27 |
| 1975 | … | 8 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 37 |
| 1976 | … | 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 24 |
| 1977 | … | 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 31 |
| 1978 | … | 10 | 12 | 9 | 8 | — | 3 | — | 6 | 48 |
| 1979 (to 30 June) | … | 2 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16 |
| Total | … | 66 | 62 | 39 | 36 | 2 | 15 | 3 | 22 | 245 |
Note: Figures cover period from 1 January 1970 to 30 June 1979 | ||||||||||
| TABLE II | ||||||
| DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY 1970–79: ENGLAND AND WALES BY FORCE AREA AND PLACE OF DEATH | ||||||
| Place where death occurred | ||||||
Force
| Total deaths | In police station | Hospital* | |||
| Avon and Somerset | … | … | … | 5 | 4 | 1 |
| Bedfordshire | … | … | … | 3 | 3 | — |
| Cambridgeshire | … | … | … | — | — | — |
| Cheshire | … | … | … | 4 | 4 | — |
| Cleveland | … | … | … | 3 | 3 | — |
| Cumbria | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Derbyshire | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Devon and Cornwall | … | … | … | 4 | 4 | — |
| Dorset | … | … | … | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Durham | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Essex | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Gloucestershire | … | … | … | 2 | 2 | — |
| Greater Manchester | … | … | … | 11 | 4 | 7 |
| Hampshire | … | … | … | 3 | 3 | — |
| Hertfordshire | … | … | … | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Humberside | … | … | … | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Kent | … | … | … | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Lancashire | … | … | … | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Leicestershire | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Lincolnshire | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Merseyside | … | … | … | 14 | 2 | 12 |
| Norfolk | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Northamptonshire | … | … | … | 1 | — | 1 |
| Northumbria | … | … | … | 6 | 4 | 2 |
| North Yorkshire | … | … | … | 4 | 2 | 2 |
| Nottinghamshire | … | … | … | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| South Yarkshire | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Staffordshire | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Suffolk | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Surrey | … | … | … | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Sussex | … | … | … | 4 | 3 | 1 |
| Thames Valley | … | … | … | 3 | 3 | — |
| Warwickshire | … | … | … | 2 | 2 | — |
| West Mercia | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| West Midlands | … | … | … | 11 | 6 | 5 |
| West Yorkshire | … | … | … | 14 | 4 | 10 |
| Wiltshire | … | … | … | — | — | — |
| Dyfed Powys | … | … | … | 1 | 1 | — |
| Gwent | … | … | … | 1 | — | 1 |
| North Wales | … | … | … | 3 | 3 | — |
| South Wales | … | … | … | 11 | 9 | 2 |
| City of London | … | … | … | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| Metropolitan | … | … | … | 102 | 56(‡) | 46 |
| Total | … | … | … | 245 | 143 | 102 |
Notes: Adjustments have been made in relation to period before 1974 to avoid double counting on account of changes in force boundary areas. | ||||||
* This includes deaths on way to hospital | ||||||
| †Figures cover period from 1 January 1970 to 30 June 1979. | ||||||
| ‡Includes one death (natural causes) at court | ||||||
| TABLE III | ||||||||||
| DEATHS IN POLICE CUSTODY IN ENGLAND AND WALES: BY FORCE AND BY CAUSE OF DEATH 1970 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
Natural causes
| Misadventure
| Accidental death
| Suicide
| Manslaughter
| Open verdict
| No verdict given
| No inquest
| Total
| ||
| Merseyside | … | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| West Yorkshire | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Metropolitan | … | 2 | — | — | — | — | 1(1) | — | — | 3 |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 7 | ||
| 1971 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
Natural causes
| Misadventure | Accidental death | Suicide | Manslaughter | Open verdict | No verdict given | No inquest | Total | ||
| Avon and Somerset | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(2) | 1 |
| Dorset | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kent | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Northumbria | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| South Wales | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Suffolk | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Surrey | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Midlands | … | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Metropolitan | … | … | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 5 |
| 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | 1 | 17 | ||
Notes: Columns 1–6 show cause of death by inquest verdict. For Columns 6–8 notes show cause of death as given on the medical certificate. | ||||||||||
| (1) Hanging. | ||||||||||
| 2) Chronic alcoholism. | ||||||||||
| 1972 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
Natural causes
| Misadventure | Accidental death | Suicide | Manslaughter | Open verdict | No verdict given | No inquest | Total | |
| Devon and Cornwall | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Gloucestershire | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hampshire | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hertfordshire | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Lancashire | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| South Wales | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Yorkshire | — | — | — | 1 | — | 1(3) | — | — | 2 |
| City of London | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Metropolitan | 4 | 1 | 2 | — | — | 1(4) | — | — | 8 |
| 6 | 3 | 5 | 2 | — | 2 | — | — | 18 | |
| 1973 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
Natural causes
| Misadventure | Accidental death | Suicide | Manslaughter | Open verdict | No verdict given | No inquest | Total | ||
| Cleveland | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cumbria | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Humberside | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| North Yorkshire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Nottinghamshire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Midlands | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Yorkshire | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1(5) | — | — | 2 |
| Metropolitan | … | 6 | 1 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 11 |
| 10 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | 1 | — | — | 20 | ||
| (3) Alcohol and barbiturate poisoning. | ||||||||||
| (4) Fractured skull. | ||||||||||
| (5)Broncho-pneumonia. | ||||||||||
| 1974 | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
Natural causes
| Misadventure | Accidental death | Suicide | Manslaughter | Open verdict | No verdict given | No inquest | Total | |
| Avon and Somerset | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(6) | 1 |
| Bedfordshire | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cheshire | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cleveland | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Devon and Cornwall | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Dyfed Powys | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Lincolnshire | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| South Wales | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Thames Valley | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Warwickshire | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Mercia | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Midlands | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| City of London | — | — | — | — | — | 1(7) | — | — | 1 |
| Metropolitan | 7 | 1 | 1 | — | — | 1(8) | — | 2(9) | 12 |
| 9 | 8 | 3 | 2 | — | 2 | — | 3 | 27 | |
| (6) Coronary occlusion, atheroma and acute alcoholism. | |||||||||
| (7) Alcohol poisoning. | |||||||||
| (8) Fractured skull. | |||||||||
| (9)Hypothermia/alcoholism: chronic alcoholism. | |||||||||
| 1975 | ||||||||||
| 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||||
Natural causes
| Misadventure | Accidental death | Suicide | Manslaughter | Open verdict | No verdict given | No inquest | Total | ||
| Avon and Somerset | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Dorset | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(10) | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hampshire | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Humberside | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kent | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Lancashire | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Norfolk | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Northants | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| North Wales | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| South Wales | … | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Staffs | … | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(11) | 1 |
| Sussex | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Midlands | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| West Yorkshire | … | — | 1 | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
| Metropolitan | … | 6 | 3 | 3 | — | — | 1(12) | — | 4(13) | 17 |
| 8 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 6 | 37 | ||
| (10) Cardial haemorrhage. | ||||||||||
| (11) Coronary thrombosis. | ||||||||||
| (12) Fractured skull. | ||||||||||
| (13) Alcohol poisoning: inhalation-vomit/drug addiction: Hacmorrhage pancreas/self neglect: strangulated hernia. | ||||||||||
| 1976 | ||||||||||
1
| 2
| 3
| 4
| 5
| 6
| 7
| 8
| |||
Natural causes
| Misadventure
| Accidental death
| Suicide
| Manslaughter
| Open verdict
| No verdict given
| No inquest
| Total
| ||
| Bedfordshire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Essex | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | … | 1 | — | 1 | — | — | 1(14) | — | — | 3 |
| Leicestershire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | … | — | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | 2 |
| North Yorkshire | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| South Wales | … | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| West Yorkshire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Metropolitan | … | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | 2(15) | — | — | 12 |
| 6 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 1 | 3 | — | — | 24 | ||
| (14) Respiratory failure/Tranxene poisoning. | ||||||||||
| (15) Fractured skull/pneumonia: glycole poisoning. | ||||||||||
1977
| |||||||||
1
| 2
| 3
| 4
| 5
| 6
| 7
| 8
| ||
Natural causes
| Misadventure
| Accidental death
| Suicide
| Manslaughter
| Open verdict
| No verdict given
| No inquest
| Total
| |
| Avon and Somerset | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cheshire | — | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Cleveland | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Devon and Cornwall | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | 1(16) | — | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Gwent | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Hertfordshire | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Kent | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Lancashire | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 3 |
| Northumbria | — | 1 | — | 1 | — | 1(17) | — | — | 3 |
| North Wales | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| North Yorkshire | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(18) | 1 |
| West Midlands | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | 1(19 | 1(20) | 5 |
| Metropolitan | 3 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 8 |
| 8 | 8 | 5 | 5 | — | 1 | 2 | 2 | 31 | |
| (16) Cerebral haemorrhage due to fractured skull. Inquest adjourned and not resumed (section 20 of Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926), another member of the public having been charged with manslaughter. | |||||||||
| (17) Acute alcoholic poisoning. | |||||||||
| (18) Myocardial infarction/severe coronary atheroma. | |||||||||
| (19) Cerebral contusion with fracture of skull and sub dural haemorrhage due to head injury. Inquest adjourned and not resumed (section 20 or Coroners (Amendment) Act 1926), another member of the public having been charged with manslaughter | |||||||||
| (20) Heart attack | |||||||||
| 1978 | ||||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | |||
Natural causes
| Misadventure
| Accidental death
| Suicide
| Manslaughter
| Open verdict
| No verdict given
| No inquest
| Total
| ||
| Bedfordshire | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Cheshire | … | — | — | — | — | — | 1(21) | — | — | 1 |
| Derbyshire | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Gloucestershire | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1(22) | 2 |
| Hampshire | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Humberside | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | 1(23) | 2 |
| Kent | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | … | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Northumbria | … | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| North Wales | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| North Yorkshire | … | — | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Nottinghamshire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| South Wales | … | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1(24) | 3 |
| South Yorkshire | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Surrey | … | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Sussex | … | — | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 2 |
| Warwickshire | … | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| West Yorkshire | … | 2 | — | — | 1 | — | 1(25) | — | — | 4 |
| Metropolitan | … | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2 | — | 1(26) | — | 3(27) | 20 |
| 10 | 12 | 9 | 8 | — | 3 | — | 6 | 48 | ||
| (21) Burns and inhalation of smoke. | ||||||||||
| (22) Bronchial pneumonia. | ||||||||||
| (23) Acute tracheo bronchitis/cerebral haemorrhage. | ||||||||||
| (24) Acute heart failure/coronary atheroma. | ||||||||||
| (25) Poisoning by drugs. | ||||||||||
| (26) Fractured skull of long standing (contused brain). | ||||||||||
| (27) All natural causes. | ||||||||||
| 1979(1 January-30 June) | |||||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | ||
Natural causes
| Misadventure
| Accidental death
| Suicide
| Manslaughter
| Open verdict
| No verdict given
| No inquest
| Total
| |
| Avon and Somerset | — | — | — | — | — | 1(28) | — | — | 1 |
| Devon and Cornwall | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(29) | 1 |
| Durham | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Greater Manchester | — | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Lancashire | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Merseyside | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1(30) | — | 1 |
| Sussex | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Thames Valley | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 1(31) | 2 |
| West Yorkshire | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 |
| Metropolitan | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | 2(32) | 6 |
| 2 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 1 | 1 | 4 | 16 | |
| (28) Acute haemorrhage gastritis due to ingestion of unknown noxious substance. | |||||||||
| (29) Ischaemic heart disease/hypoglycaema. | |||||||||
| (30) James Kelly: Inquest at present adjourned. | |||||||||
| (31) Natural causes. | |||||||||
| (32) Natural causes: Confluent broncho-pneumonia. | |||||||||
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide such information as he has of how many persons, during each year since 1970, having been detained in police custody, have died shortly after release from such custody.
I regret that this information is not available.
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons during each year since 1970 have died of hypothermia or extreme cold whilst in police custody or as a result of a period in such custody; and in how many cases extreme cold or a medical condition associated with it has been identified either at the coroner's inquest or on the death certificate as a contributory factor to death in such circumstances.
In response to the hon. Member's previous request, I have already asked chief officers of police for further information about the deaths of persons in police custody in each year since 1970. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible, giving such information as may be available.
Mr Kwai Wam Tsim
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Mr. Kwai Wam Tsim, a 21-year-old Chinese man, was allowed to enter Great Britain; when this man entered Great Britain; why he was arrested at Cardiff; why he appeared at Bow Street magistrates' court on 4 January; and whether he will make a statement giving reasons why this man was originally allowed to enter Great Britain.
I understand that Mr. Tsim, who is a citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies, originally came here early in 1972 to join his parents under the immigration rules then relating to dependants. A citizen of the United Kingdom and Colonies admitted in those circumstances acquires the right of abode in the United Kingdom on the completion of five years' residence, by virtue of section 2(1)(c) of the Immigration Act 1971. A warrant of arrest was issued by the chief Metropolitan stipendiary magistrate on 24 October 1979 in accordance with the provsions of section 8 of the Extradition Act 1870. This was at the request of the authorities in the Netherlands, who had indicated that they would be seeking the extradition of Mr. Tsim as a person accused of murder. He was arrested on this warrant on 2 January and he appeared at Bow Street magistrates' court on 4 January in accordance with the requirements of the 1870 Act
Taxi-Cabs (Charges)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately for July 1978 and November 1979 the cost per mile of travel in a London taxi.
The average cost per mile, including the hiring charge but excluding any charge for waiting time, was 35p in July 1978 and 45p in November 1979.
Police Complaints Board
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Police Complaints Board has met each month since it was set up; what was the length of each meeting; and how many cases were examined at each meeting.
These are matters within the responsibility of the Police Complaints Board, which is an independent body established under the Police Act 1976.
Messrs Patrick And Thomas O'hagan
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the exclusion orders made against Mr. Patrick and Mr. Thomas O'Hagan under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976; and if he will make a statement.
Under the procedure for the review of exclusion orders announced on 18 June 1979, the orders made against Patrick and Thomas O'Hagan will be due for review three years after they were made.
Police Stations (Cells)
asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of police station cells; and how many of these are not heated.
In England and Wales some 4,500, all having heating facilities.
Mr John Cairncross
asked the Attorney-General if he will refer the case of Mr John Cairn-cross to the Director of Public Prosecutions, with a view to seeking extradition from Italy and prosecution under the Official Secrets Act 1911.
No. Even if there were admissible evidence, which there is not, extradition is not available from Italy in respect of offences of this nature.
Official Secrets Act (Breaches)
asked the Attorney-General if he will list those persons who have been given an option of resigning office and leaving the country rather than face prosecution for breach of the Official Secrets Act during the last 30 years.
I know of none.
Education And Science
English Language Schools
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he proposes to take to supervise and control English language schools which can operate without the approval of his Department.
Independent English language schools may apply to my right hon. and learned Friend for recognition as efficient establishments of further education, provided that their courses meet certain educational criteria; the names of recognised establishments are publicised abroad by the British Council. Recognition is voluntary, and my right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to institute statutory controls in this field.
Overseas Students
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of representations made to him, distinguishing between those which support and those which oppose the increase in overseas student fees.
My right hon. and learned Friend has received over 500 representations about the introduction of full cost fees for overseas students since the policy was first announced on 1 November 1979. A number have supported it in principle, but the great majority have been opposed to the policy.
Teachers (Shortage Subjects)
asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to recruit people to train or retrain as teachers of shortage subjects.
A Government advertising campaign, to recruit applicants to training and retraining courses in 1980–81 and to make known the availablity of financial support, was launched on 6 January. It will run for a month. The aim is to recruit men and women to train or retrain to teach mathematics, the physical sciences, business studies, and craft, design and technology in secondary schools. Copies of an explanatory booklet are being sent to every local education authority in England and Wales and also to those who reply to the advertisement.
Scotland
Services (Tayside Region)
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the transitional cost of transferring responsibility for education, social work and transport services in Dundee from Tayside region to Dundee district council.
My right hon. Friend has made no such estimate.
Planning And Building Controls
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to publish the names of the persons who will investigate the situation in Scotland in regard to the existing planning regulations and building control powers held by both district and local authorities.
My right hon. Friend announced on 15 January—[Vol. 976, c. 700–1]—the membership of the committee of inquiry which has been setup to review local government in Scotland. The terms of reference allow the committee to consider transfer of functions between different types of authority, but building control and the majority of planning regulations are administered by district councils.
Local Authorities (Expenditure)
Mr. Ernie Ross asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the upper limit of expenditure recommended by his Department to each regional and island authority in each year since
| £ million at November 1979 prices | ||||
| Regional and Islands Councils | Guideline for current expenditure relevant for RSG (excluding loan charges) | Near-Actual Expenditure | Amount by which near actual exceeds(+) or fails short of(—)Guideline | |
| 1976–77 | ||||
| Borders | … | 27·54 | 26·64 | —0·90 |
| Central | … | 64·79 | 67·54 | +2·75 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | … | 37·27 | 37·06 | —0·21 |
| Fife | … | 80·99 | 82·79 | +1·80 |
| Grampian | … | 118·25 | 120·25 | +2·00 |
| Highland | … | 53·46 | 57·52 | +4·06 |
| Lothian | … | 210·58 | 209·24 | —1·34 |
| Strathclyde | … | 732·17 | 724·30 | —7·87 |
| Tayside | … | 105·28 | 103·90 | —1·38 |
| Orkney | … | 6·47 | 6·76 | +0·29 |
| Shetland | … | 8·09 | 7·49 | —0·60 |
| Western Isles | … | 12·94 | 12·25 | —0·69 |
| 1977–78 | ||||
| Borders | … | 27·39 | 27·11 | —0·28 |
| Central | … | 64·89 | 66·33 | +1·44 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | … | 37·50 | 36·67 | —0·83 |
| Fife | … | 80·77 | 80·17 | —0·60 |
| Grampian | … | 119·71 | 118·25 | —1·46 |
| Highland | … | 53·36 | 56·74 | +3·38 |
| Lothian | … | 209·12 | 201·23 | —7·89 |
| Strathclyde | … | 726·89 | 698·10 | —28·79 |
| Tayside | … | 103·83 | 102·92 | —0·91 |
| Orkney | … | 6·42 | 6·05 | —0·37 |
| Shetland | … | 8·03 | 8·14 | +0·11 |
| Western Isles | … | 12·85 | 12·81 | —0·04 |
| 1978–79 | ||||
| Borders | … | 27·99 | 28·48 | +0·49 |
| Central | … | 65·70 | 70·46 | +4·76 |
| Dumfries and Galloway | … | 38·11 | 38·19 | +0·08 |
| Fife | … | 82·78 | 83·98 | +1·20 |
| Grampian | … | 119·57 | 122·29 | +2·72 |
| Highland | … | 54·13 | 59·10 | +4·97 |
| Lothian | … | 206·29 | 212·43 | +6·14 |
| Strathclyde | … | 726·63 | 728·36 | +1·73 |
| Tayside | … | 105·11 | 109·60 | +·49 |
| Orkney | … | 6·59 | 7·48 | +0·89 |
| Shetland | … | 8·23 | 8·80 | +0·57 |
| Western Isles | … | 13·14 | 13·77 | +0·63 |
National Library Of Scotland
asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if any decision has been reached about how the National Library of Scotland's accommodation needs can best be met.
regionalisation and the amount actually spent by each authority in each year; and if he will express the excess or deficit of the authorities' spending compared with the recommended upper limit at November 1979 prices in each case.
Guidelines, which are indicative, not mandatory, have been issued as an aid to local authorities in their budgeting since 1976–77. The information is given in the table below and relates to the years for which provisional outturn data are available.
The trustees of the National Library of Scotland have decided that its pressing accommodation needs can be met most suitably by further development of the site which the library already occupies at Causewayside, Edinburgh. This development has been approved in principle and detailed planning will now begin. I hope that the first part of the new building will be ready for use in 1986.
Defence
Quality Assurance Directorate, Woolwich
asked the Secretary of State for Defence what review his Department has recently undertaken of the operation of the quality assurance directorate at Woolwich; what conclusions were reached; and when the findings will be published.
As part of the review of Civil Service activities announced in Parliament on 11 June 1979—[Vol. 968, c. 68]—a study was set in hand under my chairmanship to review the work of all the quality assurance directorates and consider, subject to the maintenance of essential safety standards, the further scope for transferring quality assurance effort from the Ministry of Defence to Industry.A report of the results of this study is expected to be available very soon. It will be given a wide distribution, and copies will be placed in the Libraries of the Houses of Parliament. The staff side and trade union side of the Whitley Councils will be consulted.
Foreign Nationals (Training)
asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many nationals from (a) Argentina and (b) Iran are undergoing military training in Great Britain; and what type of training is involved.
asked the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if it is still his policy to provide military training for Iranian nationals in Great Britain; and if he regards this as compatible with current British relations with Iran;(2) for what purpose Iranian nationals are undergoing military training in Great Britain.
A small number of officers from both Argentina and Iran are receiving military training in the United Kingdom. It is our practice to keep the details of the training we supply to foreign Governments confidential as between ourselves and the Government concerned. However, I can assure the hon. Gentlemen that the training we are providing for the Iranians is entirely educational or professional, and is in line with our view of long-term Western relations with Iran. There has been no suggestion by the Unietd States that Western countries should suspend this type of training.
British Library Building, St Pancras
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Wolver Hampton, North-East on 20 November 1979, when he expects to be able to make a further statement on the construction of the new British Library at St. Pancras.
I shall make a statement as soon as possible.
Arts Council
asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to announce the grant to the Arts Council for the next financial year.
I hope to do so shortly.
University Of London (Medical Schools)
Dr. Mawhinney asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster which of the University of London medical schools have charters which would allow part or all of those medical schools to be closed.
There is no specific reference to closure in any of these charters. However, I am advised that it is doubtful whether this has any direct bearing on the question whether or not a particular school could be closed.
Employment
Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many candidates were successful arising from the spring 1979 open competition for Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate; and how many vacancies still remain in the inspectorate.
| Inspector of Factories Class 11 | 27 |
| Chemical Inspectors of Factories (Occupational Hygiene and Fire and Explosion) | 3 |
| Engineering Inspectors of Factories (Mechanical) | Seven plus one candidate in duty April 1980 |
| Electrical Inspectors of Factories | 1 |
Unemployment
asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is the number of persons, at the nearest convenient date, who have become totally unemployed
| 10 May 1979 | 6 December 1979 | Difference | |||
| South-East | … | … | 273,500 | 258,700 | —14,800 |
| East Anglia | … | … | 31,000 | 29,600 | —1,400 |
| South-West | … | … | 90,900 | 87,000 | —3,900 |
| West Midlands | … | … | 118,700 | 122,100 | +3,400 |
| East Midlands | … | … | 71,900 | 72,500 | +600 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | … | … | 113,300 | 111,900 | —1,400 |
| North-West | … | … | 189,800 | 189,200 | —600 |
| North | … | … | 109,400 | 111,000 | +1,600 |
| Wales | … | … | 81,400 | 78,900 | —2,500 |
| Scotland | … | … | 165,900 | 170,500 | +4,600 |
| Great Britain | … | … | 1,247,200 | 1,233,800 | —13,400 |
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were unemployed for four weeks or less, since 10 May 1979, nationally and by region.
The following table gives the numbers of people who had been registered as unemployed for four weeks
| 10 May 1979 | 6 December 1979 | Difference | |||
| South-East | … | … | 41,038 | 50,956 | +9,918 |
| East Anglia | … | … | 4,519 | 5,460 | +941 |
| South-West | … | … | 11,469 | 14,440 | +2,971 |
| West Midlands | … | … | 14,549 | 16,961 | +2,412 |
| East Midlands | … | … | 8,072 | 11,470 | +3,398 |
| Yorkshire and Humberside | … | … | 14,131 | 18,734 | +4,603 |
| North-West | … | … | 22,494 | 25,697 | +3,203 |
| North | … | … | 13,532 | 15,957 | +2,425 |
| Wales | … | … | 10,012 | 12,023 | +2,011 |
| Scotland | … | … | 20,591 | 25,721 | +5,130 |
| Great Britain | … | … | 160,407 | 197,419 | +37,012 |
The numbers of applicants who took up duty as a result of competitions for general and specialist inspectors of factories during the spring of 1979 were:since 10 May 1979, nationally and by region;(2) how many persons, at the nearest convenient date, have become unemployed since 10 May 1978, nationally and by region.
The following table gives the numbers of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain as a whole and in each standard region at 10 May 1979 and 6 December 1979 and the differences between these dates. The figures exclude school leavers and are seasonally adjusted.or less in Great Britain as a whole and in each standard region at 10 May 1979 and 6 December 1979 and the differences between these dates. The figures include school leavers and are not seasonally adjusted. They may be affected by seasonal factors and the introduction of fortnightly payment of benefit in September 1979.
European Social Fund
asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total amount of allocations made to the United Kingdom from the European social fund in 1979.
Allocations to the United Kingdom from the European social fund in 1979 total £130·3 million. This represents some 26·3 per cent. of the fund's budget for 1979.
Bakeries (Night Work)
asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to receive the report of the Health and Safety Commission on night work in bakeries; and what steps he is planning to take.
I am hoping to hear from the Health and Safety Commission shortly. The Government will decide how to proceed in the light of the commission's views.
Skillcentres
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many skillcentres were completed during the years 1977, 1978 and 1979; how many are currently under construction; and which ones he expects to be completed during 1980 and in 1981.
I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.
asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many skillcentre places are there in South Yorkshire: and how many will be closed in 1980 and in 1981.
[pursuant to his reply15 January 1980]: I understand from the Manpower Services Commission that there are currently 443 skillcentre places available in South Yorkshire, at Sheffield and Doncaster skillcentres. Sheffield annexe is in process of closure, with its classes being transferred to the main centre. Doncaster skillcentre is included in a list of candidates for possible closure to be considered by the Manpower Services Commission at the end of this month.
Public Holidays
asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring England and Wales into line with Scotland by declaring Friday 2 January 1981 a public holiday.
[pursuant to his reply14 January 1980]: No, The total number of bank holidays taken in England and Wales is the same as that in Scotland, though some are taken on different days.
Northern Ireland
Constable David Purse
asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement concerning the murder of RUC Reserve Constable David Purse on Saturday 12 January at Seaview Football Ground.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1980]: At approximately 1605 hours on 12 January a car drew up outside the Crusaders football ground, Shore Road, while a match was in progress. One man armed with a rifle left the vehicle, pushed open the main gate of the football ground and fired five rounds, one of which fatally wounded part-time Reserve Constable William David Purse, aged 44. Constable Purse was in the process of opening the exit gate prior to the end of the game.The gunman and two other men escaped in the car, heading south towards the city centre. It later transpired that the car had been taken from its owner earlier that afternoon in the New Lodge area of Belfast. Police inquiries are continuing.
Energy
Dungeness A Power Station
asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will publish in the Official Reporta full description of the defects discovered in reactor 2 at Dungeness A nuclear power station;(2) if he will publish in the
Official Report a full description of the defects discovered in reactor 1 at Dungeness A nuclear power station.
I am advised by the CEGB that nuclear reactors are shut down for statutory inspection every two years as a requirement of the nuclear site licences granted by the Health and Safety Executive. The programmes of work are agreed between the CEGB and the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate of the executive and in recent years reactors have been subjected to more comprehensive inspection than in earlier years, taking advantage of developments in inspection techniques.Dungeness A reactor 2 was shut down for a statutory inspection in August 1978, and the planned outage was extended owing to the discovery of weld defects. This was reported in
Hansard on 21 May 1979. These defects occurred in some of the structures of the coolant gas ducts which transfer hot gas from the reactor core to the boilers, where after being cooled the gas is pumped by circulators back to the core. The major defects were found in compensating bellows associated with the main gas circulators, and other defects were found in the gas duct attachments and restraint systems of the duct expansion bellows. Some of these defects were removed by a limited amount of grinding: where necessary others were repaired by approved weld procedures, while the remainder were small and accepted by the NH without repair. The defects were in the fillet welds where components are attached to the ducts, or in the fillet welds of the bellows restraints, but not in the main butt welds of the ductwork. The inspections were carried out using the magnetic particle technique supplemented by ultrasonic methods, use of the latter being more difficult because of access. Both methods are far more sophisticated and sensitive than the radiographic techniques used during construction many years ago, and which were the optimum techniques then available. The majority of the defects indicate parting or tearing of the weld material from the parent metal, or lack of fusion at the weld roots.
Reactor I was shut down for its statutory inspection in April 1979 and a programme of work taking account of the experience obtained from reactor 2 was started. In general similar defects have been found and remedial work is being carried out. Particular attention has been given to the internal restraint systems of the bellows, and improved ultrasonic equipment recently developed for the purpose has enabled more detailed information to be obtained. Recent inspections and investigations of two of the bellows components revealed defects that reduced the margin of strength to an extent that required remedial action. It should be noted that the restraint structures can accept a considerable loss of strength in individual parts without the risk of overall failure occurring. The evidence indicates that the defects were present when the bellows were manufactured and did not develop during operation of the reactor.
During the reactor 2 shutdown in 1978 and 1979 similar parts were examined principally by magnetic particle inspection and at that time there were no indications of significant defects. However, this now needs to be checked by the more accurate ultrasonic method. Accordingly, the CEGB considered it prudent to shut down reactor 2 on 14 January 1980, instead of March, the next planned statutory shut down. This also has the advantage that any necessary repair work can be planned in conjunction with that for reactor 1.
There has been no health hazard either to the public or to the staff at the station, and the defects are in places where there is insignificant radiation, which permits remedial work without undue exposure of personnel. It is not possible to say at this stage when Dungeness A will resume electricity production, but I understand that the board is confident that the station will be back in service later this year. The inspection and repair work will be subject to the approval of the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate, and the station will not be returned to service until the inspectorate is satisfied.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Reportthe date on which the construction of Dungeness A nuclear power station first began, the date on which it first supplied power to the grid, and periods since that date during which it has been fully functioning or out of commission.
Construction of Dungeness A nuclear power station started in July 1960 and reactor 1 began supplying electricity to the national grid in September 1965. Full power operation was achieved in November 1965 in reactor 1 and in December 1965 in reactor 2.Each reactor has been shut down every two years for statutory inspection. I have asked the chairman of the CEGB to write to the hon. Member with detailed information.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the total capital and running costs to date of Dungeness A nuclear power station; and what is the estimated revenue from electricity actually supplied to the grid during such time as the station has been in commission.
Total capital costs of Dungeness A nuclear power station were £79 million and the total running costs to date are £99 million. These figures exclude interest and overheads which the CEGB does not charge separately to the costs of individual power stations. The output of Dungeness A in the period since its commissioning, valued at the average price at which the CEGB sold electricity in bulk to the area boards in those years, was £360 million
Marshall Report
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now make a statement of his policy on the Marshall report on combined heat and power; and when he will be authorising a design study or a project on such a scheme for the more efficient use of energy.
| Holding at 1979 | Arisings*by 2,000 | |
| Cubic Metres | ||
| Fuel cladding, sludges and miscellaneous wastes from earlier processes | 19,000 | 39,000 |
| Plutonium contaminated wastes | 3,500 | 10,000 |
| Wastes stored at power stations | 20,000 | 36,000 |
| * The extent of the holdings by 2,000 will be dependent upon the use made of existing disposa routes and upon the treatment of the wastes. | ||
Home Heating
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will express, in tabular
I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derbyshire, South-East (Mr. Rost) on 14 January.—[Vol. 976, c. 1184.]
Nuclear Waste
asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give an estimate of the amount of nuclear waste likely to be produced from all power stations taking account of his announcement of 18 December; and how this compares with the present level of waste.
Something less than 1,000 cubic metres of concentrated high level waste in liquid form, produced from the reprocessing of power reactor fuel, are currently stored at Windscale. It is estimated that when the waste is glassified this volume will be reduced to about 200 cubic metres.High activity waste arising from the present nuclear programme, assuming a 25-year reactor life, is likely to produce another 700 cubic metres of glassified waste. On the same assumption, arisings from the recently announced reactor programme are estimated to produce a further 1,200 cubic metres of glassified waste.Figures for other wastes, excluding immediate disposals, are as follows:form, the cost per 1,000 British thermal units of all fuels widely used for home heating purposes within the United Kingdom, on 1 June for each of the years 1970 to 1979, and his estimate for 1980, such cost to be expressed (
a) in current cost terms, ( b) in ( a) as adjusted by changes in the retail price index, ( c) as a percentage each year of the cost of providing 1,000 British thermal units through the use of home heating oil, and ( d) taking the costs for each of the fuels to be 100 on 1 June 1970.
I shall answer my hon. Friend as soon as possible.
North Sea Oil And Gas
17.
asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total quantity of gas flared in the North Sea and the volume of the United Kingdom's North Sea oil which has been exported during the last six months.
[pursuant to his answer, 14 January 1980]; Gas flared in the North Sea in the six months to 30 November 1979 averaged 641 million standard cubic feet a day.
Trade
Food Prices
40.
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the percentage increase in food prices in the last six months; and what steps he is taking to control future increases.
Between mid-May and mid-November, the latest date for which figures are available, the retail food prices index increased by 5·8 per cent.The factors which influence retail food prices are broadly the same as those affecting retail prices generally and need to be tackled by the same means—restraining monetary growth and encouraging competition.
Package Weights (Inspection)
asked the Secretary of State for Trade what changes have been required in staffing and costs to ensure inspection of package weights on the basis of average weights rather than minimum weights.
The number of staff employed is entirely a matter for the local authorities concerned. No staff changes are necessarily required by the introduction of the "average" system of weights and measures for prepackaged goods on 1 January 1980. There will however be a shift of emphasis in inspection to the premises where packages are filled or imported and away from the retail outlets where they are sold to consumers. Some local authorities may have more work to contend with, and others less. The staff concerned are likely to be employed on a wide range of other consumer protection duties in addition to those relating to the testing of prepackages.
Bicycles
asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many bicycles were imported into and exported from the United Kingdom in 1978 and 1979.
Details of overseas trade in unmotorised cycles—including delivery tricycles—are given in tables III (imports) and VI (exports) of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom, under SITC(R2) sub-group 785.2. Copies of these publications are in the Library.
Tankers
asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will provide a further explanation of the need for and expected operation of SI 1979 No. 1704 European Communities (Designation) Order 1979.
This designation order is needed to give statutory effect to the Council directive of 21 December 1978 concerning minimum requirements for certain tankers entering or leaving Community ports (79/116/EEC) as amended by the Council directive of 6 December 1979 (79/1034/EEC), to the extent that this cannot appropriately be done under other legislation.The Department of Trade submitted an explanatory memorandum on the substantive draft directive on 2 November 1978 (R 2332/78) on which the Select Committee on European Legislation reported in its third report, Session 1978–79 (HC 10-III).Regulations under the designation order are expected to be made shortly.
Transport
Tachograph
asked the Minister of Transport what tachograph calibration centres are being established in the Goole parliamentary constituency.
There are at present no approved centres in the Goole constituency, and I do not know of any plans to establish centres there in the immediate future. There are however centres within easy reach at Scunthorpe, Bawtry, Brough, Hull and York; and the network of centres is expanding.
Car Hire
asked the Minister of Transport if he will list separately for July 1978 and November 1979 (a) the cost per mile of travel in a hire car and (b) the basic price of a gallon of 3-star petrol.
Information is not collected by central Government to provide an answer to the first part of the question. For the second part, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him today by my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Treasury.
Motorway Service Areas
asked the Minister of Transport what information he has received concerning the use of car parks in motorway service areas for the selling of goods by traders; and whether he has any plans to curb this practice.
This practice has been reported at a number of motorway service areas, including the one in my hon. Friend's constituency. I have no direct power here. It is the responsibility of the operating companies, as lessees of the service areas, to take whatever steps are necessary or practicable.
Environment
Hanley (Compulsory Purchase Order)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to give his decision in connection with the Hanley 213/221 CACPO, on which there was a public inquiry in July 1979.
My right hon. Friend expects to be able to give his decision on this slum clearance compulsory purchase order very shortly.
Local Authority Employees (Mileage Allowance)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities pay mileage allowance for their employees who cycle on official business.
This information is not available centrally: each local authority is responsible for determining the terms and conditions of service of its own employees
House Purchase (One-Parent Families)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many one-parent families renting accommodation from local authorities are in a position to buy their own homes; and, of those who are able to buy, what is their average income and what proportion of it would be required to be spent on buying their home.
There is insufficient information available to the Department to estimate the number of one-parent families who are in a position to purchase the homes they rent from local authorities.
Homeless Persons
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many (a) families with children and (b) one-parent families, whose most recent accommodation was owner-occupied were housed in 1978 by local authorities under the Housing (Homeless Persons) Act 1977 in (i) London, (ii) metropolitan districts, (iii) non-metropolitan districts and (iv) England.
The information in the precise form requested cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost.
Service Accommodation
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many units of accommodation for Service families subsequently passed over to the Property Services Agency have been occupied by squatters in the last 12 months; what action has been taken; how many units are currently occupied by squatters; and if he will make a statement.
Twenty-two. The squatters left voluntarily in two cases whilst court orders were obtained in 16 others.Court orders are sought where necessary and this is being done in respect of the four units still occupied.
Housing Investment Programme
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what submission he has had from the city of Manchester under the housing investment programme bid procedure; what reply he has sent; what action he is taking; and if he will make a statement.
In October 1979, the city council submitted details of proposed housing investment programmes for the period 1980–81 to 1983–84 comprising a strategy statement, a numerical statement and a request for a capital allocation. The Department's regional officials discussed these proposals with members and officers of the council on 6 November 1979. The papers and the discussion are being taken into account in determining the city's housing investment allocation for 1980–81.
Olympic Games
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Reportthe bodies providing support from public funds in connection with British participation in the next Olympic Games and the estimated amount of that support.
The Sports Council and the sports councils for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are the only bodies through which financial support from public funds would be provided in connection with British participation in the next Olympic Games. None of these councils has contributed to the British Olympic Association's appeal fund from which the cost of sending British teams to the winter and summer Olympic Games will be paid.The sports councils do grant-aid governing bodies of sport for the coaching and preparation of their athletes. But it would be impossible to separate the proportion of these grants spent on pre-Olympic preparation from those spent on preparation for other international and national sporting events throughout the year.The Sports Council does, of course, consider requests from the BOA for administrative grant from time to time. The last occasion was March 1978 when £45,000 was given. No further request is expected before the next Olympic Games.
Local Authorities (Manpower)
asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain from the local authorities Conditions of Service Advisory Board, and publish in the Official Report, details of each authority which contributed to the increase of 1,225 in the aggregate numbers employed by local authorities on recreation, parks and baths between June and September 1979 and, also of local authorities which increased manpower in libraries and museums, and on environmental health, over the same period.
No. This information is supplied voluntarily by local authorities to the local authorities Conditions of Service Advisory Board on a confidential basis. We are discussing with the local authority associations what information about the numbers employed by individual authorities might in future be made available to the Government for publication.
Social Services
Death Grant
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek to increase, as a matter of urgency, the amount payable by way of death grant to a realistic figure which takes account both of the fall in the value of money since the grant's inception and of the substantial increase in funeral charges, occasioned in part by the incidence of value added tax.
I refer my hon. and learned Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Isle of Ely (Mr. Freud) on 22 November.—[Vol. 974, c. 318.]
Homes For The Elderly
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied that the statutory requirements in privately run homes for the elderly relating to hygiene standards and staff competence are adequate.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the present law governing the registering of private homes for old people; and if he will make a statement.
I cannot usefully add to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for Isle of Wight (Mr. Ross) on 11 December 1979.—[Vol. 975, c. 579.]
Consultants
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of consultants in post for each regional health authority and show the
| PAID AND HONORARY CONSULTANTS* AND VACANT CONSULTANTS POST AT 30 SEPTEMBER 1979 ENGLAND AND WALES | |||||||
| Region | Total | Medical Number in Post†| Vacant Posts‡ | Total | Dental Number in Post†| Vacant Posts‡ | |
| All Authorities | … | 14,310 | 13,403 | 907 | 560 | 545 | 15 |
| England | … | 13,596 | 12,734 | 862 | 529 | 516 | 13 |
| Northern | … | 866 | 802 | 64 | 34 | 33 | 1 |
| Yorkshire | … | 862 | 809 | 53 | 37 | 37 | — |
| Trent | … | 1,014 | 945 | 69 | 36 | 36 | — |
| East Anglia | … | 476 | 458 | 18 | 11 | 11 | — |
| North West Thames | … | 1,333 | 1,259 | 74 | 30 | 29 | 1 |
| North East Thames | … | 1,391 | 1,232 | 159 | 64 | 61 | 3 |
| South East Thames | … | 1,165 | 1,095 | 70 | 50 | 50 | — |
| South West Thames | … | 926 | 845 | 81 | 37 | 36 | 1 |
| Wessex | … | 676 | 665 | 11 | 21 | 20 | 1 |
| Oxford | … | 572 | 530 | 42 | 16 | 15 | 1 |
| South Western | … | 748 | 712 | 36 | 34 | 33 | 1 |
| West Midlands | … | 1,189 | 1,133 | 56 | 52 | 51 | 1 |
| Mersey | … | 660 | 620 | 40 | 25 | 24 | 1 |
| North Western | … | 1,103 | 1,034 | 69 | 44 | 44 | — |
| London Postgraduate Teaching Hospitals | … | 615 | 595 | 20 | 38 | 36 | 2 |
| Wales | … | 714 | 669 | 45 | 31 | 29 | 2 |
| * This includes SHMOs and SHDOs with allowance | |||||||
| †Where consultants hold appointments in more than one region they are shown in each of the regions where they work. The total numbers of consultants in post at 30 September 1979 in England and Wales without double counting were 12,531 and 497 for doctors and dentists respectively. | |||||||
| ‡ These columns do not include posts for which regions have been given central manpower approval but which have never been filled or advertised. | |||||||
Geriatric Beds (Newham)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement concerning the provision of geriatric beds for the London borough of Newham.
I am not aware of any particular problem concerning the provision of geriatric beds in Newham. The hon. Member may like to seek any information he requires direct from the City and East London area health authority (teaching).
Private Patients (Consulting Rooms)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Report the names of the 33 hos- numbers approved for appointment to each authority by his Department.
The following table shows the number of consultants in post and vacant consultant posts in each region in England and Wales on 30 September 1979. Copies of the national and regional tables for hospital medical and dental staff at 30 September 1979 will be placed in the Library as soon as they are published.pitals in which consulting room facilities are rented to consultants for private patients together with the specialties for which they were used.
Information about the number of hospitals where consulting rooms are rented to consultants for private practice and the specialties of those consultants is not kept centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The only figures held centrally are those contained in House of Commons paper HC310, "The use of NHS hospital accommodation and services in England for the private practice of medicine during the year ended 31 December 1978", which was laid before this House on 18 December 1979. This referred to 33 health authorities—including three boards of governors—which had one or more such arrangements in one or more of their hospitals in 1978. These health authorities are:
Boards of Governors
Blood And Blood Products (Private Treatment)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list in the Official Reportthe names of the private hospitals, clinics and nursing homes which received blood and blood products from the 43 National Health Services areas given in his document HC-310; and what is his estimate of the cost of this service and the total of payment received in the last year.
I regret that this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
Benefits (Widows)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the social security benefits available in full to widows paying full national insurance contributions.
A widow paying full national insurance contributions can qualify for social security benefits on the same terms as anyone else. However, if a widow who is receiving national insurance widow's benefit becomes unemployed, falls sick or becomes entitled to a flat-rate personal benefit in some other circumstances, she can, like any other national insurance beneficiary, be paid only an amount corresponding to the higher of the two benefits. But the rules allow the payment of any earnings-related allowance to which she may become entitled with unemployment or sickness benefit and—or the payment of any earnings-related additional pension, up to a statutory maximum without abatement.
Supplementary Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the level of supplementary benefit payable for people between the ages of 16 and 21 years; and how this compares with basic unemployment pay.
The supplementary benefit payable to a young unemployed person depends on the family and household responsibilities and on the claimant's resources. The great majority of young claimants are single members of their parents' households and their usual supplementary benefit requirement would be £16·35 for those aged over 18 and £12·95 for those aged 16–17. The standard national insurance unemployment benefit rate is £18·50.
Family Planning
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now completed his review of his Department's advice to general practitioners concerning confidential contraceptive assistance to girls under the age of 16 years; and if he will make a statement.
Not yet. The advice that is being reviewed concerns professional staff working at family planning clinics administered by area health authorities as well as general practitioners.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what information he has about reductions in the family planning clinic services, especially those held in the evening to assist working women; and if he will make a statement.
Detailed information is not available centrally. Arrangements for family planning clinic services are the responsibility of area health authorities. Health authorities have been faced with the need to make savings in expenditure and in some places this has inevitably led to reductions in services, including family planning clinic services. I expect that authorities which find they must make savings in this field would bear in mind those people who find it difficult to attend a clinic during the day.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what representations he has received on the effect of public expenditure cuts on the family planning services.
We have received a number of letters from individuals and organisations expressing concern at reductions in family planning clinic services proposed by some health authorities.
National Health Service (Expenditure)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the gross outgoings of the National Health Service in terms of value added tax; and how much of this is recovered.
This information is not separately identified in the accounts submitted to the Department by the health authorities. National Health Service expenditure in England in 1979–80 in respect of value added tax incurred in the provision of health services is esti-
| REGIONAL MEDICAL SERVICES—EXAMINATIONS AND RESULTS, 1973–1978—SICKNESS AND INVALIDITY BENEFIT | ||||||
| Year | Examinations | Considered incapable of work | Considered incapable of normal occupation but not incapable of alternative work | Considered not incapable of work | ||
| 1973 | … | … | 242,560 | 177,077 | 14,876 | 50,607 |
| (100%) | (73%) | (6%) | (21%) | |||
| 1974 | … | … | 254,435 | 181,372 | 16,052 | 57,011 |
| (100%) | (71%) | (6%) | (22%) | |||
| 1975 | … | … | 270,251 | 191,177 | 19,419 | 59,655 |
| (100%) | (71%) | (7%) | (22%) | |||
| 1976 | … | … | 279,992 | 198,823 | 22,492 | 58,677 |
| (100%) | (71%) | (8%) | (21%) | |||
| 1977 | … | … | 284,055 | 199,826 | 25,230 | 58,999 |
| (100%) | (70%) | (9%) | (21%) | |||
| 1978 | … | … | 283,711 | 198,549 | 27,397 | 57,765 |
| (100%) | (70%) | (10%) | (20%) | |||
mated to be about £120 million and is not recoverable. I am unable to make a meaningful estimate of the relatively small outgoings of health authorities in respect of value added tax incurred in the course of activities of a business nature, such as shops, canteens, and so on, all of which is normally recoverable from receipts of output value added tax.
Remedial Professions (Salaries)
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the Standing Commission on pay comparability to report on the salary levels of physiotherapists, occupational therapists and the other remedial professions.
It is expected that the report will be published in March 1980.
Invalidity Benefit
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many of the examinations of recipients of invalidity benefit in each of the past six years found (a) that the claimant was considered incapable of work, (b) that the claimant was considered incapable of normal occupation, but not incapable of alternative work, and (c) that the claimant was considered not incapable of work; and what percentage was each of these findings of the total of examinations for each of the years.
Mr. Prentice: Separate figures for invalidity benefit claimants are not maintained. The following information relates to sickness and invalidity benefit. It is regretted that details for 1979 are not yet available
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many appeals were made against the decision to withdraw invalidity benefit following examinations by regional medical officers in each of the past six years; how many of these appeals were decided in favour of the claimant; and what was the percentage of these decisions of all such appeals in each of the six years;(2) if he will publish a breakdown of the numbers of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit who were found after examination by regional medical officers to be not incapable of work, showing for each of the past six years the length of time the recipient had received the benefit from less than six months, in intervals of six months up to five years and over five years;(3) how many examinations by regional medical officers of recipients of invalidity benefit were made in each of the past six years; and if he will list the information, showing the length of time the recipient had received the benefit from less than six months, in intervals of six months up to five year and over five years.
This information is not available and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many claimants were in receipt of invalidity benefit in 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979.
| NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE MANPOWER ENGLAND AS AT 30 SEPTEMBER WHOLE TIME EQUIVALENTS | ||||
| 1971 | 1977 | |||
| wte | per cent. | wte | per cent. | |
| All directly-employed staff and independent contractors(1)(2) | 675,269 | — | 793,600 | — |
| of which: | ||||
| administrative and clerical(3) | 70,396 | 10·4 | 99,037 | 12·5 |
| medical(2)(4) and nursing and mid-wifery(5) | 328,787* | 48·7 | 395,067 | 49·8 |
| Notes on Tables: | ||||
| (1) The figures for independent contractors are numbers of general medical practitioners, genera dental practitioners, ophthalmic medical practitioners, ophthalmic opticians and dispensing opticians in the general ophthalmic services and general practice pharmacists—that is chemists, drug stores and applicance contractors. | ||||
| (2) The figures for general medical practitioners relate to 1 October. Some GPs are also employed on a part-time basis in the community health service and such effort is included in the totals for "medical and directly-employed staff". This implies an element of double-counting. Figures for the general ophthalmic services relate to 31 December. There is a small unquantifiable number of ophthalmic medical practitioners who are also general medical practitioners, which again implies a minor element of double-counting. | ||||
The number of claimants in receipt of contributory and noncontributory invalidity benefits, respectively, at the beginning of June in each year is given below. Totals have been rounded to the nearest thousand. I regret that information for 1979 is not yet available.
| Invalidity benefit (thousands) | Non-contributory invalidity pension (thousands) | |||
| 1974 | … | … | 442 | — |
| 1975 | … | … | 450 | — |
| 1976 | … | … | —* | — |
| 1977 | … | … | 505 | 105 |
| 1978 | … | … | 557 | 151 |
| * Because of changes in the sampling procedure in 1975 incapacity statistics are not available for 1975–76 | ||||
| †Non-contributory invalidity pension was introduced in November 1975 and housewife's non-contributory invalidity pension (HNCIP) in 1978. There were 40,000 HNCIP recipients in 1978. | ||||
National Health Service
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of people employed by the National Health Service in 1960 and in 1979; and if he will also show the percentage employed (a) as doctors and nurses and (b) in administration.
[pursuant to his reply, 8 November 1979, c. 303–4]: The following is the corrected information: (* corrected figure)
| (3) Includes support staff managers, but excludes ambulance officers. "Administrators cannot be distinguished within the general category of administrative and clerical staff as there is no agreed definition of "administrator" which could be used for this purpose. Upon NHS reorganisation on 1 April 1974 staff previously employed by local authority health and social service departments were transferred to area health authorities. Estimates of the number of staff in this category have been made so that the figure for 1971 is as consistent as possible with that for 1977. | ||||
| (4) Includes whole-time equivalents of hospital and community health medical staff except locums, hospital doctors holding paragraph 89 appointments, hospital doctors holding paragraph 94 appointments, hospital practitioner appointments and community health service occasional sessional staff. Also included are numbers of general medical practitioners and ophthalmic medical practitioners. | ||||
| (5) Excludes agency nurses and midwives. |
Industry
Steel Industry
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish in the Official Reportthe figures relating to productivity of the various national steel industries to which he referred on 14 January; and what figure he takes as a target for the British steel industry.
The figures relating to productivity referred to by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry, as he said in the House, are drawn from the NEDC "Progress Report 1980" published on 14 January. A copy has been placed in the Library. My right hon. Friend has set a financial target for 1980–81. Related productivity targets are matter for BSC management.
Bicycles
asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many bicycles were produced in the United Kingdom in 1978 and 1979; and what approximate proportion by value, of the components was manufactured in the United Kingdom and imported from abroad.
The number of bicycles produced is not known, but the number sold by United Kingdom manufacturers, which is believed to be about the same, amounted to 2 million in 1978, and 1·3 million in the first nine months of 1979. Information on the proportion of the components manufactured in the United Kingdom is not available.
| 1974–75 | 1975–76 | 1976–77 | 1977–78 | 1978–79 | ||
| External finance* (£ million) | … | 344 | 727 | 1,016 | 876 | 766 |
| Number of employees (000s) | … | 228 | 210 | 208 | 197 | 186 |
| Finance per employee (£) | … | 1,509 | 3,462 | 4,885 | 4,447 | 4,118 |
| * This includes in addition to direct Government advances, foreign and short term borrowing, nearly all of which is guaranteed by the Government. | ||||||
British Steel Corporation
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what percentage of the £2¼ billion Government subsidy to the British Steel Corporation was spent on wages and salaries of steel workers over the past five years; and what percentage of the subsidy was spent on the capital investment programme.
BSC does not receive any specific subsidies, nor is it the Government's intention to subsidise the corporation. Government finance provided to BSC over the five years to 31 March 1979 amounted to £3,729 million. This was not allocated to specific headings. Of the total expenditure of about £18,000 million by BSC during these five years, most of which was of course covered by revenue, 12 percent. was for fixed assets and 27 per cent. for employment costs.
asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table showing the subsidies given to the British Steel Corporation over each of the past five years expressed as an annual sum per person employed by the corporation.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1980]; BSC does not receive any specific subsidies, nor is it the Government's intention to subsidise the corporation. That is why BSC must quickly return to profitability and provide a return on the public money that has gone towards financing its investments and operations.The following table illustrates the extent of this finance:
Meriden Co-Operative
asked the Secretary of State for Industry what progress has been made to date in the recovery of interest payments due to Her Majesty's Government from the Meriden Co-operative since 30 June; and if he will make a statement.
The answers to my hon. Friend's two questions are "None" and "No".
| TABLE 1 | |||
| 9 months to 31 March 1978 £28·9 million | 1978–79£12£8 million | 9 months to 31 December 1979 £23·5 million | |
| Average number employed by BS | 85,700 | 83,700 | 79,000 |
| Average sum per employee | £338 | £153 | £297 |
| TABLE 2 | |||
| Payments (estimated) | 9 months to 31 March 1978 £28·1 million | 1978–79 £12·5 million | 9 months to 31 December 1979 £23·3 million |
| Average number of employees (estimated) in merchant ship- building | 37,000 | 32,000 | 27,000 |
| Average sum per employee | £759 | £391 | £863 |
Steel Supplies
Mr. Gwilym Roberts asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is proposing to take to assist suppliers to the steel industry placed in financial difficulties due to non-payment of accounts during the current strike.
This is a matter for the management of the BSC, but I understand that BSC regional divisions are doing their best to help small suppliers.
Agriculture, Fisheries And Food
National Dairy Council
19.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to meet the chairman of the National Dairy Council.
I met the chairman and members of the National Dairy Council in October at the launching of
British Shipbuilders
Mr. Richard Shepherd asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table showing the subsidies given to British Shipbuilders in each year since it was established, expressed as an annual sum per person employed by British Shipbuilders.
[pursuant to his reply, 16 January 1980]: Payments of assistance under the Industry Act 1972 since vesting day are as follows:the dairy industry's corporate campaign, but I have at present no plans for a further meeting.
Green Pound
21.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the long-term future of the green pound.
The common agricultural policy will need to continue to employ green rates for the forseeable future, to deal with currency fluctuations. The Government's policy is to devalue the green pound within the normal lifetime of Parliament to a point which will enable United Kingdom producers to compete on equal terms with those in the rest of the Community.
24.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from the Food Manufacturers Federation about the green pound.
The president of the Food Manufacturers' Federation sent my right hon. Friend a copy of his representations to the Prime Minister on 5 December about the effects of a green pound devaluation on the food industry.
Sheepmeat
20.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the progress towards agreement with the French concerning the development of a stable trade in sheep-meat.
I shall not be satisfied until France has complied in full with the clear judgment of the European Court of Justice against her import controls on exports of sheep meat from the United Kingdom. The replacement of an import ban by import levies on 7 January represents a continuation of the system condemned by the Court. Vice-President Gundelach has agreed on the need for enforcement proceedings and I understand that on 14 January the Commission brought a fresh action against France for non-compliance with the Court's judgment.
European Community (Council Of Agriculture Ministers)
22.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet his European Economic Community counterparts.
I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Marland) and others.
Fish Stocks (Conservation)
23.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the measures currently in force for the conservation of fish stocks in United Kingdom waters.
Yes. However, the Government stand ready to introduce further national measures to conserve fish stocks in United Kingdom waters if these should prove necessary.
Inshore Fishing (Regulation)
25.
asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response he has received from fishermen's organisations to the proposal that new bodies to regulate inshore fishing should be based on the regional water authorities.