asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether sandwich course overseas students will be required to pay economic cost fees for periods when they are not studying within educational institutions; and how many such students there are.

Fees charged for periods spent by such students in industrial or analogous placement should meet the cost to the establishment of that element of the course; such fees will in many cases be less than those charged for institution-based periods. In 1978–79, the latest year for which figures are available, there were about 1,200 overseas students on sandwich courses at universities in Great Britain and 8,500 at maintained, assisted and grant-aided establishments of further education in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science in how many cases he has agreed to the reintroduction of selection at a school which has already become comprehensive.

None. My right hon. and learned Friend has received only one such proposal—that in respect of Sutton girls school, Sutton Coldfield. The period of public notice in respect of this proposal did not expire until 19 February and a decision has yet to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the subsidy on school transport operates.Dr. Boyson: Local education authorities' net expenditure on school transport forms part of "relevant expenditure", that is to say expenditure by a local authority which, in aggregate, attracts rate support grant from the Exchequer. For 1980–81, Exchequer support is maintained at the 1979–80 level of 61 per cent. of relevant expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, under the Education (No. 2) Bill, it will be permissible for an education authority to discriminate in favour of children attending schools for the physically and mentally handicapped when establishing charges for school transport.

Yes. Clause 23(3)(b) and, for Scotland, clause 25(3)(b) require an authority to

"remit the whole or part of any charge that would otherwise be made if, having regard to the particular circumstances of any pupil or class or description of pupils, they consider it appropriate to do so."

asked the Secretary at State for Education and Science if he will take steps to attract recruits into subjects in teacher training establishments for which there is an actual or forecast shortfall, so as to correct the imbalance between supply and demand in the various subject specialities.

My Department launched last month a major publicity campaign for the scheme to train mature people from other professions, and to retrain qualified teachers, to teach mathematics, the physical sciences, craft design and technology, and business studies. This has attracted a considerable response. The Department is actively considering other initiatives, including further publicity which it might undertake, in collaboration with the teacher training institutions and the local education authorities, to increase the recruitment of suitably qualified students to courses of training to teach the shortage subjects.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice is issued by his Department to local authorities about safety procedures on school buses.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given on 19 February to a similar question from the hon. Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he is giving to the introduction of an educational voucher scheme.

My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to introduce an educational voucher scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, for each of the five districts in West Yorkshire, what was the nursery education building programme allocation and take-up, and the net increase in pupils and places in nursery schools and classes, in each of the last five years.

Details of the allocations made to each of the five districts in West Yorkshire and their take-up under my Department's nursery education building programme are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the break-up of the Inner London Education Authority; what response has been sent; and whether he will publish his response in the Official Report.

By 27 February I had received 173 representations or copies of representations concerning proposals to change the administration of education in inner London. The replies sent have explained that no decision has yet been made by the Government that would affect the future constitution of the Inner London Education Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will review the organisation of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides; if he is satisfied that it is carrying out its duties adequately; and if he will make a statement.

Possible extensions to the role of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides were proposed in one of the recommendations in the seventh report of the Royal Commission on environmental pollution. The Government are still considering the recommendations in this report. I am satisfied that the committee is adequately carrying out its duties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many derelict land clearance schemes have been completed in Dundee in the past five years; and how many hectares have been reclaimed.

Details of derelict land clearance schemes are not held centrally. Responsibility for the treatment of derelict land in Scotland rests with the Scottish Development Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will end the delay in deciding the new route of the A68 bypassing Newtown St. Boswells, Roxburghshire, in order to enable the Scottish Development Agency to proceed with its land renewal project.

A preferred line for the bypass has been selected. I hope that the order necessary to establish this line will be published in draft in a few months' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, tot each of the five districts in West Yorkshire, what were the percentages of full time and part-time pupils under 5 years of age in maintained primary schools relative to the estimated population aged 3 and 4 years, in each of the last five years.

The numbers of full-time and part-time pupils under 5 years of age in maintained nursery and primary schools expressed as percentages of the estimated population aged 3 and 4 years were as follows:percentage increase in relevant revenue expenditure, for rate support grant calculation purposes, from 1975–76 to the estimates for 1980–81, for Scotland generally and for each region within Scotland.

Percentage changes in relevant expenditure, excluding loan charges—at constant prices—taken into account at successive rate support grant settlements were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times he has stayed at his official Edinburgh residence since 3 May 1979; and how much the residence costs to run per annum.

Since taking office I have stayed frequently at my official residence in Edinburgh. Running costs for 1978–79, the latest year for which figures are available, were approximately £10,400.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what plans Her Majesty's Government have to recognise de jure the incorporation of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia into the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

None.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what diplomatic representation and at what level the United Kingdom maintains in the three Baltic states, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia.

None.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what level of payment is being made to those persons from the United Nations investigating the activities of the former Shah of Persia.

There is a contractual arrangement between the United Nations and the members of the commission of inquiry now in Tehran. The details, which are a matter for the United Nations Secretariat, have not been made public.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what he considers to be the obstacles which have prevented the resumption of diplomatic relations with the Government of Albania.

The obstacles have been the problem of the gold formerly belonging to the pre-war Bank of Albania now in the custody of the tripartite commission for the restitution of monetary gold and the question of the compensation awarded to Britain by the International Court of Justice in 1949 in respect of the Corfu channel incident. For our part we would like to separate these issues from the question of restoring diplomatic relations.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if there is an embargo on the export of oil from Brunei to South Africa.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many academic staff were employed at each of the general teacher training colleges in each year from 1970, in total and in terms of full-time equivalents; and what were the full-time student enrolments at each college over the same period.

The information is as follows:

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list those aid projects in Malawi for which he has financial responsibility.

The projects being financed under the United Kingdom-Malawi 1978 grant are as follows:SECTOR AND PROJECT TITLE

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of corporation tax collected from companies located in each county of Wales and in Wales as a whole for the last available year.

Corporation tax is assessed on a company at the address of its registered office, which may not be its head office or main place of business. The figures below do not therefore necessarily reflect tax yields on the income of all companies from operations either in Wales as a whole or in individual counties. On this basis corporation tax collected in counties in Wales in 1978–79 was:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequor how many Inland Revenue tax inspectors have been charged with offences relating to their work in each of the past 10 years.

One, in 1975.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of abolishing stamp duty.

On the basis of the estimated yield for 1979–80, about £590 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give an estimate of the amount raised in a full financial year from value added tax at 15 per cent. on ice cream.

About £30 million, excluding VAT on ice cream supplied in the course of catering.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the National Bus Company for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(2) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the Electricity Council for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(3) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the Central Electricity Generating Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(4) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the Civil Aviation Authority for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(5) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Waterways Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(6) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Transport Docks Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(7) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Steel Corporation for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(8) how much development land tax following deemed disposals, was paid by British Shipbuilders for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(9) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Railways Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(10) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British National Oil Corporation for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(11) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Gas Corporation for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(12) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Airways Corporation for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(13) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the British Airports Authority for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(14) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by British Aerospace for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(15) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(16) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(17) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the South of Scotland Electricity Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(18) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the Scottish Transport Group for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(19) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the Post Office Corporation for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(20) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the National Coal Board for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;(21) how much development land tax, following deemed disposals, was paid by the National Freight Corporation for the years 1977, 1978 and 1979, respectively;

A person's tax affairs are confidential. For this reason, my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer cannot give the information for which my hon. Friend asks.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the effect on capital gains tax revenue if sales of ordinary shares which had been held for not less than 12 months are either index-linked or exempted from charge to capital gains tax as are gilts;(2) if he will estimate the saving in the cost of collection if ordinary shares were exempted from charge to capital gains tax.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount disposable income has risen since April 1974 in money terms, and in real terms, and in percentage terms on each basis.

Monthly estimates of disposable income are not available. The latest quarterly estimates, seasonally adjusted, show that between the first quarter of 1974 and the third quarter of 1979 personal disposable income increased in money terms by £20 billion—145 per cent.—and in real terms by £2 billion—10½ per cent—when measured at constant 1975 prices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the unemployment rates in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively, in February of each year since 1967.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will issue work permits to overseas students wishing to stay in Great Britain for two years after qualifying as chartered accountants in order to obtain the essential practising certificate.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is now the practice of his Department with regard to the granting of work permits to visiting boxers contracted to fight in the United Kingdom.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set out in the Official Report the basis of redundancy schemes operated by member States of the EEC, showing how the United Kingdom scheme compares.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the number of people covered by wages council regulations; and if he will break this figure down into (a) men and women, (b) full and part-time workers, giving this information separately for each wages council.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what were the average numbers of males and females registered as unemployed for the past five years; and what these figures represent in total and percentage in each of the metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester and the regions of the United Kingdom.

Unemployment statistics are compiled for employment office areas and not for local authority districts. Table 1 below gives the numbers registered as unemployed in the employment office areas which correspond most closely with the metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester and for each region of the United Kingdom. Information has been given for January each year and could be provided on an annual average basis only at disproportionate cost.Unemployment rates can be calculated only for complete travel-to-work areas, which in some cases include more than one local authority district, and it is therefore not possible to provide rates for each district. Table 2 gives unemployment rates for each travel-to-work