asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) teachers, (b) technical, scientific, medical and (c) other United Kingdom-based staff were employed by his Department in Germany on 1 January 1979 and 1 January of the current year, respectively; and why it has not been possible to secure any reduction in the third of these categories.

The following is the information:suspending low flying until this particular incident has been fully investigated.

I have received one letter from the Farmers Union of Wales and one from the hon. Member for Cardigan (Mr. Howells) to which I shall be replying in the near future. As I told the hon. Member on 17 March 1980, initial reports suggested the crash followed a bird strike, and certainly no evidence has so far come to light in the accident investigation to warrant a suspension of essential low flying training. A synopsis of the circumstances of the accident will be published when inquiries are complete.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total amount paid by way of value added tax on defence procurement in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how much of this sum was paid over to the European Economic Community.

The net total of value added tax paid by the Ministry of Defence in respect of goods and services procured in 1978–79 was about £183 million. The information requested in the second part of my hon. Friend's question does not fall within the responsibility of my Department, but I understand that there is no direct relationship between individual payments of VAT and payments of own resources to the European Economic Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received, other than from Wandsworth, about the transfer of educational responsibility from the Inner London Education Authority to the London boroughs; who has made these representations; and how many have been for and against the proposal.

By 11 March I had received 24 such representations not counting those from individuals or groups based in or representative of the borough of Wandsworth. Nine of these, in favour of the proposed change, were received from the hon. Members for Ilford, South (Mr. Thorne), Paddington (Mr. Wheeler) and Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby), the Member of the European Parliament for London, North, Councillor Greenman of the City of Westminster council, the Greater London area Conservative education committee, the Merton and Wimbledon Conservative Association, the East Woolwich Conservative and Unionist Association and the Worthing Conservative Association. Fifteen were opposed to the proposed change, from the hon. Member for Bedwellty (Mr. Kinnock), the City of Westminster local government committee of the Labour Party, the Paddington constituency Labour Party, the Woolwich Labour Party, the Hackney, South and Shoreditch Labour Party, the Westminster campaign for the advancement of State education, the National Deaf Children's Society, one each from the governors, the headmaster, the teaching and ancillary staffs, and the branch of the National Union of Teachers of Pimlico school, the home and school association of the George Eliot school, the managers of Christ Church Bentinck school, the Southwark diocesan schools commission, and the committee of directors of London polytechnics.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of information officers, together with the number of supporting staff, there were in his Department in each of the last five years.

The number of information officer group staff, together with the number of supporting staff employed by my Department at the beginning of each of the last five years and on 1 January 1980, was:

	Information Officer Croup Staff	Supporting Staff
1 January 1975	19	19
1 January 1976	19	20
1 January 1977	19	16
1 January 1978	18	17
1 January 1979	19	18
1 January 1980	18	17

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities in England had based their budget for 1980–81 on Abe assumption of a certain revenue from charging for transporting children to school, irrespective of whether or not they had informed parents of an intention so to do.

About 20.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to stop social security unemployment benefit payments to students at United Kingdom universities and polytechnics who are not mature students, in view of the number of students signing on for unemployment benefit at the beginning of the holidays when work is often available.

I have been asked to reply.No. To qualify for benefit a student has to be available for any type of work within his capabilities. He may be disqualified if he refuses suitable employment. We have already introduced tighter conditions for students claiming unemployment benefit in the short vacations, whereby they have to show a reasonable attachment to the employment field. As regards supplementary benefit during the short vacations, the effect of the vacation element in the student's grant is to remove title to benefit in the ordinary case.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the aggregate direct and indirect cost to public funds, including time spent by the Pay Research Unit, printing, and all expenses, of the Clegg Commission's investigation into the pay of 830 waterways employees; and what was the figure per employee.

Year	Filipinos	All other foreign nationals	Commonwealth citizens
1970	586	60,321	5,563
1971	1,195	50,018	3,762
1972	2,669	40,035	2,290
1973	2,691	23,769	6,379
1974	991	23,518	8,536
1975	1,986	19,857	8,235
1976	2,050	12,857	5,563
1977	1,804	11,407	5,203

Between 1970 and 1972 the category of foreign nationals included nationals of EEC countries who no longer require permission to take employment here. The figures for Commonwealth citizens relate to the number of employment vouchers issued.The figures for foreign nationals—including Filipinos—include both permits issued for those workers overseas and permission given to those already in this country for some other reason, but employment

The estimated cost was about £36,500. The average cost per employee in the reference group was £ 44.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many work permits were issued for employment as resident domestic workers, other than in hotels, and nursing auxiliaries to (a) women from the Philippines and (b) women from other countries in each year from 1970 to 1977.(2) how many work permits were issued for employment as resident domestic workers in the hotel and catering industry to (

The information is not available as requested. The total number of work permits and employment vouchers issued for nationals of the Philippines and for all other overseas nationals is as follows:vouchers were issued only to those overseas. Since 1 January 1973, foreign nationals and Commonwealth citizens have both been covered by the same work permit scheme.The 1976 figures were incomplete owing to industrial action affecting the compilation of statistics. About 10 per cent. of cases overall were not recorded.The figures do not include foreign student employees or Commonwealth trainees, for whom permission was given for limited periods of supernumerary employment or for employment which was essential to a course of study.More detailed analyses of the foreign figures before 1973 and of all figures since were published in the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been lost between 1970 and the present date in the United Kingdom in the paper and board industry.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, of the amount spent by the National Coal Board on capital works and development during the past five years, how much and what percentage has been generated from the internal resources of the board.

Schedule 5 of the board's annual report and accounts for 1978–79, and corresponding schedules in the earlier reports, give a summary of the sources and application of funds in each of the board's financial years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to limit the right of the British National Oil Corporation to participate on North Sea operating committees.

I have nothing to add at present to my statement of 26 July 1979.—[Vol. 971, c. 891.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has completed his review of the Advisory Committee on Fixed Offshore Installations; and if he will make a statement.

I have now considered the future of the Advisory Committee on Fixed Offshore Installations and have decided that the committee should be wound up. The members of the committee are being informed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his reply dated 14 February concerning petroleum product prices, whether he will circulate in the Official Report a statement showing the reason for the 2,628 per cent. increase in the refinery margin on naphtha between 1973 and the third quarter of 1979; and what effect this increase has had on the cost of making continuous polyester fibre yarns of the kind imported from the United States of America.

It is not valid to say that the refinery margin on naphtha in the third quarter of 1979 is 2,628 per cent. of its value in 1973, since naphtha can only be produced from crude oil jointly with a range of other products, and thus the refinery margins can only be computed for a typical mix of products obtained from the barrel of crude oil. The pricing of oil products in the United Kingdom is largely determined by world markets, and the increases since 1973 reflect the upsurge in world crude oil prices. It is estimated that the increase in the price of naphtha since January 1977 may have added about £150 a ton to the cost of continuous polyester filament yarns.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many recorded accidents involving physical injury are believed to have resulted from the use of airguns or air pistols in the hands of young people below the age of 18 years.

The information requested on accidents is not available. Information on numbers of indictable offences as recorded by the police in which firearms were reported to have caused injury is published annually in "Criminal Statistics England and Wales", pages 70 and 71 of the edition for 1978, Cmnd. 7670.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pieces of pornographic and obscene literature were seized by the Metropolitan Police in 1975, 1977 and 1979, respectively; and what happened to this literature.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the available information is as follows:

ARTICLES SEIZED BY THE METROPOLITAN POLICE UNDER THE OBSCENE PUBLICATIONS ACT 1959
	Number of articles
Year	Total	Books, magazines and typescripts
1975	202,242	59,888
1977	375,484	346,878
1979	1,170,752	1,156,027

Articles ordered by the courts to be forfeited are destroyed; the rest are returned to their owners. The considerable increase in articles seized in 1979 reflects a policy decision by the Commissioner in 1978, taken in consultation with the Director of Public Prosecutions, to extend operations to British-produced magazines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that existing legislation provides adequate protection to prevent terrorist organisations being assisted by actions of the broadcasting media.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Enfield, North (Mr. Eggar) on 17 March.—[Vol. 981, c. 9–10].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures available for the number of Her Majesty's prisoners serving sentences of up to six months, over six months and under two years and over two years, respectively; if he will provide comparative figures for 10 and 20 years ago; and if he will make a statement.

Information in the precise form requested is not available. Details of the daily average population of prisoners serving sentences during 1959, 1969 and 1979, according to sentence bands approximating to those requested, is as follows:

DAILY AVERAGE POPULATION 1959
	Males	Females	Total
Less than 6 months	2,323	161	2,484
6 months up to 3 years	11,202	318	11,520
Over 3 years	5,134	95 574	5,229
Totals	18,659	574	19,233
1969
	Males	Females	Total
Less than 6 months	1,468	78	1,546
6 months up to 3 years	15,464	341	15,805
Over 3 years	5,361	45	5,406
Totals	22,293	464	22,757
1979
	Males	Females	Total
Less than 6 months	2,199	138	2,337
6 months up to 3 years	17,159	633	17,792
Over 3 years	7,950	145	8,095
Totals	27,308	916	28,224

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date copies of "Protect and Survive" will be placed on sale to the general public; and what will be its cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much it is proposed to charge for the revised version of his Department's pamphlet "Protec and Survive"; who will pay the charge; and what are his plans for its distribution.

The booklet will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, price 50p. The date of publication has not yet been determined.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the results of the review of home defence to be announced.

I hope to be able to make a statement soon after the Easter Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours work per week per inmate is included under the existing and proposed new arrangements, respectively, at the two experimental detention centres at New Hall and Send.

I shall announce details of the regime before the pilot project commences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his intentions regarding the Broderick committee's report on death certification and coroners; and when he intends to implement its recommendations to abolish Form C.

A number of the committee's recommendations have been implemented; but, as regards Form C, I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave on 3 March to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Edgbaston (Mrs. Knight).—[Vol. 980, c. 64.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long it has taken to process the application of Mr. and Mrs. Maxwell of Liverpool to adopt an orphan child currently in the care of Mother Teresa in Calcutta; and when he anticipates authorisation being made for the child to come to Liverpool.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of persons convicted for murder in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous 25 years.

The number of persons found guilty of murder each year is published annually in the "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—Tables 9.11 and 5(a) of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670. Information for 1979 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy concerning detoxification centres; and if he will make a statement.

I have been asked to reply.The working party on habitual drunken offenders (1971) recommended two experimental centres to test whether such offenders could benefit from detoxification as part of the treatment and rehabilitation services; and the centres were a satisfactory alternative to penal measures in places where public drunkenness is a serious problem.The Department has funded two experimental detoxification centres for limited experimental periods and is also contributing to the cost of a third centre opened by a voluntary organisation; and sponsored a research programme to enable these projects to be evaluated with a view to a policy decision on the future of detoxification centres. Other considerations will be the extent to which detoxification is available in NHS hospitals; the other responsibilities of health and local authorities; national policies; resource constraints and the recommendation of the Expenditure Committee in its fifteenth report that simpler forms of detoxification of an overnight kind be provided. The last item is under consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the statutory powers that require him to approve, or enable him to prevent, the sale of subsidiary companies by the British Steel Corporation; and whether he has yet received any approach on the exercise of these powers from the corporation in connection with the sale of Redpath Dorman Long to the Dutch company De Groot or any other bidder.

The Secretary of State has no powers to prevent the sale of subsidiary companies by the British Steel Corporation, nor do BSC require his consent for such disposals. He does, however, have the power, under section 4(5) of the Iron and Steel Act 1975, to direct the BSC to dispose of assets which are not used in the production of iron and steel. No such directions have been given.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if any grants or loans to the British Steel Corporation are outstanding in connection with Redpath Dorman Long; under what statutory powers these were granted; what conditions were placed upon the grants particularly in connection with equipment; and whether there will be any variation in conditions if Redpath Dorman Long is disposed of.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what investment grants are available to the tobacco industry; and if he will seek to end such grants.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West on 17 March, whether the satisfaction of

	1980–81	1981–82	1982–81
	£	£	£
North of England Development Council	210,000	230,000	250,000
North West Industrial Development Association	190,000	210,000	230,000
Yorkshire and Humberside Development Association	50,000	65,000	70,000
Devon and Cornwall Development Bureau	50,000	55,000	60,000

These revised levels will take effect from 1 July 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of compensation issued under schedule 5 to the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 was calculated on the basis of compensation due under schedule 4 to the Act; and whether the value of the stock now issued in payment has been calculated on a basis of simple or compound interest from the date of the offer.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has reached a decision on the grants-in-aid to the North of England Development Council, the North-West Industrial Development Association, the Yorkshire and Humberside Development Agency and the Devon and Cornwall Development Bureau.

I have reviewed these grants in the light of the urgent need for economy in all public sector expenditure. Against this background I have decided that the Department of Industry's grant should in future be on a pound for pound basis matching the funds provided by the local authorities and received from other sources up to a specified maximum; that the total contribution by central Government should be reduced; and that the general oversight and co-ordination of the activities of the agencies should be jointly shared with the contributing county councils. My noble Friend the Minister of State has accordingly written to the chairmen of each of the agencies offering to continue the grants for a further three years on those conditions.The maximum annual rate for which each agency can qualify, based principally on the prospects for prosperity and employment in the regions, having regard to our policy of concentrating assistance on the areas of greatest need will be:United States consumption of whisky is accounted for by imports from the United Kingdom.

I have been asked to reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on energy in the Province.

Progress has been made as follows on the various measures outlined in my statement of 23 July 1979. The Northern Ireland electricity service has recently submitted proposals—including the conversion of Kilroot phase II to coal firing—for reducing its dependence on oil for electricity generation, and these are under examination. As an interim measure, to increase the security of Northern Ireland's electricity supply, stocks of oil for electricity generation in the Province have been increased. Recent rises in oil prices necessitate electricity tariff increases in Northern Ireland as elsewhere in the United Kingdom. A comprehensive review of the longer term position of the Northern Ireland electricity service is in progress and, pending the outcome and in order to ease the burden on consumers, I have asked the Northern Ireland electricity service not to increase its tariffs beyond the increases approved for Great Britain, nor to make any further increases in the fuel cost adjustment arrangements, despite the extra costs to the service which these measures may involve. For the latest position on gas, I refer the hon. Member to my reply to a question from the hon. Member for Antrim, North (Rev. Ian Paisley) on 6 March 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, in the light of the decision by the Minister for Post and Telegraphs in the Irish Government to initiate a study of the implications of legalising citizens band radio in the Republic, whether he will now initiate a study of the problems which would arise in Northern Ireland if citizens band radio were authorised south of the border but not north.

I have been asked to reply.The implications for the United Kingdom of the radio services of other countries, including citizens band radio, are kept under constant review and, where appropriate, are taken into account in formulating our own radio regulatory policy and procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, further to his reply to question No. 198 of 10 March to the hon. Member for Londonderry, he will state, for each of the seven headings given, the proportion of costs taken into acount and the sums involved in the total and for each individual heading.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1980]: For the year 1980–81 the estimated costs taken into account in fixing fees for the issue and renewal of firearm certificates are as follows:

1. RUC Headquarters Salaries and wages
(a) RUC personnel	38,700
(b) Civilian staff	73,000
2. Police authority staff	2,600
3. Supervision	11,400
4. RUC overtime and allowances	16,500
5. Superannuation	22,900
6. Accommodation and allied services	17,100
7. RUC divisional and station level costs	167,600

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will indicate the legislative base for seeking to ensure that the cost of the licensing of firearms should be covered by licence fees.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1980]: Section 47 of the Firearms Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 permits the Secretary of State to make orders for the variation of fees for the grant, renewal or variation of firearms certificates. In making such orders the Secretary of State has regard to the principle laid down in section 5 of the Public Expenditure and Receipts Act 1968 that fees payable should correspond to the cost of the matters for which they are payable.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many social workers have been dismissed as part of the cuts in public expenditure in each county of Northern Ireland for each month since May 1979 up to the most recent month for which figures are available.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has had any discussions with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about the simultaneous introduction of selective detention north and south of the Irish border.

My discussions with Irish Ministers on security matters are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the special security adviser has as yet completed his review of the security situation in Northern Ireland; and when and to whom he will present his report.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1980]: Sir Maurice Old-field and his staff are currently conducting a series of reviews of the security situation, and of how the problems involved are being tackled. It is too soon to say when they will be completed. The results will be reported to me.

asked the Secretary of Sate for Trade whether he will circulate in the Official Report a table showing the value and volume of imports and exports of gold coins and precious metals in each year since 1967; and if he will amend the table attached to the press notice on the monthly trade figures to include gold coins and precious metals among erratic items.

The value data requested are shown in the table below. Volume index numbers are not compiled for these items.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to be in a position to decide whether a public formal investigation is necessary into the loss of the "Pool Fisher" off the Isle of Wight in November 1979.

I have decided to order a formal investigation into the loss of the "Pool Fisher'. The date and venue of the hearing will be announced as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what infraction proceedings the European Commission has taken against France over its requirements for certificate of origin documentation for infra-Community trade in certain textile goods; and if he will make a statement on what other proceedings and actions the Commission is taking against the member States which infringe the rules of the Treaty of Rome and the general agreement on tariffs and trade, regarding trade in textiles and clothing products.

I now understand that the infraction proceedings referred to in the answer I gave my hon. Friend on 30 January related to French arrangements concerning origin labelling, and did not extend to origin certification. The position on the latter has now been further clarified by Commission decision 80/47/EEC of 20 December 1979, which defines more closely the circumstances in which an origin certificate may be required in intra-Community trade, but which is not yet in force.

DISHWASHERS IMPORTED INTO THE UNITED KINGDOM
	1979	First three quarters of 1979
Source	Number imported	Number imported	Imports as a percentage of total sales in United Kingdom
West Germany	50,762	33,623	51·1
Italy	49,027	26,531	40·3
France	6,945	5,004	7·6
Sweden	2,965	1,492	2·3
Netherlands	387	333	0·5
Belgium-Luxembourg	192	192	0·3

The total of the percentages in column 3 exceeds 100 per cent. because some imported machines were re-exported.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the surplus of the Export Credit Guarantees Department in the past five years; and if he has any plans to transfer any of its functions to the private sector.

In the past five financial years the net additions to ECGD's section 1—commercial account—and, section 2—national interest account—reserves have been as follows:

Section 1	£ million
1974–75	29·2
1975–76	19·2
1976–77	11·8
1977–78	3·1
1978–79	21·9

Section 2	£ million
1974–75	21·2
1975–76	21·7
1976–77	28·3
1977–78	43·7
1978–79	55·4

These contributions to the reserves represent the excess in each year of income

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table showing the number of dishwashers imported into the United Kingdom in 1979 or that part of 1979 for which figures are available, from each of the six countries which export most dishwashers to the United Kingdom, and the proportion of the total United Kingdom sales which is represented by imports from each of the six countries.

The information requested is as follows:over (

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the number of company liquidations in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and all the regions of England for the last five years.

Separate estimates for Wales and the regions of England are not available. The figures available are as follows:

COMPULSORY PLUS CREDITORS' VOLUNTARY LIQUIDATIONS*
	England and Wales	Scotland	Northern Ireland
1975	5,398	204	18
1976	5,939	229	49
1977	5,831	271	32
1978	5,086	274	53
1979	4,537	240	33
* Members' voluntary liquidations, which do not involve insolvency, are omitted.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement on the application which has been made to the European Commission for an anti-dumping order to be made on doors manufactured in Taiwan.

Over the past six months officials of my Department have met the British woodworking federation on numerous occasions to assist it in the completion of an anti-dumping complaint against external wooden doors from Taiwan. I understand that the complaint is now with the European woodworking federation, FEMIB, which will shortly be submitting it to the European Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade under what circumstances he will consider taking unilateral action to prevent the dumping of goods in the United Kingdom when European Community preventive actions have been unsuccessful.

[pursuant to his reply, 19 March 1980]: Action against dumped imports which are causing material injury to a European industry is the responsibility of the European Commission. Although my Department retains an antidumping unit to advise and help United Kingdom industry in the preparation of its case for submission to the European Commission, the United Kingdom has in general no power to take unilateral action. However, in certain circumstances the Treaty of Paris—covering bulk iron and steel products—enables the United Kingdom to take individual action when there is no Community interest.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the maximum number of passengers currently being carried annually by a single-runway international airport.

Gatwick airport is currently the busiest single runway international airport having handled 8·7 million passengers in 1979. Palma airport's single runway also handled over 8 million passengers in the same year. At Washington national airport, only one runway is normally used for air transport traffic and in 1979 the airport handled 14·3 million passengers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the minimum interval between aircraft movements required at international airports for aircraft designed to carry (a) up to 200 passengers (b) up to 300 passengers and (c) up to 400 passengers.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the nurses and midwives Whitley council for the financial year 1980–81 to report on the recent nurses' pay claim; and if he will look at that pay claim favourably.

The negotiation of the claim is a matter in the first instance for the nurses and midwives Whitley council. I am informed that it has already arranged a very early meeting. I would not wish to anticipate the outcome of its discussions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when the field survey to finalise a marginal land scheme for submission to the EEC is to be completed;

As indicated in the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 1 February 1980, it is hoped that the field work in England and Wales will be completed in 1981. There will be no report to publish and no undertaking can be given at this stage as to the outcome.It will be necessary to have discussions with representatives of the European Economic Community before any extension of our less-favoured areas could be made.—[Vol. 977, c.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he will publish the next Welsh house condition survey.

Consideration is being given to the feasibility of a Welsh house condition survey in 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many local education authorities in Wales had based their budget for 1980–81 on the assumption of a certain revenue from charging for transporting children to school irrespective of whether or not they had informed parents of their intention so to do.

Four, one of which at a late stage revised its plans on the basis that no charges would be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what application he has received for financial aid from the Frimhurst Homes, run by the ATD (Aid for Everyone in Distress) Fourth World; and what has been his response.

An application dated 14 March 1980 for financial aid for the Frimhurst Homes was received in the Department on 17 March, and is now being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many extra consultants in each specialty for each region a real growth rate in the National Health Service held at 0·5 per cent. for the coming year will allow; and how many extra consultants such an expansion will allow in each of the eight health areas of Wales.

The deployment of financial resources between specialties and between medical manpower and other forms of health expenditure is a matter for individual health authorities to determine and it is therefore not possible to make the calculations requested. However, as pointed out on the Department's discussion paper "Medical Manpower: the next Twenty Years"—issued in 1978—in the past the overall number of doctors in the hospital service has grown at almost exactly the same rate as the real cost of the service.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the action he has taken since taking office to ensure that London continues as one of the world's centres of medical expertise.

I have no reason to suppose that London will not remain one of the world's centres of medical expertise.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is his policy for the working hours of radiographers, in view of the Clegg report that they should work 37½ hours each week and the radiological safety decision that no more than 35 hours should be worked in any one week.

The fixing of conditioned working hours for radiographers is a matter for the professional and technical "A" Whitley council. The present 35-hour working week for radiographers was originally based on recommendations of the British X-ray and radium protection committee. These were superseded in 1957 by the issue of the code of practice for the protection of persons exposed to ionising radiations, which was based not on specific maximum hours of work but on improved monitoring procedures and safe use of equipment. Since then the code has been up-dated at intervals.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement of his response to the World Health Organisation's designation of 7 April as a day on which Governments are asked to co-operate in an effort to eliminate dangers arising from cigarette smoking.

My right hon. Friend and I welcome the World Health Organisation's decision to focus attention this year on the issue of smoking and health. We are fully committed to the WHO's aim of reducing and eventually eliminating the toll of preventable disease and premature death attributable to smoking, and we shall continue to reflect this commitment, both in our response to the WHO day and in our longer term policies.Our plans to secure appropriate publicity for the day itself include the preparation of taped features by the Government's chief medical officer and myself for broadcast on local radio, which will describe the dangers of smoking and the Government's response to this problem; releases to the press and to other media asking them to draw attention to the day in appropriate ways; and requests to those responsible for health and health education at local level to seek publicity for the day. Also, as part of the international exchange of information and experience on the issue of smoking and health, I shall address the WHO Director-General's conference "Smoking or health: the choice is yours" in Geneva and a similar conference in Oslo shortly after WHO day.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if, in his negotiations with the tobacco industry, he will seek to gain agreement for the publication of carbon monoxide levels on the side of every cigarette packet.

To comment now on the content of the discussions I am having with the tobacco industry would be premature, and I must ask the hon. Member to await the full announcement which will be made once the negotiations reach a conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will carry out a study on prescribing methods and frequency, to seek to find out whether a reduction of the burden on general practitioners is having a detrimental effect upon the viability and in many instances the continuing in existence of rural chemists.

I do not consider that such a study would serve the purpose that the hon. Member appears to have in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total spending of his Department on benefits and services for the chronically sick and disabled in each of the years 1970–71 to 1978–79; and if he will give the change year by year in percentage as well as money terms.

I shall let the right hon. Gentleman have a reply as soon as information has been extracted from the records and the necessary calculations made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will seek powers to impose a ban on all tobacco promotion, except at the point of sale.

My right hon. and hon. Friends and I are examining all the options open to us before deciding upon any further measures we might wish to take to reduce the toll of premature death and illness associated with smoking.The advertising of cigarettes or cigarette tobacco on independent television or local radio is banned by a direction under the Independent Broadcasting Act 1973; and the voluntary agreements, which the previous Administration made with the tobacco industry, have achieved some restraint on the promotion of tobacco. We are, nevertheless, determined to make further progress in this area; but, in view of the discussions I am having with the industry on what should follow the agreement to which I have referred, it would be premature for me to say more at the present time.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will be making a statement on possible changes in eligibility for the housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension.

expect to receive the report of the National Insurance Advisory Committee on the housewives' non-contributory invalidity pension in the early summer, and this report will have to be studied before a statement is made.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take to avoid the collapse of patient services provided by members of professions supplementary to medicine if the report No. 4 of the standing commission were implemented and the hours of work were increased or the salary reduced.

The implementation of the recommendations in report No. 4 of the standing commission will not, in practice, require any member of the professions concerned to increase their hours or to suffer a reduction in salary. This has been made quite clear in recent discussions within the professional and technical "A" Whitley council. There would seem no reason, therefore, to anticipate a collapse of patient services provided by the staff concerned, particularly in view of the further increases in pay which have still to be negotiated and which will also apply with effect from 1 April.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will make a statement on the future of the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson hospital.

In June last year, the Government announced that the future of this hospital was assured. Agreement has now been reached on the first phase of the redevelopment and a project team has begun detailed planning so that rebuilding can begin later this year. I should like to pay a special tribute to the staff and supporters of the hospital and the officers of the health authorities.The first phase will contain a specially designed "Well-Woman Clinic" to provide a screening service which is urgently needed, a wide range of out-patient clinics and 40 gynaecological beds. We shall seek to provide additional facilities as furtherfunds become available.I am grateful for the help that I have received from the hon. Member and other hon. Members and particularly for the efforts made by my hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg).

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the members and terms of reference of the Committee on Safety of Medicines; what are the aims and objectives of the committee; what is the committee's programme of work; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if the Committee on Safety of Medicines considers the efficacy as well as the safety of drugs before it issues a product licence.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 March 1980]: The aims and objectives of the Committee on Safety of Medicines are set out in its terms of reference, which are:

"To give advice with respect to safety, quality and efficacy, in relation to human use, of any substance or article (not being an instrument, apparatus or appliance) to which any provision of the Medicines Act 1968 is applicable.

To promote the collection and investigation of information relating to adverse reactions for the purpose of enabling such advice to be given."

The following are members of the committee:

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, pursuant to the Under-Secretary of State's reply to the hon. Member for Ince on 25 February concerning financial assistance to prisoners wives, when the Supplementary Benefits Commission decided on the provisions for expenses as set out in the reply; and why it was decided that such a provision should not apply where a husband is in prison in Northern Ireland.

[pursuant to her reply, 18 March 1980): The Supplementary Benefits Commission agreed in July 1969 to administer, on behalf of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, a scheme of financial assistance for visits to prisoners in Great Britain, on the lines indicated in my previous reply, with effect from April 1971. Staff resources have not been available to extend the scheme to cover visits to prisoners in Northern Ireland.—[Vol. 980, c. 137.]

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the amount of overseas aid provided to Indonesia for each of the last 10 years; and if he will indicate his future intentions on aid to this country.

Total gross disbursements of United Kingdom bilateral aid to Indonesia, including CDC loans, in each of the calendar years 1970 to 1979 were:

	£ million
1970	2·659
1971	5·835
1972	6·771
1973	8·148
1974	8·886
1975	6·777
1976	4·651
1977	5·646
1978	6·541
1979 provisional	(10·816)
provision	(10·816)

It is not the practice to announce planning figures for individual countries. But, in any case, no decision has yet been taken about levels of aid to Indonesia over the next few years.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether aid for reconstruction purposes will be provided for Rhodesia.

We have offered an immediate grant of £7 million, subject to Parliamentary approval, for reconstruction in Zimbabwe. We have also agreed to provide up to £½ million to be spent through voluntary agencies on projects for rehabilitation and reconstruction. We shall match expenditure by the voluntary agencies on this on a pound for pound basis. Further aid will be considered after independence.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will list the sums provided to Nicaragua in overseas aid by the United Kingdom for each of the last 10 years a contribution has been made.

£ thousands (in rounded figures)
	1970	1971	1972	1973	1974
Financial Loans	—	—	—	—	171
Financial Grants (Disaster relief)	—	—	—	—	—
Technical Co-operation	4	21	66	87	77
Total Gross	4	21	66	87	248
£ thousands (in rounded figures)
	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979
Financial Loans	269	130	35	10	10
Financial Grants (Disaster relief)	—	—	—	—	93
Technical Co-operation	129	157	370	176	142
Total Gross	398	287	405	186	246

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will make a statement on aid to Nicaragua to assist in the task of reconstruction faced by the new Government; and if he will 'increase the amount of funds allocated for this purpose.

Between June and December 1979 direct and indirect aid from Britain to Nicaragua totalled £1·65 million. The bulk of this, just under £1·5 million, has been channelled indirectly through multilateral organisations. These include the Inter-American Development Bank—approximately £600,000 can be attributed to United Kingdom aid funds—the European Community—United Kingdom share £630,000—and approximately £230,000 through the International Fund for Agricultural Development—IFAD. Most of this help took the form of emergency requirements for relief supplies, food, seeds, medicines and so on. But it is likely that in future these same institutions will provide substantial further reconstruction aid to Nicaragua.Direct bilateral aid to Nicaragua has totalled approximately £170,000. Of this £100,000 was used for 100 hours of flying time by the RAF which carried in about 150 tonnes of emergency food and medical supplies from Panama at a time when access into Nicaragua by road was impossible. Relief for Nicaraguan refugees, partly channelled through the Save the Children Fund, has totalled a further £16,000. More recently we have sent antibiotics and water purifiers worth approximately £7,000 required after serious flooding occurred in Northern Nicaragua.We have responded to the UNESCO appeal for support for the Nicaraguan

The following aid has been provided to Nicaragua over the past 10 years:adult literacy campaign by providing over 1,000 first-aid kits at a cost of around £20,000 for use in the rural areas. We are also at the moment putting together a package of tractor spares which the Nicaraguan Government have asked us to provide so that over 200 Massey-Ferguson tractors, damaged in the civil war, can be reconditioned. These will cost in the region of £40,000.The constraints on our aid programme are now very severe and this will affect the level of any future help for Nicaragua.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of information officers, together with the number of supporting staff, in his Department in each of the last five years.

The number of staff working in, and supporting members of, the information officer group in my Department—including the Property Services Agency, the Building Research Station and the Fire Research Station—has been as follows:

	Information group	Support staff	Total
January 1975	91	73	164
January 1976	94	68	162
January 1977	66	40	106
January 1978	55	39	94
January 1979	56	38	94
January 1980	52	34	86

Besides press officers, the information officer group includes specialists in exhibitions, films, publications, advertising and editorial work. From 1970 to September 1976, the Department included what is now the Department of Transport; and since September 1976 it has provided a common service to the Ministry of Transport in relation to films, publications, exhibitions, together with a daily press cutting service.The reduction of 56 in the total number of staff in 1977 reflects the transfer to the Ministry of Transport of 30 staff concerned with press office and advertising work and a saving of a further 26 staff as a result of reorganisation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Property Services Agency staff were working in Germany on Defence Account on 1 January 1979 and 1 January of the current year, respectively.

The following table shows the numbers of staff, by category, on the dates in question:

	1.1.79	1.1.80
Non-industrial
United Kingdom based	316	341
Locally engaged	905	897
Total non-industrial	1221	1238
Industrial (Locally engaged)	2775	2676
Total all staff	3996	3914

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he is giving to local authorities where officials belonging to the National Association of Local Government Officers are refusing to deal with councillors' inquiries.

None. This is a matter for local authorities and their representative organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the next set of joint manpower watch statistics are to be published.

The Joint Manpower Watch Survey will be published on Monday 24 March. For the first time, the statistics will include numbers employed in individual local authorities, as at mid-December 1979, and the changes in number over the previous 12 months. Copies of the full press notice will be placed in the Library on 24 March.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether further changes are being made to the cash limits set for his Department since those announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury in Cmnd. 7604; and from what date the one block system of housing investment programme allocations will commence.

In my statement on the rate support grant settlement on 16 November 1979 I said that £10 million would be found through a reduction in other local authority programmes for which I am responsible. This has been achieved by a reduction of £10 million in the cash limit for 1979–80 on local housing investment—DOE/LA 2. This does not require any reduction in 1979–80 allocations to individual authorities.I have also agreed to transfer £½ million of partnership resources from the urban programme to the Department of Health and Social Security to enable the Camden and Islington health authority to proceed with a number of important projects at Whittington hospital. The revised cash limit for the urban programme is £172·550 million.In order to give local authorities maximum flexibility, I am arranging for the one block system of housing investment programme allocations to be introduced from 31 March, so that authorities enter 1980–81 with the new system already in place.—[Vol. 973, c. 854.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish an assessment of the full scale experimental "Harvest" plant with simulated fission product operated by the Atomic Energy Authority at Harwell.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 March 1980]: The experimental "Harvest" plant has been used to check a number of alternative design features affecting heat transfer. When a full range of these alternatives has been explored. British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. will be able to prepare an assessment of the results which would assist the choice of design features in an industrial scale plant. To the extent that this assessment is of general technical interest, it will in due course be published.

asked the Minister of Transport when he expects to be able to introduce legislation to wind up the National Ports Council.

I hope in the next Session of Parliament.

asked the Minister of Transport what is the current investment programme of British Railways; and how much of the total is in respect of rolling stock.

The British Railways Board operates within an investment ceiling set at £277 million for the current financial year—1979 survey prices. Within this ceiling, priorities for investment in different areas of the business are a matter for the board. However, the board's current programme provides for substantial investment in new rolling stock, amounting to some 30 per cent. of its programme for 1980. This includes investment in high speed trains, freight locomotives and wagons, and electric multiple units, mainly for commuter services.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will give a general direction to British Railways to publish the details of profitability or non-profitability of each passenger rail service.

I have always made it clear that I share very much the general objective of my hon. Friend's question, and I trust that the board's current work in developing its analysis of railway costs will enable some progress to be made. I regret that the board could not comply with a direction such as is suggested, because joint indirect costs cannot be allocated to individual services in a way that would allow their profitability to be measured.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place a copy of the report, inquiry into the pig stabilisation fund, in the Library.

The bacon curing industry stabilisation scheme ran from 1966 until it was terminated in 1973. Reports of the Public Accounts Committee which examined the scheme in November 1971 and November 1973 were presented to Parliament and are available in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to meet the producers' organisations of the fishing industry to settle the allocation of financial aid to them following his statement of 13 March.

Officials of the United Kingdom fisheries departments met representatives of the fish producers' organisations on 19 March 1980 to discuss the detailed arrangements for this scheme, including the allocation of financial aid.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider introducing legislation to compel brewers to state the strength of their respective beers.

My right hon. Friend is at present considering recommendations made by the Food Standards Committee in its report on beer, and will make a statement in due course.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, following his written answer to the hon. Member for Warley, East on 11 March, Official Report, column 550, he will specify the means by which, when the acquiring body of tax-empted objects is the Board of Inland Revenue, the financial benefit of the exemption of such objects from estate duty or capital transfer tax accrues, or has accrued, since 1956–57, not to the Commissioners of Inland Revenue but to the National Land Fund, bearing in mind not only that no credit in this regard has ever figured in the accounts of the National Land Fund, but also that the sums debited to that fund in those accounts for the credit of the Commissioners of Inland Revenue in respect of the acceptance by them of objects in satisfaction of tax are necessarily higher as a consequence of, and in relation to, the extent to which the administrative practice of the commissioners has withheld since 1956, without statutory authority for doing so, the full benefit due to the relevant tax debtors of the tax exemption of the objects thus accepted.

I shall let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what estimate he has made of the cost to public funds of making rail and bus fares incurred in travelling to and from work allowable for tax purposes;(2) if, in view of the energy shortage, he will take positive steps to encourage the use of public transport; and if, in particular, he will give consideration to allowing travel-to-work fares on public transport to be allowable for tax purposes.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the net contribution which the United Kingdom will make to the European Economic Community in 1980; and if he will express this total as a weekly sum per average British family.

Estimates of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the Community budget in the calendar year 1980 will appear in the forthcoming public expenditure White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Brussels on 17 March.

The Finance Council met on 17 March with the Luxembourg Finance Minister in the chair.The Council discussed preparations for the forthcoming European Council. I stressed that it was imperative for the Community to resolve the problem of the British budget contribution as soon as possible and argued that no technical obstacle stood in the way of an early decision. No one disputed this view.The Council also carried out its regular quarterly review of the economic situation in the Community on the basis of a communication from the Commission. It endorsed the Commission's conclusion that there was for the present no need to revise the economic guidelines that it had adopted at its December meeting.The Council also considered a document prepared by the Commission at the request of the European Council on the improvement of economic policy coordination in the Community. It endorsed in general terms the ideas put forward in the document and invited the various specialist committees concerned to take such steps as were necessary in the light of the Commission's proposals to reinforce the co-ordination of economic policies.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the report of the Consumers' Association, commissioned from Phillips and Drew, on accounting practices of the nationalised industries; and whether he proposes to take any action in response to it.

asked the Minister of Transport what assessment he has made of the report of the Consumers' Association, commissioned from Phillips and Drew, on accounting practices of the nationalised industries; and whether he proposes to take any action in response to it.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the report of the Consumers' Association, commissioned from Phillips and Drew, on accounting practices of the nationalised industries; and whether he proposes to take any action in responce to it.

[pursuant to the reply given on 20 March 1980]: I have been asked to reply.The Consumers' Association report was particularly concerned about the diversity of treatment among the industries of the impact of inflation in arriving at figures for profit and loss. A significant improvement in the consistency of report-ling profit in current cost terms should follow the promulgation of the new accounting standard expected shortly. In this context, we have been concerned to secure a uniform approach by the nationalised industries, and I would refer the hon. Member to the answer by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to my hon. Friend the Member for Chipping Barnet (Mr. Chapman) on 21 December 1979.—[Vol. 976, c. 454).

RATES AGAINST £STERLING
	US$	Deutsche-mark	French Franc	Italian Lira	Japanese Yen	European Unit of Account
18 March 1980	2.1945	4.1132	9.6042	1,916.90	545.33	0.6111
1 April 1975	2.4079	5.6300	10.1200	1,520.37	700.37	0.5646||
1 April 1970	2.4077	8.8135	13.3345	1,514.05	862.17	—
1 April 1965	2.7906	11.0950	13.6700	1,743.00	1,010.76	—
1 April 1960	2.8078	11.7075	13.7731†	1,742.37	1,011.46	—
1 April 1955	2.8000	11.7900	982.2700	N.A.	N.A.	—
1 April 1950	2.8000	11.7460	980.0000	N.A.	N.A.	—
1 April 1945	4.0300*	N.A.	199⅞–200[‡	N.A.	N.A.	—

PERCENTAGE CHANGE ON PREVIOUS YEAR¶
	US$	Deutsche-mark	French Franc	Italian Lira	Japanese Yen	European Unit of Account
1 April 1976	-22.4	-15.7	-13.6	+5.2	-20.1	-4.7
1 April 1977	-8.0	-13.3	-2.2	-4.6	-15.2	-13.9
1 April 1978	+ 8.7	-8.8	-0.3	+ 4.0	-14.0	-5.0
1 April 1979	+10.7	+3.8	+4.9	+9.8	+7.3	+4.2
18 March 1980	+6.1	+5.6	+7.5	+10.0	+24.6	+5.9
* Official Bank of England rate as fixed between September 1939 and September 1949.
† The new French franc was created on 1 January 1960, equal to 100 old French francs.
‡ Fixed by the Bank of England between 22 March and 5 April 1945.
§ £ sterling per unit of account.
|| Unit of account started on 26 May 1975.
¶ + sterling appreciation; — sterling depreciation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ensure that the United Kingdom does not join, consider joining or discuss joining the European monetary scheme until after a satisfactory long term solution has been negotiated regarding the imbalance in the European Economic Community budget.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 March 1980]: It is the Government's wish that both matters referred to in my hon. Friend's question should be dealt with on their merits. On the EMS, I have nothing to add to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chancellor to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Selly Oak (Mr.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the exchange rate of the £ sterling against the United States dollar, the major EEC currencies, the Community unit of account, and the Japanese yen at present and on 1 April 1975, 1970, 1965, 1960, 1955, 1950 and 1945, indicaing the trend over the last five years.

[pursuant to his reply, 20 March 1980]: The information is as follows:Beaumont-Dark) on 7 December 1979.—[Vol. 975, c. 402–3.]—On our contribution to the Community budget, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister will be seeking a satisfactory solution at the European Council in Brussels at the end of this month. The merits of our case are abundant and clear.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what increase there has been from 1964 to 1978 in percentage terms in gross capital stock and plant machinery, respectively, at constant prices in manufacturing industry and index of production industries;(2) what increase there has been in percentage terms in gross capital stock and plant and machinery, respectively, at

constant prices from 1964 to 1978 in each of the following industries: (