asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a further statement on the future of the Scottish Development Agency's investment in Stonefield Vehicles in view of the fact that that company's auditors have qualified its latest accounts to advise that it can be valued on a going concern basis only on the assumption that negotiations for the provision of additional equity capital by the agency are brought to a successful conclusion.

Any further statement would be premature at this time. Discussions in commercial confidence between the Scottish Development Agency and interested parties are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he is yet in a position to make a statement about the cost to public funds of grant and loan assistance to the new pulp mill at Fort William, and the aggregate cost per job to be forgone.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has issued any directions to BL Ltd.

I have today laid before the House a copy of a direction I have given to the National Enterprise Board under section 7 of the Industry Act 1975, requiring it to provide BL with the funding set out in my statement of 20 December 1979. This is in recognition of the fact that the then newly-appointed board had not had time to consider the BL 1980 corporate plan or comment on its funding proposals. As I said in my statement, the funding will take the form of the conversion to equity of £150 million of loans, the provision of £150 million in new equity, and up to a further £150 million on which BL could draw on evidence of need. These are all sums requested by BL in line with its corporate plan financing requirements for 1980–81.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in view of the growing pressure from United States-owned computer companies to strengthen their hold on the British market, he will take action to encourage joint ventures between British companies, such as ICL, and companies from other EEC countries.

The pursuit of joint ventures between computer companies within the EEC is primarily a matter for the commercial judgment of the companies themselves. The Government's role is to ensure that the overall economic climate in the United Kingdom is conducive to the healthy development of United Kingdom industry as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will initiate discussions, in concert with the French, with the American aircraft manufacturers to ascertain prospects for joint development of a successor to the Concorde.

No. While there are continuing contacts between British, French and American aircraft manufacturers on advanced supersonic transport, it is clear that our priorities lie with subsonic aircraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has received British Aerospace's annual report and accounts for 1979.

I have, in accordance with section 17 (9) and 18 (6) of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977, laid before each House copies of British Aerospace's annual report and accounts for 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the major additional improvements in defence capability which he expects to result from the decision to increase defence spending by 3 per cent. in 1980–81 and by a further 3 per cent. a year thereafter, indicating the main elements of the defence budget to which the additional spending will be diverted.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave yesterday to his hon. Friend the Member for Penistone (Mr. McKay).

asked the Prime Minister whether she will now recommend to the appropriate Heads of Government involved in the Gleneagles agreement that further consultations take place to consider renewing sporting links with South Africa.

The policy of this Government and of other Commonwealth Governments of discouraging sporting contacts with South Africa will continue in conformity with the Gleneagles agreement until South African policy towards multiracial sport changes sufficiently to warrant modification of the agreement. The Government recognise that progress has been made in South Africa towards integration in certain sports. But they do not consider that progress is yet sufficient to discuss with Commonwealth colleagues the possibility of modifying the Gleneagles agreement.

asked the Prime Minister what regional organisations of government which existed on 3 May have since been wound up.

The Department of Industry has closed two regional sub-offices at Cockermouth and Reading and has merged the work of two regional offices to form one office serving a new South-Eastern Region.As a result of an organisational review, 16 road construction unit sub-units in the Department of Transport will be phased out by the transfer of work on trunk road schemes to consultants and to county councils acting as agents.Following the Government's review of vehicle excise duty most re-licensing work is to be transferred to post offices within the next two years. As a consequence the Department of Transport is proposing to close up to 30 local vehicle licensing offices with a saving of about 1,000 staff.A number of Departments have reviewed or are reviewing their regional and local office structures. Decisions on these will be announced as they are reached.

asked the Prime Minister if she will issue a correction of her statement that a mandatory resolution of the United Nations automatically becomes embodied in our law.

Section 1 of the United Nations Act 1946 provides as follows:

"If, under Article forty-one of the Charter of the United Nations …. the Security Council of the United Nations call upon His Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom to apply any measures to give effect to any decision of that Council, His Majesty may by Order in Council make such provision as appears to Him necessary or expedient for enabling those measures to be effectively applied".

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will take steps to stop South Korean manufacturers trading on the reputation of British standards by utilising the stamping of their goods with the word "England" and the Union Jack.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what percentage of exports is attributed to trade in arms.

[pursuant to the reply, 17 April 1980 c. 672]: On the basis of information provided by the Ministry of Defence, exports of military equipment have in recent years accounted for a little more than 2 per cent. of total exports from the United Kingdom.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what was the financial provision made for the English Language Book Scheme in 1979–80 and what provision will be made in each year to 1983–84; and what will be the percentage increase or decrease in real terms for each of these years.

Expenditure in 1979–80 was £1.64 million. Provision of £0.97 million has been taken in the main Supply Estimates for 1980–81. This is likely to represent a reduction of a little under half in real terms. It is not the practice to announce forward planning figures.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will now give additional support to the Child-to-Child programme; if he will raise the need for support of the programme in the World Health Organisation; and if he will make a statement.

The current grant of £115,307 to the Child-to-Child programme runs until March 1982 and I have received no request for increased support.The World Health Organisation appears to me already to be well aware of the merits of the programme and to require no further prompting. It also supports many other activities geared to the improvement of children's health in developing countries.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has made any estimate of the effect on the exchange rate of changes in the rate of interest; and if so, whether he will publish the findings in the Official Report.

Interest rates affect the exchange rate in a variety of ways.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates the rate of inflation will be by 24 July.

In July this year the year on year increase in the retail prices index is expected to fall as the effects on the index of the switch from direct to indirect taxation announced in the June 1979 Budget start to drop out of the calculation. However, I do not intend to make a specific forecast of the RPI for July: forecasts of the year on year increase to 1980 Q4 and 1981 Q2 were published in the FSBR last month.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will now give details, including location, of the enterprise zones announced in his Budget Statement.

My right. hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are currently consulting the local authorities named in the Government's policy document. The Government will make a final announcement about sites in the summer. Details of the measures to be implemented in enterprise zones are contained in the Government's policy document on enterprise zones which is available in the Library of the House.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what are the proposed reductions in the number of civil servants employed in his Department; and what reductions so far have been carried out.

The proposed reductions are United Kingdom-based staff savings of 425 in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Diplomatic Service, and 235 in the Overseas Development Administration. There will be additional savings under the recently announced 2½ per cent. reduction in manpower costs.Between 1 May 1979 and 1 April 1980, the number of staff fell by 313.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with the emergency cover which is being provided by Scottish Gas in the Lothian region during the current strike; and what steps are being taken to ensure that emergency services are provided.

Detailed emergency arrangements are a matter, in the first instance for British Gas, and I have been assured that appropriate measures have been taken to ensure the maintenance of safety standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider linking the abolition of earnings-related supplement to the introduction of German-style training allowances.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the aggregate cost to date to public funds of all work commissioned from, and fees paid to, management consultants by the Clegg commission, and the aggregate cost, including an appropriate proportion of overheads, of work farmed out by the commission to the Office of Manpower Economics.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of fires known to have been caused by electrical faults; and what proportion of total fires this amounted to in each of the last five years.

Information is not available in the form requested. The number of fires in occupied buildings in which electrical wiring or installation were reported as the source of ignition, is published annually in "Fire Statistics United Kingdom" (table 3 of the volume for 1978). The numbers of fires in occupied buildings in which electrical cookers, space heaters or other electrical appliances were reported as the source of ignition, and also published annually but the number of these fires which were caused by electrical faults is not known. Information on fires in certain outdoor locations attributed to electrical wiring, appliances or installations is also published annually (except for 1975) in the same publication (table 46 of the volume for 1978). These publications are in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, when considering applications for males to enter the United Kingdom to marry or affiance with United Kingdom females, he will take care to ensure that the females concerned are personally desirous that the marriage should take place and that where necessary confidential interviews can take place to prevent family or other third party pressures from being applied.

Entry clearance officers are aware of the problems which my hon. Friend has in mind. Where there are doubts on this score an interview with the fiancée in this country may be arranged. Similar interviews may be necessary when there are doubts whether a marriage has taken place, subsists or is likely to subsist. Where the fiancée or wife expresses a wish to be interviewed privately or the interviewing officer suspects that she is under duress every effort is made to arrange a confidential interview. But if a decision is to be based on the ground that a marriage has not or will not take place, or does not or is unlikely to subsist, there must be a preparedness on the part of the fiancée or wife to give evidence of her unwillingness to marry or continue in marriage for production at any appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet considered the draft byelaw for the regulation of model aircraft flying submitted to him for approval by the London borough of Hillingdon; and if, in view of the urgency of giving approval, he will make a statement.

The borough council sent a draft byelaw to the Home Office on 26 February. The Department's comments were contained in a letter sent to the council on 20 March which drew attention to certain defects in the draft and to the need to elaborate on the council's reasons for wishing to prohibit the flying of all power-driven model aircraft in the area of Hillingdon House farm. The Department is continuing to endeavour to resolve the matter as soon as possible and is prepared to arrange a further meeting with the council's representatives and the Society of Model Aeronautical Engineers to that end.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women, listed separately, were committed to prison for wife and child maintenance default and

Average daily population of prison department establishments in England and Wales committed by magistrates courts for non-payment of maintenance or arrears under an affiliation order: 1975–79
		Number of persons
Year	Males	Females
1975	295	—
1976	292	—
1977	303	—
1978	302	—
1979	237*	—
Population at 31st March 1980	298*	—
*Provisional

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated average cost or (a) reception into prison and (b) discharge from prison at the latest convenient date.

The information necessary to enable such an estimate to be made is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of West Yorkshire on the reasons why the innocence of Mr. George Lindo was withheld from his solicitors.

Information on the number of receptions of persons committed to prison department establishments in England and Wales by magistrates' courts for non-payment of wife's maintenance (including wife and child maintenance), children's maintenance and arrears under an affiliation order is published annually in Prison Statistics, England and Wales (table 6.1 of the issue for 1978, Cmnd 7626). Figures for 1979 and 1980 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average daily number of men and women, listed separately, imprisoned for wife and child maintenance default and affiliation arrears for each of the last five years and for the latest available date in the current year.

The information requested is given in the following table:

My right hon. Friend has called for a report and will write to the hon. Member in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps, or seek to require local authorities to take steps, to place signs outside all public or commercial buildings suitable for use as nuclear fall-out shelters.

We have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly cost of imprisoning maintenance defaulters for each of the last five years and for the latest available date in the current year.

The cost of keeping a maintenance defaulter in custody is not

	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
	£	£	£	£	£
Male local prisons and remand centres	54	70	75	85	104
All Female establishments	74	101	112	127	140

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the statistical sources which he will use when planning the provision of interchange facilities between car and rail, if no question on car and van ownership is included in the 1981 census.

The planning of the provision of interchange facilities between car and rail is a matter for British Rail and local authorities.

asked the Minister of Transport if he will list the statistical sources which he will use when allocating revenue support to public transport services, if no question on car and van ownership is included in the 1981 census.

The allocation of revenue support to particular public transport services is a matter for local authorities and operators.

asked the Minister of Transport what was the reason for the decision to undertake major repairs to a bridge at the London end of the M1 motorway on Saturday 12 April; and what procedures were followed before the decision was taken.

Maintenance work on a bridge in Hertfordshire requires closure of M1 carriageways. Three consecutive weekends this spring were needed and the weekends between the Easter and May Day bank holidays were chosen to avoid disruption of holiday and weekday traffic.Notification of the closure was given in late March and a traffic order was made on 10 April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what arrangements are being made for archaeological work to take place during phase 2 of the redevelopment of the Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, site which will extend as far south as Bridge Street and which is clue to be completed in the mid-1980s;(2) what arrangements are being made for excavation of the Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, site where demolition is almost complete and redevelopment is imminent, in view of the fact that in 1961 during the Treasury Green development, which adjoins the Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, site, a large Saxon hall was discovered with extensive settlement evidence round about and that in 1960 Roman features were uncovered in the courtyard of 10 Downing Street;(3) what costing has been made of a major excavation of the Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, site, the importance of which has been attested by its proximity to the Saxon site discovered in 1961, and the employment by the ancient monuments department of his Department of a research assistant to carry out documentary research on the site for a year;(4) when a reply can be expected to the letter from the inner London archaeological unit of 15 February to the Property Services Agency requesting permission to excavate the Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, site;(5) whether he will instruct the Property Services Agency, which is carrying out an extensive redevelopment of the Richmond Terrace, Whitehall, site, which may entail the destruction of the historic levels therein, to bear the costs of the archaeological excavation necessary having regard to the small proportion these would represent of the total costs of redevelopment.

I had arranged from the outset that the Department's Inspectorate of Ancient Monuments would maintain a watching brief as work progressed on this site. Its reports and the documentary evidence available to the Department suggest that the area affected by the development was much disturbed by earlier building and that the cost of a full excavation would not be justified. I have, nonetheless, agreed to the request from the inner London archaeological unit to be allowed to carry out a trial excavation of that part of the site which has been cleared in preparation for the first stage of the scheme. It would be premature to make any arrangements in respect of the second stage.No Government funds are available for the trial excavation and no estimate has been made of the cost of major excavation or the employment of staff for the purpose.A reply to the letter from the inner London archaeological unit has been sent today.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had recently with local authorities regarding the transfer to the private sector of services currently performed by the authorities themselves.

There have been no recent formal discussions with local authorities on this matter but we have repeatedly urged them publicly to give consideration to involving the private sector where there are cost or other benefits. We are currently considering how we might more positively encourage and assist them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the preservation order on Witley Court, Great Witley, Worcestershire, applies also to the attached chapel.

No. The compulsory guardianship order relates to the ruins of the house and gardens which were scheduled as an ancient monument.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received the report commissioned by his Department on the future of Witley Court, Worcestershire.

Yes. This Department is considering the costs and other implications of the consultants' proposals and a decision on the future of the monument will be announced in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in view of the need for national energy conservation, why the heating in many of the offices of Norman Shaw, North was on at full force on 14 and 15 April, whereas the temperature outside was in the region of 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

A defect in an electric motor caused the main water temperature control valve to remain open. A new motor is now being fitted but room temperatures in Norman Shaw, North can be reduced if individual radiators are turned off.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will raise the upper limit payable on rate rebates.

I have this under review, and I hope to be able to make an announcement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set up an independent review of the management structure of the water authorities.

We have no plan to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the practice established in other European countries covering the avoidance of sulphur dioxide emissions due to the production of electricity from fossil fuels or any manufacturing process.

[pursuant to his reply, 3 April 1980, c. 343]: Some European countries reduce sulphur dioxide emissions from fossil fuelled power stations and other manufacturing processes either by limiting the sulphur content of the fuel and/or by limiting the emission rates of sulphur dioxide. All countries use tall chimneys as a means of dispersing sulphur dioxide and other pollutants. A number of countries in Europe also lay down ambient air quality standards for sulphur dioxide.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he is satisfied that a unilateral ban on the import of all whale products into the United Kingdom would be contrary to Community law.

I have been asked to reply.The appropriate way to impose a ban on imports of whale products would be through a decision by the Community, and we have already put this forward and made some progress towards achieving it. A unilateral ban on the import of all whale products would be difficult to defend under Community law.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will announce his policy on the future of the Eastman Dental Institute.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science gave him on 15 April.—[Vol. 982, c. 586–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what proportion of cheques sent out with the Christmas bonus for pensioners he estimates were not received before Christmas; what was the target and actual final date of posting of these cheques; and why ex-Service men pensioners in Wales were particularly late in receiving these cheques.

Almost 2 million of the 10 million beneficiaries entitled to Christmas bonus were paid by Girocheque or payable order. These payments were issued by first class post during the period 28 November to 13 December to ensure payment before Christmas, but about 1,000 payments to retirement pensioners were not issued until after Christmas due to an oversight. Payment to a further 9,000 beneficiaries was not made until after Christmas because the qualifying benefit was not awarded until then. I do not know whether any payments were delayed in the post and I am not aware that ex-Service men in Wales were particularly late in receiving payments.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the proposed reductions in the number of civil servants employed in his Department; and what reductions so far have been carried out.

Between 1 May 1979 and 1 April 1980, the number of permanent civil servants in the Department fell by 2,114. This figure is net of some increases for the intensified effort against fraud and abuse and for an anticipated rise in demand-led work.A reduction in administrative costs equivalent to about 2,800 posts will be made in the current financial year. Most, although not all, of this saving will be in manpower. For future years, up to 1983–84, some measures from my right hon. and noble Friend the Lord President's review which will produce savings in the Department have already been announced. These are expected to amount to the equivalent of 1,590 posts. Further measures to achieve economy within the same time scale remain under study, notably proposals for an employers' statutory sick pay scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a breakdown of reduced benefit expenditure from the national insurance fund in respect of each of the benefits referred to in clause 1 of the Social Security (No. 2) Bill.

The reductions in benefit expenditure in a full year will be of the order of:

	£ million
Unemployment benefit	45
Sickness benefit	30
Maternity allowances	5
Invalidity benefit	55
Injury benefit etc.	5

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how much money will be saved on the cost of the 1981 census by excluding a question on car and van ownership in the household.

The saving will be about £50,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the statistical sources which he will use when planning the location and access points of health and welfare facilities, if no question on car and van ownership is included in the 1981 census.

The planning of health and welfare services is the responsibility of health and local authorities and it is for them to take account of all relevant factors, including transport, when planning the siting of such facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many representations he has received from local authorities on whether to include a question on car and van ownership in the household in the 1981 census; and how many were in favour and how many opposed,

Since the draft census order 1980 was laid on 20 March 1980, 10 representations in favour have been received from local authorities and one from the Association of County Councils. No representation that is opposed has been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what parts of the Sheridan report on land law in Northern Ireland have so far been implemented; what was the implementing legislation; if he will make a statement as to when he intends to have the recommendations in that report brought fully into force; and whether some of the recommendations will not be implemented.

Proposals in the Sheridan report were implemented as follows. Those referring to (1) powers of attorney in the Powers of Attorney Act (Northern Ireland) 1971; (2) fees and commissions payable on land dealings to estate agents and solicitors in the Commission on Sales of Land Act (Northern Ireland) 1972 and the Solicitors (Northern Ireland) Order 1976; (3) the disposition of property as between husband and wife, transactions in which the same person takes part on both sides in different capacities, and the scope and effect of obligations or restrictions impeding the enjoyment of land, in the Property (Northern Ireland) Order 1978; (4) certain stipulations that were not to be the essence of contracts, and the matter of equitable waste in the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978.On 28 February 1980, I arranged for Professor J. C. W. Wylie of Cardiff University to act as the Department of Finance consultant on land law. I subsequently appointed a Land Law Working Group of Professor Wylie, Mr. H. Wallace of the Faculty of Law, Queen's University, Belfast, Mr. J. Russell of the Institute of Professional Legal Studies at Queen's University, officials of the Office of Law Reform, and the Legislative Draftsmen's Office to examine the recommendations contained in the Sheridan report as a preliminary to the preparation by the Government, in consultation with the legal profession and other interests, of such further proposals for legislation as may be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the proposed reductions in the number of civil servants employed in his Department; and what reductions so far have been carried out.

Between 1 May 1979 and 1 April 1980 the number of permanent staff in the Welsh Office fell by 132 (or around 5 per cent.) to 2,481. Further staffing reductions equivalent to about 7 per cent. in financial terms and about 160 in staffing terms are envisaged by 1982–83, although it is not possible to give a precise staffing figure. This will depend upon the balance of the grades affected by the reductions.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish details of the locations of the 18,000 jobs expected to be created in Wales; in which year these jobs are likely to be created; and if he will give details of the companies expected to create the jobs, giving the size of each project.

18,850 jobs are currently expected to arise in Wales in the next 3 to 4 years from projects in the manufacturing sector which have been offered selective financial assistance and/ or have been allocated Government financed factory space. Their distribution by counties is as follows:—

Gwynedd	800
Clwyd	4,500
Powys	1,300
Dyfed	550
Mid Glamorgan	4,700
West Glamorgan	1,100
South Glamorgan	1,500
Gwent	4,400

Estimates are not available separately for each of the four years in the projection. However, it is estimated that 4,000 jobs should arise this year, with the largest single number arising in the second year and the remainder mainly in the third year.Detailed information on individual projects cannot be provided for reasons of commercial confidentiality. The estimate however includes significant new projects by Ford, Hotpoint, Continental Can, Matsushita, JCB Transmissions, Blaenau Plastics, Merryweather Ltd and C I Fasteners Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the 18,000 jobs in the pipeline in Wales were known to his Department before May 1979 and how many since May 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of job losses in Wales since May 1979.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many of the companies creating the 18,000 jobs in the pipeline in Wales will receive regional assistance at the scale provided before May 1979.

Offers of selective financial assistance and/or the allocation of Government financed premises, under the arrangements prevailing in May 1979, have been made in respect of 290 projects which are included in the current jobs in the pipeline estimate. These offers and allocations are unaffected by the changes in policy announced in July 1979. It is not possible to give a realistic estimate of the number which may be affected by the changes in regional development grants.

asked the Attorney-General why the facts of the innocence of Mr. George Lindo were withheld from his solicitors by the Registrar of Criminal Appeals and by the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will take steps to ensure that a similar situation does not arise again.

I have just obtained a report on this matter from the Director of Public Prosecutions, and the Lord Chancellor has obtained a report from the Registrar of Criminal Appeals. I shall be able to reply fully to the question when I have been able to discuss with the Lord Chancellor the content of these reports.