asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he is taking to investigate the identity of the buyer of substantial minority holdings in Dunlop in recent weeks.

On 25 July 1980, the Secretary of State appointed inspectors under section 172 of the Companies Act 1948 to investigate and report on the membership of Dunlop Holdings Limited, and to do so with special reference to recent changes in the beneficial ownership of the company's shares. This appointment was made at the request of the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he has received the report for 1979–80 from the North Thames Gas Consumers' Council sent to him by the chairman in June; what the total costs of this council in staff, officers and offices, and so on, have been; what action he has taken or proposes to take to reduce the costs of this council; how these costs compare with the previous year; and what benefits he considers have been brought by the activities of this council.

I have received a copy of the North Thames Gas Consumers' Council annual report from the chairman. I consider that the principal benefits deriving from the activities of the council are the help given to consumers in resolving individual problems and complaints and its influence in persuading North Thames Gas to adopt policy and procedural changes in the general interests of consumers.The total costs of the North Thames Gas Consumers' Council for 1979–80 were £63,000. Although some provision has been made in the current financial year for salary increases and inflation, this and the other gas consumers' councils are subject to the general constraints on public expenditure and this will require economies to be made.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will estimate the financial loss to United Kingdom companies resulting from political frustration of overseas export or project contracts, such as the unfair calling of performance bonds or bank guarantees over the past 10 years.

This information is not available. However, the vast majority of United Kingdom companies which obtain major export contracts and projects insure them with the Export Credits Guarantee Department and are thus protected against the major part of financial loss on such contracts arising from political frustration. In addition, the private market and ECGD offer a range of facilities providing cover against the unfair calling of bonds. ECGD's "Trading Results", copies of which are available in the Library, give some information about business covered and claims paid in recent years.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action the Government are taking to implement the recommendations of the Warner report on standards and specifications in the engineering industry.

The Warner report called for action by the Government in four principal areas: greater use of standards in public purchasing; increased use of standards in legislation; an acceleration in the process of metrication; and rationalisation of quality assurance procedures.On public purchasing, major purchasing departments and nationalised industries are giving high priority to ensuring that their requirements are related to standards and progress is being monitored.On legislation, increasing reference to standards is being made under the Consumer Safety Act 1978. The Upholstered Furniture (Safety) Regulations 1980 that were made in May are an example of this. I also understand that the Health and Safety Executive is examining specific standards to see if greater use of standards can be made under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.On metrication, there are no legislative obstacles to prevent the change in the engineering sectors; the pace of change rests with the industries concerned.On quality assurance, my right hon. Friend has consulted interested bodies and intends to present a paper to NEDC in the autumn on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) whether, as a consequence of the tanker "Energy Concentration" breaking in two in the port of Rotterdam, he will approach the Netherlands Government about possible joint initiatives by the British and Netherlands Governments within the EEC and the International Maritime Consultative Organisation, respectively, to improve further the international rules and regulations about tanker safety;(2) whether, following the publication of the report of the Republic of Ireland tribunal of inquiry into the "Betelgeuse" tanker fire at Bantry Bay, he will approach the Government of the Republic of Ireland about possible joint initiatives by the British and Irish Governments within the EEC and the International Maritime Consultative Organisation, respectively, to improve further the international rules and regulations about tanker safety;(3) whether, in the light of recent major accidents to large oil tankers in different parts of the world, he is satisfied that the International Maritime Consultative Organisation rules and regulations about tanker safety are sufficiently comprehensive and are being enforced; and if he will make a statement.

My officials are studying the report of the tribunal into the "Betelgeuse" disaster at Bantry Bay: several of the report's recommendations are already included in United Kingdom regulations or IMOCO protocols. In the light of our study of the report and any report which may emerge on the incident in Rotterdam involving the "Energy Concentration", I will consider what further action might be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in accordance with section 21(5) of the Airports Authority Act 1975, he will request the British Airports Authority to provide him with information relating to the authority's policy on the size of Stansted airport at the end of the century, in view of the statement by the chairman of the authority that Stansted would then be as big as Heathrow; and if he will make a statement.

No. The authority has applied for outline planning permission to develop Stansted airport to a capacity of 15 million passengers per annum, and this application will be the subject of a public inquiry. Any proposal to expand Stansted beyond that level would depend upon the rate of growth of air traffic, which at present cannot be foreseen with any degree of certainty.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what representations he has had from the trades unions of the man-made textile industry; and whether he will expedite consideration of ways of assisting the industry in exporting its produce in order to avoid redundancies.

A number of representations have been received expressing concern at increased imports of manmade fibres and textiles. At the request of the United Kingdom the EC Commission has imposed quotas on certain imports of polyester filament and nylon carpet yarns. In addition, the Community has introduced a definitive anti-dumping duty on acrylic yarn from the United States and a formal investigation has been opened into the pricing of American polyester filament yarn. I am always seeking ways to assist the industry to increase its exports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will tabulate in the Official Report the tonnage, and value of all solid fossil fuels, by category and in total, including coke, coking coal, coal, and coal for electricity generation exported from and imported into the United Kingdom between 1 January and 1 July comparing this with the figures for the previous five six-month periods;(2) if, from information available to him, he will tabulate his assessment of the value, tonnage, and in consequence cost per ton of each export source of coal, and coal products, imported into each EEC country and in total per annum at present.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate he has made of the effect of the Buy American policy on the exports of computers to the United States of America.

It is not possible to estimate the effect of the Buy American Act of 1933 on the sales of British computers in the United States. However, particular attention will be given to the potential opportunities for British manufacturers in the United States Federal procurement programmes once the GATT Government procurement code is implemented on 1 January 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if, in view of the record of the present Government of Argentina on human rights, he will ensure that the Minister of State does not promote or permit trading agreements for the supply of arms and equipment which could be used against dissidents, during his forthcoming visit to that country;(2) if, in view of the record of the present rulers of Chile on human rights, he will ensure that the Minister of State does not promote or permit trading agreements for the supply of arms or equipment which could be used against dissidents, during his forthcoming visit to that country.

Arms exports are subject to export licensing. Each application is considered on its merits taking into account all relevant factors—political, commercial and those relating to national security. The Minister of State's main purpose in visiting Argentina and Chile is to promote our civil trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will make a statement about British Airways' financial results for 1979–80 and the airline's failure to make a return consistent with its current financial target.

The reasons for British Airways' poor results in 1979–80 are set out in the airline's report and accounts for the year. The predominant problem was very high increases in fuel costs. Also, the continued strength of the pound reduced the sterling value of revenue earned abroad.I accept that these factors were beyond the control of British Airways. I am confident that the airline's management has done a great deal to minimise the adverse effects of these factors and that it is also taking appropriate action to meet the difficulties which are now affecting the whole of the international aviation industry.Pending a flotation of its shares, British Airways' current financial target requires an average 6 per cent. real return on net assets revalued at replacement cost over the three years 1979–80 to 1981–82. I expect the airline to make continuing efforts to produce results which reflect this required return and recover as much of the ground lost in 1979–80 as may be possible in the remaining two years.In the meantime BA must look beyond the concept of a fixed financial target to its forecast profits and loss account for this period, including any further necessary action to reduce costs, bearing in mind the need to make a successful flotation of its shares as soon as reasonably possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of all imports of aluminium into the United Kingdom in 1979; from which countries it came; what was the value of all exports of aluminium from the United Kingdom; and to which countries it was exported.

[pursuant to his reply, 25 July 1980, c. 402]: The information for unwrought or simply-wrought aluminium and aluminium alloys is as follows:

I. U.K. IMPORTS (£ million cif)
TOTAL	353·4
of which consigned from:
Norway	101·5
Federal Republic of Germany	66·4
France	37·2
United States of America	28·1
Belgium-Luxembourg	23·4
Switzerland	15·7
Sweden	15·0
Iceland	14·5
Italy	12·8
Netherlands	10·4
Austria	7·6
Other countries	20·8

II. U.K. EXPORTS (£ million fob)
TOTAL	244·6
of which destined to:
Netherlands	60·1
Federal Republic of Germany	44·7
Irish Republic	16·8
Italy	13·7
France	12·9
United States of America	10·2
Belgium-Luxembourg	9·5
China	6·3
Sweden	5·8
Canada	4·6
Japan	4·5
Denmark	3·9
Nigeria	3·7
Switzerland	3·1
Finland	3·1
Dubai	3·1
Other countries	38·4

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those activities of the Manpower Services Commission formerly undertaken by his Department, and the latest manpower figures for the staff employed in those activities; and if he will publish a comparison of these numbers, together with the total currently employed by his Department with the total staff employed by his De- partment prior to the creation of the Manpower Services Commission.

Following is a list of activities currently undertaken by the Manpower Services Commission which broadly correspond with functions formerly carried out by my Department, together with the number of permanent staff employed on them at 1 April 1980.

Training services, including recruitment	8,350
General placing service	7,960
Statistics, labour market and manpower intelligence	1,460
Services for disabled people	1,430
Rehabilitation services	970
Professional, executive recruitment	760
Occupational guidance	390
Geographical mobility schemes	160
Other activities	250
Total	21,730

The total number of permanent staff in post in the DE Group at 1 April 1980 was 50,701, and the corresponding figures at 1 April 1974 was 33,901.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers of unemployed young people under 21 years of age in the North-West region at the most recent date; and how many of them are already on Government schemes.

At 10 July the provisional number of young people under 20 years of age registered as unemployed in the North-West region was 85,041. Information for those under 21 years of age is not available. The latest information on numbers of young people who are not unemployed, on the youth opportunities programme and community industry in the North-West shows a total of some 17,800 in June.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what are the numbers of careers officers in the Employment Services Agency; and if he will specify where each is and the total cost;(2) what is the total cost of the careers service as estimated in the last financial year.

Careers officers are employed, not by the employment services division of the Manpower Services Commission, but by local education authorities. The number of posts for careers officers in each authority in England at 1 April 1980 was as follows:

CAREERS OFFICER POSTS IN ENGLAND (INCLUDING UNEMPLOYMENT SPECIALISTS)
Local Education Authority	Careers Officers
Avon	51½
Barking	12
Barnet	13
Barnsley	16
Bedfordshire	29
Berkshire	41
Bexley	11
Birmingham	71
Bolton	15
Bradford	32
Brent	26
Bromley	14
Buckinghamshire	29
Bury	11
Calderdale	8
Cambridgeshire	33
Cheshire	55
Cleveland	45
Cornwall	20
Coventry	32
Croydon	18
Cumbria	25
Derbyshire	46
Devon	50
Doncaster	23
Dorset	31
Dudley	14
Durham	38
Ealing	18
East Sussex	33½
Enfield	13
Essex	62
Gateshead	19
Gloucestershire	27½
Hampshire	78
Haringey	17
Harrow	13
Havering	18
Hereford and Worcester	36
Hertfordshire	53
Hillingdon	15
Hounslow	13
Humberside	55
Inner London Education Authority	190½
Isle of Wight	7
Kent	77
Kingston Upon Thames	5
Kirklees	20
Knowsley	18
Lancashire	74½
Leeds	42
Leicestershire	48½
Lincolnshire	29
Liverpool	44
Manchester	40
Merton	8

Local Education Authority	Careers Officers
Newcastle Upon Tyne	33
Norfolk	28
Northamptonshire	28
North Tyneside	16
Northumberland	19
North Yorkshire	34
Nottinghamshire	57
Oldham	11
Oxfordshire	29
Redbridge	14
Richmond Upon Thames	8
Rochdale	13
Rotherham	16
St. Helens	15
Salford	18
Shropshire	26
Sandwell	23
Sefton	21
Sheffield	47
Solihull	13
Somerset	25½
South Tyneside	15
Staffordshire	53½
Stockport	17
Suffolk	29
Sunderland	31
Surrey	51
Sutton	7
Tameside	15
Trafford	14
Wakefield	21
Walsall	21
Waltham Forest	12
Warwickshire	29
West Sussex	24
Wigan	21
Wiltshire	32
Wirral	22
Woverhampton	27
Newham	16
TOTAL (England)	2,836

In addition, there were 2,555 posts for support staff (employment assistants and clerical staff) and 101 posts for supernumerary trainee careers officers.The latest available information indicates that the likely cost of the regular careers services of local authorities in England in the financial year 1979–80 was £32·1 millions. Additional posts for unemployment specialists were funded directly by the Government at an estimated cost in 1979–80 of £ 2·8 million.My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales are responsible for the careers service in those countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what support is given by the Manpower Services Commission in the provision of courses connected with defence sales to other countries; what courses they have supported at Teesside polytechnic; and what is the amount and nature of the support given to Major David Le Sueur in connection with his military market research survey in Argentina.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it gives no support to courses specifically connected with defence sales to other countries.In each of the last two years three transfer of employment courses at Teesside polytechnic have been supported by the MSC under the training opportunities scheme (TOPS). In addition, a number of individuals have been supported on other courses running at the polytechnic, as follows:

Course	Places Supported
	1978–79	1979–80
Diploma in Management Studies (European)	10	4
Diploma in Management Studies (U.K.)	3	6
Diploma in Personnel Management	9	10
Private Secretaries Diploma	16	2
HND Business Studies	1*	1*
Diploma in Computer Studies	1	-
(*Disabled person on 2 year course)

No payment by the MSC was made in respect of Major Le Sueur's visit to Argentina or his project there.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment in what respect the Equal Pay Act 1970 conflicts with the requirements of the 1975 EEC directive on equal opportunity.

The European Commission has alleged that the Equal Pay Act does not apply fully the terms of directive 75/117/EEC which defines the principle of equal pay as the elimination of discrimination on grounds of sex with regard to remuneration

"for the same work or for work to which equal value is attributed".

The Commission considers that in the United Kingdom a female worker could not demand equal pay for work to which equal value is attributed unless a valid job evaluation scheme is applied in the employing establishment. The Commission takes the view that section 1(4) of the Equal Pay Act, in using the notion "like work", does not include the concept of work of "equal value"; and that the concept of equal value used in section 1(5) is not adequate because it is dependent on a job evaluation scheme applying in the undertaking in question. The Government are considering what their response to the Commission should be.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for the number of persons on short-time working in the county of Derbyshire.

Information is not available at county level, but in the week ended 17 May there were 21,100 operatives in manufacturing industries on short-time working, either for the whole or for part of the week, in the East Midlands region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what would be the cost of extending the early retirement scheme to all registered disabled persons over 60 years of age; and if he will consider amending the scheme in this way.

The additional gross cost of extending the job release scheme for a year to cover registered disabled men over 60 years of age on the unemployed register would be about £20 million during that year and about a further £42 million over the following four years.In accordance with normal practice decisions about the future of the job release scheme will be made as part of the annual review of special employment, and training measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the number of days lost in working time in the following categories: sickness, industrial

WORKING DAYS LOST IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Million
Cause						1977	1978	1979
Sickness and Invalidity*		…	…	…	…	335·1	366·9	386·2
Injuries (Accidents and Prescribed diseases)*					…	15·1	15·7	15·6
Industrial Stoppages		…	…	…	…	10·1	9·4	29·5
Unemployment†	…	…	…	…	…	330·0	330·0	310·0
* Figures relate to the year up to the beginning of June.
† The figures shown for unemployment are very approximate estimates, based on assumptions tha if all the unemployed persons were employed, their working hours and absences for holidays, sicknes etc. would correspond with those of employed persons.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he has taken or intends taking to facilitate the unemployed in Consett and Wales to move to areas in England where job vacancies occur to take these vacancies.

The Manpower Services Commission has introduced special assistance under the employment transfer scheme for unemployed people who are moving away from Consett, Port Talbot, Llanwern and Scunthorpe. I gave details of these measures in the Official Report on 14 July.—[Vol. 988, c. 462.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will give the most recent comparative figures of unemployment in the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan.

The most recent comparable unemployment rates are for April 1980 and are:

Great Britain	6·6
West Germany	3·1
Japan	2·0

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors are now employed by the Health and Safety Executive; and by what

Annual statistics for three of the categories and very approximate estimates for working days lost through unemployment are as follows:percentage the number of inspectors has been reduced during the previous 12 months.

The Health and Safety Executive had 1,443 inspectors in post at 1 July 1980. This is an increase of just over 1 per cent. Compared with the number of inspectors in post at 1 July 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North, Official Report, 7 December 1979, c. 358, showing each of the employment, job creation and training measures to alleviate unemployment since 1970, the date when each scheme commenced, the gross and net costs to date, the main purpose of the scheme, the age groups affected, the number of job anti training places provided, the weekly wage or allowance paid and whether or not the latter is taxable.Mr. Jim Lester: I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the British Gas Corporation complied with the second enforcement notice served on it by the Health and Safety Executive in respect of safety arrangements required to be completed by 31 July.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the individual current annual costs of each of the wages councils.

This information is not available in the form requested. The total expenses of all wages councils, including their secretariat, is estimated at £280,000 for 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many women took part in the training opportunities programme in each year since 1975; and what proportion of the total numbers undergoing such courses this represented in each case;(2) if he will list all the training opportunities programme for each year since 1975; and how many men and women undertake these courses each year.

[pursuant to his reply, 24 July 1980, c. 304–5]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that for each year since 1975 the total number of people completing training under the training opportunities scheme and the proportion of women included was as follows:

TOPS COMPLETIONS BY SEX AND BY COURSE GROUPS
					1977		1978		1979
Course Groups					Women	Men	Woman	Men	Woman	Men
Management		…	…	…	753	3,122	617	3,034	880	3,437
Management Services			…	…	558	2,064	584	2,031	891	2,731
Education, Health etc.			…	…	1,345	713	946	531	1,163	524
Science and Technology			…	…	146	964	135	901	202	1,169
Clerical	…	…	…	…	10,667	2,092	11,251	1,841	12,809	1,675
Shorthand and Typing			…	…	17,361	328	14,486	233	15,526	329
Office Machine Operating				…	1,198	257	1,016	407	1,735	650
Selling	…	…	…	…	1,907	331	2,347	389	2,618	353
Food Preparation/Serving				…	1,623	858	1,952	940	2,258	1,065
Hairdressing/Cleaning			…	…	501	214	349	178	428	144
Farming, Fishing		…	…	…	138	624	103	589	137	724
Materials Processing excluding Metal	…	…	…	…	84	193	113	168	60	179
Metal Making etc.			…	…	306	16,324	261	16,775	351	16,101
Welding	…	…	…	…	36	3,146	14	3,324	18	3,169
Electrical Making/Repair				…	179	3,244	211	3,011	195	2,790
Other Making/Repair			…	…	1,187	749	1,426	635	1,573	645
Carpentry and Joinery			…	…	27	2,349	15	2,414	25	2,395
Assembling etc.		…	…	…	33	679	51	645	37	705
Construction		…	…	…	37	4,688	37	5,226	57	5,663
HGV Driving		…	…	…	88	4,920	63	4,153	62	3,731
Miscellaneous		…	…	…	2,707	5,492	3,055	6,285	4,993	7,074
Total		…	…	…	40,881	53,351	39,032	53,710	46,018	55,254
All figures include young people under 19.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will consider the creation of a job mobility allowance as an encouragement to people to move to jobs in other areas; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give the number of deaths involving tractors in each year since 1945 with breakdowns showing how many were (a) workers, (b) farmers and their families and (c) children under 16 years of age;(2) if he will give the number of people killed and injured, separate figures, in farm accidents in Great Britain in each year since the war, with a breakdown giving the number of workers and the number of farmers and their families with sub-totals showing children under 16 years, also the totals of hired workers and farmers and their families for those years, and the ratio of deaths against total farm work force and the ratio reported injuries against total farm workforce for each year.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those employment offices in England which in July had more registered job vacancies than they had registered unemployed, not seasonally adjusted, for their area.

[pursuant to his reply, 30 July 1980, c. 674–5]: There are no local employment offices in England at which unfilled vacancies exceed the numbers unemployed. It should be noted, however, that only about one-third of all vacancies are notified to my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people were being trained as apprentices (a) by industry and (b) by training boards at the latest convenient date: and how this compares with the figures for one year ago.

[pursuant to his reply, 31 July 1980, vol. 989, c. 782–3]: I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information requested is not available in respect of young people trained as apprentices by industry.The numbers of young people whose initial training was sponsored by ITBs under training award schemes were 1,361 in the 1979–80 training year and 4,263 in the 1978–79 training year.In addition, nearly 20,000 apprenticeships and other forms of long-term training for young people were supplied under the training for skills programme in 1979–80, and approximately 33,000 under the earlier special measures programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many United Kingdom citizens were employed in the other countries of the EEC in 1979; and how many EEC citizens were employed by United Kingdom employers in the same year.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 August 1980, c. 871]: For United Kingdom citizens employed in other European Community countries, the available figures for the various countries relate to different periods between 1975 and 1979. The total of these figures gives an estimate of 72,000 employees excluding those working in the Irish Republic, for which corresponding information is not available. Based on partial information for the Irish Republic, it is estimated that the total for all other European Community countries would be of the order of 80,000.For citizens of other European Community countries employed in the United Kingdom the latest estimate, relating to 1977 and derived from the labour force sample survey, is 340,000 employees of which 260,000 were citizens of the Irish Republic.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies in the British woodworking industry have been notified to his Department in the first six months of the current year for (a) the whole of the United Kingdom; (b) the North-West region.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 August 1980, c. 871]: Information in the form requested is not available.I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it has so far received notifications of redundancies of 10 or more due to occur in the first six months of 1980 involving 4,200 workers in the timber and furniture industry. This figures does not include Northern Ireland. The corresponding number for the North-West region is 985.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish his Department's estimate of how many people in fulltime employment receive gross wages of £21·60 per week or less; and if he will state that figure as a percentage of the total number of people in full-time employment.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 August 1980, c. 871–2]: A precise estimate is not available from official surveys, but the number would be very small and less than 0·1 per cent. of all full-time employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the three lowest determinations, in terms of minimum wage rates, of wages councils or similar statutory bodies in the last 12 months for which figures are available.

[pursuant to his reply, 1 August 1980, c. 871–2]: The three lowest weekly statutory minimum time rates current for adult workers employed in main provincial areas which have been determined in the last 12 months are:

	£
Hairdressing Undertakings Wages Council (GB) (18 December 1979)	31·00
Licensed Residential Establishment and Licensed Restaurant Wages Council (6 October 1979)	41·20
Made-up Textiles Wages Council (GB) (23 October 1979)	45·00
Ostrich and Fancy Feather and Artificial Flower Wages Council (GB) (23 October 1979)	45·00

Certain wages councils provide higher rates in London.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether persons employed by his Department who deal with the public by telephone are required to identify themselves at the citizen's request; whether any, and if so what, category of employee of his Department is forbidden to give his name at the request of a member of the public who speaks to him by telephone; if so, on what occasions and for what reasons; and whether he will instruct all those employed by his Department who have contact with the public by telephone to give their names at the caller's request.

Members of my Department are encouraged to identify themselves when dealing with telephone calls from the public. They are neither required nor forbidden to do so. I do not consider any further instruction to them to be necessary.

asked the right hon. Member for Middlesbrough, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what have been the numbers employed by Select Committees of the House and related organisations whose emoluments have been at the annual rate in each bracket of £2,000 from £0–£2,000 upwards in the first year of operation.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 July 1980, c. 213]: Seventy staff work full-time for one or more Select Committees. Their salaries are in the following bands:

£ 2,000–£ 3,999	Nil
£ 4,000–£ 5,999	24
£ 6,000–£ 7,999	13
£ 8,000–£ 9,999	6
£10,000–£11,999	2
£12,000–£13,999	3
£14,000–£15,999	11
£16,000–£17,999	2
£18,000–£19,999	2
£20,000–£21,999	7

In addition, 73 specialist advisers work part-time for Select Committees. Their daily rates of pay are in the following bands:

£ 0–£19	Nil
£20–£39	26
£40–£60	47

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what is the planned level of local authority spending on library services contained within the aggregate level of spending on arts, libraries and museums for each year covered by Cmnd. 7841.

The figures given in table 2.10 represent intermediate planning totals, and it would be unrealistic to subdivide them between the different services involved.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he expects to make a statement on the report of the Library Council (England) on the future development of libraries.

I am still considering the Library Advisory Council's report on "The Future Development of Libraries: The Organisational and Policy Framework", and the comments on it, which I have received, and hope to let the council know my views soon.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if, in view of its importance and the fact that its companion volume is owned by Edinburgh university, he will arrange that a special grant should be made to purchase for a British institution Rashid Al-Din's World History, a Persian manuscript of 1314 which was sold at Sotheby's recently for £850,000.

The question of financial help in such a case could arise only if an export licence were withheld and a public collection wishing to acquire the item did not have the necessary funds to pay the specified price.

asked the Attorney-General when the Director of Public Prosecutions expects to be in a position to make a statement about the possibility of further prosecutions in the Confait case; and whether the investigations which the Director has been conducting throw further on the verdict of the Court of Appeal in Regina v. Leighton, Lattimore and Salih on 17 October 1975 and on the findings of Sir Henry Fisher as to the balance of probabilities in the report of the inquiry into the circumstances leading to the trial of Ronald Leighton, Colin Lattimore and Ahmet Salih on charges arising out of the death of Maxwell Confait and the fire at 27 Doggett Road, London, SE6, presented to the House on 12 december 1977.

On 22 April 1972 the body of Maxwell Confait was found at 27 Doggett Road, Lewisham. The house had been set on fire but was quickly extinguished. Confait had been murdered.On 24 November 1972 Ronald William Leighton was convicted of the murder of Confait, Colin George Lattimore was convicted of the manslaughter of Confait on the grounds of diminished responsibility, and Leighton, Lattimore and Ahmet Salih were convicted of arson at 27 Doggett Road.On 17 October 1975 all these convictions were quashed by the Court of Appeal (Criminal Division).On 28 November 1975 Sir Henry Fisher was appointed to inquire into the circumstances leading to this trial and to report.On 19 October 1977 Sir Henry Fisher made his report, which was published in December 1977.Sir Henry found that Confait died not later than midnight on 21/22 April 1972 and probably before 10.30 pm on 21 April. He accepted that Lattimore was at a youth club until about 11.30 pm and that he was not present at and did not take part in, the killing of Confait.At the inquiry, counsel for Leighton, Lattimore and Salih made it clear that he did not allege that the record of the boys' oral and written admissions was

asked the Attorney-General if he will bring forward proposals to facilitate public access to transcripts of court proceedings.

Where proceedings in open court have been recorded, a transcript may usually be obtained on payment of the shorthand writer's fee.

asked the Attorney-General if, in view of the fact that a constituent of the hon. Member for Epping Forest who was sentenced to 15 months' imprisonment at Inner London Sessions has been in gaol for five months and has been prevented from lodging an appeal because his solicitor has been unable to obtain the short transcript of the trial which he asked for in April, because it has not been typed, he will take steps to remove such delays.

This transcript has now been delivered.The time taken to produce transcripts has already been somewhat shortened. It is expected that this improvement will continue.

asked the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report the percentage refusal rates for adult legal aid for each magistrates' court in England and Wales distinguishing between (a)summary trial of indictable offences, (b)summary trial of non-indictable offences and (c) committal proceedings.

Information collected centrally relates to petty sessional divisions and not to individual courts except for the Metropolitan Police District. Numbers of applications for and refusals of legal aid for all criminal and care proceedings are published annually by petty sessional division in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales" (Table 25 of the volume for 1978, Cmnd. 7670). The figures requested could be published in the Official Report only at disproportionate cost, but, if the hon. Member desires information on any particular petty sessional division, I shall be pleased to provide it.

asked the Attorney-General how many representations he has received against the removal of facilities to study and inspect public records to Kew; and if he will make a statement.

Approximately 300 letters. The proposal remains under active consideration.

asked the Attorney-General if he will extend the hours for the study and inspection of public records at Kew to counteract the difficulties faced by many students and scholars in carrying out research as the result of the removal to Kew.

No.

asked the Attorney-General if it is the policy of the Lord Chancellor to encourage Metropolitan stipendiary magistrates to apply for appointment as circuit judges if formally qualified for the purpose.

All applications for appointment to the circuit Bench from suitably qualified persons are equally welcome whether or not they are serving as stipendiary magistrates.

asked the Attorney-General how many circuit judges were appointed in each of the last five years, respectively; and how many were formerly stipendiary magistrates in each case.

The figures are:

Year	Number of Circuit judges appointed	Of whom the following were stipendiary magistrates on appointment
1975	18	1
1976	23	1
1977	20	—
1978	30	1
1979	17	—

During the calendar year 1980 26 circuit judges have been appointed to date and four new appointments have been announced. Two of those four are at present stipendiary magistrates.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for each of the last five years, how many prison officers for acts involving maltreatment of prisoners, have been (a) prosecuted and convicted. (b) required to resign, or (c) disciplined in other ways.

During the past five years 13 officers have been prosecuted and convicted for offences relating to the maltreatment of prisoners (two in 1976; one in 1977, seven in 1979 and three in 1980). Three of these officers have been dismissed from the service, seven are suspended from duty pending appeals to the courts and the Civil Service Appeal Board, and three have resigned with their appeals against conviction and dismissal still outstanding. Departmental action has been either deferred or placed in abeyance pending decisions in the outstanding appeals.During the same period six officers have been disciplined in other ways for offences relating to the maltreatment of prisoners (three in 1976; one in 1978 and two in 1979).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place in the Library a copy of the paper he has circulated to local authority associations on the Public Order Act, in which reference is made to the level of the deposit in Parliamentary elections.

A copy of the paper was made available to the Select Committee on Home Affairs in connection with its study of the law relating to public order and was published with its minutes of evidence for Monday 28 January 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many black prisoners there were at the most recent convenient date in Her Majesty's prison, Gartree;(2) how many black prisoners there were at the most recent convenient date in Her Majesty's prison, Parkhurst.

The information requested is not collected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men who have committed suicide in the last 12 months were registered as unemployed at the time of death.

The information requested is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the changed circumstances since his appointment and his connection with political and business controversy, he will remove Lord Harris of Greenwich from chairmanship of the Parole Board.

No.

asked the Secretary and of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the

			Metropolitan Police		Other police forces in England and Wales*
			Establishment	Strength	Establishment	Strength
31 December 1960		…	20,458	17,112	59,508	55,140
31 December 1961		…	20,553	17,661	60,610	57,561
31 December 1962		…	20,749	18,079	62,494	59,707
31 December 1963		…	21,009	18,301	64,862	61,395
31 December 1964		…	21,325	18,317	68,300	62,363
31 December 1965		…	25,617	18,680	72,884	65,260
31 December 1966		…	25,629	19,192	78,929	67,313
31 December 1967		…	25,956	19,996	81,480	70,644
31 December 1968		…	26,052	20,458	82,093	70,324
31 December 1969		…	26,058	20,682	82,886	71,080
31 December 1970		…	26,055	21,057	83,361	72,691
31 December 1971		…	26,055	21,354	84,014	75,490
31 December 1972		…	26,055	21,305	85,179	78,376
31 December 1973		…	26,045	20,783	87,133	79,783
31 December 1974		…	26,628	20,850	89,178	81,236
31 December 1975		…	26,628	21,227	90,548	85,911
31 December 1976		…	26,628	22,245	91,473	87,231
31 December 1977		…	26,628	22,012	91,651	86,189
31 December 1978		…	26,589	21,961	92,378	87,114
31 December 1979		…	26,589	22,528	93,039	90,781
30 June 1980	…	…	26,577	22,859	93,433	92,494
* Including interforce units and officers on central service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect the agreement concerning the application of the European convention on the suppression of terrorism among member States of the European Community has on the existing arrangements for extradition between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland; and what consequential changes, if any, will be needed in United Kingdom law.

The agreement has been signed by all the present member States of the European Communities but not, as yet, ratified by any. It can enter into force only when it is ratified by all nine States. The Suppression of Terrorism Act 1978 confers power to make orders that would enable the United Kingdom to discharge the agreement's obligations.If the agreement entered into force, and on the assumption that the Republic of Ireland made the declaration allowed by article 3·3, the main effects on the arrangements for the return of fugitives from the United Kingdom to the Republic and vice versa would be as follows.Within the United Kingdom, a request for the return to the Republic of Ireland

The figures are as follows:of a person accused or convicted of an offence described in articles 1 or 2 of the European convention on the suppression of terrorism could not be refused on the ground that the offence was of a political character. Within the Republic, any case in respect of which a request for the return to the United Kingdom of a person accused or convicted of an offence described in article 1 of the convention were refused on the ground that the offence was of a political character would have to be submitted to the Republic's prosecuting authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the new parliamentary government boundaries for the North-West region will be announced;(2) when the new parliamentary government boundaries for the Greater Manchester area will be announced.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the question by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) on 30 July.-[Vol. 989, c. 698].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will consider allowing voluntary agencies into prisons to provide help for drug addicts;(2) if he is satisfied with the present treatment of drug addicts in prison; and what plans he has to improve this;(3) if he will take steps to increase the preparation that drug addicts receive in prison before they are released.

Recommendations made by the Advisory Council for the Misuse of Drugs about the treatment of drug addicts in prison are presently under consideration, including suggestions for improving the arrangements for access to prisons by voluntary agencies and the preparation of addicts for release.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to make the law of civil trespass apply to the use of a bugging device.

This would be a matter for the Lord Chancellor, who would need to be satisfied that it was appropriate to extend the law of civil trespass to cover activities different from those to which it now applies.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that two suicides have taken place in United Kingdom prisons during recent weeks, if he will examine the situation to ascertain whether the regulations governing prisoners thought liable to commit suicide are adequate, and also whether supervision of prisoners requires strengthening; and if he will make a statement.

A suicide in prison is a matter of great concern and reports are always prepared on the circumstances. These are studied to see whether general procedures need to be changed to improve existing precautions. We have up to now been satisfied that precautions are as good as they can be, including those for the supervision of prisoners, but are still studying some recent reports. It is, of course, impossible to order prison life so that a determined person could never take his own life.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in his White Paper on nationality, he treats men and women and children of men and women equally or, if not, if he will set out these circumstances in which any unequal treatment is contemplated in his proposals.

Yes. Our intention is that the transmission of citizenship to their children born overseas, and in the acquisition of citizenship by virtue of marriage to a British citizen, men and women shall be treated equally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in respect of section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, if there is a common form by which local authorities apply for grants under the said section; and if he will place in the Library the claims for grant and all supporting documents submitted in 1979–80 by the following local authorities (a) Avon county council, (b) Bedfordshire county council (c) Berkshire county council (d) Aylesbury Vale district council, (e) city of Birmingham district council, (f) Blackburn borough council and (g) Wolverhampton Metropolitan borough council.

Local authorities provide details of their claims for grant under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966, and estimates of future eligible expenditure, in a standard form (a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member). However applications concerning the eligibility of new posts for grant, (section 11 grant is available only on staff costs) are dealt with by correspondence and vary according to the nature of the post.It would not be appropriate to place in the Library details of correspondence between the Home Office and individual local authorities, but I will write to the hon. Member with the details of the eligible expenditure in 1978–79, on which the local authorities referred to submitted claims for grant in 1979–80.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the number of houses or apartments which have been allocated by each local authority in the United Kingdom to refugees from Vietnam.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Anglesey (Mr. Best) on 13 June and my pursuant reply on 3 July. Information regarding Northern Ireland is not immediately available and I shall write to the hon. Member. [Vol. 987, c. 670.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the number of houses or apartments which have been allocated by new town authorities in the United Kingdom to refugees from Vietnam.

I understand from the Joint Committee for Refugees from Vietnam that the information is as follows:

Development Corporations	Offers	Taken up
Basildon	10	10
Bracknell	5	5
Central Lancashire	15	11
Cumbernauld	3	0
Cwmbran	3	3
East Kilbride	6	5
Glenrothes	4	1
Harlow	4	4
Irvine	2	2
Livingstone	7	5
Milton Keynes	20	16
Northampton	7	5
Peterborough	22	22
Redditch	4	4
Runcorn	6	6
Skelmersdale	12	8
Stevenage*	5	5
Telford	4	4
Washington	6	6
	145	122
* Offers made prior to 30 June.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total strength of the civil defence organisation in 1950, 1960, 1970, and 1980.

The number of people engaged by central and local government in civil defence is over 600 full-time and 400 part-time. Precise figures are not readily available; nor are figures for 1970 and earlier years.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether he will consult the Hong Kong Government about the need for an independent element in the commission of inquiry into the death of Inspector John MacLennan; and whether the Government will help with the cost of legal assistance and independent experts such as forensic scientists who may be employed by parties who want to give evidence to the commission.

An independent element already exists. The appointed commissioner is a judge of the Supreme Court of Hong Kong. The counsel for the commission is a Treasury counsel from London. Provided that the commission is of the opinion that the evidence in question consists of material which the commission should consider, the Hong Kong Government will be prepared to help with costs.

asked the Lord Privy Seal whether persons employed by his Department who deal with the public by telephone are required to identify themselves at the citizen's request; whether any, and if so what, category of employee of his Department is forbidden to give his name at the request of a member of the public who speaks to him by telephone; if so, on what occasions and for what reasons; and whether he will instruct all those employed by his Department who have contact with the public by telephone to give their names at the caller's request.

Staff are generally encouraged to identify themselves to members of the public, but it is not obligatory for them to do so. No one is forbidden to give his or her name if asked.

asked the Lord Privy Seal what representations he has made to the Government of South Africa concerning their intervention in Angola.

We have conveyed to the South African Government our concern and dismay at the South African raid into Angola on 30 July. This is the latest in a number of cross-border incidents, and for this reason we renew our appeal to all parties to exercise restraint in the interests of achieving a negotiated settlement in Namibia.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will ensure that, on his forthcoming visit to Paraguay, Lord Trefgarne raises the need for an improvement in human rights and in the treatment of dissidents in that country in order to improve relations with the United Kingdom.

Her Majesty's Government recognise the improvement that has taken place in the treatment of human rights in Paraguay. During his recent visit, my noble Friend Lord 1 refgarne raised the issue with the Paraguayan Government and was assured of their intention to maintain this improvement.

asked the Lord Privy Seal if he will ensure that, on his forthcoming visit to Uruguay, Lord Trefgarne raises the need for an improvement in human rights and in the treatment of dissidents in that country in order to improve relations with the United Kingdom.

My noble Friend Lord Trefgarne will raise the issue of human rights with the Uruguayan Government and urge them to continue the improvements in the situation that have taken place.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest assessment of patterns of exports of coal and coal products exported from the United Kingdom, and imported to the United Kingdom and the EEC, which he will be using as the basis of discussions in setting targets and forecasts with the Commission of the EEC over the next 20 years.

Over the past five years United Kingdom exports of coal and coal products have varied between 2·6 and 3·8 million tonnes per year and United Kingdom imports between 2·4 and 5·2 million tonnes per year. We expect the bulk of United Kingdom coal requirements to continue to be supplied by domestic production and both exports and imports to remain marginal by comparison. Imports of coal from third countries to the European Community as a whole are expected to increase rapidly over the next 20 years to perhaps treble their present levels by the year 2000.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list in the Official Report the increases in price of (a) a unit of electricity and (b) a therm of gas for the years 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80.

The table below shows the average annual price increases in pence per KWh for a unit of electricity and in pence per therm for a therm of gas for each of the past three years. The information is based on the average unit value for total sales by the fuel industries in the United Kingdom during the first three months (Q1) of each year. Data for 1980 is provisional.

Period	Electricity (pence/KWh)	Natural Gas (pence/therm)
First quarter 1977 to first quarter 1978	0·278	1·83
First quarter 1978 to first quarter 1979	0·166	0·82
First quarter 1979 to first quarter 1980	0·488	2·50

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will require licensees to prepare studies of the implications for the marine environment, other users of the sea and local coastal areas of exploratory drilling programmes which he will authorise for blocks 11/25, 12/21, 12/25 in the Moray Firth and 98/11, 98/17, 98/19, 99/12, 99/13 and 99/16 in the English Channel or for any other blocks on offer in the seventh round of offshore oil drilling; and whether he will make a statement.

Two of the blocks listed, 12/25 and 98/19, are not on offer in the seventh round. The other blocks specifically identified by the hon. Member are located near to shore and, as announced on 1 May, I will expect that the process of preparing a development plan for a discovery near to shore will normally include a study into the matters mentioned. I would also expect licensees to take account of marine interests and the environment in making their plans for exploration drilling. I do not, however, consider it necessary to require licensees to prepare detailed studies on the matters noted by the hon. Member, before exploration drilling takes place.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what advice he has received from the Nature Conservancy Council and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds regarding the importance of blocks 11/25, 12/21 and 12/25 in the Moray Firth currently on offer in the seventh round of offshore licensing, for large concentrations of seabirds vulnerable to oil pollution; if he will draw the attention of potential licensees to this feature: and whether he will make a statement.

Block 12/25 is not on offer in the seventh round, but as regards the other two blocks:

(i) the Nature Conservancy Council commented that it would prefer to see no further oil developments in this general area; and

(ii) the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds included the blocks in a list of about 350 blocks around the coasts of the United Kingdom which in its view should not be licensed at present.

Having taken account of all the comments received during the consultations on seventh round arrangements, I concluded that the balance of advantage lay in including these two blocks in the round. My statement of 1 May laid particular emphasis on the care and consideration needed in the conduct of licensing activities in such areas. I will, as suggested by the hon. Member, draw the attention of potential licensees to the importance of this area for concentration of sea birds.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to powers exercised under model clauses 15 and 16 (Seaward Areas) of the Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1976/1129, he for any reason defers development of a field where a commercial oil discovery has been made, what compensation is payable to the licensees affected; and how it is calculated.

The Petroleum (Production) Regulations 1976 No. 1129 contain no provision for payment of compensation if development of a field is deferred pursuant to the powers contained in model clauses 15 and 16.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has decided, in the interests of depletion policy, to constitute any part of the North Sea continental shelf as a national reserve.

No. I have no plans to designate a specific reserve.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether it is proposed that flexible depletion rules will apply only to commercial fields above a specified barrelage.

No. Decisions will be taken on a case by case basis in the light of all relevant factors.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many oil discoveries to date on the United Kingdom continental shelf have become eligible for depletion under the rules announced by his predecessor on 6 December 1974.

I refer my hon. Friend to appendix 2 in my report to Parliament of June 1980 "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United Kingdom"—the "Brown Book". That appendix lists 23 oil discoveries announced between the beginning of 1976 and the end of 1979 which would in principle be eligible for development delay within the terms of the assurances given by the right hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Varley) on 6 December 1974 and which we have reaffirmed.My right hon. Friend made clear in his written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, West (Mr. Waldegrave) on 23 July that we would take decisions to a case by case basis giving emphasis to the need to limit the sharpness of the peak in production in the mid-1980s.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he proposes to announce his proposals for encouraging the exploitation of marginal fields on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

I refer to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for West Lothian (Mr. Dalyell) on 22 July 1980.—[Vol. 989, c. 150.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many participation agreements have been negotiated between the British National Oil Company and companies operating on the continental shelf; and whether provision has been made in all or any of them for the benefit to be assigned or transferred to a third party at his choice.

Participation agreements have been concluded with the 62 companies listed in appendix 13 to my report to Parliament of July 1979 "Development of the oil and gas resources of the United

IMPORTS AND EXPORTS OF COAL, COKE AND BRIQUETTES* 1979
			'000 tonnes	Imports £ million (cif)	£/tonne	'000 tonnes	Exports £ million (fob)	£/tonne
Belgium/Luxembourg			14,099	502	35·6	1,147	52	45·5
Denmark	…	…	7,729	138	17·9	61	4	59·0
Federal Republic of Germany		…	10,587	243	23·0	27,789	1,256	45·2
France	…	…	29,530	783	26·5	2,191	102	46·5
Ireland	…	…	1,288	46	35·6	245	8	33·8
Italy	…	…	14,158	422	29·8	659	34	52·1
Netherlands		…	7,727	219	28·3	1,895	58	30·7
United Kingdom		…	4,741	157	33·1	3,254	101	31·0
European Community			89,859	2,510	27·9	37,241	1,615	43·4
* Division 32 of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 2). The figures include intra-Community trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy in which countries outside the United Kingdom he has authorised the British National Oil Company to search for and get petroleum, pursuant to section 2(4A) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975; and what condition has been imposed.

I have granted no such statutory consents at present. However, with my approval BNOC is currently involved in negotiations which may result in its participating in two exploration ventures overseas. Details are at present commercially confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will tabulate, from information available to him, his assessment of the tonnage and value expressed in total and cost per ton per annum at the present time of coal, and coal products imported into and exported from each EEC country and in total, relating this to the latest Commission forecasts for 1985, 1990, and 2000.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his assessment of the level of coal stocks now held at pit heads, by the Central Electricity Generating Board, and by other parties including stockists, and in total within the United

STOCKS OF COAL* AT END OF PERIOD: GREAT BRITAIN
Million tonnes
		Power stations†	Coke ovens	Other‡	Collieries	Opencast sites, etc.	Total
End of:
June 1975	…	16·6	2·3	0·3	5·0	1·5	25·7
December 1975	…	18·0	2·3	0·2	8·9	1·7	31·1
June 1976	…	18·7	2·6	0·2	10·0	1·6	33·1
December 1976	…	19·6	2·6	9·2	9·3	1·4	33·1
June 1977	…	17·3	2·3	0·2	8·0	1·4	29·2
December 1977	…	19·1	2·4	0·2	8·2	1·5	31·4
June 1978	…	19·0	1·7	0·2	9·0	1·9	31·8
December 1978	…	20·2	1·6	0·2	9·8	2·6	34·4
June 1979	…	13·2	1·8	0·2	10·0	2·3	27·5
December 1979	…	16·2	1·8	0·2	7·8	1·8	27·8
June 1980	…	16·4	1·8	0·2	10·7	2·7	31·8
* Excluding those held in merchants' yards and by industrial users (except conversion industries), statistics for which have not been collected since 1973.
† Operated by the Central Electricity Generating Board and the South of Scotland Electricity Board.
‡ Including gas works and patent fuel plants.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will issue a general direction to the nationalised industries for which he is responsible that all those employed by them who have contact with the public by telephone shall give their names at the caller's request.

No. This is a matter for the nationalised industries concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the names of organisations which have made representations to him regarding the prices charged by the British Gas Corporation in line with Government policies; what fears have been expressed to him about employment prospects as a result of these prices in the face of lower continental prices; and if he will make a statement.

Information on coal stocks is published in my Department's monthly bulletin Energy Trends and in the annual "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library of the House. The latest available information is for end June, 1980. For convenience, these figures, with comparable figures at six monthly intervals for the previous five years, are tabulated below:

Since 1 January 1980 the organisations listed below have made representations to my Department about the price of domestic and industrial gas. In addition, representations have been received from 90 companies, some of whom have expressed fears about employment prospects. As regards industrial gas prices in Britain and on the continent, I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the right hon. Member for Doncaster (Mr. Walker) on 31 July.The evidence available for the first quarter of this year does not suggest that on average industrial gas prices are higher in Britain than in other EEC countries.