asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he plans to site an information technology centre in mid-Hertfordshire; and if he will make a statement.

When I announced the location of the first 30 information technology centres to the House on 21 December, I also announced our intention to extend the scheme to about 100 centres during the course of this year. The Manpower Services Commission, which is organising this initiative jointly with the Department of Industry, is currently identifying likely locations for the extended programme.It is not possible at this stage to say whether Mid-Hertfordshire will have a centre, although I hope to be in a position to announce further locations within the net few months.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when the new application form for regional development grants will become available.

The new form, a leaflet explaining how to complete the form and a guidance note explaining how the regional development grants scheme works are now available and have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The new form comes into use on 1 April 1982.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he has received representations from the Location of Industries Bureau Ltd. seeking formal approval by him of that company's objects.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Industry and Information Technology has received such representations from agents for the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage increase in unemployment for the travel-to-work areas of Port Talbot, Newport, Aberdare, Tenby, Shotton and Newtown from May 1979 to February 1982.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made in relation to the study commissioned by his Department on the need to improve road links between Llanwnda and Llanllyfni, including a possible new routing of the A487; and when he expects this study to be completed.

This study is still under examination within the Department. It is too early to say when firm conclusions are likely to be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the provision for roads and transport within his responsibility in the same detail as shown in table 2.6 of the public expenditure White Paper, Cmnd. 8494.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he still intends to retain the Land Authority for Wales; and, if so, for what purpose.

Yes. For the purpose of acquiring land in Wales which in its opinion needs to be made available for development, and of disposing of it to other persons—for development by them—at a time which is in the Land Authority's opinion appropriate to meet need.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present annual remuneration of the chairman of the Land Authority for Wales; and how many days per week the chairman is expected to devote to his or her work as such.

£13,105. His duties as chairman are expected to occupy at least two and a half days a week.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether the present chairman of the Land Authority for Wales holds any other offices of profit under the Crown; and, if so, what is the annual remuneration received by the chairman in respect of each such office.

He is also the president of the Rent Assessment Panel for Wales, for which he receives a current annual salary of £8,168.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many second homes there are estimated to be in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available.

The Welsh housing and dwelling survey 1978–79 estimated that there were at that time some 30,000 definite or possible second and holiday homes in Wales, including holiday homes intended wholly or partly for letting purposes and holiday chalets.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had concerning increasing the powers of local authorities to control the number and location of second homes in their areas; and what consideration he has given to these.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Merioneth (Mr. Thomas) on 4 December 1981.—[Vol. 14, c. 242.] Since then we have received further representations on second homes from seven local authorities and three members of the public.The recent representations have clearly been prompted for the most part by the Government response, issued on 8 February, to the memorandum on second homes submitted by the Gwynedd county council. Most of the points raised were fully covered in the Government's response, but any new points will be carefully considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many homeless people there are estimated to be in Wales at the latest date for which figures are available.

The estimated number of households accepted by local authorities as being homeless during the first half of 1981 was 2,830.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is now in a position to make a statement further to his reply to the hon. Member for Fife, East on Monday 27 July 1981 relating to the competitiveness of shipping rates from United Kingdom ports.

My Department is still investigating exporters' complaints about freight rate disparities between the United Kingdom and the Continent in order to determine how widespread they are, how serious for British exporters' business, what causes them, and how they might be remedied. This investigation is being conducted in great detail. The Department's preliminary conclusions suggest that the scale and frequency of disparities vary greatly, both between trade routes and between different commodities on the same trade routes. Where disparities do occur, the main causes appear to be higher United Kingdom port costs and the greater bargaining power of shippers on the Continent, due both to the greater number of non-conference carriers providing competition and to the buying power of large Continental freight forwarders. The preliminary indications are that the stronger competition on the Continent from non-conference carriers is the most important cause, but consultation has not shown with any certainty the relative importance of the causes of disparities, or therefore where the main thrust of any remedial action should be. The investigation is therefore continuing, in consultation with the General Council of British Shipping, the British Shippers' Council, the British Overseas Trade Board and its area advisory groups and the Overseas Projects Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many companies manufacturing gaming and amusement machines have gone into liquidation in the past year.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will make a statement on the current state of negotiations on the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade agreement on industrial counterfeiting.

Negotiations in the GATT for an agreement on counterfeiting are continuing, with the

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is now in a position to issue the latest annual statistics for fireworks injuries.

[pursuant to the reply, 26 March 1982, c. 444]: According to reports from hospitals in England, Wales and Scotland, 681 persons required treatment for injuries caused by fireworks during a four-week period in October to November. Although the total is disappointing, this was a reduction of about one-third in the number of severe injuries when compared with those for 1980. The figures for 1981 and the preceding four years are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made in connection with the proposed integrated development programme for the Western Isles; and if he will make a statement.

I have approved the terms of a programme drawn up by officials after they had undertaken a wide range of consultations in the Western Isles. We shall be taking steps to encourage the people of these islands to take full advantage of the opportunities afforded by this development, for which the bulk of the funds will be provided by the United Kingdom Government, to secure a real and lasting improvement in their living standards. Copies of the programme have been placed in the Library.The programme caters for the development of agriculture and fisheries through measures covering general land improvements, the planting of shelter belts, pest control, the development of horticulture, the introduction of livestock improvement schemes, improvements in fisheries infrastructure, assistance for fish farming and assistance for the processing and marketing of agricultural and fishery produce. It is also proposed that there should be an expansion of the existing education, training and advisory services so that guidance would be available to those participating in new schemes. Subject to limits set out in the regulation, the Community will meet 40 per cent. of the cost of approved expenditure.The programme also contains information on projected developments relating to tourist amenities, crafts, industrial and other complementary activities essential to the improvement of the general socio-economic situation in the Western Isles. There is no provision for a Community contribution towards expenditure on measures other than those related to agriculture and fisheries, but, where appropriate, we shall seek aid from the European regional development fund and the European social fund under the usual arrangements.We have forwarded the programme to the European Commission and expect to obtain its clearance in time to allow work to proceed this summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Dundee are currently engaged in the following schemes (a) temporary short-time workers compensation scheme, (b) job release scheme, (c) youth opportunities programme, (d) community industry, (e) community enterprise programme and (f) training for skills.

The Manpower Services Commission is unable to provide information on the numbers taking part in the youth opportunities programme and the community enterprise programme in Dundee except at disproportionate cost. However, on 29 January 1982, the latest date available, 2,920 young people and 145 adult supervisors were engaged in the youth opportunities programme in Tayside and Grampian regions. On 26 February 1982 there were 610 adults engaged in the community enterprise programme in Tayside and Grampian.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many disabled people are unemployed in Dundee; and what percentage unemployment rate amongst the registered disabled this represents in Dundee.

On 11 March 1982 there were 961 disabled people unemployed in Dundee, of whom 426 were registered disabled.The latter figure represents 17·9 per cent. of all registered disabled people in Dundee. Registration is voluntary and in the absence of information on the total numbers of disabled in the work force it is not possible to calculate the unemployment rate amongst disabled people in Dundee.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage quota of disabled people employed by (a) Dundee district council and (b) Tayside regional council.

The information is published annually in the Employment Gazette. The latest available figures, for May 1981, were published on page 31 of the January edition of the gazette.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the number of women presently serving as justices of the peace;(2) what is the total number of persons presently serving as justices of the peace;(3) what is the number of persons serving as justices of the peace who are over 65 years of age.

The number of women serving as justices of the peace as at 1 September 1981 was 785. The total number of persons serving as justices of the peace as at 1 May 1981 was 4,999. There are 2,418 justices aged 65 or over.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the names of those persons serving as justices of the peace in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth district, Strathkelvin district and Bearsden and Milngavie district.

I have placed in the Library lists which give the names of persons currently holding offices as justices of the peace in the districts of Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Strathkelvin, and Bearsden and Milngavie.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is satisfied with the present arrangements for appointing justices of the peace; and if he will make a statement.

Justices of the peace are mainly appointed by my right hon. Friend, on the advice of the JP advisory committees which he has appointed for this purpose in each district and islands area. The committees advise him both as to the need for new appointments and as to suitable candidates for appointment. In addition, each district and islands council may nominate up to one quarter of its members to serve as ex officio justices; such persons hold office as justices so long as they remain members of the authority and continue to retain the authority's nomination. My right hon. Friend is generally satisfied with the present arrangements, but if the hon. Member has any particular question to raise about these appointments, perhaps he would write to my right hon. Friend about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each local authority in Scotland the length of notice required by it in respect of any march, procession or demonstration which is to take place within its area.

Comprehensive information is not held centrally, but so far as my Department is aware the only local provisions which require such notice to be given are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce a climatic top-up element to pensions and other benefits payable to residents in Scotland to take account of the colder conditions prevailing so that fuel resources are available to recipients throughout the United Kingdom on an equitable basis.

I have been asked to reply.No. I am satisfied that the existing arrangements for giving help with fuel costs represent the fairest way of distributing the available resources. Any scheme of the kind suggested would raise very difficult questions in relation to qualifying criteria and geographical boundaries. Help given to supplementary pensioners and other supplementary beneficiaries by single payments related to increases in fuel consumption does, of course, automatically reflect the effects of exceptionally severe weather.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 30 March.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend is attending a meeting of the European Council in Brussels.

asked the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Wales.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend hopes to visit Wales during the course of the year.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the co-ordination between Government Departments on preparing the circular on the Disabled Persons Act 1981.

I have been asked to reply. Yes.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to meet the Trades Union Congress general council.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when next she plans to visit Greater Manchester.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister how many building workers are out of work in Greater Manchester; and how many extra building workers will be employed there as a result of the Budget announcements.

I have been asked to reply.In August 1981, the latest date for which information is available, there were 19,743 registered unemployed people in the Greater Manchester area who last worked in the construction industry. I have no doubt that the measures announced by my right hon. and learned Friend in his 1982 Budget will stimulate increased activity and employment in the industry, both in the Greater Manchester area and in the country as a whole. It would be unrealistic to suggest any precise estimate of the number of jobs which will be created as a result of these measures—either nationally or in individual areas.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will pay an official visit to Tel Aviv.

I have been asked to reply.My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if she will consider the setting up of a wide-ranging inquiry into passenger transport executives in the United Kingdom in respect of management structures and responsibility to the relevant local authorities, taking also into account the balance between fares, rates and public subsidies and comparing support from public funds in major cities overseas.

I have been asked to reply.The Select Committee on Transport is examining the organisation of transport in London. The Monopolies and Mergers Commission is reporting on bus operators, including the West Midlands passenger transport executive. I await these two reports with interest. In the meantime I do not think it would be productive to set up a wide-ranging inquiry into the passenger transport executives.

asked the Prime Minister whether the Government will make it their policy to maintain the value of child benefit over the lifetime of the present Parliament.

I have been asked to reply.In July 1980 my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State for Social Services gave an undertaking that, subject to economic and other circumstances, the value of child benefit would be maintained at its November 1980 value and that remains our intention. The increase in the rate of child benefit to £5·85 from November 1982 announced recently reflects the forecast rise in the retail price index between November 1981 and November 1982 and restores the 2 per cent. shortfall in the value of the benefit which occurred between November 1980 and November 1981.

asked the Prime Minister if she will discuss with the European Economic Community Council of Ministers the possibility of Ministers with responsibility for consumer affairs participating in discussions on the common agricultural policy and on other European Economic Community policies which affect consumers directly.

I have been asked to reply.Each member State can decide which of its Ministers should attend any meeting of the Council of Ministers. The Government take account of the interests of consumers when deciding their policy on any topics affecting consumers.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list all official visits made by Ministers in the present Administration to the People's Republic of China, outlining their specific purpose in each case; whether she will also list the visits made to the United Kingdom by Ministers or senior Communist Party functionaries of China acting in a quasi-official capacity during the same period, and whether she is satisfied with the numerical balance and seniority of these official exchanges.

I am generally satisfied with the numerical balance and seniority of official exchanges with China. In addition to the following ministerial visits we have been glad to welcome a good number of Chinese Vice-Ministers with varying responsibilities. The purpose of each visit was to promote closer co-operation in the specific area of each Minister's departmental responsibilities. I look forward very much to my own visit to China in September.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied that Her Majesty's Government give enough encouragement to young unemployed people to embark on full or part-time courses of higher education.

asked to reply.For full-time higher education courses, young unemployed people who obtain places are eligible for student awards from local education authorities in the usual way. Young people on part-time higher education courses may be entitled to unemployment benefit or supplementary benefit if they satisfy the independent adjudicating authorities that they remain available for work.However, my hon. Friend may have in mind the "21 hour rule" which applies to part-time courses of non-advanced education. Young unemployed people who take up such courses may be entitled to supplementary benefit under certain conditions. The chief supplementary benefits officer has recently issued guidance on the interpretation of the relevant regulations. We are keeping these regulations under review against the background of our general aim of ensuring that genuinely unemployed people are not obstructed from usefully occupying their time while they seek work, whilst at the same time excluding those who have withdrawn from the employment field to devote themselves primarily to study.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the retirement of Sir David McNee, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis; when this is to take place; how long he will then have held the appointment; and what his pension entitlement will be.

Sir David McNee is to retire as Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on 1 October 1982, when he will have served five and a half years in the post. He will be entitled to a pension based on two-thirds of pensionable pay in the best of the last three years of service.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department to what extent the police forces generally and the Metropolitan Police in particular operate a political bar upon new entrants in the police services; and whether, all other things being equal, members or associates of the following organisations would be admitted into the police force: the Socialist Workers Party, the Militant Tendency, the Revolutionary Communist Party, the Communist Party of Great Britain, the Maoist Communist Party, the new Fascist Party, the Anti-Nazi League, the National Front, the Labour Party, the Conservative Party, the Liberal Party and the Social Democratic Party.

I refer the hon. Member to the last part of the reply given to his question on 15 March, which describes the policy adopted by all police forces.—[Vol. 20, c. 16.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inquiries were received by the television licence centre at Bristol in 1981 concerning the possibility of refunds of television licence fees after the holder had died.

No record is kept of the number or nature of applications for television licence refunds.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received about refunding the balance of television licence fees upon the death of the licence holder; and if he will make a statement;(2) if he will consider seeking to introduce a scheme of refunds of television licence fees for unexpired licences on the death of the holder where the holder has died more than 28 days after the start of the licence.

In the last six months we have received 16 representations from hon. Members and 20 from other members of the public on this subject. My right hon. Friend has not been able to accept the proposal because the grounds on which refunds may be given must be limited if the licensing system is to remain manageable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will estimate the number of families who would benefit from a scheme of refunds of television licence fees following the death of a licence holder;(2) what would be the cost of implementing a scheme of refunding the television licence fee in the case of the death of the licence holder, or a proportion thereof.

The only estimate we can make is of the number of deaths of licence holders living alone: about 150,000 a year. If a refund of the licence fee were made in these cases, the overall cost would be in the region of £2½ million to £3 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many shore-to-ship international radio channels have been granted to ships' agency companies (a) in Middlesbrough and (b) in Newcastle.

Three licences have been granted to companies in Middlesbrough, one of which has subsequently been revoked because the company ceased to trade. None has been granted in Newcastle.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for shore-to-ship international radio channels have been received from ships' agency companies in Newcastle; how many have been refused; and for what reasons.

One application has been received recently from a company in Newcastle. It was refused because the company wished to use the frequency in connection with its own business.

asked the Secretary of State for the Horne Department what considerations are borne in mind by his Department in granting international radio channels for the use of ships' agency companies.

In general we consider licensing ships agency companies to use certain international radio channels where assistance in the movement of ships is considered essential by the port or harbour authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the poor state of television reception in the area of Llanarmon Dyffryn, Ceiriog and Tregeiriog, Clwyd, as the result of which local viewers are unable to receive Welsh language programmes, he will take steps with a view to improving the situation locally.

The areas to which my hon. Friend refers are not served by existing transmitters, and the small size of the population concerned means that they will not be provided with a transmitter under phase III of the UHF engineering programme. However, an application for a licence to set up a self-help transmitter to serve these areas is currently being processed by the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the figures for the number of (a) capital and (b) serious crimes in Cambridgeshire in each of the last six years; and what percentage were cleared up in each year under each category.

The information available available relates to the number of serious offences recorded by the police, which is published annually by offence in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales"—table S.3.1 in volume 3 of the supplementary tables for 1980 and table 32 of the volume in 1979, Cmnd. 8098. The total number recorded in 1981 was 33,227. The corresponding clear-up rates are given in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each local authority in England the length of notice required by it in respect of any march, procession or demonstration which is to take place within its area;(2) if he will list for each local authority in Wales the length of notice required by it in respect of any march, procession or demonstration which is to take place within its area.

This information is collated centrally only in respect of local Acts passed since 1974. Such Acts requiring prior notice of an intention to hold a procession are listed below.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what percentage of internal discipline cases involving officers of the Metropolitan Police result in the case against the officer being found proven and not proven, respectively;(2) how long on average internal discipline cases in the Metropolitan Police take from charges being made to the resolution of the charges against the officers;(3) what is the average cost per case of internal disciplinary procedures in the Metropolitan Police per year; and how many personnel are involved in internal disciplinary procedures;(4) how many Metropolitan Police officers who have been disciplined in the last 10 years have subsequently been convicted in a criminal court on the same charges;(5) how many Metropolitan Police officers acquitted in British courts have later been disciplined internally on the same charges;(6) how many Metropolitan Police officers have been suspended in each of the last 10 years;(7) how many suspensions of police officers in the Metropolitan Police over the last five years have been followed by

The information requested is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he is taking any steps to alter the discipline procedures in the Metropolitan Police so as to improve the provision made for the defence of those officers accused of disciplinary offences;(2) why serving officers of the Metropolitan Police cannot be represented by a solicitor or counsel when charged under the disciplinary procedures of the Police Disciplinary Regulations.

Police officers may obtain legal advice in relation to disciplinary matters, but regulations 16(6) of the Police (Discipline) Regulations 1977 provides only for another police officer to represent an accused officer at a disciplinary hearing. The Police Federation recently submitted proposals to the Police Advisory Board for changes in disciplinary procedures, including a right for accused officers to legal representation.