asked the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a summary of the revised financial qualifications governing the eligibility for legal aid.

Yes.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will consider introducing the necessary legislation to ensure that whenever any damage to public property or costs are involved affecting the public purse due to the actions taken by any person, persons or organisations such people or organisations will automatically be called upon to pay the costs and not the general public out of public funds.

So far as the recovery of damages for loss or injury is concerned, public authorities are treated in the same way as private individuals and there is no case for placing them in a more favourable position.

asked the Attorney-General whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number of trials held at the Old Bailey or other stated high courts where the jury was selected so as to reflect particular percentages of ethnic groups.

Persons are selected at random from the electoral register for jury service without regard to ethnic origin.

asked the Attorney-General whether the Government will be giving permission during April to build on the old market site in Birkenhead a permanent office for the Land Registry; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the written answer I gave the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 19 April, in c. 16

asked the Attorney-General whether the Lord Chancellor has received suggestions from the Office of Fair Trading arising from the Director General's consideration of the case of Mr. and Mrs. A. E. Shepherd of 16 Briar Crescent, Manchester 22, who were unable to purchase a television set because of an unfounded accusation of "credit unworthiness" based on inaccurate information supplied to the retailer by a credit reference agency; what reply he is making; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

A letter from one of the Director General's officials was sent to the Lord Chancellor's Department on 19 April. It suggests that the Lord Chancellor might consider steps to inform the public that when they receive summonses incorrectly addressed to them they should return them to the court at once.The Lord Chancellor's Department has replied that every envelope containing a summons already carries an instruction that if it is not delivered it should be returned to the address given on the envelope. This is sufficient in almost every case and no further action in this respect is contemplated.The Lord Chancellor will not be making a statement.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will seek to persuade the United States Government to oppose any move in the United States of America to reinstate that clause in the American Copyright Act which, contrary to the spirit of the Florence agreement and the rules of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, discriminates against the importation into the United States of literary works in English by American authors which have been printed outside the United States of America.

Her Majesty's Government have already delivered notes to the United States Government, protesting about the possible reinstatement of this clause. The Commission has made similar protests. We are keeping the situation under review and are considering what further action may be called for to secure the removal of this quite unjustified trade barrier.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he has discussed with the Trade Ministers for West Germany and Italy any combined action against the United States of America under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade on any continuation, even on an amended basis, of section 601 of the United States Copyright Act 1976 beyond 1 July 1982; and whether any retaliatory tariff action will be taken against the prohibition of importation or distribution in the United States of America of English language works printed in the United Kingdom.

[pursuant to the reply, 22 April 1982, c. 133]: This matter has been discussed by my officials with the European Commission and other member States. The United States Government have been left in no doubt of the concern with which the United Kingdom and the European Community view the possibility of this measure being continued, and further steps to emphasise to the United States the seriousness with which the United Kingdom and the Community view the matter are under urgent consideration.

asked the Minister for Trade if, regardless of the recommendations of the Director General of Fair Trading, he will refer the takeover of Redpath Dorman Long by Trafalgar House to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

My right hon. and noble Friend will announce his decision as soon as practicable.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will direct the Director General of Fair Trading to inquire into the level of the retail price of petrol on islands compared with that on the mainland.

Various Scottish local authorities have made a number of representations to my Department and to the Office of Fair Trading about petrol prices on the islands. These have been studied, but I do not believe that a case has been established for directing the Director General to undertake an investigation. The Government have always made it clear that the power in section 13 of the Competition Act 1980 to direct the Director General to conduct investigations into prices would be used only in the most exceptional circumstances.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on compensation payable to the crews of trawlers requisitioned for the Falklands operation.

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

asked the Minister for Trade how many and which States have either passed laws or have draft proposals entitling their nationals through licensing to search for and exploit sea bed minerals.

I have been asked to reply.Five States, the United States of America, the Federal Republic of Germany, France, the USSR and the United Kingdom have passed laws to establish licensing arrangements for exploration for, and production of, minerals from the sea bed beyond the limits of national jurisdiction. No other countries have published draft proposals but I understand that Italy and Belgium, at least, may also be considering the introduction of similar laws.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the cost of introducing a system of separate taxation of earned income with non-transferable personal tax allowances which took no account of the sex of the recipient and were equal to: (a) the ordinary and (b) the long-term adult single householder supplementary benefit scale rate plus an estimate of average housing costs of supplementary benefit recipients, assuming that the savings from the abolition of the married man's tax allowance were used to improve cash benefits; what would be the level of the allowances; and what would be the cost if the allowances were allowed against the standard rate of tax only;(2) what would be the effect on the number of taxpayers if tax allowances were raised to

The information is as follows:

Supplementary benefit scale
	(a) ordinary	(b)long-term
Level of allowance	£2,195	£2,535
Full year direct cost to revenue at 1982–83 income levels*	£1billion	£3½billion
Full year direct cost if allowances allowed against basic rate only*	£½billion	£3 billion
Numbers taken out of tax (counting earning wives separately)	1·1 million	2·5 million
* There is no saving in respect of abolishing the married man's allowance; in case (b) the allowance level is above that of the existing married allowance, and in case (a) the saving from the reduction in the allowance for married men is more than offset by the cost of increasing allowances for single people and earning wives. If, however, an amount of money equivalent to the saving from abolishing the existing lead of the married allowances over the single were spent on improving cash benefits, the total direct cost would rise by £3½ billion in each case.
The estimates should be regarded as broad orders of magnitude only, they have been calculated on the assumption of unchanged behaviour, whereas in reality such large changes to the income tax system would give rise to significant second-order effects, including changes in patterns of employment. Moreover, no account has been taken of the possibility that a large direct loss of revenue would need to be compensated for in whole or in part by an increase in another source of revenue which would generate additional changes in behaviour. Other important assumptions are that all investment income of a married couple would be taxed as the husband's; and that aged people would receive the same level of allowances as non-aged.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what would be the cost of introducing a system of separate taxation of earned income with non-transferable, personal tax allowances which took no account of the sex of the recipient and were equal to (a) 40 per cent., (b) 50 per cent. and (c) 66 per cent. of average male earnings, assuming that the savings from the abolition of the married man's tax allowance were used to improve cash benefits; what would be the level of the allowances; and what would be the cost if the allowances were allowed against the standard rate of tax only;(2) what would be the effect on the number of taxpayers if tax allowances were raised to

The information is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will reconsider his decision to grant customs cover for passenger services at Swansea airport.

Customs facilities for passenger services at Swansea airport have not been granted. The potential traffic is too low to justify the deployment of Customs staff for this purpose.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assumptions are used by him in forecasting the change in the volume of imports and exports of manufactures as a result of each percentage point increase or reduction in gross domestic product.

There is no simple relationship between the volume of imports and exports of manufactures and gross domestic product. The most recently published version of the Treasury economic model contains estimates of the many relationships which are relevant, and I refer the hon. Member to Her Majesty's Treasury Macroeconomic Model Equation and Variable Listing (December 1980 version) which is available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to the reply of 8 April, Official Report, c. 448, concerning the effect of the fall in the real exchange rate on exports, whether he will publish in the Official Report the data used in the Treasury model for the size of the effect and the time lags for (a) exports, (b) exports of manufactures and (c) imports of manufactures.

I refer the hon. Member to the latest published version of the Treasury model—Her Majesty's Treasury Macroeconomic Model Equation and Variable Listing (December 1980 version)—which is available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will increase the borrowing limits of the British Steel Corporation and the British Transport Docks Board to ensure that their investment plans are not jeopardised by the cost of litigation between them.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest estimate of the increase in current price gross domestic product between 1980–81 and 1981–82.

[pursuant to his reply, 21 April 1982, c. 93]: Data from 1981–82 as a whole are not yet available. The forecast published in the Financial Statement and Budget Report on 9 March estimated that the increase in current price GDP at market prices between 1980–81 and 1981–82 would be around 10½ per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the reply of 31 March to the hon. Member for Dundee, West, Official Report, c. 123, if he will express the cost per mortgagor receiving tax relief in Scotland in each of the past three years.

[pursuant to his reply, 22 April 1982, c. 132]: The information at current prices and at constant (1979–80) prices is as follows:

Mortgage tax relief per mortgagor receiving tax relief in Scotland
	£ per head	£ per head at constant (1979–80) prices
1979–80	270	270
1980–81	370	315
1981–82	380	295

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compare the assessments of the value of index-linked pensions made by Target Life Assurance with the assessment made by his actuarial advisers set out in his Answer of 8 April, Official Report, c. 449.

[pursuant to his reply, 23 April 1982, c. 157]: The Government do not have sufficiently detailed information about the actuarial basis used by Target Life Assurance to make the comparison requested. Any such comparison would need to be treated with caution, since a quotation for an individual buying an annuity now would not be comparable with a valuation of the future pension rights of members of occupational schemes. The risks to be insured would be different in the two cases, and the life expectancy of individuals choosing to purchase increasing annuities can be expected to be higher than that of the membership of an occupational scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is current public expenditure in the United Kingdom on animal breeding research for agricultural purposes; and how this compares with expenditure for the same purposes in other European Economic Community countries.

Public expenditure in the United Kingdom on animal breeding research for agricultural purposes in 1980–81 was approximately £7·7 million. Animal breeding has been taken to include genetics, physiological aspects of reproduction and practical systems of animal breeding. I regret that comparable figures for other European Economic Community countries are not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will approve the application by the Scarborough and Bridlington Fish Producers Association Ltd. on behalf of King's Lynn fishermen, to release 60 acres of the Thief Sand for private mussel lays in the Wash; and if he will make a statement.

I have received an application from the Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee for authority to grant to Scarborough and Bridlington Fish Producers Association Limited 60 acres of private mussel layings. The committee informed me on 24 March that it had arranged to advertise the proposal specifying that any objections would have to be lodged by 26 April. I shall consider the application in the light of such objections as have been received.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) when he expects to make an announcement about aid for the fishing industry;(2) what consultations he has had with the fishing industry about aid for the coming year;(3) what evidence he is seeking from the fishing industry on which to base a decision on aid for the coming year;(4) what representations he has received seeking the extension of his temporary aid for the fishing industry.(5) whether he will make it his policy to maintain the temporary support for the fishing industry at least until a European Economic Community fishing settlement is reached.

My right hon. Friend and his colleagues with responsibilities for the fishing industry have received a number of representations about the industry's need for further aid. The Government's response will be made known as soon as consideration of these representations and the supplementary information we have obtained from the industry has been completed.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will estimate how many fishing vessels have been kept at sea by the temporary aid provided by Her Majesty's Government.

It is not possible to make an estimate of this kind.

asked the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will now answer questions relating to the presence of British nuclear weapons in particular locations at given times.

No. It would not be in the interests of national security to depart from the longstanding practice, observed by successive Governments, neither to confirm nor deny the presence or absence of nuclear weapons in particular locations at given times.

asked the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Ministry of Defence, Department of Trade and Foreign and Commonwealth Office, relating to the award of salvage contracts for British ships; and if she will make a statement.

Yes. But if my hon. Friend has any particular point in mind perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Prime Minister on average, what proportion of the 35 letters she receives on capital punishment weekly are in favour of its return, and what proportion are against.

A clear majority of those who choose to write to me on the subject are in favour of the return of capital punishment. There is of course a wide variation of views on the offences for which capital punishment should be available to the courts.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the Cambridge computer aided design centre.

As I told the hon. Member for Thornaby (Mr. Wrigglesworth) in my reply of 8 April, I think the time is now right for the centre to operate as a fully commercial organisation and have therefore set in motion an investigation to consider how this can best be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the trends in industrial productivity.

Output per head in manufacturing industry increased by some 10½ per cent. between the fourth quarter of 1980 and the fourth quarter of 1981, the latest period for which figures are available. Aggregated figures for the nationalised industries, many of which do not form part of manufacturing industry, are not compiled.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement about the financial situation of British Shipbuilders.

I expect to make a statement shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry to whom he has issued licences for value added services using the British Telecom network; and for what services they have been given licences.

The Department assumed responsibility for licensing value added network services on April 1 and has issued no licences so far. Applications are being discussed with a number of firms.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many grants have been made under the microprocessor application project scheme for each year since its inception; and if he will give a regional breakdown of the location of those firms assisted for every year since its inception.

The figures for offers of grants for feasibility studies and development projects under the microprocessor application project (MAP) are as follows:

	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82
England
North-East	19	49	47	41
North-West	40	150	113	108
Yorkshire and Humberside	37	114	106	124
West Midlands	37	127	98	97
East Midlands	24	92	68	80
South-West	32	79	58	77
South-East	231	488	387	370
Wales	15	20	17	27
Scotland	8	53	67	71
Northern Ireland*	0	29	18	26
TOTAL	443	1,201	979	1,021
* Feasibility study grants only.

It is up to companies to put forward projects for support. However, MAP also includes a range of activities designed to increase industrial awareness of microelectronic applications and the Government assistance available, especially in regions where take up appears to be low.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many grants have been given to firms in Wales under the product and process development scheme for each year since its inception.

The number of offers of assistance made to firms in Wales since the inception of the scheme in 1977 is as follows:

Financial Year	No. of Grants
1977–78	—
1978–79	1

Financial Year	No. of Grants
1979–80	6
1980–81	3
1981–82	11

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many grants have been given in Wales under the microelectronics industry support programme for each year since its inception.

One such grant has been offered (1982).

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of travel-to-work areas in (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Great Britain, respectively, were registered as (i) special development areas, (ii) development areas and (iii) intermediate areas, respectively, on 18 July 1979 and 1 August 1980; and what that proportion will be on 1 August 1982, notwithstanding further reviews.

The following are the percentages of travel-to-work areas^* designated as special development areas (SDAs), development areas (DAs) and intermediate areas (IAs) on the dates specified:

	18 July 1979
	SDA per cent.	DA per cent.	IA per cent.
(a) Wales	37·5	60·0	2·5
(b) Scotland	26·7	71·7	1·6
(c) England	6·8	11·8	23·9
(d) Great Britain	13·2	26·3	18·2
	1 August 1980
	SDA per cent	DA per cent	IA per cent
(a) Wales	17·5	42·5	40·0
(b) Scotland	25·0	30·0	45·0
(c) England	4·3	10·4	28·2
(d) Great Britain	8·9	16·8	32·1
	1 August 1982 (subject to review)
	SDA per cent.	DA per cent.	IA per cent.
(a) Wales	17·5	42·5	15·0
(b) Scotland	25·0	30·0	5·0
(c) England	4·3	9·6	7·9
(d) Great Britain	8·9	16·3	8·2
* Travel-to-Work Areas divided for AA designation are assigned to the higher of their categories.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry at what level of unemployment he considers granting (a) intermediate aid and (b) development aid status to an area; and what is the smallest area to which he will consider granting the above.

There is no absolute level of unemployment at which intermediate or development area status is granted. This factor is one of several taken into account in designating assisted areas as outlined in the Industry Act 1977 and the overall position of any one area is considered relative to other parts of the country. Assisted area designation is normally on the basis of travel-to-work-areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proportion of the area of (a) Wales, (b) Scotland, (c) England and (d) Great Britain had assisted area status on 18 July 1979; and what that proportion will be on 18 July 1982.

The table below shows the approximate percentages of land area within the assisted areas of Great Britain at the dates specified:

	18 July 1979 per cent.	18 July 1982 per cent.
Wales	100	100
Scotland	100	100
England	38·4	38·7
Great Britain	65·1	65·1

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will consider setting up a monitoring unit within his Department to ensure that the public interest is safeguarded as regards the terms agreed on any privatisation of publicly owned industry.

No. In reaching decisions the Government are always concerned to safeguard the public interest, and no special machinery is required for the purpose envisaged by the right hon. Member.

United Kingdom Steel Producers' Deliveries
'000 Tonnes
	1979	1980*	1981
Non-Alloy
Ingots, blooms, billets and slabs, including rounds and squares for tubes	467·5	288·2	281·5
Heavy rails and accessories	253·1	†160·7	†226·1
Plates 3mm thick, including coil	2,220·1	1,214·4	1,546·4
Other light rolled sections and hot rolled bars	1,286·8	‡977·0	‡955·9
Bright steel bars	422·6	303·9	287·4
Hot rolled strip	345·3	174·5	164·6
Other heavy rolled products (angles, tees, sections, channels, joists and beams, rounds, squares and hexagons)	1,831·2	║l,311·2	║1,777·9
Wire rods and other rods and bars in coil, including reinforcing bar in coil	2,558·4	1,619·8	1,764·9
Arches, light rails and accessories	238·8	..¶	..¶
Cold rolled strip	405·2	290·5	285·7
Sheets, including coil	2,722·2	1,324·8	2,198·3
Tinplate and blackplate	1,151·7	624·2	863·8
Tubes and pipes, all sizes	1,200·4	819·6	1,005·7
Tyres, wheels, axles and rolled rings	48·4	43·2	46·6
Forgings, excluding drop forgings	29·9	25·5	26·5
Castings	138·5	127·7	97·6
Alloys
Stainless and heat-resisting	163·4	117·9	156·9
Other alloy, including stainless and heat resistant tubes and pipes	1,201·4	808·6	830·8
TOTAL ALLOY	1,364·8	926·5	987·7

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now approve by licence the Transtel telex teleprinter as suitable for attachment to the public telephone and telex network by the private sector suppliers and end the delay in approval by British Telecom by reserving the power for it to inspect and test answerback equipment on such teleprinters at any time without notice.

As my hon. Friend the Member for Malden (Mr. Wakeham) said on 15 March, in c. 2, arrangements are being made to allow the private sector to sell direct to the public those telex teleprinter models already supplied by British Telecom. These arrangements will cover the relevant teleprinter manufactured by Transtel Communications Ltd. as well as models made by other manufacturers who currently supply British Telecom. I hope these arrangements can be completed before July but it will be necessary to take account of the new technology public telex exchanges as well as means of verifying the international answerback code.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will reproduce and bring up to date the information on steel production given in the reply of 18 February, Official Report, c. 56–60, to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Hallam (Mr. Osborn).

Information as is available for 1979, 1980 and 1981 is given in the following table.Given the large amount of information that would be involved and the fact that figures for the years 1970 to 1978 have not changed from those previously published—[

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his written reply dated 24 March, Official Report, c. 195, concerning output in the steel industry, if he will estimate the numbers who were employed in the capacity which was closed down over the period in question.

From information as is available, it is estimated that employment fell by around 45,000 as a result of closures of United Kingdom iron and steel making capacity between May 1979 and December 1981.This figure cannot be related, directly, to the decline in capacity given in the earlier reply. As stated in that reply, capacity figures are available only on an annual average basis. Further, the figures are on a net basis, reflecting not only closures but also the effect of any enhancements of capacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to reply to the Industry and Trade Select Committee's second report on Concorde.

I have today written to the Chairman of the Committee giving the Government's reply to the Committee's recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the present state of the order book for British Shipbuilders; and how it compares with one and two years earlier, respectively.

Figures for British Shipbuilders merchant orderbook in compensated gross tons are as follows:

	Gross tons
December 1979	589,000
December 1980	443,000
February 1982	610,000

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money was received from the EEC to assist areas affected by steel works closures in 1976 and in each succeeding year to the latest convenient date.

The European Community provides funds to help ameliorate the effects of redundancies in the United Kingdom steel industry by providing, through the European Coal and Steel Community, readaptation grants direct to eligible redundant steel workers and reconversion loans at subsidised interest rates to projects expected to employ eligible redundant steel (and coal) workers. Allocations of these have been as follows:

(£ million)	Readaptation Grants	Reconversion Loans
1976	0·8	9
1977	1·9	1
1978	6·1	83
1979	7·9	59
1980	19·7	92
1981	36·5	92
1982	*28·2	*1
* to date.

The United Kingdom's programme for assistance from t he European regional development fund for steel closure areas worth £18·3 million is expected to be formally approved by the Commission within the next few days.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if the application for South Tyneside metropolitan council for inclusion in a programme for grant-aiding under the European Economic Community regional fund, non-quota section, relating to shipbuilding areas has been forwarded to the European Economic Community authorities.

The United Kingdom's programme for aid from the European regional development fund for shipbuilding areas has been submitted to the Commission in accordance with Council Regulation No. 2617/80 and is expected to be approved shortly. Applications for assistance in respect of specific projects will then be invited from eligible bodies including local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the relationship between his Department and colleges of technology and other institutions of higher education.

Primary responsibility for policy towards colleges of technology and other institutions of higher education for England and Wales rests with the Department of Education and Science and for Scotland with the Scottish Office. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry and other Ministers liaise with my right hon. and hon. Friends as appropriate on issues affecting industry and education.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement about the future financing of Rolls-Royce (1971) Ltd.

The Government have agreed to provide Rolls-Royce with up to £50 million of equity funding in this financial year together with £57 million in respect of previously agreed support for civil aero-engine development projects. Thereafter the company's objective is to dispense with further Government funding, save for launch aid for new engine projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, pursuant to his answer of 25 January, OfficialReport, c. 605, his Department has now been given the details of the contract on which his Department can assess the amount of Government grant repayable in respect of the Bathgate factory of British Leyland.

BL is preparing details of all assets transferred and the Department is expecting to receive this soon. I will advise the hon. Member when the position is resolved.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what projects are supported by the Welsh Office to increase the awareness of the dangers of accidents to the elderly; and what advice is being given to local authority housing departments on houses built specially for the elderly who suffer from limited mobility and lower mental alertness.

The Welsh Office gives financial support to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, which includes within its programme education training and publicity designed to reduce the number of road traffic accidents involving the elderly. We have also recently agreed to make funds available this year for a research project on "the disabled in the Welsh environment" to include an assessment of the hazards encountered by the less mobile elderly in and around their own homes.The Department has in the past issued advice to local authorities on the design of housing for disabled persons. However, the system of project control introduced in April 1981 makes individual local authorities responsible for the selection, standards, design and costs of their own schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many general practitioner (a) trainers and (b) trainees there are in each health region in Wales under the vocational training scheme; and how many in each group are women.

On 1 October 1981 there were in Wales 195 general medical practitioner trainers and 141 trainees, of whom 9 and 36 respectively were women.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present position regarding the

Housing
£ million cash
	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83
Welsh Office
Current expenditure General Subsidies:
Central Government subsidies to local authority housing	46	49	59	66	36	15
Rate fund contributions to local authority housing	5	6	10	11	13	8
Subsidies to new towns	2	3	3	3	2	2
Housing Association revenue deficit grants	—	—	—	—	—	—
Total general subsidies	53	58	72	80	51	25

The administrator is currently receiving his salary and all the appropriate allowances while the South Glamorgan health authority is considering the question of his placement. The authority has decided it was not feasible to reinstate him in his former post.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any further plans to improve the trunk road between Aberystwyth and Cardigan during the next two years; and if he will make a statement.

Work on the Morfa diversion has recently been completed and that on the Llanychairn Bridge/Llanfarian village improvement will be completed shortly. Further schemes of improvement in the firm programme which could start in the next two years, subject to the successful completion of preparatory work and availability of resources, are at Penparc (Provision of footways), at Pont Rhyd Llwyncelyn and at Aberarth.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what, in both real and cash terms, are the housing investment allocations in Wales for 1982–83; and how they compare with the previous five years.

Details of the housing component of the block allocation for 1982–83 are in the Library of the House.Figures are given in cash terms only which is consistent with the new basis of public expenditure planning. Information at constant prices is no longer available and comparison with previous years on a constant price basis is not possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in a form similar to table 2.7 of Cmnd. 8494 details of housing expenditure forecast in Wales for 1982–83; and how this compares with the previous five years.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many people, males and females, have been placed in work by jobcentres in the Deeside, Wrexham and Rhyl travel-to-work areas in the last month for which statistics are available.

Information relating to the four-week period ending 5 March 1982 is as follows:

Travel-to-work area	Males	Females
Deeside	196	111
Wrexham	104	87
Rhyl	30	44

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many redundancies have been notified in each of the Deeside, Wrexham and Rhyl travel-to-work areas since January 1982.

I am informed that between January and March 1982, 397 redundancies have been notified in the Shotton travel-to-work area and 201 in Wrexham. No redundancies have been notified for the Rhyl area.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people have registered at careers offices for each of the Deeside, Wrexham and Rhyl travel-to-work areas in the last month for which statistics are available; and if he will make a statement.

The latest period for which statistics are available is the month ended 11 March 1982. On that date the numbers registered at Careers Offices in the three travel-to-work areas were as follows:

	Number
Deeside	552
Wrexham	668
Rhyl	229

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give his best estimates of the number of diabetics in Northern Ireland in each of the past three years.

The number of insulin dependent diabetics in Northern Ireland remains fairly constant, at about 5,250. There are thought to be at least 5 times this number of non insulin dependent diabetics.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many persons in Northern

		No. of persons in receipt of attendance allowance who
Period of 12 months ending	No. of new applications received	(a) Died	(b) Were disallowed on reassessment	(c) Were disallowed on admission to hospital
January 1979	5,743	1,962	Not available	988 (430)*
January 1980	5,966	2,300	167	951 (434)*
January 1981	5,134	2,528	191	951 (427)*
January 1982	5,118	2,119	164	1,026 (414)*

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many general practitioner (a) trainers and (b) trainees there are in each health region in Northern Ireland under the vocational training scheme; and how many in each group are women.

The health and personal social services are administered in Northern Ireland by four health and social services boards. The number of general practitioner trainers and trainees etc. under the vocational training scheme in each Board area is as follows:

Trainers
Board	Male	Female	Total
Eastern	40	—	40
Northern	23	—	23
Southern	11	—	11
Western	14	—	14
	—	—	—
	88	—	88
	—	—	—

Trainees
Board	Male	Female	Total
Eastern	17	15	32
Northern	5	2	7

The information requested is as follows:

January 1979	14,772
January 1980	15,365
January 1981	15,828
January 1982	16,176

Board	Male	Female	Total
Southern	3	4	7
Western	3	4	7
	—	—	—
	28	25	53
	—	—	—

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many attacks on women on the London Underground have been reported in each of the last 12 months.

This information would be in the possession of London Transport, to which the hon. Member should address her inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State ror Transport how many intended sites for motorway service areas exist where it has not proved possible to provide facilities because a lease has not been agreed with an operator; and in how many cases land has been acquired for such sites.

The Department has 5 sites where we own land intended for motorway service areas. In the past, we have invited tenders from prospective operators for these areas but have been unable to conclude an agreement. We hold land at a further 13 locations for future motorway service area development.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will publish his Department's guide to transport for disabled people.

We are publishing "Door to Door: A Guide to Transport for Disabled People" today, with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales.The guide has been produced by my Department with the advice of the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation, the Joint Committee on Mobility for the Disabled and the Disabled Living Foundation. It is intended as a handbook for anyone who finds it difficult to use public transport and who does not have a car available to them. The guide covers a wide range of topics from basic information about aids and benefits to details about help and facilities available to elderly and disabled people undertaking local, inter city or international journeys. I believe that a great many people will find it a valuable source of information and advice.The guide is available free of charge from my Department. Copies of it are being widely distributed. Many local authorities have already responded to the suggestion made by my Department that they produce a local guide to supplement the more general information contained in the national guide. I hope that many others will follow, so that a comprehensive source of information and advice about transport will be available to elderly and disabled people wherever they live.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what grounds he is opposing the applicants' claim, at the European Commission of Human Rights, that the Leasehold Reform Act breaks the European Convention of Human Rights.

The Commission have yet to express an opinion on the admissibility or the merits of the case. The rules of procedure of the Commission state that all pleadings are confidential. I can, however, confirm that the Government are disputing both the admissibility of the application and its assertion that the Leasehold Reform Act involves a breach of the Convention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has given guidance to housing authorities on the eligibility for rent rebates of families which include an overseas student.

No. The rules governing eligibility for rent rebates do not distinguish between overseas and other students.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will agree to the request by Boothferry borough council and by the appellants that the local public inquiry due to be held in Goole on 27 April into planning appeal APP/5262/A/79/7470 be postponed.

This appeal was withdrawn by the appellant on 19 April. The local inquiry has therefore been cancelled.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of his visit to West Yorkshire on 19 March, he will now provide further financial aid to the West Yorkshire county council for its derelict land programme.

In allocating the derelict land programme this year preference is being given to reclamation schemes submitted by local authorities which will lead to immediate development by the private sector. Until the amount to be allocated to such schemes is known I cannot say what provision will be made for particular local authorities' programmes. Decisions on the allocations will be taken shortly an local authorities notified as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his intention to curtail the powers of local authorities to assist local industry and job creation by the use of section 137 of the Local Government Act 1972; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to my statement on 11 February in reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Devizes (Mr. Morrison) [Vol. 17, c. 465–6].

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report all the powers, programmes, incentives, schemes, subsidies, grants, or special payments currently available to local authorities for the purpose of stimulating local employment and job creation, indicating in each case the financial limitations, if any.

This answer can only be provided at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to lift the regulation governing the playing of music in Hyde Park during the period of the campaign for nuclear disarmament demonstration on 6 June.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what grants have been given or are proposed for community groups to bring back into use Hounslow hospital in Middlesex; which groups are involved; and what is the purpose of the grants.

Approval under the urban programme for £6,500 capital expenditure and £36,379 annual running costs was given on 12 March 1982 to Hounslow London borough council for the Hounslow Hospital community project. A management committee will run the project which aims to provide facilities for groups meeting the needs of deprived members of the community.I understand that some of the groups interested in using the hospital premises are:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many curies of plutonium-241 have been discharged into the sea from the Windscale plant; how much of this has to date decayed to Americium 241; and what is the projected rise in Americium 241 in the most affected area over the next 50 years.

About 540,000 curies of plutonium-241 had been discharged from Windscale up to the end of 1981. Its decay has so far led to the formation of about 5,000 curies of Americium 241. By the year 2030 it is estimated that about 15,500 curies of Americium 241 will have been formed by the decay of Plutonium-241 discharged to the end of 1981. Plutonium and Americium remaining in the sea water will be rapidly dispersed, but some will remain in the area incorporated in the sediments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when guidance notes on the implementation of section 48 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 for the Nature Conservancy Council, Countryside Commission, water authorities and internal drainage boards will be published.

The guidance notes are being prepared as quickly as possible by officials of my Department, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Welsh Office, in consultation with other interested parties, to whom a draft has already been circulated for comments. It is hoped to issue the final version in the summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom staff are retained in the United Kingdom mission in Vientiane; and of what diplomatic grades.

The British embassy, Vientiane, includes two United Kingdom-based Diplomatic Service officers: an ambassador (DS5) and a vice consul/administration officer (DS9).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many units of accommodation are available on the Falkland Islands; whether he has any information whether the 10,000 foreign military personnel are billeted on Falkland Islanders or under canvas; and what is the normal temperature in the Falkland Islands in mid-winter.

The last Falkland Islands census showed 589 occupied residential buildings and 58 unoccupied. We believe that a section of the Argentine forces are billeted in permanent accommodation, but the majority are encamped. The mid-winter climate in the Islands is similar to that of the Orkneys. Mean temperatures are about 36°F in July; the minimum temperature is about 12°F

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place advertisements in North and South American newspapers setting out the United Kingdom's juridical case on the Falkland Islands and the importance of self-determination by the Falkland Islanders.

We are prepared to consider such action as and when it appears that it might be useful, but we see no need for such advertisements at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of persons he or his officials have recently seen who have been deported from or left voluntarily the Falkland Islands; whether this included former Captain Edmund P. Carlisle; and for what reasons such discussions ensued.

All adult British citizens leaving the Falkland Islands since the Argentine invasion have been interviewed at some stage by British officials. The total number of such departures by 22 April was 204 (103 marines; 47 civilian males; 27 women; 27 children).Mr. Edmund Carlisle was interviewed by Foreign and Commonwealth Office officials on 11 April to gain his account of the Argentine invasion and of conditions in the Falkland Islands.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether in the offer made to the British Government by General Galtieri via the United States Secretary of State, it was proposed that the United Kingdom would play a part in the administration of South Georgia.

The present exchanges are delicate, and the British Government are unable to give details of the Argentine proposals or of our response at this stage. It remains the firm objective of the British Government to secure full Argentine withdrawal from the Falkland Islands and their dependencies.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number of persons in the Falkland Islands who are (a) tenants or (b) resident owner-occupiers of agricultural or pastoral land.

There are two tenant farmers and 30 resident owner-occupiers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing in chronological order the countries which have imposed sanctions of any kind on trade with Argentina, the nature of such sanctions and their duration.