asked the Attorney-General whether he will ascertain, following the progressive growth of Milton Keynes, whether there is greater economy and convenience in having Crown courts in Bedford rather than in Luton.

The intention is to provide the Crown court centre for Bedfordshire at Luton. The use of Bedford will be considered only if it is not possible to locate the centre at Luton. This follows the recommendation in the Beeching report and takes account also of current forecasts of population trends.

asked the Attorney-General what he estimates will be the cost of building six new Crown courts in Luton as compared with using courts in Bedford in use and adapting existing buildings for the purpose.

No comparable financial estimates are available.

asked the Attorney-General if he will consider the desirability of maintaining Crown courts in Bedford in close proximity to the only major remand prison in the region.

The location of the remand prison is not thought to be a sufficiently strong factor to outweigh the other advantages which favour Luton.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the saving in 1983–84 if (a) tax relief on mortgage interest, retirement annuity and employee's superannuation contributions and (b) personal tax allowances were set against the standard rate of tax only.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Thurrock (Dr. McDonald).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update for the 1983–84 tax year the information on the cost of various fiscal measures provided in his reply of 17 December 1981 to the hon. Member for Thurrock, Official Report, column 222.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 November 1982]: The reply referred to provided information at 1981–82 levels of income, allowances, thresholds and so on. An update to 1982–83 levels was provided in my reply of 20 April to the hon. Member for Barking (Miss Richardson)—[Vol 22, c.61.] Estimates of the costs of reliefs and allowances for the forthcoming tax year cannot be provided until the levels of allowances and so forth for that year have been fixed.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what books of reference are used by his Department to guide those planning and designing new buildings, and major adaptations to existing buildings, on the needs of the visually handicapped, the hearing impaired, and the mentally handicapped.

It would not be practicable to list the many publications available to the Department, but some of the main works of reference are:

Access for the Disabled: Design Guidance Notes and Wallchart; DES Design Notes, in particular 10, 18 and 25; Designing for the Disabled (3rd Edition) (1976); Various reference works issued by the DHSS; Handicapped at Home (Design Centre book).

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest percentage level of unemployment in the Cardiff travel-to-work area and the Swansea travel-to-work area; and what were the figures in November 1979.

On 14 October 1982 the unemployment rates were 15·2 and 17·1 per cent. respectively, compared with 7·2 and 7·5 per cent. in November 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to publish the 1981 Welsh house condition survey.

The report is being published today and I have placed a copy in the Library.The results of the survey show that the overall level of dwellings categorised as unfit has fallen slightly since 1976 when the last survey was carried out and there has been a substantial decrease in the number of dwellings lacking one or more of the basic amenities. But clearly much remains to be done.The survey shows that the most important factor influencing unfitness is the age of the property—over 20 per cent. of the houses built before 1919 are categorised as unfit and many of them lack basic amenities. These results bear out our recent decision to extend to 1984 the period during which 90 per cent. repair and intermediate home renovation grants can be paid. These grants are specifically available to carry out repairs to pre-1919 houses and to install missing amenities.A distrubing trend brought out by the results is the apparent increase in the incidence of substandard housing in the inner city areas and the introduction of the enveloping concept which I announced recently is intended to get to grips with this problem in particular.I am also very concerned about the high number of pensioner households shown to occupy houses which are unfit or lack some basic amenities. I am looking very closely at ways of remedying this situation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why the full figures of casualties presumed from a nuclear attack on the United Kingdom and the assumptions made to calculate them have not been released following his undertaking to do so in the House on 7 August 1980.

My right hon. Friend's statement on 7 August 1980 included no undertaking on particular information, but a general commitment to greater openness in civil defence matters. The official booklet "Nuclear Weapons"—[HMSO £3·50 net]—contains general information about the likely effects of a nuclear attack, and much other relevant information has since been provided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Home Office scientists do not allow for the effects of blast damage when calculating protection given by housing against radiation following a nuclear attack on the United Kingdom; and why they assume all walls, doors, windows and roofs remain intact.

Severe blast damage to buildings would cause very heavy casualties. Light blast damage—for example, dislodged slates, broken windows—would not markedly affect radiation protection factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why his Department's figures for the extent of and the casualties caused by blast likely to follow a nuclear attack on the United Kingdom differ from the other independent studies such as those of the United States Department of Defence, Office of Technology Assessment.

Home Office estimates, at present in course of revalidation, are based on different assumptions about buildings and the position of people within them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the total annual costs of running Her Majesty's prisons in Oxford and Reading; and what is the average cost per prisoner per week in these prisons.

It is not possible to quote total costs for individual prisons. Oxford is a local prison, and the average cost per inmate per week at all local prisons in 1980–81 was £168. Reading is a closed training prison and the comparable figure was £173.

A new costing system, which will lead to the compiling of costs on an individual establishment basis, starts on 1 April 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why there is no provision in paragraph 40 of the draft revised immigration rules, Cmnd. 8683, for the entry into Great Britain of husbands of foreign women in approved employment in the United Kingdom.

Such a provision would be inconsistent with the other provisions of Cmnd. 8683 relating to the admission of foreign husbands.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that there is now uniformity in the provision to police forces of protective clothing and equipment for dealing with riots.

All police forces in England and Wales now have supplies of protective clothing and equipment. The precise amount required by any individual force is a matter for the judgment of the chief officer, having regard to the circumstances of his force and the arrangements under the Police Act 1964 for providing mutual assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people detained in penal establishments pending deportation on any recent convenient date had received a non-custodial sentence for their offence.

Current records held by the immigration and nationality department show that on 5 November there were 26 persons detained in penal establishments by order of a court, pending their deportation, who had received a non-custodial sentence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of basic salary is paid by firemen as a contribution to their pension.

The general rate of pension contribution for regular firemen is currently 6·75 per cent. of pensionable pay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate what proportion of the aggregate value of an average fireman's pension from the point of his retirement until his decease is covered by his pension contributions while in service.

According to a recent evaluation by the Government Actuary, the aggregate value of an average fireman's total pension benefits, which include benefits for his dependants, is equal to 34·5 per cent. of his pensionable pay over his career. His pension contributions cover about one-fifth of these benefits. The contribution rate is not broken down between personal and dependants' benefits but the former account for about four-fifths of the overall cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what grants completely to reimburse expenditure were made to which authorities in England and Wales under the Civil Defence (Grant) Regulations in the fiscal years 1972–73 to 1981–82 inclusive; and for what purposes;(2) what deductions from grants otherwise payable under the Civil Defence (Grant) Regulations were made in respect of which authorities in England and Wales in the fiscal years 1972–73 to 1981–82, inclusive; and for what reasons.

The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iranian citizens have been deported from the United Kingdom in the 12 months up to 31 October 1982.

Thirty-five.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet made a decision about the proposals to increase fees for firearms certificates; and if he will make a statement.

I have considered this matter very carefully in the light of the many representations I have received, including those which the British Shooting Sports Council made to me at my meeting with it on 11 October. Much of the criticism that there has been of proposed increases has centred on the differences in the costings supplied by the sample of police forces involved, and the variation this suggests there is in the way forces administer the licensing system. This is something which the forthcoming joint working party of the Home Office and the Association of Chief Police Officers—the establishment of which I announced on 28 July—will be looking into. In the circumstances, the Government have decided not to increase fee levels for the time being. They will consider the matter again in the light of the report of the working party and on the basis of the principle that fees should recover the full costs of operating the licensing system.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he is satisfied with the procedures for selecting fast-stream graduates for the Home Civil Service.

The Civil Service Commissioners have invited Sir Alec Atkinson, formerly second permanent secretary at the Department of Health and Social Security, to review their selection procedures for administration trainees in the Home Civil Service, and for certain other grades; to advise them whether any changes are needed to make the procedures more cost-effective while maintaining or improving their fairness; and to report to them by February 1983. The review will take into account on the one hand the high rate of applications from graduates wishing to join the service, and on the other the relatively small number of vacancies for administration trainees which has resulted from the decision to adopt an "all-fast-stream" entry for the grade, and from reductions in the size of the Civil Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will consider extending the Abortion Act 1967 to Northern Ireland.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost to the taxpayer of the Northern Ireland Assembly election.

It is not yet possible to provide an accurate figure for the cost of the Northern Ireland Assembly election, as it will inevitably take some time before the accounting work is completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what new arrangements he has in mind to help reduce duplication of provision between Queens university and the proposed new institution; when the new arrangements will come into operation; and whether they will include apportionment of available funds between the two institutions.

As indicated in the Government Statement "Higher Education in Northern Ireland: The Future Structure", arrangements for improved planning and co-ordination of higher education in Northern Ireland are under consideration, and this includes the funding arrangements. No decisions have yet been taken on a starting date.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether it is proposed that the new university institution resulting from the proposed amalgamation of two existing institutions will accept students with either mandatory awards or discretionary awards; and whether tuition fees will be charged by the new institution.

It is intended that the new institution will be free in principle to offer as wide a range of courses as is at present available in the New University of Ulster and in the Ulster polytechnic. The nature of the awards for which students who are admitted to such courses may be eligible, and the tuition fees which may be payable, will not be affected by the formation of the new institution.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Government's expenditure plans to 1985–86 are to be modified to take account of the proposed amalgamation of the New University of Ulster and the Ulster polytechnic and of the extra cost of split site working.

The funding of all aspects of the new institution will be accommodated within the Government's existing expenditure plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is now able to make a statement about the method of sale of shares in Britoil and the timing of the sale.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement I made earlier this afternoon.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is now able to make a statement on any adjustment likely to be made to the system of electricity and gas standing charges.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 20 October—[Vol. 29, c. 132]—and the hon. Member for St. Pancras, North (Mr. Stallard) on 27 October.—[Vol. 29, c. 407.]

Department/Unit	Under Sec. & above	Asst. Sec.	Senior Principal	Principal	SEO	HEO HEOD AT	EO	CO	CA	Professional Groups‡	Support Staff║	Total
London
Secretariat/Open Structure	11			1		2	1	1				16
Central & Southern Africa Dept.		1		3	1	4	6	2				17
Eastern & Western Africa Dept.		1		3	1	6	6	2				19
Mediterranean & Near East Dept.		1		4		6	6	3	1			21
Southern Asia Dept.		1		4		5	2	2				14
Eastern Asia Dept.		1		3	1	4	1	2				12
Latin America, Caribbean & Pacific Dept.		1		6		9	4	3				23
West Indian & Atlantic Dept.*		1				2	1					4
Overseas Manpower Services (Part)					2			3		1		6
European Community Dept.		1		3	1	3	1	1				10
United Nations (A) Dept.		1		4	5	3	1	1				15
United Nations (B) Dept.		1		3	1	3	2	2				12
Bilateral Coordination/Consultancies Dept.		1		2	3	6	5	1		2		20
Disaster Unit				1		1		1				3
Investment & Crown Agents Dept.		1		1		1½						3½
Education Division		1		2	2	3	3	2				13
Engineering Division				1		1	2	1		3		8
Natural Resources Division		1		3	1	3	5	3		2		18
Health & Population Division			1	½		3	1	2		2		9½
Economic Relations Dept.*				2		1						3
Aid Policy Dept.*		1		1	1	1	1					5
Finance Dept.		1		3	3	5	2	1				15
Accounts Dept. (part)							1	1				2
Economic Service (part)						1	3	4	1	33		42
Advisory Staff										31		31
Establishment & Organisation Dept. (part)†		1		4	6	12	23	88	10		180½	324½
Inspectorate*				1	1	1						3
Internal Audit Dept.*			1	1		1	2					5
Information Dept.							1	3	1	9		14
Library*								4		5		9
Total	11	17	2	56½	29	87½	80	133	13	88	180½	697½
East Kilbride
Overseas Manpower Services (Part)		1		4	11	12	45	66	1			140
Pensions Dept.		1	1	2	4	11	17	25	4			65
Accounts Dept. (part)			1		2	6	18	46				73
Economic Service (part)						2	3	7				12
Establishment & Organisation Dept. (part)†			1		2	6	12	26	19		64	130
Total		2	3	6	19	37	95	170	24		64	420¶
Figures are staff in post at 1 October 1982.
* Joint FCO/ODA departments - figures given for ODA staff only
† Includes office services and security.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the numbers of staff members, by grade, in each department, in both London and East Kilbride wings of the Overseas Development Administration headquarters.

I will with permission circulate the details in the Official Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the current levels of (a) application, (b) offers of assistance and (c) projects in appraisal for the small engineering firms investment scheme; and if he will make a statement.

1,755 applications for assistance were received by 28 May 1982, the day that the scheme closed. At the end of October 1,355 applicants had received offers of grant, of which 215 had also received payment amounting in total to over £3·6 million. 316 applications have been rejected and 84 are still being processed.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, further to his letter dated 22 October to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West H/SH/PSO/34225/82, what progress has been made, following the report by the Confederation of British Industry in September 1981 on the problems experienced by small firms in tendering for Government and other public sector contracts, towards changing the procedures to benefit small firms.

Following publication of the CBI report a review was set in hand of possible improvements in small firms' access to Government contracts. A number of measures designed to counter some of the problems experienced by small firms have been identified and are being discussed with the major purchasing Departments. I hope that an announcement will be made fairly soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much Garlon 2 herbicide was imported into the United Kingdom during the past (a) 12 months and (b) 24 months; what percentage of these quantitites was used in the United Kingdom; what percentage was re-exported in various forms; whether the product is now manufactured in the United Kingdom; whether it has ever been manufactured; at whose instigation; and when stoppage in manufacture took place.

I understand from industry sources that about 50,000 litres of Garlon 2 herbicide have been imported into the United Kingdom, virtually all since April 1982. None has been re-exported, and none has been manufactured in this country.

asked the Prime Minister if she will publish in the Official Report the text of her letters to the local authority associations and the group of nationalised industries chairmen to which she referred in her speech of 3 November, Official Report, column 21, together with any replies she has received.

Copies of my letters are available in the Library of the House. It is not for me to publish letters I receive from others.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what proportion of the annual expenditure of £31,433,178 on special education is spent on the exceptionally able; and, of that total, how much is spent in each category of academics, music, dancing (ballet), drama, sport or other;(2) what proportion of the 128,100 pupils in special education receive extra expenditure above normal pupils because they are exceptionally able, either intellectually or talented; and, of the total number of exceptionally able, what number receive special funding on account of exceptional intellectual ability, musical, dancing (ballet), drama or other.

Special education comprises the arrangements made for pupils suffering from a disability of mind or body. It does not include provision specifically for exceptional intellectual ability, dancing (ballet) or the other categories specified by my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students are currently taking BEd. and BEd(Hons.) courses at the Dartford site of Thames polytechnic.

There are currently about 200 BEd students, of whom 34 are taking honours courses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students have successfully completed BEd and BEd (Hons) courses at the Dartford site of Thames polytechnic during each of the past five years; and how many succeeded in obtaining teaching posts.

The following information has been provided by the institution concerned:

Numbers completing BEd courses in Thames polytechnic
Year of Completion	BEd (Ordinary)	BEd (Honours)	Total BEd grauates	Number known to have obtained teaching posts
1978	13	21	34	30
1979	23	12	35	30
1980	12	14	26	22
1981	24	—	24	17
1982	45	—	45	32

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to him as to the provision of daytime education for pregnant schoolgirls and schoolgirl mothers.

Some local education authorities run special units, while others provide home tuition when it is not practicable for a girl to attend school. The Department does not receive returns from authorities about such provision.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what books of reference are used by his Department to guide those planning and designing new buildings, and major adaptations to existing buildings, on the needs of the visually handicapped, the hearing-impaired and the mentally handicapped.

Guidance is given in the Department's design note No. 10 on all aspects of designing schools for mentally handicapped pupils and, in design note No. 25, which has an extensive specialist bibliography, on lighting and acoustic criteria for the visually handicapped and hearing-impaired. Guidance is in preparation on space standards for these latter two groups. Copies of the two design notes are being sent to the hon. Member and are available in the Libraries.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in relation to the calculation of student grants, what information is available to him as to (a) the number of assessments made each year with regard to parental contributions, (b) the cost of administration and how many people are employed, (c) how many students are deemed to be in receipt of parental contributions, (d) how many students do not receive full parental contributions, (e) what would be the cost of abolition of parental contributions, and (f) what is the number of people who would benefit from the ending of the system of parental contributions.

In the academic year 1982–83 it is estimated that 340,000 students in receipt of mandatory and full value discretionary awards were assessed for a parental contribution. Of these, 240,000 are deemed to be in receipt of a parental contribution and would therefore benefit from its abolition; the cost of this is estimated to be £165 million. No information is available on the cost of or number employed in administering the parental contribution; or on the number of students who do not receive the full assessed parental contribution.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he is now in a position to publish a policy document on the subject of examinations at 16-plus.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have, today, published through Her Majesty's Stationery Office a statement of policy on this matter. The statement takes account of comments on a draft which was circulated earlier this year. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent discussions he has had with the Health Education Council about a book list published by the council jointly with the Schools Council and entitled "Relationships and Sexuality".

My hon. Friend the Member for Hampstead (Mr. Finsberg), Under-Secretary of State for Health and Social Security and I have seen the chairman and other members of the Health Education Council and asked them to review the purpose, balance and content of this book list. We were told that the council intends as soon as possible to undertake such a review. In doing so it will heed criticisms of lack of balance and comprehensiveness, and of the inclusion of unsuitable references, which have been made direct to it, as well as to Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the position of the British Antarctic Survey's establishment in Grytviken and Bird Island in South Georgia; and how many staff are employed on each site.

All British Antarctic Survey personnel were safely withdrawn from South Georgia in May 1982. A party recently visited Grytviken to inspect the condition of the base with a view to resuming scientific activities there. Its report is awaited. Two scientists returned to Bird Island in September.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of the following locations of the British Antarctic Survey: Signy, Faraday, Rothera and Halley; how many staff are engaged at each site; and whether there has been any evidence of intervention by the Argentine Government.

There has been no evidence of intervention by the Argentine Government at any of the British Antarctic Survey stations in the Antarctic treaty area. All the scientific stations continue their normal research programmes. There are 13 British nationals at Signy, 10 at Faraday, 13 at Rothera and 19 at Halley.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the population by nationality of those people occupying sites in the British Antarctic territory; and if he will list the sites from which scientific or other surveys are being conducted.

According to the latest—1981–82—exchange of information required under article VII paragraph 5 of the Antarctic treaty, the population by nationality of persons occupying sites in the British Antarctic territory are:

British	58
Argentina	*158
Chile	51
Poland	9
USSR	29
USA	34

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will give as detailed a breakdown as possible of the Argentine nationals at present at sites in the British Antarctic territory, including details of the functions of those involved; what is the purpose for which they are there; whether any military personnel are among them; and what controls Her Majesty's Government exercise over their access to the territory and their activity there.

The latest breakdown of Argentine nationals at sites in British Antarctic territory is 132 military plus 55 civilians. This information has not changed since June 1982, when full details of names and function were supplied to my hon. Friend.The Antarctic treaty is the only instrument of control in Antarctica. Under the Antarctic treaty it is required that all States occupying scientific stations in Antarctica, and conducting scientific investigations there, should on an "Exchange of Information" basis advise other States of their investigations and scientific data and give information as to their proposed programmes for the coming year, plus full details as to personnel employed on the station. This has so far been adhered to by all States with scientific stations in Antarctica.In accordance with article II of the Antarctic treaty, Argentina, like other contracting parties, operates freely in Antarctica for purposes of scientifc investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps will be taken by the United Kingdom to bring to a successful conclusion the Madrid conference on security and co-operation in Europe meeting; and, in particular, what view Her Majesty's Government take of the draft agreement submitted in 1981 by the neutral and non-aligned countries.

The United Kingdom will participate fully in the work of the conference to review the implementation of the Helsinki final act, and to consider new measures. We hope that it will be possible to adopt a substantive and balanced concluding document covering all areas of the final act. Her Majesty's Government consider the draft agreement proposed by the neutral and non-aligned countries to be a useful point of departure for the elaboration of such a concluding document.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's intentions with regard to the impending vote at the United Nations on the draft world programme of action concerning disabled persons.

We hope the General Assembly will endorse the draft world programme of action for disabled persons, which we helped to draft.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what request he has had from President Gemayel with regard to dispatching a British contingent to join the multinational force in the Lebanon; and what reply he intends to make.

Her Majesty's Government have received a formal request from the Lebanese Government for a British contribution to the multinational force. The request is being considered carefully. No decision has yet been taken.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the present rules for the storage of chemical substances.

Controls on the storage of chemical substances are being reviewed by the Health and Safety Executive as part of more broadly based initiatives to improve, where necessary, current standards of health and safety. The Health and Safety Commission's programme of work, which has been published, contains details of projects which relate to the storage of chemical substances.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of recent apprentices in the construction industry is currently unemployed.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many apprentices have been enrolled on the Construction and Training Board's off-site training schemes for 1982–83; and what percentage of last year's recruitment this represents.

To date in 1982–83, 9,658 apprentices have been enrolled on the Construction Industry Training Board first year off-the-job training courses. This represents about 90 per cent. of last year's final total.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his reply on 28 October, Official Report, c. 488, to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill, if he will give an analysis of the main employment categories in the year 1981–82 which were beneficiaries of the employment transfer scheme.

In the year from 1 April 1981 to 31 March 1982, 5,367 people benefited from the employment transfer scheme. Comprehensive statistics on their occupations are not available in the form requested. However, an analysis of the occupations of a sample of the people benefiting from the scheme in 1981–82 suggests that the beneficiaries were roughly divided among broad employment categories as follows:

	Per cent.
Professional and technician engineers	7
Other managerial and professional	9
Hospital workers (including nurses)	8
Skilled and semi-skilled manual workers	25
Clerical and selling (including retail)	22
Hotel and catering	11
Others	18

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been found for the long-term unemployed under the community programme; and over what period.

The community programme began on 1 October 1982 and projects involving 4,041 temporary jobs had been approved by 8 November. Some 50,000 to 60,000 further jobs are being negotiated with project sponsors.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the establishment of the Health and Safety Executive; and how many posts are currently filled.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what cuts in support staff have been made by the Health and Safety Executive.

In the three years to April 1982, the number of staff supporting the professional manpower in the Health and Safety Executive has reduced by 320.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory inspectors are currently in post; and what were the comparable figures in 1979, 1980 and 1981.

The number of factory inspectors employed by the Health and Safety Executive at 1 October 1982 was 874. The number of factory inspectors employed in each of the last three years was:

1 October 1979	977
1 October 1980	973
1 October 1981	915

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions have been instituted in the past three years for breaches of health and safety regulations at work.

The number of cases taken by inspectorates of the Health and Safety Executive, agencies of the Health and Safety Commission and local authorities in the last three years are as follows:

Year	Number
1979	1584
1980	1750
1981	1419

These figures relate to cases completed. Figures for prosecutions instituted could not be produced without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from trade unions during the past two years on matters of health and safety at work.

I receive letters from time to time from or on behalf of trade unions on a variety of issues to do with health and safety at work. Most recently, I have received a letter from the general secretary of the TUC about a resolution adopted at the 1982 congress about the resources allocated to the Health and Safety Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many visits per year the factory inspectorate will expect to make to firms manufacturing highly volatile chemicals or gases where there is a risk of explosions.

The number of visits which might be paid to establishments manufacturing highly volatile chemicals or gases where there is a risk of explosion would depend on several factors, including the potential hazard to employees and the public, the existing standards of health and safety within the establishment, an assessment of the confidence the inspector has in management's ability to discharge its duty of complying with the law, and the resources available to the Factory Inspectorate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether a new form to test unemployed claimants' availability for work is soon to be introduced; in the absence of the interview which the form has been designed to replace, what arrangements he has made to ensure that physically and mentally handicapped people will be able to complete the form; and if he will make a statement.

A new form to test availability was introduced on 18 October. If a claimant has difficulty in completing any form unemployment benefit office staff have long had instructions to assist by asking the questions, with explanations if necessary, and filling in the answers for the claimant. The claimant is then asked to sign or put his mark in the signature space. Alternatively the form can be taken away so that family or friends can help the claimant complete it.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department will ensure that those who use the new form to test unemployed claimants' availability to work, and who are unable to work because they have disabled dependants, are brought to the notice of social work agencies so that they may learn of the alternative benefit available to them; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. Instructions will be issued to staff to ensure that people who are unable to work because they have disabled dependants are advised to consult the Department of Health and Social Security, which administers the other benefits, about alternative benefits which may be available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the consultative document on secret ballots for trade union elections will be published.

I told the House on 19 October 1982—[Vol. 29, c. 2151—that we hoped to issue the consultative document within the next month or so, and that remains the position.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide a breakdown by occupation groups of the registered vacancies in the Bishop Auckland travel-to-work area in May 1979 and at the latest available date.

[pursuant to his reply, 9 November 1982, c. 129]: The following table gives an analysis by broad occupational groups of the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled at June 1979 and September 1982 in the area covered by the Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle and Newton Aycliffe employment offices. This area is not a travel-to-work area, but it corresponds closely to the Bishop Auckland parliamentary constituency; Bishop Auckland is a constituent part of the wider Darlington and South West Durham travel-to-work area. The figures relate to vacancies notified to employment offices but not careers offices. Vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the economy as a whole. The number of vacancies unfilled at a particular date takes no account of the flow of vacancies being notified, filled or withdrawn which would reflect activity more closely. For example, during the 12-month period to September 1982, 3,062 people were placed in jobs by the Bishop Auckland, Barnard Castle and Newton Aycliffe employment offices. It is estimated that the public employment service accounts for about one in four of all placings.

	June 1979	September 1982
Managerial (general management)	—	—
Professional and related supporting management and administration	—	—
Professional and related in education, welfare and health	4	10
Literary, artistic and sports	—	1
Professional and related in science, engineering, technology and similar fields	7	—
Managerial (excluding general management)	6	8

	June 1979	September 1982
Clerical and related	27	19
Selling	19	12
Security and protective services	5	1
Catering, cleaning, hairdressing and other personal service	60	30
Farming, fishing and related	—	2
Materials processing (excluding metal)	—	1
Making and repairing (excluding metal and electrical)	30	4
Processing, making, repairing arid related (metal and electrical)	39	17
Painting, repetitive assembling, product inspecting, packaging and related	19	4
Construction, mining and related not elsewhere classified	20	6
Transport operating, materials moving and storing and related	14	4
Miscellaneous (including general labourers)	18	21
Total all occupations	268	140

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to privatise the Royal ordnance factories.

The Government's plans for the future constitutional development of the Royal ordnance factories were set out in my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence's answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Preston, North (Mr. Atkins) on 20 May.—[Vol. 24, c. 151.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to transfer Ministry of Defence staff to Glasgow; how many civil servants will be involved; when the moves will take place; and which sections will be affected.

The Ministry of Defence is to transfer 1,400 posts to Glasgow during 1985–86 under the programme of dispersal announced in 1979. The make-up of this dispersal package was outlined on 1 February 1980—[Vol. 977, c. 798]—and has recently been reviewed. I hope to make a further statement shortly setting out various changes in the composition, but not the size, of the package. About 260 of these posts are to move to temporary accommodation in Glasgow between early March 1983 and Spring 1984 as announced on 24 November 1980—[Vol. 994, c. 31]—and 19 July 1982. [Vol. 28, c. 54.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what rules pertained in the Falklands task force for the censoring of officers' mail and the censoring of naval ratings' mail.

Private mail was not subject to censorship, but personnel were reminded of the vital importance of security.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if, in the light of the Ministry of Defence statement on 7 May that Nimrod maritime reconnaissance early warning aircraft fitted with air-to-air refuelling would be sent to the Falkland Islands waters, he will state how many Nimrods were sent; and when.

Nimrod maritime reconnaissance aircraft were sent to the South Atlantic shortly after 7 May. It is not the practice to release details of operational deployments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has had any consultations with representatives of seafarers concerning the terms of reference, the operation of, and their possible representation on, the working party established under the auspices of the Shipping Defence Advisory Committee to review the design or equipment of merchant vessels likely to be required in any future emergency to carry out a role in support of naval or military forces or for self-defence.

The Shipping Defence Advisory Committee, formed in 1937, meets annually to discuss matters of mutual interest between Government Departments and the shipping industry. Membership is drawn from the Ministry of Defence, Department of Trade, Department of Transport, the General Council of British Shipping, British Shipbuilders and Lloyds of London Press Ltd. The working party has, in the traditional manner, drawn its membership from the Shipping Defence Advisory Committee to which it will report.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report the names of the members of, and the organisations represented on, the working party established under the auspices of the Shipping Defence Advisory Committee to examine ways in which merchant vessels, likely to be required under present plans in any future emergency, might be designed, modified or equipped to fit them for a role in support of naval or military forces or for self-defence.

The organisations represented on the working party are the Ministry of Defence, Department of Trade, Department of Transport and the General Council of British Shipping. These organisations are also represented on the Shipping Defence Advisory Committee. It is not the custom to publish the names of individuals on such working parties.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the occasions on which his Department has used from outside the Civil Service (a) accountants, (b) management consultants and (c) other consultants since June 1979, giving in each case the dates and nature of the assignment, together with the names of the individuals, partnerships or institutions involved.

The Scottish Office used accountants as follows:

Calendar Years 1979 to 1982: Messrs. Peat, Marwick and Mitchell. Cost investigation of milk distributors' profit margin.

Calendar Year 1979: Messrs. Thomson McLintock & Co. Account relating to supply of electricity to aluminium plant at Invergordon.

Calendar Year 1980: Messrs. Thomson McLintock & Co. Advice on selective financial assistance.

Calendar Year 1981: Messrs. Arthur Young McClelland Moores & Co. Accountancy work on Glenlight Shipping Ltd. Messrs. Thomson McLintock & Co. Management audit study and report in respect of Orkney Isles Shipping Co.

T. C. Hill Esq. CA Outstanding work on reports to management and Parliament.

In addition, four accountants seconded from the private sector have worked on normal duties in my Department as part of staff exchange arrangements.Consultants are used in connection with many of my Department's wide range of functions, but the detailed information requested cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in the light of the view expressed by the chairman of the Commission for Local Administration in England in her last annual report, he will bring forward proposals that people should be able to complain to a local commissioner either direct or through a member of the authority involved.

I am aware of the arguments both for and against direct access. My right hon. Friend has no present plans to introduce amending legislation, but he will keep the matter under review in the light of the experience of the Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland and the views of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will bring forward proposals to extend to Scotland similar provisions to those of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Complaints Act 1967, section 7, subsections (2) to (10); and if he will make a statement.

The Commissioner for Local Administration in Scotland, in his annual report of the year ended 31 March 1982, observed that since 1975 only three cases on which he had reported had had an unsatisfactory outcome, and he took the view that there was no present need to change the existing Scottish legislation. The Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1981 has strengthened the previous position by requiring a local authority to consider any "second report" which may be issued by the commissioner, and to report to him the action it may take on it. My right hon. Friend has no plans to introduce further amending legislation, but he will continue to keep the situation under review in the light of experience and the views of the present commissioner and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what books of reference are used by his Department to guide those planning and designing new buildings, and major adaptations to existing buildings on the needs of the visually handicapped, the hearing impaired and the mentally handicapped.

My Department is only to a very limited extent involved in the executive design of such buildings. But some guidance on these matters is made available to the responsible authorities. Some of the main reference documents are listed as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many letters of complaint he has received from individual farmers, landlords, tenant farmers, the Country Landowners Association and the National Farmers Union during the past 12 months regarding the tenancy agreements under the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has received no such complaints: Part II of the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976, which provides for succession on the death of a tenant, does not apply to Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tenant farmers there are in Scotland; and what were the corresponding figures for the past 10 years.

While information on the number of farmers by type of tenure is not available, the number of agricultural holdings tenanted or mainly tenanted is set out in the following table. The information available for earlier years is not fully comparable.

Year (June census)	Tenanted or mainly tenanted holdings (000's)
1973	14·9
1974	14·8
1975	14·7
1976	14·8
1977	14·9
1978	14·7
1979	14·4
1980	14·3
1981	13·9

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons registered for employment as medical practitioners, qualified nurses and teachers, respectively, were unemployed in June in each of the last five years.

The information is set out in the following table:

Unemployed people in Scotland registered for employment as
Occupation	June 1978	June 1979	June 1980	June 1981	June 1982
Medical practitioners	29	35	28	48	89
State-registered and State-enrolled nurses and State-certified midwives	646	564	606	806	927
Primary and secondary school teachers	825	962	971	1,612	2,623

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the percentage level of unemployment in the Glasgow travel-to-work area and the Edinburgh travel-to-work area at the latest date; and what were the figures in November 1979.

The information is set out in the following table:

Date	Percentage unemployment rates
	Glasgow travel-to-work area	Edinburgh travel-to-work area
14 October 1982	17·1	12·4
8 November 1979	9·0	6·0

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any means are available to him to determine the extent to which subsidised butter sold by the European Economic Community to Third world countries may be re-exported to the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

Export refunds are released to Community traders only after they have supplied evidence, usually in the form of a Customs certificate, to show that the exported butter has entered into free circulation in the country specified on the export certificate. There is no reliable basis on which to establish the extent to which such butter might subsequently have been re-exported.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of subsidised butter were made available in 1981 to charities and institutions such as schools and hospitals in the United Kingdom by the European Community; what was the value of these quantities; what proportion of total butter consumption within the Community was subsidised on to the market in that year; and how this compares with the quantities subsidised on the world market.

Non-profit making organisations in the United Kingdom purchased a total of 3,055 tonnes of butter from intervention stocks in 1981. Had it been sold at the 1981–82 intervention price this would have cost £5,861,000, but this was reduced by £3,222,000 in setting the price to the non-profit making organisations. Also, 712 tonnes were purchased for such organisations on the open market with the aid of a subsidy of £753,000. The value of this butter would depend on the individual commercial transactions involved and is not available.It is estimated that approximately 542,000 tonnes of butter were subsidised on the Community market in 1981, which was 33 per cent. of total Community consumption in that year. Approximately 480,000 tonnes of Community butter and butteroil—expressed in butter equivalent terms—were exported to third countries with the aid of export refunds during 1981.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to reduce the acceptable concentration of dioxin TCDD to 0·01 mg/kg then to 0·005 mg/kg.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the TCDD content of 2,4,5-T herbicides. The maximum permitted level was reduced to 0·01 mg/kg in May 1980. Work is in hand on the further refinement of the necessary analytical techniques with a view to reducing the permitted level to 0·005 mg/kg.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received regarding battery farming; and if he will make a statement.

We continue to receive representations from a wide range of interests on all aspects of intensive farming. The Government set out their policy on the welfare of intensively farmed animals, in their White Paper response8—Cmnd. 8451: December 1981—to the Agriculture Committee's report on animal welfare in poultry, pig and veal calf production. Following advice from the Farm Animal Welfare Council, the Agriculture Ministers hope to lay before Parliament shortly proposals for revisions to the welfare codes of recommendations for cattle and pigs, together with proposals for further legislation on mutilations of farm animals. In addition we are currently considering the results of recent consultations on proposals for changes to the codes on domestic fowls and turkeys put forward by the council. We continue to press for a Community directive on hen battery cages along the lines indicated in the House on 17 November 1981.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent the herbicide Garlon 2 is used in the United Kingdom; when its use was last reported on by the Pesticides Advisory Committee; and whether there have been any adverse reports of its use reported to the Health and Safety Commission over the past two years.

"Garlon 2" was most recently considered by the Advisory Committee on Pesticides in February 1982, and subsequently received provisional commercial clearance under the pesticides safety precautions scheme for the control of certain weeds in pastures and orchards, and on land around farm buildings and industrial areas. I am advised that no adverse reports on its use have been received by the Agricultural Inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive over the last two years.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, in each of the years 1971, 1976 and 1981, how many dogs were licensed; and what was the licence fee paid.

The number of dogs licensed in England in each of the financial years concerned, at a fee of 37½p each, was as follows:

Year	Numbers
1970–71	2,604,316
1975–76	2,510,755
1980–81	2,479,450

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the value of the dog licence, adjusted for inflation, since it was set at its present level.

I am advised by the Central Statistical Office that, in terms of purchasing power, an estimate for the corresponding amount today might be in the region of £10.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations have been made to him concerning the level of the dog licence fee; and if he will make a statement.

I have received a number of letters this year, most, but not all, advocating an increase in the licence fee. The Government have no plans at present to increase the fee in Great Britain.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the level of Community intervention stocks by the European Community, or its agents, for each major agricultural commodity for which an

Community intervention stocks in terms of days' supply
Date at which stocks quoted	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982
Last week of October
Butter	37	46	67	37	2	17½
Skimmed Milk Powder	215	158	57½	52½	80	139
Wheat	4	8	16	47	27	45
Barley	1	2	1	10	9	14
Rye	37	61	64	60	46	41
Durum	19	6	13	13	20	63
End of September
Beef	19½	14	13½	14½	10½	8
Olive Oil	N/A	45	28	38	58	77*
Oil Seeds	Nil	Nil	Nil	11	1½	5*

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which nations have lost historic rights within the United Kingdom's 12-mile limit under the common fisheries policy fishing agreement and where; and which nations have had their rights reduced and where.

At present all member States have rights to fish in parts of the United Kingdom's 12-mile limit; under the arrangements from 1 January 1983 referred to in my right hon. Friend's statement to the House on 27 October vessels from Denmark, Greece and Italy—and Luxembourg—would no longer have such rights. Other member States would retain reduced rights in sectors of the United Kingdom's 6 to 12-mile limit. The position will be evident from a comparison between the map of current rights in the United Kingdom 12-mile limit and the proposed rights set out in annex I of the draft regulation at annex II of the unnumbered explanatory memorandum of 4 November 1982, both of which documents are in the Library of the House.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a map detailing the historic fishing rights which have been eradicated and those which remain.

A map of fishing rights within United Kingdom coastal waters from 1 January 1983 will be published after final agreement is reached on a revised common fisheries policy. Maps already exist showing the current position.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the French fishing catch is made within the British 200-mile limit.

We do not have information in the form which would permit an estimate of this kind to be made.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will assess the claim Spain would have to a fishing quota in the North Sea in intervention system operates, expressed in terms of days consumption in October 1982 and comparable dates for the past five years.

The information requested is as follows:the event of Spanish entry to the European Economic Community; and whether this will require existing quotas of members to be adjusted downwards.

Spanish quotas in the waters of existing member States will depend on the result of Spain's negotiation for accession to the European Community. I do not expect that the Community would consider that the pattern of Spanish fishing would justify the allocation of quotas in the North Sea to Spain.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for policing historic rights and ensuring that they are exercised only on the species historically fished.

The ships and aircraft of the Fishery Protection Service will continue to be responsible for policing fishing activities by foreign vessels throughout United Kingdom fishery limits.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis national conservation measures can still be imposed by the British Government within the 200-mile limit under the recent common fisheries policy agreement.

The measures envisaged allow for action by member States in relation to local stocks of interest only to their fishermen or other measures applying to their fishermen only; and for other non-discriminatory action where conservation is seriously threatened. The relevant texts are essentially the same as those in articles 18 and 19 of document 4877/82 submitted under cover of an explanatory memorandum on 23 February 1982.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish details of the system of catch policing under the new fisheries agreement specifying the number of European inspectors to be based in (a France, (b) Holland, (c) Denmark and (d) the United Kingdom and the resources to be made available to them by the Commission.

The new system for the policing of catches is specified in the Community control regulation No. 2057/82 which will apply at the latest from 1 January 1983. The regulation provides for the Commission to make on-the-spot checks of the inspection and enforcement procedures carried out by member States. It is anticipated that the deployment of the inspectors will be more flexible if they are based centrally in Brussels rather than allocated to member States. The resources to be devoted to the inspectorate have not yet been finally determined but Her Majesty's Government are taking steps to ensure that these will be adequate for the task.