asked the Prime Minister whether she will publish in the Official Report the text of the statement which she made in Paris on 4 November in reply to questions from representatives of the media on her views regarding the United States vote in support of the South American resolution at the United Nations concerning Argentina's claim for sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.

A copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the Government's objectives in the review of the European Community's regional and social funds with a view to achieving the satisfactory outcome referred to in the Gracious Speech.

The Government's key objectives are that these funds should give greater priority to the current regional and social problems in the Community which particularly affect the United Kingdom. The regional fund should concentrate its resources more on the areas of greatest need while remaining flexible in its operational rules and administration; and the social fund could be made more effective in tackling the major employment problems facing the Community, specifically Youth unemployment and regions of persistently high unemployment.

asked the Prime Minister if, given that it is now available abroad, she will publish the May 1979 Think Tank report on "Alcoholic Policies".

No.

asked the Prime Minister whether she is satisfied with the existing arrangements for technical and vocational education for young people; and if she will make a statement.

Growing concern about existing arrangements has been expressed over many years, not least by the National Economic Development Council. I have asked the chairman of the Manpower Services Commission, together with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science, for Employment and for Wales, to develop a pilot scheme to start by September 1983, for new institutional arrangements for technical and vocational education for 14 to 18-year-olds, within existing financial resources, and, where possible, in association with local education authorities.

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, how much was spent on redecorating Lambeth palace at each change of occupancy starting with Archbishop Ramsey; and if he will also express these sums in constant prices.

Lambeth palace, containing as it does the official residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury, is vested in the Church Commissioners, who are responsible for its care and maintenance. The amounts which were spent by the commissioners on redecorating the archbishop's lodging within the palace at each change of occupancy starling with Archbishop Ramsey are as follows. The figures are also presented at constant prices related to 1980 in accordance with the increase in the building indices.

	Cost	In constant prices
	£	£
1961 Archbishop Ramsey	1,995	8,663
1974 Archbishop Coggan	2,743	4,910
1980 Archbishop Runcie	—	*12,434

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, of those new churches opened for worship, if he will detail how many were consecrated and how many dedicated; and if he will list this information for each year since 1960, and present the data according to each diocese.

The Church Commissioners do not have any official responsibility for the maintenance of statistics about new churches. The outcome of a recent inquiry that the commissioners decided to make of their own initiative, however, was that by the end of 1981, 1,140 new churches had been opened since 1945 and that, of these, 303 had been opened since 1969—when the Pastoral Measure 1968 came into operation. I regret that the figures for the period from 1960 to the present day are not available; nor, except at disproportionate cost, is the information obtainable as to how many churches were consecrated and how many dedicated.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the level of increase in electricity prices in Scotland from 1 April 1983.

My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Energy, has announced today that he has agreed with the electricity supply industry in England and Wales that there should be no increase in the average level of electricity prices next year. I have asked the Scottish electricity boards to follow suit and they have agreed not to increase their average level of prices next year. Details of the tariffs which will apply from 1 April 1983 will be announced by the boards in due course. The cost will be accommodated within the boards' external financing limits, which have already been announced.I shall be discussing the implications of this announcement with the boards and shall announce financial targets and performance aims for the boards as soon as possible.

asked the Attorney-General when he expects his committee to report on a marriage conciliation service scheme; if he will give details of progress the committee is making; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to her previous questions on this subject on 8 March 1982—Vol. 19, c. 348.]—and 15 June 1982—[Vol. 25, c. 240.]The committee of officials examining matrimonial conciliation services is expected to report to Ministers in March 1983.

asked the Attorney-General what funds the Lord Chancellor's Department gives the Bristol conciliation marriage scheme; how much he proposes to give it in the financial year 1983–84; and if he will ensure that the scheme can continue until his departmental committee has reported on this matter.

The Lord Chancellor has no power to provide direct funding to the Bristol scheme. The Government are considering a request for further funding.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the measures taken by Her Majesty's Government since May 1979 to achieve benefits from the European Economic Community for the United Kingdom.

The Government's aim in the European Community has been to sustain British interests within the wider context of seeking to advance and develop the Community as a whole. Measures have been taken in a wide variety of fields in accordance with this aim and it would not be practicable to list them. I refer my hon. Friend to the White Papers on developments in the European Community, which the Government publish at regular intervals. The latest in the series is due to be debated today.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what grants have been made by the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation to Turkey in the past five years.

Over the past five years the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation has made grants totalling £40,000 to the Government of Turkey under its information programme. Grants have been made to individuals in Turkey for aerospace and scientific research. NATO also sends technical experts to Turkey under the science for stability programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many workers from Mauritius and Seychelles have been used by the Government and British contractors and by the Government of the United States of America and American contractors, respectively, in the British Indian Ocean Territory for each year since 1967.

This information is not readily available. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid has been given to Kwa Zulu in the past three years; and what further aid is proposed.

Since 1979 the British Government, through the Overseas Development Administration, have financed a modest programme of assistance for black South Africans, including those resident in Kwa Zulu. In the latter case, assistance has mainly taken the form of United Kingdom training awards for teachers of English language, mathematics and science. In addition we are funding the two-year appointment of a science education adviser and a short-term advisory visit of an English language training specialist. The approximate cost of this assistance is £30,000 in 1980–81, £58,000 in 1981–82 and an estimated £72,000 in the current financial year.It is anticipated that assistance will continue at about the present level.The British Council, which is partly funded from the aid programme, also provides assistance in Kwa Zulu through advisory visits, overseas courses and sponsored visits to Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales 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.

Details of consultancy assignments commissioned by the Welsh Office since June

Consultancy Assignments
Name of Individual/Partnership	Status	Dates	Nature of Assignment
Arthur Anderson & Co.	Accountants	February 1981	Review of Welsh Water Authority charges.
Price Waterhouse	Accountants	December 1981–January 1982	Review of Welsh Water Authority budget submission for 1982–83.
Tyzack and Partners	Management Consultants	November 1981–13 April 1982	Recruitment of Chairman of the Welsh Water Authority
Spencer Stuart	Management Consultants	June 1982 continuing	Recruitment of Chariman of Welsh Development Agency
John Brown Tourism, Marketing and Development Services	Marketing	August 1982	Study of marketing and presentation of Ancient Monuments in Wales.
Water Research Centre	Hydrogeologists Consultant	January 1981	Llanreath Oil Storage Report—documentation of the hydrogeobgical conditions.
D. P. Sanders (Industrial) Ltd.	Structural Engineers	October 1981	Llanreath Oil Storage Report—oil storage tank survey.
National Building Agency (Wales)		1974–February 1982	Insulation of Public and Private Dwellings against traffic noise.
Bowen, Dann and Davies	Architects	June 1981 continuing	Insulation of public and private dwellings against traffic noise Bangor By-Pass.
Messrs. W. S. Atkins	Civil Engineers	June 1981 continuing	Insulation of public and private dwellings against traffic noise. Kilgetty/Stepaside By-Pass
Howard Humphries and Partners	Civil Engineers	February 1981 August 1982	Insulation of public and private dwellings against traffic noise. Llanbadarn Fawr By-Pass
Husband and Co.	Civil Engineers	August 1981 continuing	Insulation of public and private dwellings against traffic noise. Llanfair PG Anglesey By-Pass
Professor G. Margerison Dr. K. Karabadsi Cranfield School of Management	Consultants	October 30–31 1982	Seminar for Health Service Chairman or Representativs on Managemen of Change in NHS. Preparation for reorganisation.

Consultants for major trunk road improvements and motorways schemes
Consultants	Number of commissions* since June 1979
W. S. Atkins & Partners	16
C. H. Dobbie & Partners	1
Freedman Fox & Partners	2
Sir William Halcrow & Partners	1
Howard Humphreys & Partners	24
Husband & Co.	3
Mander Raikes & Marshall	3
L. C. Mouchel & Partners	2
Ove Amp & Partners	3
Rendel Palmer & Tritton	3
Sandbergs	1
R. Travers Morgan & Partners	4
Wallace Evans & Partners	2
Ward Ashcroft & Parkman	1
Sir Owen Williams & Partners	5
James Williamson & Partners	1
Wardell Armstrong & Partners	1
Gifford & Partners	1
Veryard & Partners	1
Consultant Landscape Architects
Derek Lovejoy & Partners	2
Wyn Thomas & Partners	3
William Gillespie & Partners	2

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria he used in arriving at his decision to close initial teacher training at North Cheshire college, Warrington; what savings will be made by this decision; and what other courses at North Cheshire college, other than teacher training, will be affected.

I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Woolwich, East (Mr. Cartwright) on 9 November 1982.—[Vol. 31, c. 118.] The reduction of intakes to initial teacher training will contribute to the planned contraction of higher education expenditure nationally. It is for the college and its maintaining local education authority in the first instance to identify what savings may be secured and which other courses will be affected at the college.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list those local education authorities whose systems involve the transfer of children from first to middle schools at or before the age of nine years.

In January 1982, the latest date for which figures are readily available, 45 local education authorities had systems which included the transfer of children to middle schools at or before the age of nine. These authorities are as follows, together with the age(s) of transfer and, in brackets, the number of schools involved.

LEA
Ealing	8 (33)
Harrow	8 (22)
Merton	9 (16)
Birmingham	8 (14)
Dudley	8 (2) and 9 (5)
Walsall	9 (2)
Wirral	8 (21)
Barnsley	9 (2)
Doncaster	8 (24) and 9 (13)
Sheffield	8 (44)
Bradford	9 (60)
Kirklees	8 (7) and 9 (8)
Leeds	8 (4) and 9 (62)
Wakefield	8(11) and 9(26)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne	9 (12)
North Tyneside	9 (20)
Bedfordshire	9 (43)
Berkshire	8 (17) and 9 (6)
Buckinghamshire	8 (71) and 9 (4)
Cambridgeshire	9 (2)
Cheshire	8 (10)
Derbyshire	9 (2)
Devon	8 (12) and 9 (5)
Dorset	8 (11) and 9 (16)
East Sussex	8 (25)
Hampshire	8 (82)
Hereford and Worcester	8 (4) and 9 (34)
Hertfordshire	9 (11)
Humberside	8 (19) and 9 (56)
Isle of Wight	9 (16)
Kent	9 (10)
Lincolnshire	8 (11)
Norfolk	8 (51)
Northamptonshire	9 (24)
Northumberland	9 (47)
Nottinghamshire	9 (11)
Oxfordshire	9 (13)
Shropshire	9 (3)
Somerset	9 (9)
Staffordshire	9 (35) and 9 (36)
Suffolk	9 (35)
Surrey	8 (118) and 9 (3)
Warwickshire	8 (59)
West Sussex	8 (17) and 9 (2)
Wiltshire	9 (4)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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 information is as follows:

POLICE DEPARTMENT
Date	Assignment	Consultants
Directorate of Telecommunications
July 1979–October 1980	Automatic vehicle location	Laserscan Laboratories Ltd.
July 1979–July 1982	Compatible single sideband	University of Leeds
February-May 1980	Mobile date highway	Cambridge Consultants Ltd.
March-December 1980	Mobile data interface	Marconi Space and Defence Systems Ltd.
March-September 1980	Mobile data interface	Focom Systems Ltd.
June-September 1980	Mobile date interface	ITT Ltd.
July-October 1980	Automatic VHF survey	Laserscan Laboratories Ltd.
July-August 1980; October 1980	Motor cycle helmets, wind tunnel tests	University of Southampton
September 1980–March 1981	Multi-modulation, mobile radio	Pye Telecoms Ltd.
November 1980–May 1982	Foreign broadcasting interference	Laserscan Laboratories Ltd.
January 1981–April 1982	Link measuring techniques	Cambridge Consultants Ltd.
January 1981–(continuing)	Spread spectrum signalling	University of Leeds
November 1981	Line synchronisation study	University of Bath
January 1982; September 1982	Computing aids for radio frequency planning	PE Consulting Group
January-February 1982	Aerial testing	Underwater Technology and Scientific Consultants
February 1982	Management information for frequency conversion programme	Systems Designers Ltd.
February 1982–(continuing)	Interference analysis, mobile radio services	University of Southampton
July 1982–(continuing)	Vehicle container for radio equipment	International Automotive Design Ltd. ERA Technology Ltd.
August 1982	Mobile data communications	Plessey Electronic Systems Ltd. Preece, Cardew and Rider Ltd. Marconi Space and Defence Systems Ltd.

Date	Assignment	Consultants
November 1982	Equaliser computation	University of Bath
Police National Computer Unit
July 1979–1980	Engineering services	J.H. Buckle and Partners
October 1981	Cooling capacity of air conditioning equipment	Matthew Hall
June 1982	Stand-by Battery condition	Tungsten Batteries
Scientific, Research and Development Branch
July 1979	Scientific advice to Brance	Professor R. J Elliot
July 1979	Scientific advice to Branch	Professor K. W. H. Stevens
July 1979–September 1981	Scientific advice to Branch	Dr. C. S. G. Phillips
July 1979–March 1981	Scientific advice to Branch	Professor B. H. P. Rivett
Forensic Science Service
July 1979–August 1984	Advice on research and development	Professor D. J. Gee
July 1979–(continuing)	Advice on research and development	Professor Dr. B. W. Langley ICI Ltd.
January 1982–(continuing)	Advice on research and development	Professor J. M. Thomas
RESEARCH AND PLANNING UNIT
July 1979–September 1981	General advice to unit	Professor A. B Cherns
September 1979	Criminological issues	Professor Norval Morris
October 1979–September 1982	Operational research	Professor B. H. P Rivett
November 1980; April 1981	Crime Survey	Dr. W. G. Skogan
September 1981–August 1982	Crime Survey	Ms. Hazel Genn
December 1981–May 1982	Crime survey	Mr. Clive Payne
January 1982–June 1982	Magistrates' courts research	Mr. Tom Church
April 1982–(continuing)	General advice	Professor B. Abel-Smith
May 1982	Criminological research	Professor M. Wolfgang
September 1982	Resource allocation	Dr. D. K. H. Begg
PRISON DEPARTMENT
January 1980, November 1980, September 1981 and August 1982	Technical and commercial advice to the Directorate of Industries and Farms	Spiralux Ltd.

Date	Assignment	consultants
January-February 1980, November 1980; January-March 1982 April–1980; September–1980; January 1981	Technical and commercial advice to the Directorate of Industries and Farms	Furniture Industry Research Association Lyken Electronics Ginburka International Jern Holdings Ltd.
May 1981	Technical and commercial advice to the Directorate of Industries and Farms	Euro Projection Ltd.
September 1982	Technical and commercial advice to the Directorate of Industries and Farms	Large and Associates Ltd.
1980–(continuing)	Advice to the Prison Department on a costing system and to the Directorate of Industries and Farms on organisational structure, management information and accountancy systems and profitability	Arthur Young, McClelland, Moores and Company*†
OTHERS
July 1979–April 1980	Advice on propagation in relation to radio-communication	Dr. J. A. Saxton
May 1981	Adevice on propagation in relation to radio-communication	Dr. J. A. Lane
January 1980	London taxi costs	Dixon, Wilson and Co.*
April-July 1981	Police expenditure	Coopers and Lybrand Associates Ltd†
November 1981	Dissolution and distribution of funds of licensing compensation authorities	Mr. P. J. Dickerson Howard Tilly and Co.
December 1981	Horserace betting levy scheme	Mr. R. N. D. Langdon, Spicer and Pegler*
March 1982	Frequency assignment and licensing computer system	Mr. M. N. Williams LA Computer Service
March 1982	Magistrates' courts criminal statistics computerisation	Sound Techniques Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received opposing the current White Paper on immigration; and if he will make a statement.

Since the White Paper was published we have received about 80 letters from Members of Parliament, most of whom were writing on behalf of constituents, and about 500 letters from members of the public opposing the White Paper proposals for revision of the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which police authorities refuse to provide their forces with training in the use of baton rounds in accordance with his policy that these should be available for use as a last resort in the event of serious breakdowns in public order.

It is chief officers of police who arrange training in the use of baton round equipment. There is no central record of the arrangements; but we are not aware that any chief officer who wishes to make such arrangements has been asked by his police authority not to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any evidence of self-styled vigilante groups financed in part or whole out of public funds interfering in the operations of the Metropolitan Police; what is his policy towards the establishment within the Metropolitan Police area of private police monitoring groups; and if he will make a statement.

We know that there are some groups which claim that they act as vigilantes, although we do not know how they are funded. The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis and his officers will take whatever action may be necessary if there is evidence that members of any such group have acted in breach of the criminal law. We do not believe that the approach of so-called monitoring groups is the right or effective way to improve relations between the police and the community. My right hon. Friend has already made clear his desire to see a development of consultation arrangements in each borough which include a wide cross-section of representatives and the police themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young children have drowned in unsupervised private swimming pools since 1975; and whether he will introduce legislation to provide greater protection.

Published drowning statistics cover only the years 1975 to 1980 and are not broken down to show this category of drowning deaths; but it has been possible to extract the following data for the years 1978 to 1980:

Deaths by drowning of children aged 14 or under at unsupervised private swimming pools
	Private/Commercial	Domestic	Total
1978	2	11	13
1979	4	8	12
1980	2	10	12

We have no proposals for legislation in this field.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has to report on updating the 1876 Act on experiments on live animals; whether this will take the form of the draft Council of Europe convention and be subject to debate in the House before signature; and if he has taken cognisance of the proposals at the recent conference of the fund for the replacement of animals in medical experiments, copies of which have been sent to him.

The Government intend to improve and modernise the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 when final agreement has been reached on the draft Council of Europe convention on this subject and parliamentary time permits. Substantial progress has already been made in drafting the convention, but some matters remain to be settled and these will be considered by the ad hoc committee of exports from 23 to 26 November. The complete text will then be submitted to the Committee of Ministers for approval. In the meantime we are continuing our study of detailed proposals for giving effect to this intention with particular reference to the provisions of the draft convention. Our plans for carrying the matter forward will be announced when the study is completed. We have taken note of the proposals contained in the preliminary report of the toxicity committee of the fund for the replacement of animals in medical experiments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he anticipates that the European Economic Community Council of Ministers will give effect to the proposals passed by the European Parliament for implementing a common voting system for elections to that body.

The Council of Ministers is still considering the European Parliament's proposals with a view to deciding whether it should recommend them to member States for adoption. It is too early to say when it will reach a decision.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards Council of Europe document 4934 on the voting rights for nationals of Council of Europe member States with particular reference to an early extension of the United Kingdom franchise to Britons living abroad.

While the proposals in Document 4934, as subsequently amended and adopted by the Assembly of the Council of Europe, are not primarily directed to the extension of voting rights by Governments of member States to their nationals resident in other member States, the Government are sympathetic to them. We also accept that there is a strong case for giving the vote to British citizens resident abroad. This is a complex issue, and we welcome the decision of the House of Commons Select Committee on Home Affairs to examine it as part of its inquiry this Session into the Representation of the People Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Hove on 22 October, Official Report, c 226., whether he will give his reasons for not establishing an inquiry into shop hours.

The relevant considerations are already well known, and there is no reason to suppose that an inquiry would make the issues easier to resolve.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was, for each of the last five years, the number of suicides and the number of attempted suicides of persons detained in prison;(2) what were the numbers of suicides or attempted suicides in each of the past five years of persons in the population as a whole, other than those in prison.

Information on the number of suicides in prison department establishments for the last 11 years is published in "Prison statistics England and Wales"—table 10·4 of the volume for 1981, Cmnd. 8654.In relation to the population as a whole, the numbers of verdicts of suicide returned at coroners' inquests in England and Wales in the same years were published in table 5 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin, issue No. 23/82 on 9 November 1982. Figures are not collected centrally on the number of attempted suicides in prison department establishments or for the population as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of cases coming before the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board for each month over the past three years to the nearest convenient month; and what are the longest, shortest and average times taken for applications to be dealt with.

The number of applications received by the board in each month of the last three complete financial years is as follows:

	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82*
April
	1,754	1,930	2,021
May	1,874	1,800	2,023
June	1,769	2,171	2,330
July	1,755	2,055	2,178
August	2,052	1,771	2,081
September	1,700	2,208	2,428
October	2,033	2,232	2,301
November	2,029	2,002	2,329
December	1,504	1,760	1,608
January	2,137	1,986	2,053
February	2,043	2,314	2,406
March	2,151	2,450	2,757
	22,801	24,679	26,515

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is yet in a position to announce any further contracts for the Sea Eagle missile; and if he will make a statement.

A further order is currently under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what additional construction and engineering work, and its total cost, will be required at Coulport following his announcement on 9 September; and what land, if any, on the Roseneath peninsula will not now be required for the project.

As my right hon. Friend announced on 9 September, the decision to process our Trident missiles in United States facilities will give rise to major savings. The precise scale of the reduced facilities that we shall now need at Coulport, and their cost, and the requirement for land, are still under detailed study.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he is making to provide suitable accommodation for the increasing number of airmen and their families who will be required to live within reasonable distance of RAF Honington in connection with the building of the Tornado force.

There are sufficient modern airmen's married quarters available to accommodate all the Service men to be based at RAF Honington. However, a number of airmen and their families are at present located further away from Honington than we would wish and it is hoped to be able to move a major proportion of these closer to the station during the next 18 months or so.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the number of full-time and part-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment in each battalion as at 1 November 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982.

The numbers of full and part-time members in the Ulster Defence Regiment on the dates mentioned are as follows. It is not the practice to give detailed breakdowns by battalions:

Date	Full-time *	Part-time
1 November 1979	2,534	4,909
1 November 1980	2,696	4,846
1 November 1981	2,742	4,632
1 November 1982	2,784	4,307

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he plans any reduction or increase in the establishment of the Ulster Defence Regiment, either full-time or part-time. in the next 12 months.

I have no such plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many patrols were carried out by each battalion of the Ulster Defence Regiment in the months of September 1982 and October 1982 and in the same months in 1979, 1980 and 1981.

It is not the practice to disclose this information.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the powers and responsibilities of the military commissioner for the Falkland Islands.

The military commissioner's powers are set out in the Falkland Islands and Dependencies (Interim Administration) Order 1982—S.I. 824/1982 dated 18 June 1982.It is the task of the military commissioner to protect the Falkland Islands and their dependencies against external aggression. This includes the safety of shipping around the islands. Subject to his operational and other military commitments, he also has the task of providing assistance to the civil authorities in the rehabilitation of the civil community and the maintenance of essential public services. He attends the Falkland Islands Executive and Legislative Council meetings to represent the military view. There are arrangements to ensure close consultation between the military and civil commissioners.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the response of the Zimbabwe Government regarding allegations of ill-treatment of several members of the Zimbabwe air force, at present under detention, during his talks on his recent visit to that country.

I was told that the Zimbabwean Government do not accept the allegations of mistreatment but that the facts would be established when the detainees were brought to trial.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what ships were brought back into service from the standby squadron or from the disposal list as a result of the South Atlantic campaign.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to our hon. Friend the Member for Ashford (Mr. Speed) on 27 May.—[Vol. 24, c. 396–97.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the warships referred to in his answer of 8 November, Official Report, c. 88–89, will be assigned to the standby squadron.

On current plans, four. However, these plans remain flexible, especially in the light of the Falklands operation.

asked the Minister for Trade how many industrial and commercial companies in Wales have gone into liquidation since 1 January 1980.

I regret that figures of company liquidation are only available for England and Wales together. In addition, the existing industrial analysis does not provide a clear distinction between industrial and commercial companies and financial companies.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he will place in the Library a copy of the study commissioned by his Department from the Committee on Invisible Exports, concerning the removal of barriers to free trade in services.

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

asked the Minister for Trade whether it is his intention to establish a body to monitor imports.

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

asked the Minister for Trade what stage the European Economic Community proposal to change the brewers' tied house system has now reached.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1982, c. 203]: I understand the Commission is now proposing to extend the existing regulation—which grants a block exemption to exclusive dealing and exclusive purchasing agreements—for six months or a year beyond its present expiry date of 31 December 1982. This will allow more time for discussion of the proposed successor regulations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the figures on tax break-even points provided in his reply of 30 March to the hon. Member for Wolwich, West, Official Report, c.100–1, in the light of the latest information on earnings levels.

The information, including small revisions to some of the index numbers for 1981–82, is as follows:

	Tax year
	1981–82	1982–83
Single Person
Threshold at current prices	£1,375	£1,565
Threshold at 1949–50 prices (index) 1949–50=100	108·2	115·1
Threshold as percentage of average manual earnings:	20·6 per cent.	21·5 per cent.
Married Man without children
Threshold at current prices	£2,145	£2,445
Threshold at 1949–50 prices (index) 1949–50=100	106·0	112·9
Threshold as percentage of average manual earnings	32·1 per cent.	33·5 per cent.
Married Man with two children under 11
Threshold at current prices	£2,145	£2,445
Threshold at 1949–50 prices (index) 1949–50=100	66·8	71·1
Threshold as percentage of average manual earnings	32·1 per cent.	33·5 per cent.
Tax free income at current prices	2,658	3,014
Tax free income at 1949–50 prices (index) 1949–50=100	79·9	84·6
Tax free income as percentage of average income*	36·9 per cent.	38·3 per cent.
Break even point at current prices	3,855	4,341
Break even point at 1949–50 prices (index) 1949–50=100	97·6	102·6
Break even point as percentage of average manual earnings	57·6 per cent.	59·5 per cent.
Married Man with four children†
Threshold at current prices	·2,145	£2,445
Threshold at 1949–50 prices (index) 1949–50=100	50·0	53·2
Threshold as percentage of annual manual earnings	32·1 per cent.	33·5 per cent.
Tax free income at current prices	3,171	3,583

Assumed indexation percentage for 1983–84	Difference in levels* for		Extra tax payable per year by basic rate† taxpayer entitled to
	Married man's allowance	Aged married allowance	Married man's allowance	Aged married allowance
	£	£	£	£
(a) 6·5	50	80	15	24
(b) 6	50	70	15	21
(c) 5·5	50	70	15	21
(d) 5	50	60	15	18

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the saving in 1983–84 if the tax relief on mortgage interest were reduced to the same rate as that on life insurance premiums.

The saving in a full year at 1982–83 income levels and current mortgage interest rate levels is estimated at £1,100 million. As a result of the fall in interest rates, this figure has been revised downwards from the estimate given in my answer to the hon. Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) on 19 April.—[Vol.22, c. 8.] The estimate does not include the effect of corresponding change in the option mortgage scheme. Estimates for 1983–84 of the total cost of mortgage interest relief, and

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the saving in the financial year 1983–84, if only the first £1,565 of the married man's tax allowance were uprated in line with the increase in the retail price index under the formula introduced in section 22(2) of the Finance Act 1977, assuming that that increase is (a) 6·5 per cent., (b) 6 per cent., (c) 5·5 per cent. and (d) 5 per cent.; how much of that saving would be attributable to those below the age of 65 years; and what would be the net losses to married men in each case.

The difference between allowances levels on the assumptions stated is shown in the following table. The loss for a married mart paying tax at the basic rale is also shown. Broad estimates of the corresponding total revenue savings at 1983–84 income levels can be obtained using the "ready reckoner" published at table 5·5 of the autumn statement. About 85 per cent. of the total saving would be attributable to men below the age of 65.hence of the saving if the rate of relief were reduced, cannot be provided until income tax rates, allowances and thresholds for that year have been fixed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise staff were in post at each of the following ports: Harwich, Dover, Folkestone and Newhaven on or about 1 January 1973 and on the most recent date for which information is available.

The numbers of Customs and Excise staff employed at the four ports on 31 December 1972 and 1 November 1982 were:

	31 December 1972	1 November 1982
Harwich	248	201
Dover	375	789
Folkestone	50	94
Newhaven	75	79

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update to 1981–82 and 1982–83 the figures on child

Value of the child tax allowance/child benefit for a married man on average earnings as a percentage of gross earnings of manual workers
	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79	1979–80	1980–81	1981–82	1982–83
One Child
Under 11 years	3·0	3·1	3·7	4·0	3·6	3·8	3·9
Between 11–16 years	3·3	3·4	4·0	4·0	3·6	3·8	3·9
Over 16 years	3·6	3·6	4·2	4·0	3·6	3·8	3·9
Two Children
Under 11 years	6·8	6·6	7·4	7·9	7·3	7·7	7·8
Between 11–16 years	7·5	7·2	8·0	7·9	7·3	7·7	7·8
Over 16 years	8·1	7·7	8·4	7·9	7·3	7·7	7·8
Four Children
Two under 11 years, two 11–16 years	15·2	14·2	15·4	15·8	14·5	15·3	15·6

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update for the 1983–84 tax year the information on tax cuts provided in his reply of 21 December 1981 to the hon. Member for Hornchurch, (Mr. Squire) Official Report, c. 300.

The estimated full-year cost at 1983–84 income levels of a reduction of 1p in the basic rate of income tax—after indexation of allowances and thresholds by 6 per cent.—is given as £975 million in table 5·5 of the autumn statement 1982. The effect of this change and that of increasing the main personal allowances or child benefit at the same overall cost is shown in the following table. The calculations have been carried out on the same basis as in the previous answer. Average earnings are for full-time adult males—all occupations. For illustration, growth of 6† per cent. between 1982–83 and 1983–84 has been assumed.

	Increase in net income (£ per week)
Level of earnings	1p cut in basic rate	Increased personal allowances	Increased child benefit for two child family
½x Average	0·39	0·81	3·50
¾x Average	0·82	0·81	3·50
Average	1·25	0·81	3·50
1½ x Average	2·12	0·81	3·50
2x Average	2·46	1·21	3·50

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report,the Customs and Excise notice No. 457; if he will state his policy with regard to this notice in respect of small printing establishments, such as The Bingo Ticket Company Ltd. of Helmsley, North Yorkshire, which has a large market of small users; and if he will make a statement.

The information, including some revisions to earlier years, is as follows. Figures for 1982–83 are provisional.

Customs and Excise notice No. 457 is 15 pages long and copies can be obtained from the office of any collector of Customs and Excise. The notice offers general guidance on legal obligations relating to bingo duty and has no direct relevance to the activities of small printing establishments. I am arranging for a copy of the notice to be sent to my hon. Friend.I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the requirements relating to the numbering of bingo cards. Hitherto registered bingo promoters have largely been commercial bingo clubs and have been required by Customs and Excise to use numbered cards in a series of not less than 99,999; but there has been no similar requirement for members' clubs and societies providing bingo exempt from duty. Under the provisions of the Finance Act 1982 some clubs and societies have become liable for bingo duty for the first time. For control purposes it is necessary for these clubs to adopt numbered cards; but Customs and Excise has agreed to representations that a series of not less than 9,999 with two additional letters should be acceptable in place of the series of 99,999 which licensed bingo clubs are required to use. Printing requirements should not be substantially changed: the large majority of members' clubs and all licensed bingo clubs will continue with the same form of cards as they have used until now.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any discussions have taken place with the Government of the Republic of Ireland about the danger of fraud arising out of the fact that, despite their present disparity in value, coins of the United Kingdom and of the Republic are of identical weight and dimensions; and whether any action is proposed to avert the danger of such fraud.

No formal discussions have taken place with the Government of the Republic of Ireland on this subject. The fraudulent use of such coins in the United Kingdom may to some extent have been increased by the divergence of exchange rates between the pound sterling and the Irish pound which has taken place in recent years. But the problem is not on a sufficient scale to warrant the high cost of any special action which might be taken. We are of course keeping the form of our own coinage relative to that of other countries, including the Republic of Ireland, constantly under review.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the percentage increase over the previous year in each year since 1965 of the gross national product, the retail price index and the amount of the uprating of public service pensions; and, in each, what were the reasons stated for the uprating.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, taking the value of the £1 as 100 in 1964, what was its value in each succeeding year to 1982.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1982, c. 241]: Taking the internal purchasing power of the £ sterling as 100p in 1964, its average value in each succeeding year is given in the following table:

NHS Directly Employed Staff: Great Britain (Whole time equivalents)
Staff Group	1960	1970	1979	1980	1981
Medical and dental	19,900	27,500	43,700	44,900	45,900
Nursing and midwifery	235,800	290,500	432,800	448,800	474,500
Professional and technical	24,100	40,700	72,000	74,200	77,900
Works	16,800	4,900	6,800	7,200	7,500
Maintenance	16,800	19,500	24,500	25,000	25,500
Administrative and clerical	39,700	59,500	117,800	120,500	124,400
Ambulance	—	—	20,400	20,900	21,400
Ancillary	206,100	205,500	210,400	210,900	211,300
TOTAL	542,500	648,100	928,400	952,400	988,500

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what historic rights have been conceded to British vessels and where by (a) France, (b) Holland and (c) Denmark in the waters up to 12 miles round their coasts.

	pence
1964	100
1965	96
1966	92
1967	90
1968	86
1969	81
1970	76
1971	70
1972	65
1973	60
1974	51
1975	41
1976	36
1977	31
1978	28
1979	25
1980	21
1981	19
1982*	17

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1), pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 23 November 1981, Official Report, columns 269–70, if he will publish similar details of National Health Service directly employed staff in Great Britain for 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1981;(2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 31 July 1981,

I have been asked to reply. Following is the information requested:

In relation to the arrangements envisaged for the period after 1 January 1983 to which my right hon. Friend referred in his statement to the House on 27 October, in the six to 12-mile belt of the countries mentioned United Kingdom vessels would have the following rights:

(a) France: all species from the Belgian border to a line west from Cap d'Alprech;

(b) Netherlands; demersal species from a line west of the southernmost point of Texel Island to the German border:

(c) Denmark: None, as we have never enjoyed historic rights in this area.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will require that vessels participating in the new scheme of aid for the fishing industry must have 75 per cent. British, or 75 per cent. European Economic Community crews.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave on 8 November to my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Sir P Wall).—[Vol. 31, c. 62.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the average level of British fishing as compared to the new quota allocations under the common fisheries agreement for each of the last four years, together with his estimate of the increase in the size of the British fishing fleet which would be necessary to allow the United Kingdom to catch its full quotas.

The figures requested are as follows for those stocks for which the proposed United Kingdom allocation was altered in the compromise proposals put forward by the Commission during the meeting of the Council of Fisheries Ministers on 26 October.

Stock	Average Catch (1978–81)	Proposed Quota 19820
	(thousand tonnes)	(thousand tonnes)
North Sea cod	102	114·7
North Sea haddock	77·5	117·1
West of Scotland haddock	14·3	30·7
West of Scotland herring	*33·9	40
Southern North Sea herring	*0·2	21

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will supply further details of the advantageous system of modernisation and construction grants to be provided by the European Economic Community, as mentioned in his statement of 27 October, Official Report, c. 1052; and whether these grants will be made conditional on decommissioning.

Nine of the ten member States of the European Community have agreed a number of measures as part of a revised Common Fisheries Policy one of which would provide for Community financed aid towards projects to modernise or build fishing vessels of between 12 metres and 33 metres in length. Priority would be given to bringing modernised or new vessels into service to replace old vessels, and to vessels based in coastal areas where fishing is traditionally an important economic activity. Expenditure by the Community of 118 million ECUs is envisaged over a three-year period.Detailed arrangements to implement these grants remain to be agreed by the Council of Ministers.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the amount of European Economic Community subsidies per unit of sale now being paid to United Kingdom exporters of foodstuffs under the common agricultural policy to (a) other European Economic Community members and (b) third world countries.

MCA refunds on United Kingdom exports to other Community member States, before taking account of MCAs paid or charged on imports into other member States, and net refunds on United Kingdom exports to third countries for the main products, at the rates applicable on 5 November, are shown in the following table:

Commodity and CCT Heading	Exports to other member States MCA refund P/lb	Exports to third countries Net United Kingdom export refund* P/lb
Common Wheat (10.01B1)	•0·60	†2·47
Barley (10.03)	•0·54	†2·43
White Sugar (17.01A1B)	║1·67	‡10·16
Butter 82–84 per cent. fat content (04.03 EXAIV)	10·50	41·82
Cheddar Cheese (04.04 El(b)EX1)	8·17	35·62
Skimmed Milk Powder (04.02A11B1)	4·39	15·17
Beef	¶n/a	¶n/a
Eggs (04.05A1B)	1·37	5·88
Poultry Meat 70 per cent. Chickens (02.02A1B)	1·18	▀6·32

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all training opportunities programme scheme courses with age limits indicating (a) current limits and (b) any previous limits.

An applicant for a training opportunities scheme course must be 19 or over at the start of the course or, for post-graduate courses, 27. For entry to certain courses higher minimum ages are specified, either nationally or as being appropriate to local needs. For a limited number of courses, applicants over a certain age may not be considered, for example for safety reasons. To gather comprehensive information on current and previous age limits would entail a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will bring up to date the information in his answer of 1 December 1981, Official Report, c. 80, concerning the number of long-term unemployed.

The following is the information for the United Kingdom at October 1982.

Duration of unemployment	Number
Over 52 and up to 104 weeks	693,290
Over 104 and up to 156 weeks	278,523
Over 156 weeks	197,745

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers who ceased full-time education in the borough of Knowsley, Merseyside, during the school years 1980–81 and 1981–82, respectively, have not yet found full-time employment; and, in respect of each year, how many are currently registered for industrial training on State schemes.

The information requested is not available because statistics on school leaver unemployment are not analysed according to the year in which young people left school. However, the total number of school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed in the borough of Knowsley on 14 October was 1,578. Training is provided for unemployed school leavers under the youth opportunities programme, but figures of those currently on the programme in particular local authority areas are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers who ceased full-time education in the United Kingdom during the school years 1980–81 and 1981–82, respectively, have not yet found full-time employment; and, in respect of each year, how many are currently registered for industrial training on State schemes.

The information requested is not available because statistics on school leaver unemployment are not analysed according to the year in which young people left school. However, the total number of school leavers under 18 years of age registered as unemployed in Great Britain on 14 October was 197,310.Training is provided for unemployed school leavers under the youth opportunities programme. The number of school leavers on the programme is not known, but the total number of places occupied in Great Britain at the end of September was 252,100. All but a few of these places would have been occupied by young people who left school in 1981 or 1982.In addition Government measures to support apprentice training will be assisting 35,000 young people this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will publish in the Official Report as much detailed information as may be readily available showing the amounts of indebtedness of the National Dock Labour Board in respect of money borrowed for financial assistance towards the financing of severance payments to registered dock workers; what payments have been made for the stated number of clock workers and the amounts paid per docker; and on what basis such payments have been made.

The total current indebtedness of the National Dock Labour Board in respect of voluntary severance schemes for registered dock workers is £71·8 million, made up of three Government loans totalling £69·8 million and bank overdraft of £2 million.During 1982 severance payments totalling £59·8 million have so far been made to 2,777 registered dock workers, an average payment of £21,520 per worker.The severance payments are administered by the National Dock Labour Board and are on terms established in agreements reached by the national joint council for the port transport industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what questions are asked of unemployment payment benefit claimants on form UB671; and for what purposes the answers are required.

The form UB671 is issued to unemployment benefit claimants who have indicated on their basic claim form that they are placing some restrictions upon their availability for work. The questions are:

Are you able and willing to take a full-time job?

If "NO" please give the reason and state against each clay the hours you can work.

Can you start a new job immediately?

If "NO" please say why and when you can start.

Are you willing to take a job in your usual occupation?

Are you willing to take some other kind of job?

If "YES" please say what.

What was your weekly wage or salary, before deduction, in your last job?

What is the minimum weekly wage or salary you are willing to take?

Are you willing to travel anywhere to work?

If "NO" please state where you are willing to work (eg "home-town only", "within daily travelling distance")

Do you have your own transport?

Do you have any children or anyone else who needs your care during working hours?

If "YES" will you be able to make arrangements for their care if you get a job?

The answers are required to determine whether a claimant is available for work and therefore eligible for unemployment benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes have been made to the procedures for questioning claimants for unemployment benefit and to the question asked; and why these were made.

To qualify for Unemployment Benefit claimants must be available for work. Following the Government's decision to make registration for work at jobcentres voluntary, the initial test of availability has been transferred from the jobcentre to the unemployment benefit office. As a result the test is now written rather than oral, but the law on this subject has not been changed and the questions remain much the same as they were before.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what questions are asked of those claiming unemployment benefit concerning the day care of their children; and for what purpose;(2) what guidance is given to officers of unemployment benefit offices concerning the advice they should give to claimants about the care of children.

Claimants who indicate some restriction on their availability for work are asked questions about the care of their children in order to decide whether the restrictions they are placing on their availability prevent them having reasonable prospects of getting work. The questions are:

Do you have any children or anyone else who needs your care during working hours?

If "YES" will you be able to make arrangements for their care if you get a job?

It is not possible to give standard guidance to unemployment benefit office staff about advice they might give as the circumstances of individual cases differ widely. However, staff are expected to treat such issues as helpfully and as sensitively as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to bring forward in the current Session of Parliament a motion to repeal the fair wages resolution of the House of Commons.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has yet denounced International Labour Organisation convention 94; and if he consulted any organisation about his intention.

The United Kingdom's denunciation of ILO Convention No. 94 was registered by the International Labour Office on 20 September 1982. Before denouncing the Convention the Government consulted the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress as required under the terms of ILO Convention No. 144 which deals with tripartite consultations. These consultations took place at the same time as the Government consulted both these and other organisations on the related question of the rescission of the fair wages resolution.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultation he has engaged in, and what representations he has received, about his intention to rescind the fair wages resolution of the House of Commons and to derogate from International Labour Organisation Convention 94.

The Government sought the views of organisations most representative of employers and employees and received various representations from them and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to introduce an order in the current Session of Parliament to increase redundancy rebates to employers.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what adjustments would be needed to each of the limits listed in the Employment Protection (Variation of Limits) Order 1981 to restore them to their values at the time of introduction.

I have assumed that, as there was no 1981 order, the question refers to the 1982 order. The weekly earnings limit for redundancy payments was fixed at £40 in 1965. An increase to approximately £217 would be necessary to keep in line with increases in the retail price index to September 1982. The earnings limits for the insolvency provisions and for basic awards under the unfair dismissal provisions of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 have, since their introduction, been the same as that applied to redundancy payments.The limit for guarantee pay was fixed initially at £6 per day in February 1977. Based on the RPI increase to September 1982 a current figure of approximately £11 would have the same value.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what have been the percentage increases in each of the limits listed in the Employment Protection (Variation of Limits) Order 1981 for each year since their introduction; and how this compares in each of those years with the increase year-on-year at the time the order was made in retail prices, average earnings, and, where relevant, the tax and prices index.

I have assumed that, as there was no 1981 order, the question refers to the 1982 order.Under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965, the maximum amount of a week's pay that could be used for calculating redundancy payments was £40. This sum was increased to £80 in 1974. Under the Employment Protection Act 1975 an £80 limit on a week's pay was adopted from April 1976 for amounts payable under the insolvency provisions and from June 1976 for the basic and additional awards of compensation for unfair dismissal. The guarantee pay provisions of the Act were brought into operation in February 1977 at the rate of £6 per day.These limits remained unchanged until the first annual review under the Act took place in autumn 1977 which varied the limits with effect from February 1978. Each year since then orders have been laid in November or December after the annual review varying the limits with effect from the following February.The following table shows the year on year percentage increases in the limits (February to February from 1977) compared with the increases in retail prices, average earnings and the tax and prices index for the year to the September preceding the laying date.

	Percentage increase year on year
	Limit on a week's pay per cent.	Guarantee pay per cent.
February to February
1977–78	25	10
1978–79	10	9·8
1979–80	9·1	10·3
1980–81	8·3	9·4
1981–82	3·8	4·6
1982–83	Under review	Under review

	Percentage increase year on year
	Retail prices per cent.	Average earnings per cent.	Tax and prices per cent.
September to September
1976–77	15·6	7·7	14·2
1977–78	7·8	15·1	1·9
1978–79	16·5	14·5	14·1
1979–80	15·9	26·0	17·3
1980–81	11·4	9·3	14·9
1981–82	7·3	*7·8	7·9

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of surplus in the redundancy fund.

On 11 November the redundancy fund had a deficit of £232·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Employment when he proposes to publish the account of the redundandcy fund for the year 1981–82.

I expect the account to be published on 1 December.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why the Manpower Services Commission no longer funds completely the engineering practice scholarship scheme run by the engineering industry training board; what difference he expects this to make to the numbers of students who are able to participate in this scheme; and if he will make a statement.

The Manpower Services Commission has changed the basis of its support for the engineering practice scholarship scheme run by the Engineering Training Board. The aim is to bring the arrangements for funding college-based sandwich course students who go on industrial placements with firms in scope to the engineering industry training board into line with the arrangements for funding students on placements with other firms. This has enabled the Commission to increase the total number of sandwich course students who can be supported in this way from 2,000 in 1981–82 to 2,500 in 1982–83. The extra places will be concentrated in key engineering and technology occupations.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services 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.

I regret that comprehensive information on the lines requested by my hon. Friend could not be produced without disproportionate effort. However the following list, produced from centrally held records, includes the more significant instances since June 1979 when the Department has used accountants and consultants from outside the Civil Service.

(a) Accountants
Date commissioned and assignment	Contractor
1981—Design of a budgetary control system for DHSS	Price Waterhouse Associates
1982—Implementation of the budgetary control system	Price Waterhouse Associates
1982—Control of expenditure in the family practitioner service	Binder Hamlyn

With effect from 1 April 1982 Statutory Auditors from the private sector have been appointed by my right hon. Friend for an experimental period of some 3–5 years as follows:

Date Commissioned and Assignment	Contractor
East Cumbria DHA	Robson Rhodes Chartered Accountants
South Cumbria DHA	Robson Rhodes Chartered Accountants
West Cumbria DHA	Neville Russell Chartered Accountants
Hammersmith and Fulham DHA	Armitage and Norton Chartered Accountants
Hounslow and Spelthorne DHA	Armitage and Norton Chartered Accountants
Ealing DHA	Coopers and Lybrand Chartered Accountants
Cornwall and Isles of Scilly DHA	Ernst and Whinney Chartered Accountants
Isle of Wight DHA	Deloitte Haskins and Sells Chartered Accountants

Date commissioned and assignment	Contractor
(b) Management Consultants
1979—Taxation of Unemployment Benefit	Arthur Young Management Services
1979—Market research into methods of payment of benefit	Research Survey of Great Britain Ltd.
1979—Review of the usuage of periodicals and branch libraries	Capital Planning Information

Date Commissioned and Assignment	Contractor
1980—To devise a methodology to identify areas of work amenable to computer assistance	Pactel
1980—A study to consider the effectiveness of DHSS forms, and to suggest improvements	Social and Community Planning Reserach
1980—A study of the arrangements for determining staffing levels in certain areas of DHSS Newcastle Central Office	The Anne Shaw Organisation
1980—Assistance with a questionnaire sent to local office managers	Buller Cox and Partners
1982—Development and testing of a new form	Open University
1982—Staffing and equipment requirements for a forms unit	E. Hoch
(c) Other consultants
1979—Amendment of Resource Allocation Working Party	Trace (Manpower) Ltd.
1979—Second phase of a study to assist the Review of Policy for the mentally handicapped	A. Anderson and Co.
1979—Study of the wider use of the balance of care approach	A. Anderson and Co.
1979—Manpower implications of the run down of a large psychiatric hospital	Institute of Manpower Studies
1979—Comparative study of ORS planning methodologies	Logica
1979—Guidance on "Uses of Manpower Information for Operational Planning" for NHS use.	IMS in conjunction with an NHS officer
1980—A labour market study in the Tyneside conurbation	IMS
1980—A study of Nurse Manpower Systems in South West Thames RHA	IMS
1980—Extensions to "Portable balance of care" study	A. Anderson
1980—Hospitalisation rates and patient flows	Arthur Young Management Services
1980—Location of social security work	Logica
1980—Study of the capacity of schools of nursing—plus extension	Coopers Lybrand Ass.
1980—Local health care planning studies—balance of care	IBCM Exeter University
1980—Studies in connection with cancer	Research Centre for the mathematical Modelling of Clerical Trials University of Warwick
1980—Second phase of a project to design and program a medical manpower planning model	Scientific and Business Systems
1980—OR studies of hospital stores, manpower planning, and social security benefits	National Coal Board Operational Research Executive
1981—Number and location of Social Security Training Courses	Logica Ltd.
1981—Nursing manpower planning: linking supply and demand modelling	Institute of manpower studies

	1950	1960	1970	1980	1981
NHS directly employed staff (UK)—Thousands	not available	565	741	1,228	1,264

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will require local family practitioner committees when publicising the details of services provided by family medical practitioners to state whether

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many persons in total were employed by the National Health Service in each of the years 1950, 1960, 1970, 1980, 1981 and at the latest date for which figures are available.