asked the Minister for Trade if he will list in the Official Report the United Kingdom balance of trade—visible and invisible as a whole—surpluses and deficits with each country for the last 12 months for which figures are readily available

The available information which can be provided within acceptable cost limits is given in the following table. It shows the crude trade surplus or deficit with some major trading partners. Corresponding figures for other countries may be derived from table 1B of the appropriate volumes of the Overseas Trade Statistics.

United Kingdom Crude Balances of Visible Trade, September 1981—August 1982
	£million
France	+43
Belgium-Luxembourg	-631
Netherlands	+22
Federal Republic of Germany	-1,396
Italy	-629
Irish Republic	+981
Denmark	-203
Norway	-1,136
Sweden	+96
Finland	-349
Switzerland	-569
Spain	-27
Nigeria	+1,183
South Africa	+517
Saudi Arabia	-343
Iraq	+749
India	+396
Hong Kong	-158
Japan	-1,940
Australia	+583
Canada	-669
USA	+339
All other countries	+884
TOTAL	-2,256

asked the Minister for Trade what has been the export-import ratio for United Kingdom trade with the other member States of the European Community, the rest of Western Europe, North America and Japan in each year since 1972; and what was the export-import ratio for manufactured goods with these areas in 1981.

The information is as follows:

Export/Import Ratios*of United Kingdom Trade
per cent.
Trade with:	Rest of European Community†	Western Europe excluding EC	North America	Japan
(a) Total Trade‡
1972	83	89	95	55
1973	74	79	87	61
1974	72	81	77	56
1975	71	92	78	46
1976	80	93	79	45
1977	86	96	82	44
1978	84	84	85	42
1979	87	82	82	41
1980	104	99	76	35
1981	100	87	100	28
(b) Manufactures ║ ¶
1981	81	88	79	23

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make an assessment of the impact on trade of the seamen's dispute in Liverpool.

I am not aware of any dispute in Liverpool which is affecting our overseas trade.

asked the Minister for Trade whether he has taken steps to bring to the notice of exporters of equipment for blind and handicapped people the relief from duties which may be available under the Florence agreement and Nairobi protocol; and if he will make a statement.

Arrangements will be made for suitable publicity to be given on an appropriate occasion to the provisions of the Florence agreement and the Nairobi protocol.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will publish in the Official Report the import figures for central heating radiators from countries outside and inside the European Economic Community for the past five years, indicating the quarterly returns of imports of radiators for each country.

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

asked the Minister for Trade (1) what percentage of United Kingdom manufactured exports goes to less developed countries; and what has been the trend in this figure in recent years;(2) what is the United Kingdom balance of trade in manufactured goods with less developed countries; and what is the balance of payments with such countries.

asked the Minister for Trade if he will set out the proportion of United Kingdom imports covered by exports in volume terms for manufactured goods, for each of the last eight years from Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, the European Economic Community as a whole, the United States of America, Japan, the rest of the world, excluding the European Economic Community, and Brazil, for each of the last eight years, ending on 30 September in each case.

I shall reply to the hon. Member and my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Minister for Trade what is his definition of a British ship for the purpose of implementing the provisions of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development Liner Code.

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

asked the Minister for Trade what were the claims for expenses by the present chairman of the Yorkshire electricity consultative council for each calendar year from 1974 to 1978 inclusive, and in total, from the date of his appointment to the latest available date.

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

asked the Minister for Trade what progress he is making in the consolidation of company law.

I have been asked to reply.Good progress is being made in the exercise of consolidating the Companies Act. Although it is proving to be an elaborate and difficult exercise because of the exceptional volume and complexity of the legislation in question, it is hoped to introduce a consolidation Bill or Bills in the Session 1983–84 with a view to enactment in 1984.

asked the Minister for Trade on what date the United Kingdom ratified European Economic Community Regulation No. 1028/79 of 8 May 1979 on the importation free of common customs tariff duties of articles for the use of handicapped persons; and if any member States have not yet ratified the regulation.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 160.]: This regulation came into force on 1 January 1980, and was binding on member States from that date.

asked the Minister for Trade, in the last year for which figures are available, how many applications of relief for duty were made under EEC Regulation No. 1028/79 on the importation free of common customs tariff duties of articles for the use of handicapped persons, annex E paragraph 1 and annex E paragraph 2, respectively; how many applications were approved under each paragraph; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 160.]: The information for applications made in the United Kingdom is as follows:

	1981
	Articles for the blind*	Articles for other handicapped persons†
Applications received	33	5
allowed	31	4
disallowed	2	1

asked the Minister for Trade if he has made representations to the European Commission concerning the extension of the concessions in the EEC Regulation No. 1028/79 to handicapped individuals importing goods from outside the European Community as well as approved organisations; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 160]: The Council of the European Communities is at present considering proposals for an extension of the duty-free concessions set out in Regulation No. 1028/79 so that articles imported by handicapped persons for their own use will also be eligible for relief. We hope the new relief will come into effect on 1 July 1984.

asked the Minister for Trade what was the balance of trade in textiles and clothing with (a) other European Economic Community countries, (b) the rest of the world for 1981 and for 1982 to the most recent practicable date.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 161]: The available information is as follows:

United Kingdom Crude Balance of Trade in Textiles and Textile Clothing, January-September 1982
European Community £ million	Other countries £ million
-445	-601

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the state of the smallholdings under the jurisdiction of the Land Settlement Association; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 17 November.—[Vol. 32, c. 196–7.]

United Kingdom and EEC Market Prices (as at the end of October)
£**
Commodity	Germany	France	Italy	Netherlands	Belgium	Luxembourg	Ireland	Denmark	Greece	United Kingdom
Common Wheat▪per tonne breadmaking quality	123·1	105·7	113·2	118·3	106·8	#	N/A	107·9	108·5	119·3
Barley▪ per tonne	109·6	98·4	111·7	112·4	98·0	#	99·2	97·4	96·8	107·4
	*	†	‡	║	¶	║	║	║		•
Milk: (a) raw milk 100kg	1·36	1·21	1·65	1·42	1·07	1·13	1·10	1·51	N/A	1·38
Beef (b)▪ per kg liveweight	0·93	0·88	0·92	0·85	0·89	0·91	0·74	0·75	1·00	0·90
Lamb (b)*per kg deadweight	2·07	1·97	2·29	1·99	2·01	—	1·79	1·47	3·16	1·34

Footnotes:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to him about the fact that a lower proportion of British wheat is accepted under the European Economic Community intervention scheme than is the case with French wheat; and if he will take steps to ensure more equitable treatment for the British farmer.

I have received a number of letters expressing concern that the proportion of bread wheat offered for intervention which passes the tests laid down in Community regulations is lower in the United Kingdom than in some other member States. Research commissioned by my Department indicates how far the problem may be caused by the prescribed machinability test. The results of that research have been passed to the Commission who are now reviewing the value of this test.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a comparison between the current United Kingdom market price and the European Economic Community market price for (a) wheat, (b) barley, (c) milk, (d) butter, (e) beef and (f) lamb; and if he will make a statement.

The following table gives the latest available market prices in the United Kingdom and in other member States for the commodities requested at the first-hand stage. I regret that it is not possible to give comparable prices for butter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to prevent subsidised butter passing to the Soviet Union through third countries.

The arrangements for managing the export refunds system are a matter within the competence of the Commission. We have drawn their attention to the reports of possible re-export of butter to the USSR.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has completed his review of hill livestock compensatory allowances; and if he will make a statement.

The Government recognise the fundamental importance to United Kingdom agriculture of the hill areas and have been determined to build up confidence among hill farmers. I am therefore very glad to be able to inform the House that the review which my right hon. Friends and I have carried out this autumn, in conjunction with the farmers unions, has shown that, following the improvement noted last year, there has been a further significant improvement in the situation of the hill farming industry.The decline in the number of hill cows has slowed down and there are signs that it may be levelling out, while hill sheep numbers continue to show a significant increase. Incomes in real terms are now almost back to their best-ever levels. An important factor in this welcome recovery of both income levels and confidence has been the substantial increases made by this Government in the hill livestock allowances which, including the suckler cow premium, are now over 80 per cent. higher than they were in 1979.The outlook for the hill livestock producers continues to be relatively favourable and the Government are determined to sustain the confidence of the hill farmers. I am pleased to announce, therefore, that the rates of compensatory allowance for 1983 are to be maintained at their present record high levels.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will specify the total United Kingdom catch in third country waters in each year from 1969 to 1981 and indicate the average total catch over the periods 1969 to 1975 and 1976 to 1982.

[pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1982, c. 240]: The estimated total United Kingdom catch from third country waters in the years specified is as follows:

	'000 tonnes (liveweight)
1969	447
1970	433
1971	368
1972	321
1973	333
1974	333
1975	292
1976	229
1977	148
1978	61
1979	34
1980	23
1981	14

The average United Kingdom total catch from all areas was 1,056,000 tonnes in the period 1969–1975 and 930,000 tonnes in the period 1976–81. Complete figures for 1982 are not yet available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) if he is now able to state the composition of the Advisory Committee on Children's Play;(2) further to the statement,

It is not the normal practice to publish advice by officials on machinery of Government questions nor the composition of such official working parties. The question of responsibility for children's play is still being studied by Ministers. I am not aware of any external advisory committee on children's play.

asked the Attorney-General whether, pursuant to his replies, Official Report, 23 March, c. 290, 15 June, c. 239 and 28 July, c. 544, the Director of Public Prosecutions has now decided whether to initiate a prosecution in connection with the use of blood at a London hospital.

The result of the police investigation has not yet been reported to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence on what dates brigades were reintroduced into the Army command structure; which numbers have been allocated to the brigades (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in Germany; and what is the location of the United Kingdom brigade headquarters.

The Army Board reintroduced the title of brigade into the British Army of the Rhine on 1 January 1981 and into United Kingdom Land Forces on 1 January 1982.The locations and numbers of the brigade headquarters in the United Kingdom, some of which would move to Germany in war, are:

		Location
1st Infantry Brigade	—	Tidworth
2nd Infantry Brigade	—	Shorncliffe
2nd Signals Brigade	—	Aldershot
5 Infantry Brigade	—	Aldershot
8 Infantry Brigade	—	Londonderry
11 Signals Brigade	—	Liverpool
12 Signals Brigade	—	London
15 Infantry Brigade	—	Topcliffe
19 Infantry Brigade	—	Colchester
23 Artillery Brigade	—	Chester
29 Engineer Brigade	—	Newcastle
30 Engineer Brigade	—	Stafford
39 Infantry Brigade	—	Lisburn
49 Infantry Brigade	—	Chilwell
51 Highland Brigade	—	Perth
52 Lowland Brigade	—	Edinburgh

In order to improve the command and control arrangements for Home Defence, two new brigade headquarters are to be established on 1 January 1983. These are 42 Infantry Brigade at Chester and 54 Infantry Brigade at Grantham. The numbers allocated to brigades in Germany are 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 20, 22, 24 and 33; 24 Brigade will be re-located to the United Kingdom in March 1983.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is still proposed to order 12 Edatst minesweepers.

In our first defence White Paper—Cmnd 7826—we confirmed previous intentions to proceed with a new class of minesweepers. We have recently placed an order for the first batch of four. Decisions on subsequent orders will be taken in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence which Royal Marine bands went to the Falklands during the recent conflict; and what were their duties.

The band of Royal Marines Commando Forces served on board SS "Canberra" and the band of Flag Officer, Third Flotilla on board SS "Uganda". Bandsmen undertook a variety of duties, including acting as stretcher bearers and guarding prisoners of war. They also, of course, helped to entertain those on board the ships.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about the implications for International Military Services Ltd. of his policy for the Royal ordnance factories.

Following my right hon. Friend's announcement on the future status of the Royal ordnance factories—[Vol. 24, c. 151]—consideration is now being given to the size and shape of the new sales and marketing organisation for the Royal ordnance factories. Meanwhile International Military Services is continuing with its present role in the overseas sales of Royal ordnance factories and other products and, as its own marketing and sales capability develops, the Royal ordnance factories will still be able to use International Military Services like any other British company, particularly in the co-ordination of training, equipment and infrastructure packages.In the past three years, International Military Services has diversified its overseas sales activities and has a substantial current order book in a wide range of customer countries, with an increasing share of its business from the private rather than the public sector. Its latest published accounts show a steady improvement in its financial position over the same period. This is a credit to the company's staff, who have adapted readily to changing circumstances. We are confident that International Military Services will have an important role to play in assisting the sale overseas of British military equipment for the foreseeable future.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give an analysis of the unemployed in the Consett travel-to-work area according to the Standard Industrial Classification.

The following table gives for May 1982, the last date for which an industrial analysis was made, the numbers of people registered as unemployed in the Consett travel-to-work area who last worked in the industries specified.

Standard Industrial Classification, 1968
Agriculture, forestry, fishing	73
Mining and quarrying	354
Food, drink and tobacco	82
Coal and petroleum products	7
Chemicals and allied industries	37
Metal manufacture	1,848
Mechanical engineering	785
Instrument engineering	—
Electrical engineering	195
Shipbuilding and marine engineering	12
Vehicles	63
Metal goods not elsewhere specified	55
Textiles	236
Leather, leather goods and fur	16
Clothing and footwear	114
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc.	110
Timber, furniture, etc.	77
Paper, printing and publishing	22
Other manufacturing industries	99
Construction	914
Gas, electricity and water	21
Transport and communication	171
Distributive trades	445
Insurance, banking, finance and business services	75
Professional and scientific services	249
Miscellaneous services	488
Public administration and defence	279
Not classified by industry (including school leavers)	1,247
TOTAL	8,074

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in (a) the North West, (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby and (d) Ormskirk travel-to-work areas have been dependent on temporary short-time working subsidy in each year since its introduction.

I regret that statistics in the form requested are not readily available below regional level and could be extracted only at disproportionate cost. However, the following tables show the figures requested for the North-West region for each year since the introduction of the temporary short time working compensation scheme and the figures requested for all areas for September 1982:

North West Region
Column 1	Column 2
Year	Number of potentially redundant jobs covered by applications that were approved in column 1
April 1979 to March 1980	27,829
April 1980 to March 1981	96,012
April 1981 to March 1982	28,038
April 1982 to September 1982	7,796

Column 1	Column 2
Area	Number of potentially redundant jobs for which reimbursement for support was claimed in September 1982
North West Region	6,013
Merseyside Special Development Area	416
Kirkby Employment Office Area	35
Ormskirk Travel-to-Work Area	35

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory closures in (a) the North West, (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby, and (d) Ormskirk travel-to-work areas there have been since May 1979; and how many workers were involved in each area.

There are no comprehensive statistics on closures or redundancies. The available information on closures and associated redundancies, involving 10 or more employees, reported to the Manpower Services Commission as due to occur in each of the areas is given in the following table.

Closures reported as due to occur, May 1979 to September 1982*
	Number of Establishments	Number of Redundancies involved
North West region	1,453	97,498
Merseyside special development area	298	21,173
Kirkby employment office area	22	2,842
Ormskirk travel-to-work area	17	936
* Including revised provisional figures for September 1982

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment amongst Liverpool seamen; and what is the level nationally.

At 9 September, the number of unemployed people registered at employment offices in Liverpool for employment as seamen was 160. The corresponding number for the United Kingdom was 2,944. The figures include deck and engine-room hands (sea-going) and ships' masters, pilots and deck, engineer and radio officers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has received the preparatory questionaire from the International Labour Organisation about a conference on hotels, restaurants and similar establishments to be held in December 1983; what consultations he intends to have and with whom; and whether the Government's response to the questionaire will be made available to interested trade unions.

The questionaire has been received and has been sent to the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress, with a request for information to be included in the United Kingdom reply. The Government's response will be made available to both organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the total numbers of people employed in the textile and clothing industries, respectively; and what were the figures for April 1979.

At August 1982, the latest date for which the information is available, the provisional numbers of employees in employment in the textiles and clothing industries in Great Britain were 322,200 and 231,600, respectively. The corresponding figures at April 1979 were 448,400 and 290,400.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to continue to subsidise the publication of "Graduate Post"; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if school leavers with special educational needs, including mentally handicapped pupils and young people, will be admitted to the proposed new training schemes and in particular the new training initiative on an equal basis with their non-handicapped peers.

[pursuant to his reply, 17 November 1982, c. 181–2]: Sixteen and 17-year-old school leavers with special needs will be able to take part in the youth training scheme, provided it is felt that they will benefit from the training and work experience that the scheme will provide. These issues will shortly be considered by the youth training board, which will oversee the scheme.

asked the Chancellor of the Exhequer, using any convenient business classification available, what is the critical turnover with respect to value added tax where the cost of collection about equals the amount of tax assessed; and if he will make a statement.

The amounts of VAT paid to Customs and Excise by registered traders are not dependent upon turnover but upon the difference between the amount of VAT charged on the goods and services they sell and on those they buy. The net yield of VAT would normally exceed the cost of collection for a trader whose added value is more than £650 or so a year and whose outputs are all liable at the standard rate of VAT.

Ross asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to make the same arrangements for industrial civil servants with pre-war records of employment as those who joined after July 1949 so far as their length of service for pension qualification is concerned.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise the figures given in both the appendix 5 of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee report, Session 1981–82 on "The Government's Economic Policy: Autumn Review" and the updated figures given in the answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 25 October 1982 for those on 75 per cent., 100 per cent., 200 per cent. and 500 per cent. of national average earnings for single, married and married plus two children families, including data on gross earnings, income tax, national insurance contributions, child benefit, net earnings and indirect taxes and net earnings net of indirect taxes in each case on the basis of the most recently available price base and showing the years 1978–79 to 1982–83 and as far back to 1945 as figures will allow and including an estimate for 1983–84 on the basis of announced policy changes and the conventional assumptions incorporated in the latest forecast required under the Industry Act 1975.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the level of income in current prices and expressed as a percentage of national average earnings above which single people, married couples and married couples with two children in each case now pay less income tax and national insurance contributions—less child benefit where applicable—as a total sum of money in constant prices and as a proportion of gross earnings than they did in 1978–79; and whether he will estimate the same level of income for 1983–84 on the basis of announced policy changes and the conventional assumptions incorporated in the latest forecast required under the Industry Act 1975.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will estimate the size of the cut in the standard rate of income tax to the nearest 0·1 penny now required to reduce the total tax payments—income tax, national insurance contributions, indirect taxes less child benefit where applicable—for those on 75 per cent., 100 per cent. and 200 per cent. of national average earnings for single people, married couples and married couples with two children families in each case to the same proportion of gross earnings as in 1978–79;(2) if he will estimate the size of the cut in the standard rate of income tax to the nearest 0·1 penny which would be required in the financial year 1982–83 and in 1983–84 to reduce the total tax payments—income tax, national insurance contributions, indirect taxes less child benefit where applicable—for those on 75 per cent., 100 per cent. and 200 per cent. of national average earnings for single people, married couples and married couples with two children families in each case to the same total sum of money in constant prices as in 1978–79;(3) if he will express total tax payments—income tax, national insurance contributions, indirect taxes less child benefit where applicable—for single people, married couples and married couples plus two children families at 75 per cent., 100 per cent., 200 per cent. and 500 per cent. of national average earnings in each case as a percentage of their gross weekly earnings for each year until 1982-83 as far back to 1945 as data allows and including an estimate for 1983–84 on the basis of announced policy changes and the conventional assumptions incorporated in the latest forecast required under the Industry Act 1975.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Community Finance Council in Brussels on 15 November.

I represented the United Kingdom at this Council. Ministers considered a Commission communication on investment promotion, together with an opinion from the Economic Policy Committee. They concluded that a pre-condition for a revival of investment was the creation of the right macroeconomic background. A copy of the Council conclusions on this point will be placed in the Library.The Council also heard a presentation by the Commission on its proposal for a Council decision to authorise a further tranche under the new Community instrument of 3,000 million ecu—about £1,650 million.the Council also had an exchange of views in preparation for the Joint Council of Finance and Employment Ministers the following day.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the European Community Joint Council of Employment and Finance Ministers in Brussels on 16 November.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and I represented the United Kingdom at this Council. The discussions covered three aspects of the employment situation: the economic background, youth employment and the reorganisation of working time. The Council had before it a communication from the Commission covering these subjects.On the economic background, Ministers agreed that a lasting increase in employment could spring only from a strenghtening of competitiveness and profitability. This necessitates further falls in inflation and interest rates, both of which require continuing firm fiscal and monetary policies. The Council agreed that control and redistribution of public expenditure and a reduction of budget deficits was indispensable.The Council also considered the related questions of investment, the strengthening of the internal market and industrial policy. Ministers noted the work which was being done in the Finance Council on investment; agreed that a session of the Council designed to make substantial progress towards the completion of the common market would be useful; and called for greater emphasis on new technologies at both national and Community level, bearing in mind their importance in sustained industrial recovery.On youth employment and the possible reorganisation of working time, the Council noted recent and prospective communications from the Commission, and called for them to be dealt with rapidly. The Council expressed its deep concern about the employment situation for young people and recalled the guidelines from the March European Council, which emphasised the central place of youth employment in the Community's strategy to combat unemployment. The Council reaffirmed its commitment to ensure, over the next five years, that all young people entering the labour market for the first time should be given the opportunity of taking vocational training or a first job experience. The Council also stressed that a reorganisation of working time should not impair the competitive position of firms.The Council invited the Commission to undertake a study of long term unemployment with a view to possible remedial action.

Income Tax and NIC as a Percentage of Earnings Multiple of Average Earnings
		2/3		1		5		10
	Single
1981–82	29·7	(107)	32·4	(102)	46·7	(89)	53·3	(79)
1982–83	30·4	(110)	33·2	(105)	46·3	(88)	53·1	(78)
	Married with No Children Multiple of Average Earnings
1981–82	25·2	(114)	29·4	(105)	45·5	(89)	52·7	(79)
1982–83	25·7	(116)	30·3	(108)	45·0	(88)	52·5	(79)
	Married with Two Children (both under 11) Multiple of Average Earnings
1981–82	22·0	(118)	27·6	(110)	44·9	(90)	52·4	(79)
1982–83	23·3	(125)	28·1	(112)	44·4	(89)	52·2	(79)
	Married with Four Children (Two under 11, one 11–15, one over 16) Multiple of Average Earnings
1981–82	21·0	(143)	26·0	(117)	44·3	(92)	52·0	(80)
1982–83	21·3	(145)	26·5	(119)	43·9	(91)	51·8	(79)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total expenditure on (a) GCE O-level and CSE examinations and (b) the assessment of performance unit in each of the past five years.

(a) This information is not collected by the Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many people are currently unemployed in (a) Wales, (b) Gwent and (c) each travel-to-work area covered by the Bedwellty constituency;

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the table he published in reply to a question from the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 27 November 1981, Official Report, c. 495–8, in respect of the proportions of earnings taken by income tax and national insurance contributions.

[pursuant to his reply, 8 November 1982, Vol. 31, c. 15]: The attached tables show, for 1981–82 and 1982–83, income tax and national insurance contributions as a percentage of gross earnings plus child benefit—where appropriate—with changes in those percentages shown in brackets in index number form, taking 1978–19= 100. The calculations assume that the taxpayer has no allowances or reliefs other than the appropriate personal allowance. National insurance contributions are at the not-contracted-out rate. For illustration, an increase of 9 per cent. has been assumed in earnings between 1981–82 and 1982–83.(2) what has been the percentage increase in unemployment since May 1979 in

The Bedwellty constituency covers parts of four travel-to-work areas. I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many complaints against the Welsh water authority were made to the Commission for Local Administration in the last five years; and in how many cases maladministration was found.

The number of complaints against the Welsh water authority received by the Commission for Local Administration in Wales during the five years ending 31 March 1982 were 4, 4, 1, 9, 7 respectively: the number of reports issued in those same financial years in

Advanced course enrolments at maintained and grant-aided establishments in Wales
(a) By mode of study
	Full-time		Sandwich		Part-time		Evening		Total
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female
1974	807	826	1,369	141	3,040	525	514	47	5,730	1,539
1975	1,326	1,870	1,445	247	3,024	537	843	48	6,643	2,702
1976	1,639	2,319	1,743	283	3,004	564	967	124	7,353	3,290
1977	2,225	3,599	1,752	314	3,258	758	897	82	8,132	4,753
1978	2,176	2,887	1,916	434	3,607	969	877	93	8,576	4,383
1979	2,071	2,786	2,094	547	3,654	1,031	829	130	8,648	4,494
1980	2,326	2,626	2,244	606	3,907	1,097	862	222	9,339	4,551
1981	5,662		3,135		5,218		1,120		15,135

(b) By standard group of study
	1978		1979		1980		1981
	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male	Female	Male and Female
Education	1,151	1,900	1,079	1,894	1,156	1,717	2,821
Medical, health and welfare	230	439	217	433	209	427	662
Engineering and Technology	2,924	51	3,128	59	3,504	70	4,192
Agriculture	95	27	142	34	110	40	166
Science	715	151	806	196	1,003	268	1,462
Social, administrative and business studies	2,650	859	2,388	937	2,579	1,069	3,769
Professional and vocational subjects	414	438	430	418	239	396	660
Language, literature and area studies	15	106	5	86	7	91	119
Arts other than language	102	124	110	129	121	155	350
Music, drama, art and design	280	288	343	308	411	318	934

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will review the level of allocations for the urban programme in the current year.

I have decided to approve a further £1·47 million of capital expenditure on urban programme schemes for 1982–83. This brings the total urban programme allocation for Wales in 1982–83 to 16·8 million. which maladministration was found against the authority were 3 including maladministration by an agent authority, nil, 1, 1 and 3 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the present state of the agriculture industry in Wales; and if he will make a statément.

The results of the 1981 annual review of agriculture show an encouraging recovery in farm incomes in Wales. Preliminary indications are that the 1982 review will show that this trend has continued.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers of advanced course enrolments in Wales at maintained, assisted and grant-aided establishments by the standard groups of study in each year since 1974 and by full and part-time modes of study, and by gender of student.

The readily available information is shown in the following table.

asked the Secretary of St ate for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to control the strength and availability of catapults and similar devices not covered by firearms regulations.

No. We are not persuaded that such controls would be justified or effective.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received over the Government's proposed changes in the immigration rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in response to the White Paper on a proposed change in the immigration rules.

Our proposals for revision of the immigration rules were debated in this House last Thursday and are being debated in another place today. we have also received over 100 letters from hon. Members, mostly on behalf of constituents, and about 800 from members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the future develoment of the probation service.

We wish to see the probation service maintain and develop its role as the principal agency for dealing with offenders in the community. The Government's expenditure plans include provision for continued growth of the service in the next financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of serious offences involving the use of firearms in the most recent annual period for which figures are available; and by what percentage this total is greater or less than the comparable figures five years previously.

The number of notifiable offences recorded by the police in which firearms of all types, including air weapons, were reported to have been used was 8,067 in 1981, 74 per cent. more than in 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a register of, and a quota for the admission of, dependants of immigrants already admitted for settlement in the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will now introduce a register of immigrant dependants;(2) if he will now introduce an immigration quota.

We are considering these matters in the light of the recent recommendation of the Home Affairs Committee.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dependants have been given entry clearance for each 1,000 husbands or fiancés given leave to enter in each of the last 10 years.

The statistics available concerning grants of entry clearance to dependants cannot be related to the numbers of husbands and fiancés given leave to enter in any particular year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how it is ascertained that the marriage referred to in paragraph 117 of the immigration rules 1980 was entered into primarily to obtain settlement in the United Kingdom; what proof is required that the parties have met; how it is ascertained that the marriage has been terminated; and if he will list any means of terminating a marriage other than the conclusion of divorce proceedings;(2) how it is ascertained that one of the parties to a marriage in terms of paragraph 117 of the immigration rules 1980 no longer has any intention of living permanently with the other as his or her spouse.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what actions are taken to ascertain whether marriages are entered into primarily for immigration purposes;(2) what actions are taken to ensure that parties to a marriage have met before consent is given to entry clearance.

A husband or fiancé overseas is interviewed in every case before an entry clearance is granted. In many cases his wife or fiancée here is also interviewed. An application has to be made in every case before a husband is granted settlement, and he and his wife will be interviewed wherever there is cause to doubt the bona fides of the application. Home Office staff and interviewing officers, who are experienced in assessing applicants, take into consideration not only the statements of the applicant, his spouse, and of third parties, but also the applicant's immigration history and other relevant information to establish whether the requirements in the rules are satisfied. A marriage may be terminated by annulment as well as by divorce. If the marriage has not been terminated but the parties have separated the husband will be disqualified from remaining under subparagraph (f) of paragraph 117.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people are employed by the Home Office and police upon checks of abuses of paragraph 117 of the immigration rules 1980;(2) how many people were removed from the United Kingdom for failing to comply with the requirements of paragaraph 117 of the immigration rules 1980, specifying the numbers in respect of each subparagraph;(3) how many fiancés entered for the purposes of marriage in 1980 and 1981 in terms of the immigration rules 1980 paragraph 116; how many fiancés were removed from the United Kingdom for failing to marry within three months; which checks are made to ensure that the marriages take place; and how many people are employed by the Home Office and police upon such checks.

Home Office staff and police officers are not allocated specifically to the investigation of claims to remain under paragraphs 116 and 117 of the 1980 immigration rules, but last year immigration officers carried out a total of more than 10,000 investigations—which may include home visits as well as interviews—in cases where a person had applied for entry clearance or leave to remain. A large number of these investigations concerned applications by men based on their marriage or intended marriage.The numbers of men admitted as fiancés for the purpose of marriage are published in the annual control of immigration statistics. In 1980 and 1981 there were 1,900 and 2,000, respectively, some of whom were admitted under the previous rules, by virtue of transitional provisions in the 1980 immigration rules. No extension of leave is granted to a fiancé unless he produces documentary evidence that the marriage has taken place, and he and his wife may also be interviewed. If a fiancé does not make an application for an extension of leave within three months of his arrival he becomes an overstayer. If no application is made by a husband for leave to remain within 12 months of his arrival he becomes an overstayer. An overstayer is subject to normal procedures for tracing people who are here in defiance of immigration control and liable to deportation. Separate figures are not available on the number of fiancés removed

Applications for entry clearance certificates from spouses and fiances*in the Indian Sub-continent and admission to the United Kingdom:
1 January 1980 to 30 June 1982
	Entry clearance applications
New applications received		Applications granted	Applications refused	Acceptances on arrival	Admissions made
For immediate settlement:
Wives	12,850	13,090	2,990	11,600	—
Not for immediate settlement:
Husbands	410	610	80	†160	600
Fiances	1,840	3,640	620	—	3,790
* Female fiancées do not need to obtain an entry clearance certificate.
† Under the transitional provisions of the 1980 rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for entry to the United Kingdom from the Indian Sub-continent on the basis of being a spouse or potential spouse, have been investigated since 20 February on the basis that (a) the marriage was primarily for immigration purposes, (b) the parties had not met or (c) the United Kingdom partner was subject to a degree of coercion;(2) how many applications for entry to the United Kingdom from the indian Sub-continent on the basis of being a spouse or potential spouse have been turned down since 20 February on the basis that

All such applications are examined in order to see that the immigration rules are satisfied. Records are not kept centrally of the reasons for refusals of entry clearance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what actions are taken to ensure that the United Kingdom partner to a marriage or proposed marriage, with a potential spouse or spouse from the Indian Sub-continent, has not been subject to duress or coercion by the family or community in which that partner lives; and how many entry clearances have been refused on this ground.

An entry clearance will not be issued to a husband or fiancé if the entry clearance officer has reason to believe that one of the parties has no intention of living permanently with the other. The entry clearance officer for failing to marry within three months or the number of men removed for failing to comply with the provisions in paragraph 117 of the rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for entry to the United Kingdom from the Indian Sub-continent on the basis of being a spouse or potential spouse, have been made since 20 February;(2) how many spouses have been given leave to enter from the Indian Sub-continent since 20 February 1980; how many applications have been made; and how many applications have been turned down.

The available information is for calendar quarters and is given on the following table. Refusals of leave to enter at the ports are recorded by reason for refusal and not by category of attempted admission.will base his judgment on an interview with the applicant, and may arrange for the sponsor in the United Kingdom to be interviewed. Lack of consent is occasionally a reason for refusal of an entry clearance, but I regret that separate figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of marriages since 20 February with previously non-entry cleared partners from the Indian Sub-continent have been found not to subsist one year from the date of the marriage; how many persons are involved; and how many spouses have subsequently been deported.

The information required is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many illegal or invalid immigrants have been deported in each of the last 20 quarters, listing the numbers under each of the three main reasons for deportation and other reasons, also including the total in each case.

Quarterly figures relating to persons who have been deported from the United Kingdom under sections 3(5)(a), 3(5)(b) and 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971 are available only from July 1978. The information is as follows:

	3(5)(a)	3(5)(b)	3(6)	Total
1978
3rd quarter	47	18	135	200
4th quarter	40	12	101	153

	3(5)(a)	3(5)(b)	3(6)	Total
1979
1st quarter	45	13	112	170
2nd quarter	47	17	124	188
3rd quarter	62	17	154	233
4th quarter	51	29	119	199
1980
1st quarter	69	18	141	228
2nd quarter	73	16	135	224
3rd quarter	69	22	205	296
4th quarter	57	21	135	213
1981
1st quarter	56	31	165	252
2nd quarter	65	22	165	252
3rd quarter	69	32	119	220
4th quarter	59	28	127	214
1982
1st quarter	74	21	124	219
2nd quarter	82	12	130	224
3rd quarter	62	18	125	205

Information about persons removed under the Immigration Act 1971 as illegal entrants is as follows:

	1st Qtr.	2nd Qtr.	3rd Qtr.	4th Qtr.	Total
1978	123	135	147	133	538
1979	117	148	152	168	585
1980	230	280	250	140	900
1981	200	170	130	150	650
1982	110	110

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many investigations have been carried out in each of the past five years with regard to travel agents believed to be involved in the arrangement of bogus marriages (a) in the United Kingdom and (b) on the Indian Sub-continent.

The immigration service has conducted three major investigations in the United Kingdom in the past five years into organised schemes of abuse of the rules on marriage. None of these concerned travel agents. There has been no comparable inquiry in the Indian Sub-continent. All applications for entry clearance or leave to remain are examined individually to establish that they comply with the rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans for protecting data.

As announced in the Gracious Speech, it is the Government's intention to introduce legislation on data protection during the present Session of Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to require commercial premises to obtain a television licence for each television set on their premises.

After careful consideration we have decided that this is not the right time to change the television licensing requirements for commercial premises, including hotels.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners on remand are currently being held in police and court cells; and where they are.

On the night of 17 November a total of 121 prisoners were held in police custody, 111 in the Metropolitan Police area, one in that of the city of London force, and nine in that of the Sussex force. The information available centrally does not identify remand prisoners separately, but they normally constitute a majority of the prisoners so held.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce that a novice radio licence will be introduced.

We have no plans at present to introduce such a licence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response there has been to the draft codes of practice which he published in June on the treatment, questioning and identification of persons suspected of crime.

I am very grateful to all those private individuals and bodies who were good enough to consider and comment on the draft codes. Most of those consulted on the draft codes have replied, and the comments provided have helped us to improve them. Copies of the drafts as revised in the light of the comments received have been placed in the Library, and are available from the Vote Office. They are also being sent to those who commented on the earlier drafts. In addition, copies will be available on request from Room 528, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's Gate, London SW1H 9AT.The drafts are designed to illustrate the codes of practice relating to the conduct of the police which I would be empowered to make, with the approval of Parliament, under the Police and Criminal Evidence Bill which is published today. For ease of reference the drafts reproduce some of the legislative proposals in that measure. I shall of course keep the drafts under review in the light of the views expressed during the Bill's progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out in the Official Report a table of salaries, years of service and pension entitlements and percentages of basic salaries paid for such pension rights in respect of the police.

The current rates of police pay were promulgated by Home Office circular No. 99/1982 issued on 3 November 1982, a copy of which is available in the Library. The pension entitlement of a police officer under the police pensions scheme depends upon the circumstances of his leaving the police service. It is normally based on his average pensionable pay during his last year of service and his length of pensionable service, up to a maximum of 30 years. The main pension scheme benefits for an officer who joined the police service since 1972 are as follows:

Police Pension Entitlements
Circumstances of leaving the police service	Type of pension payable	Annual amount of pension (in references to pensionable service, fractions of a year count pro rata)
Officer retires with at least 25 years' pensionable service.	Ordinary pension (if officer retires before age 50 with less than 30 years' pensionable service pension will not be paid until age 50).	Subject to a maximum of forty-sixtieths: One-sixtieth of the officer's average pensionable pay for each year of pensionable service up to 20 years plus two-sixtieths of that pay for each year of pensionable service over 20 years.
Officer is compulsorily retired on age grounds with at least five but less than 25 years' pensionable service.	Short service pension.	Calculated in the same way as an ordinary pension.
Officer retires on ill-health grounds either with at least five years' pensionable service or as a result of an injury received on duty.	Ill-health pension.	Less than five years' pensionable service: One-sixtieth of the officer's average pensionable pay for each year of pensionable service. Five to 10 years' pensionable service: Two-sixtieths of the officer's average pensionable pay for each year of pensionable service.
		Over 10 but not more than 13 years' pensionable service: Twenty-sixtieths of the officer's average pensionable pay. Over 13 years' pensionable service:
		Subject to a maximum of forty-sixtieths or the amount of the ordinary or short service pension the officer could have earned by compulsory retirement age:
		Seven-sixtieths of the officer's average pensionable pay plus one-sixtieth of that pay for each year of pensionable service up to 20 years and two-sixtieths of that pay for each year of pensionable service over 20 years.
Officer leaves with at least five years' pensionable service and does not qualify for an ordinary, short service or ill-health pension.	Deferred pension payable at age 60 or sooner if he becomes permanently disabled.	One-forty-fifth of the officer's average pensionable pay for each year of pensionable service up to an overall maximum of forty-sixtieths.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will set out in the Official Report a table of salaries, years of service and pension entitlements, and percentages of basic salaries paid for such pension rights of firemen.

The current rates of fire service pay were promulgated in a circular issued by the national joint council for chief officers of local authorities' fire brigades

Firemen's Pension Entitlements
Circumstances of leaving the fire service	Type of pension payable	Annual amount of pension (in references to pensionable service, fractions of a year count pro rata)
Fireman who has reached the age of 50 and retires with at least 25 years' pensionable service.	Ordinary pension.	Subject to a maximum of forty-sixtieths: One-sixtieth of the fireman's average pensionable pay for each year of pensionable service up to 20 years, plus two-sixtieths of that pay for each year of pensionable service over 20 years.
Fireman is compulsorily retired on age grounds with at least five but less than 25 years' pensionable service.	Short service pension.	Calculated in the same way as an ordinary pension.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now completed the necessary amendments to Rules of Court to enable legal aid to be available to parents in child care proceedings where the court has ordered that the parent shall not be treated as representing the child.

The necessary amendments are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many widows of police officers whose husbands retired prior to 1 April 1956 are classed as preserved rate widows for the purposes of the police pensions regulations.

All widows of police officers who retired or died before 1 April 1956, who have an entitlement to benefits under the police pension scheme, receive a preserved rate widow's pension. The number of widows currently receiving such pensions is not known centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional revenue will be received from serving police officers by the implementation of SI No. 1151 in a full year.

About £45 million in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will use his powers under the Police Act 1964 to set up a public inquiry into the use of CS gas projectiles in Liverpool on the night of 5–6 July 1981.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I have given today to a question from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation enabling all British citizens who live permanently in other member States of the European Community to vote at British parliamentary elections.

The Government accept that there is a strong case for extending the franchise to British citizens living in the European Community and desire to see the views of the Select Committee on Home Affairs which is examining this question as part of its inquiry this Session into the Representation of the People Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the present criteria for the appointment of prison visitors, particularly those criteria which bar persons who have previous convictions.

There are no formal criteria for the appointment of prison visitors. Applicants are required to give details of any previous convictions. But each case is considered on its merits, and a previous conviction is not necessarily a bar to appointment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any proposals further to assist those immigrants who wish to return to their country of origin.

We have no present plans to extend the arrangements under which assistance with travel costs is available from public funds for immigrants who wish to return permanently overseas but lack the means to do so themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now introduce the necessary amending legislation to provide concessionary television licence payments for people resident in part III accommodation, including those physically and mentally handicapped.

We are considering whether a concession could be made to physically and mentally handicapped persons living in local authority residential accommodation without creating further anomalies in the television licensing system.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the meeting of the Development Council in Brussels on 8 November.

Most of the time was devoted to an initial discussion, without conclusions, of the Commission's memorandum on future Community aid policy. A wide rang of views were expressed which will form the basis for further ministerial discussion at the Foreign Affairs Council on 22–23 November.Rwanda was added to the list of countries which are being offered Community help in developing food strategies, as part of the Community's plan of action against world hunger.Guidelines were agreed for future Community aid relating to the situation of women in developing countries, and substantial agreement was reached on guidelines relating to maintenance—non-project—aid.No decision was reached on a Commission proposal for supplementary food aid in the form of cereals.There was a short discussion of the Community's programme of trade promotion for developing countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will give consideration to offering Mr. Arthur Scargill membership of the National Coal Board.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the approximate cost of decommissioning the Windscale advanced gas-cooled reactor.

The decommissioning of the Windscale advanced gas-colled reactor is being, undertaken by the Atomic Energy Authority as a development project to demonstrate the effectiveness of different dismantling methods and waste packaging and disposal techniques. It is therefore not possible to distinguish the costs specific to the decommissioning of the WAGR from associated development work. The project will be subject to regular review of progress and costs, but it is at present estimated that costs could be in the region of £3 million per annum over about 10 years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the reason for the difference in figures given for the quarterly standing charge in respect of gas in his replies to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr on 15 February, Official Report, c. 12 and 25 October, c. 253, and those given to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry) on 12 November, c. 308.

The reply given to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr (Mr. Rooker) on 15 February gave, in respect of gas, an average of the amounts charged by gas regions in different areas under the heading "standing charge". Until April 1981 the first 52 therms of domestic consumption were charged each quarter al a significantly higher rate than subsequent therms. For comparative purposes it is more appropriate to include the higher cost element of this first tranche of consumption. as was done for the answer provided to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Scotland Exchange (Mr. Parry), and in the Price Commission report "British Gas Corporation—Gas Prices and Allied Charges, HMSO July 1979"—paragraphs 5.13 and 10.20. The general zone tariff formed the basis of the latter reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement about the meeting of the European Communities' Council of Energy Ministers on 9 November.

I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting. Substantial progress was made towards developing a coherent strategy to promote the role of solid fuels in the Community. The Council concluded that a firm political will exists to promote the role of solid fuels in the energy supply of the Community. Ministers will meet next month at a specially convened coal council to discuss specific actions in this area and to set terms of reference and time scales. The major items for discussion will include Community support for economic coal production, transportation and use. The aim will be to create a firm basis for a coherent Community strategy in this field.On behalf of the United Kingdom Government, I welcomed this development. The United Kingdom Government believe that the time is ripe for the Community to develop new policies which recognise that coal—particularly coal produced in the Community at competitive prices—has a major role to play in meeting Community energy needs and reducing dependence on imported oil and gas.The Council endorsed the findings of a study on how well member States can cope with interruptions in gas supplies. The conclusions of the study are reassuring—even a loss of 25 per cent. in gas supplies over six consecutive months should not cause real difficulty for consumers. Work will continue to explore further possibilities for collaboration between member States. Studies will be made of the adequacy of the Community's gas transport system and into the prospects for exploiting deep gas in the Community.A few more details were sorted out on the new draft regulations for the energy demonstration projects scheme—the old regulations expire next year and in 1984. I supported the extension of this scheme, but I stressed the need for the Council to retain firm management control, and for appropriate financial mechanisms.The Council discussed a Commission proposal for interest rate subsidies for loans for certain classes of investment—district heating, conversion to coal, coal handling equipment, and generation of energy from waste. I am sympathetic to the Commission's aims here, but doubt whether the particular proposals are the best means at this time. Interest rates are declining and the cost of borrowing is unlikely to hold back this sort of investment.The Council was to have considered a draft directive, under which the basis for calculating the level of obligatory oil stocks would have changed. Instead of calculating the level at 90 days of the average daily rate of consumption for the last year, the draft directive would have changed the formula to 90 days of the average daily rate over the last three years. However, the Commission withdrew the draft directive. In its place, the Council

Three-Year-olds			Four-Year-Olds
	1979	1980	1981	1979	1980	1981
Full-time number	1,269	1,217	1,116	2,381	2,398	2,256
Part-time number	10,161	10,254	10,487	17,720	18,362	19,054
Part-time FTE*	4,995	5,032	5,146	8,740	9,036	9,413
Total population	63,147	60,343	61,009	65,718	62,572	58,813

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many (a) 3-year-olds and (b) 4-year-olds in Scotland were in local authority day nurseries with teacher supervision expressed as (i) full-time equivalents and (ii) full and unweighted part-timers in each of the last three years for which figures are available.

in the years ending 31 March 1980 and 1981 the numbers of children in the age group three to five attending local authority day nurseries in which teachers are employed were as follows:

1980 - 429

1981 - 287

Information is not available about 3 and 4-year-olds separately or about full-time and part-time attendance. The returns for 1979 did not deal with the employment of teachers.