asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the starting tax rates, the tax thresholds, and the highest tax rates for Switzerland and Jersey.

The information requested is given in the following table:

	Starting tax rate	Tax threshold/exemption limit	Highest tax rate
	per cent.	£	per cent.
Switzerland
Federal	0·88	4,205	See note 5
Zurich*	5·36	2,260	34·84
Berne*	7·52	1,725	31·72
Geneva*	1·23	1,710	37·05
Jersey	See notes 7 and 8	4,700	20
* Combined canton and city.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of altering tax rates to start at 15 per cent. on the first £1,000 taxable income, increasing by 5 per cent. on each subsequent £1,000 to a maximum of 50 per cent.

The cost in a full year at 1982–83 income levels would be approximately £1,500 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

Suppliers for the Chancellor's departments are selected on merit, not company size. However, departments will apply the new procedures designed to help small firms' access to Government contracts which were announced on 26 November by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry. It is not practicable to keep records of the size of firms to which contracts are awarded and it is not possible to estimate the proportion of contracts likely to be won by small firms in 1982–83. But I hope that the new measures will increase the proportion of Government business which small firms win.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the charging of value added tax on women's safety hoots and other safety apparel; if he will take steps to remove these charges and bring the women's position in terms of safety clothes and footwear into line with that of men; and if he will make a statement.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1982, c. 63.]: The relief from VAT for safety clothing and footwear applies to protective boots and helmets for industrial use and to protective helmets for wear by a person driving or riding a motor bicycle, which are manufactured to standards approved by the British Standards Institution and are marked accordingly. The relief does not discriminate between safety wear for men and that for women. I am not aware that any representations have been made recently about VAT and women's safety wear.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the answer of the Chief Secretary to the Treasury to the hon. Member for Newham, North-East (Mr. Leighton), on 9 December, Official Report, c. 970, that British competitiveness had fallen by 18 per cent. from May 1979 to date, if he will describe the method used to calculate this figure, its source and basis; and whether all figures used in the calculation already appear in published form.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1982, c. 64]: The calculation is based upon the change in the relative actual unit labour cost index between 1979 Q2 and 1982 Q2 and takes account of subsequent changes in the effective exchange rate. No allowance is made after 1982 Q2 for the fact that United Kingdom unit labour costs appear to be increasing more slowly than the average of our competitors. The competitiveness indices are published in the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics". The effective exchange rate is calculated and announced three times a day by the Bank of England and reported in the press, and monthly averages are subsequently reported in Economic Trends.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the percentage increase in relative normalised unit labour costs between (a) May 1979, (b) the first quarter of 1979 and (c) the second quarter of 1979 and in each case the latest quarter for which published figures are available; if he will give the index numbers for each date; and if he will give the published source of these figures.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1982, c. 64]: This information is first published by the IMF in "International Financial Statistics", for example on page 49 of the November 1982 edition. Table F3 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" provides a longer series of data for previous years and quarters.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in relative normalised unit labour costs between (a) the first quarter of 1974 and (b) the fourth quarter of 1974 and in both cases (i) the first quarter of 1979 and (ii) May 1979.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1982, c. 64]: The relative normalised unit labour costs index is published every month in table F3 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics". Quarterly figures for 1974 are available in the Economic Trends Annual Supplement 1982, pages 122–230.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the percentage increase in relative normalised unit labour costs between May 1979, or the second quarter of 1979, and the first quarter of 1981.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1982, c. 64]: This information is readily available from table F3 of the "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics".

Local Education Authority	School	Maximum numbers of assisted places available
		1981–82	1982–83
Barking and Dagenham	—
Barnet	Hasmonean High School—Girls	—	20
	Mill Hill School	19	35
Bexley	—
Brent	—
Bromley	Bromley High School	30	59
	Eltham College	35	67
Croydon	Croydon High School	40	77
	Old Palace School	40	77
	Trinity School of John Whitgift	20	45
	Whitgift School	20	38
Ealing	Notting Hill and Ealing High School	25	49
	St. Benedict's School	15	29
Enfield	—
Haringey	Highgate	13	23
Harrow	John Lyon School	20	39
	North London Collegiate School	17	32

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the advantages and disadvantages of using (a) actual and (b) normalised relative unit labour costs as a measure of United Kingdom competitiveness; and which of these measures is most widely used internationally.

[pursuant to his reply, 14 December 1982, c. 64]: The main advantage of actual relative unit labour costs as a measure of competitiveness is that its calculation is straightforward and involves no judgment about cyclical adjustments. A potential disadvantage is that short-run movements in unit labour costs can be significantly affected by purely cyclical swings in productivity; a measure of relative unit labour costs based on actual productivity will to some extent reflect the different timing of the cycle in different countries. The alternative normalised measure uses estimates of trend productivity in each country to derive normalised—trend—unit labour costs, to provide a measure of underlying competitiveness. Whether this provides a better measure of past changes in competitiveness depends on whether the behaviour of traders reflects underlying cost changes only, or cyclical cost changes as well. In assessing current competitiveness, the choice of measure will also depend on whether recent productivity behaviour has been in line with the past trends on which "normalisation" is based. Where it has not—as is the case at present for the United Kingdom—relative normalised unit labour costs may well prove to be an inaccurate indicator of underlying competitiveness. In such circumstances the measure based on actual productivity probably provides a more reliable guide. Similar arguments will apply to other countries for which actual and normalised cost competitiveness measures are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish in the Official Report the names of schools within each local education authority covered by the area of Greater London which are participating in the assisted places scheme; and if he will specify the number of assisted places available for each school for the years 1981–82 and 1982–83.

The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

The Department is not a big buyer, but when so doing follows the Government's public purchasing policy that suppliers are selected on merit, irrespective of company size. The Department will, however, take into account the new procedures designed to assist small firms seeking Government contracts recently announced by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry. Information is not available on the proportion of contracts issued by the Department to small businesses.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be able to approve the proposals of the Wolverhampton education authority for tertiary education which were submitted to him last June.

Statutory proposals for tertiary education in the Bilston area of Wolverhampton were published on 28 July. My right hon. Friend expects to reach a decision in the new year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the science budget for 1933–84 will be distributed between the research bodies; and if he will make a statement.

Having considered the recommendations of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils, I have decided that the science budget for 1983–84 should, subject to approval by Parliament of the Estimates in due course, be allocated as follows:

1983–84	£ million (cash prices)
Agricultural Research Council	46·0
Medical Research Council	113·7
Natural Environment Research Council	62·5
Science and Engineering Research Council	254·5
Social Science Research Council	22·4
British Museum (Natural History)	*12·7
Royal Society	5·0
	*516·8
* Including expenditure of £3·3 million by PSA on behalf of the museum.

The advice I received from the ABRC this year was published, with my agreement, and the following is the text of a letter I have sent to Sir Alec Merrison, chairman of the ABRC, in response.Dear Sir Alec,

asked the hon. Member for Wokingham, as representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement on the circumstances in which the Church Commissioners sold several of their London properties to a company known as Hillingdon Investments, registered in the Isle of Man.

The Church Commissioners representatives have recently held discussions with Hillingdon Investments concerning the possible sale of a number of commercial properties. The commissioners have now been informed that Hillingdon does not wish to proceed with the transaction and no further negotiations are proposed.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

The work of the Management and Personnel Office is such that most of the Department's purchasing requirements are for office technology and other office equipment. In both these areas the equipment is purchased on the advice of and through Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to ensure that interest at the official rate applicable at the material time will henceforth be paid on all sums of money agreed, or adjudicated, to be due in respect of land compulsorily purchased in Wales, with effect from the date of such agreement or adjudication.

Interest is paid from the time of entry to the land until compensation is paid as laid down by statute. There is no provision for compensation to be paid from the time of agreement or award.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to expedite the payment to owners of land in Wales compulsorily purchased of all amounts agreed or adjudicated to be due to them.

Final payment to a landowner or tenant can be made only when compensation terms have been agreed and the legal transfer of the land completed. When that is done payment is made as quickly as possible.When entry to the land by the Secretary of State is taken before completion the vendor is entitled, on request, to an advance payment of 90 per cent. of the agreed or estimated compensation. Vendors are advised of this facility when notice treat is served. An advance payment may, at the Secretary of State's discretion, be made before entry to alleviate hardship.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what are the implications of the Clayton deed poll case for the future use of old Church school buildings in Wales.

The implication of the decision in Re Clayton's deed poll is that in circumstances similar to those in the Clayton case, trustees of Church buildings which cease to be used as schools cannot, generally, dispose of them. There are, however, conflicting decisions of the High Court on this matter and I understand that an appeal against the decision is being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce legislation to ensure that wherever private property in Wales is taken over by local or central government, under compulsory purchase, interest will be paid on the sum of compensation from the day on which the property is transferred from the original owner until the final cash settlement is made.

No. Existing legislation already provides for interest to run from the time of entry until compensation is paid.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the age, offence, location and time spent on remand in custody of the 14 to 16-yearold girl first received as untried and not subsequently received as convicted unsentenced in 1981;(2) what is the age, offence, location and time spent in custody of the 14 to 16-year-old girl received as untried in 1981 and given a non-custodial sentence.

The 16-year-old girl concerned was accused of theft and remanded to Holloway prison. She spent 15 days on remand in custody. Her case should have been referred back to the court by the prison but her age was overlooked in error.

asked the Home Department (1) what locations, and times spent in 16-year-old girls received as 1981 but given non-custodial sentences;

We shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what proportion of cases in the last year for which figures are available in Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds and Newcastle the result was a finding of not guilty or a prison sentence shorter than the time spent on remand.

The proportion requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been given a community service order since its inception; and how many have had their orders revoked.

The number of persons given a community service order in each year is published annually in "Probation and aftercare statistics, England and Wales"—(table 28 of the issue for 1980, and table 6·2 of the issue for 1981, to be published on 16 December—and a provisional figure for 1981 was published in Home Office Statistical Bulletin, issue 10/82. From the inception of the scheme at the beginning of 1973 to the end of 1981 these numbers totalled about 105,000. Corresponding information on terminations of the community service orders of these persons is not available. Information on the termination of orders relates to orders terminated in years since 1975–76 and is published annually in the same publication—table 34 of the issue for 1980 and table 6·9 of the issue for 1981. In recent years about a quarter of the orders terminated were revoked for failure to comply with requirements, conviction of another offence or other changes in circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date community service orders will be available for 16-year-olds.

The Government's intention is to bring into force the provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1982, which empower the courts to order community service for 16-year-olds, along with the majority of the other provisions of the Act, in particular the new sentencing structure for young offenders, in the second quarter of 1983. As provided for in the Act, the power to impose community service orders on 16-year-olds will be made available to the courts area by area as arrangements for work to be performed under such orders are set up, according to the availability of resources and facilities in each probation area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the age, sex, offence, location and cause of death of each of the 44 prisoners who died in custody in 1981.

	Age	Sex	Offence	Location	Cause of Death
1.	58	M	Theft	Manchester*	Natural causes: Broncho-pneumonia
2.	57	M	Incest	Durham*	Natural causes: Congestive heart failure
3.	49	M	Cultivating cannabis	Highpoint	Natural causes: Subarachnoid haemorrhage
4.	71	M	Murder	Kingston	Natural causes: Ruptured aortic aneurysm, atherosclerosis, ischaemic heart disease
5.	52	M	Theft	Ford	Natural causes: Myocardial infarction, coronary artery thrombosis, coronary artery atherosclerosis
6.	52	M	Murder	Parkhurst*	Natural causes: Coronary occlusion, coronary atherosclerosis, myocardial fibrosis
7.	56	F	Importation of drugs	Holloway	Natural causes: Coronary occlusion, coronary atheroma
8.	42	M	Arson, Burglary	Brixton	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
9.	35	M	Theft, Aggravated Burglary	Lincoln*	Natural causes: Myocardial infarction, coronary atherosclerosis
10.	37	M	Indecent assault	Wakefield	Natural causes: Idiopathic cardiomyopathy
11.	36	M	Obtaining by deception, Unlawful possession of drugs, Breach of suspended sentence	Liverpool*	Natural causes: Broncho-pneumonia, hypertensive cardiac failure, Bechet's disease with multiple arthritis
12.	37	M	Robbery, malicious wounding	Manchester	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
13.	39	M	Burglary	Wandsworth	Natural causes: sub-arachnoid haemorrhage
14.	61	M	Theft	Winchester*	Natural causes: Myocardial infarction
15.	65	M	Breach of probation	Brixton	Natural causes: Suppurative broncho-pneumonia, Alzheimer's disease
16.	61	M	Indecent assault	Preston*	Natural causes: Coronary thrombosis, coronary atheroma
17.	22	M	Manslaughter	Long Lartin	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
18.	55	M	Murder	Long Lartin	Natural causes: Left ventricular failure, coronary arteriosclerosis
19.	53	M	Manslaughter, burglary	Gartree*	Natural causes: Pontine haemorrhage, left ventricular hypertrophy
20.	56	M	Murder	Wakefield	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
21.	18	M	Theft, trespass	Ashford	Natural causes: Acute myocarditis
22.	48	M	Indecent assault, incest	Liverpool*	Natural causes: Inoperable lung cancer
23.	62	M	Stealing	Birmingham*	Natural causes: Anterior myocardial infarction
24	62	M	Deception	Birmingham*	Natural causes: Carcinoma of the stomach
25.	46	M	Handling stolen goods	Rudgate*	Natural causes: Haemorrhage due to carcinoma of bronchus
26.	32	M	Robbery, grievous bodily harm	Parkhurst	Killed by fellow inmate: stabbing
27.	31	M	Burglary, possession of drugs	Cardiff*	Natural causes: Coronary atheroma
28.	33	M	Handling stolen goods	Ford*	Natural causes: Renal failure due to accelerated essential hypertension
29.	56	M	Drunk and disorderly, failure to surrender to bail	Liverpool	Natural causes: Cardiac arrest and brain tumour
30.	59	M	Smuggling drugs	Wormwood Scrubs*	Natural causes; Ruptured myocardial infarct
31.	32	M	Threat to kill wife	Winchester	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
32.	49	M	Attempted murder	Wakefield	Natural causes: Coronary artery occlusion
33.	41	M	Theft	Lewes	Natural causes: Ischaemic heart disease, coronary atheroma
34	58	M	Murder	Wakefield	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
35.	30	M	Wounding	Cardiff	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
36.	53	M	Murder	Birmingham	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
37.	18	M	Burglary	Medomsley*	Misadventure: Heart failure following diabetic coma
38.	58	M	Handling stolen goods	Brixton*	Natural causes: Pontine haemorrhage
39.	22	M	Theft	Lewes	Misadventure: asphyxia
40.	39	M	Indecent assault	Brixton	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
41.	18	M	Burglary	Aylesbury	Misadventure: set fire to mattress
42.	32	M	Theft	Lincoln	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
43.	63	M	Theft	Leyhill	Natural causes: Viral pneumonia, gastro enteritis
44.	24	M	Manslaughter, burglary	Long Lartin	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
45.	21	F	Actual bodily harm	Holloway*	Accidental death: Pulmonary embolism
46.	45	M	Theft	Kirkham	Natural causes: Myocardial infarction, coronary arteriosclerosis
47.	21	M	Taking without consent	Kirkham	Natural causes: Heart failure
48.	38	M	Grievous bodily harm	Bristol	Natural causes: Myocardial ischaemia, atheroma of the coronary arteries
49.	33	M	Murder	Winchester	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
50.	34	M	Wounding with intent, theft	Dartmoor	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
51.	22	M	Burglary, robbery	Wormwood Scrubs	Misadventure: asphyxia by hanging
52.	25	M	Actual bodily harm	Leicester*	Misadventure: Broncho-pneumonia, septicaemia, burns
53.	24	M	Grievous bodily harm, theft	Exeter	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
54.	25	M	Robbery	Leeds*	Natural causes: Subarachnoid haemorrhage
55.	57	M	Theft	Brixton	Suicide: asphyxia by hanging
56.	38	M	Manslaughter	Hull	Natural causes: Broncho-pneumonia, pulmonary abcess, pulmonary emphysema

There was a total of 58 prisoners who died in custody in 1981. The information requested is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been admitted to the United Kingdom under the present immigration rules by reason of an arranged marriage which has been later discovered by his Department to have been bogus.

I regret that the information requested is not available. The statistics do not distinguish persons admitted by reason of an arranged marriage from other persons admitted for marriage; nor is a central record kept of the outcome of inquiries, by the particular category of abuse concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the area over which the centre at Hack Green near Nantwich will have administrative control; whether this will include Greater Manchester, Cheshire and Merseyside; and who will be in charge when it is fully manned;(2) if he will detail the type of emergency which could entail the use of the Hack Green building;(3) if the building at Hack Green is being constructed to withstand certain effects of nuclear attack; and what arrangements would apply to members of the local community who wish to shelter there;(4) what staff would be required in the case of nuclear war to man the building at Hack Green; and if they will receive any special training;(5) what is the cost of the work being undertaken for the Home Office at Hack Green;(6) how many other buildings of similar purpose to that at Hack Green exist in the United Kingdom.

I shall write to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an investigation to establish to what extent work done by police officers on police rates of pay and conditions carrying out clerical, telephone and other civilian work could be done more cheaply and efficiently by civilian staff.

Chief officers of police continue to be encouraged to employ civilians to do administrative, and other work which does not require the powers and training of a police officer, thereby increasing the numbers of officers available for beat and other operational duties. On 31 October 1982 there were some 33,800 full-time civilians employed in the police service in England and Wales, an increase of about 7,500 over the past 10 years. I understand that the audit inspectorate of the Department of the Environment is undertaking an independent comparative study in a number of police authorities, on the use made of civilian staff and the cost implications of different practices. It is expected that a report on the subject will be published within the next few months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the proposal he is currently considering for research designed to assist courts in their approach to the problem of waiting in magistrates' courts, referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove on 25 October, Official Report, c . 278.

An application for a research grant, which has now been approved, was made by the University of Manchester. The aim of the project is to assess current waiting time and delays in the adjudication of cases by selected magistrates' courts in Greater Manchester and, by the use of computer simulation techniques, to analyse alternative case management policies. The research is expected to start in January 1983 and to last for 21 months.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what current definition of subversion the security services are working with; and how this differs from that previously given by Lord Denning and Lord Harris.

The Government accept the definition of subversion put forward by Lord Harris of Greenwich, then Minister of State at the Home Office, on 26 February 1975.—[Vol. 357, c. 947.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the police that there should be a power by the police to detain a suspect for longer than 24 hours without charge.

There has long been provision in the law, as now expressed in section 43 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, for suspects to be detained in this way. Consultations following the publication of the report of the Royal Commission on criminal procedure disclosed support by all the police representative bodies for the commission's view that such detention should contine to be lawful in the interests of the effective investigation of the most serious offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any foreign secret service men guarding dignitaries from other countries visiting the United Kingdom are armed; and if so, whether permission allowing them to carry arms is granted automatically.

Personal protection for visiting dignitaries is a matter for the Metropolitan Police special branch. It is for it to decide the form the protection should take. It is not normal practice to allow foreign security officers to carry arms for protection purposes. It would not be in the public interest to disclose further details of security arrangements for visits of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for, and place in the Library, a copy of the report by the West Yorkshire police into the death of Helen Smith.

No. It is a principle of long standing that reports of police investigations are confidential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

The Government's measures to encourage tendering by small firms have been brought to the notice of all Home Office spending branches. However, the Department does not keep records of the size of firms to which contracts are awarded and the proportion of contracts awarded to small firms in 1982–83 cannot be estimated with any precision. It is expected to be substantial.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many people have been prosecuted over the past year as a result of incidents which took place during protests against the treatment of animals.

So far as I am able to ascertain, during the past year proceedings have been taken against 37 persons in cases which might be described as being of this type.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland what percentage of breach of peace charges in Scottish sheriff courts resulted in convictions in 1981 and in 1982 to date.

The figures for 1982 are not yet available. the 1981 figures show that 91·5 per cent. of those persons proceeded against for breach of the peace had the charge against them proved. Of those proceeded against in the sheriff court, 87·8 per cent. had the charge against them proved.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland if he will discuss the provision of court facilities and administration of justice in Kilmarnock with the procurator fiscal there.

I have no immediate plans to discuss these matters with the procurator fiscal at Kilmarnock.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions have taken place in the last 10 years under the terms of the Conspiracy and Protection of Property Act 1875.

The information which the hon. Member seeks is not readily available. I am aware, however, of one prosecution in 1981 for a contravention of section 7 of the Act where the conviction was upheld on appeal.

asked the Solicitor-General for Scotland how many prosecutions for poaching took place in 1981; if he is giving advice on prosecution policy on such offences to procurators fiscal; and if he will make a statement.

In 1981 proceedings were raised against a total of 658 persons for contraventions of salmon and freshwater fisheries legislation, the game laws and the Deer (Scotland) Act 1959. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate and his predecessors in office have had instructions issued to procurators fiscal from time to time as necessary regarding poaching offences. As I indicated to my hon. Friend the Member for Perth and East Perthshire (Mr. Walker) on 17 November 1982—[Vol. 32, c. 276]—poaching has become a commercial business. Procurators fiscal are aware of this and sentences recently imposed by the Scottish courts show that they, too, take the matter seriously.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for each product subject to the common agricultural policy, what quantities have been sold at subsidised prices within the European Economic Community in the latest year for which the figures are available; what was the cost in £ sterling of such subsidies; and what were the comparable figures in each of the three previous years.

Information on subsidised sales of butter and skimmed milk and of milk under the school milk scheme and on consumption aid for olive oil is as follows. Beef is released from intervention stocks at discounted prices for use by social institutions and by processors but information is not readily available on the quantities or costs involved.

Subsidised sales of butter and skimmed milk (expressed as skimmed milk powder equivalent).
	Butter (thousand tonnes)	Skimmed milk (thousand tonnes)	Total cost (£ million)
1978	725·5	2,101·1	715·4
1979	681·7	2,195	816·4
1980	543	1,667·7	762·4
1981	532·8	1,661	667·7

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, for each product subject to the common agricultural policy, what quantities were destroyed or made unfit for human consumption in the latest year for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the three previous years.

The quantities of fruit and vegetables which became unfit for human consumption and of fruit and wine used for distillation with Community aid are as follows. In addition, certain quantities of skimmed milk intended for feeding to animals are rendered unfit for human consumption but no figures are readily available.

Fruit and vegetables withdrawn from the market and which became unfit for human consumption (tonnes)
	1980–81	1979–80	1978–79	1977–78
Cauliflowers	7,090	34,777	31,226	24,208
Tomatoes	67,740	154,921	9,142	9,777
Peaches	17,276	41,948	5,816	34,339
Pears	12,057	6,593	19	175
Apples	114,019	39,304	26,263	1
Mandarin Oranges	47,399	60,554	41,245	21,475
Oranges	17,620	1,717	66,117	3,652
Lemons	21,620	0	22,236	0

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to which countries European Economic Community butter and butter oil were exported in the latest year for which figures are available; what were the quantities and the subsidy per pound in each case; and if it was a requirement of such sales that there should be no resale to third countries.

I am sending to the hon. Member tables showing the information requested on the quantities and destinations of Community exports of butter and butter oil and will place a copy of the information in the Library of the House.During 1981 the export refund on butter ranged from 27p to 35p per lb, and that on butter oil from 37p to 50p per lb.The European Commission does not attempt to control trade in butter and butter oil once the product reaches the specified third country. However, export refunds are paid to traders only after they have supplied evidence, usually in the form of a Customs certificate, showing that the exported butter has entered into free circulation in the country specified on the export declaration.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the Government's policy on the proposal by the European Commission to introduce a directive on quick frozen foods.

The Government regard the present proposals as unnecessary and explained the reasons for their view to our Community partners when the proposals were discussed further on 10 December.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the United Kingdom benefit from the European Community's less-favoured areas directive to the latest convenient date.

Up to the end of 1981 the United Kingdom received £79·4 million from the European Community in part reimbursement for payments made to farmers under the less-favoured areas directive 75/268.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to secure a greater level of Community investment in promoting forestry projects particularly in disadvantaged regions.

None in relation to purely forestry projects.The European Community has no common forestry policy. Forestry is not specifically mentioned in the Treaty of Rome, nor are wood and other forest products mentioned in the list of products in annex II to the Treaty to which the common agricultural policy applies. Scope for action on forestry is therefore limited to those aspects which fall within existing European Community policies, for example, agriculture, barriers to trade, regional policy, and a number of instruments have been adopted on this basis.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when forestry was last discussed in the Council of Ministers.

Forestry was last discussed at the Agriculture Council in Luxembourg on 14 June 1982 in the limited context of the draft Council regulation on the acceleration of agricultural development in certain regions of Greece. Wider discussion of forestry last took place at meetings of the Agriculture Council in 1976 in the context of the European Community Commission's proposal for a Council directive on forestry measures. That proposal has not been adopted by the Council.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will require the manufacturers of margarine to disclose the exact composition of margarine from 1 January 1983.

The Food Regulations 1980, which come into effect on 1 January 1983, will require margarine to be labelled with a list of ingredients in accordance with the terms of the Community food labelling directive 79/112.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

In accordance with the Government's public purchasing policy, my Department's suppliers are selected on merit, irrespective of company size. The Department reviews its list of suppliers at regular intervals and, in the case of annual contracts, immediately prior to going out to tender. It takes account of representations made by both large and small firms throughout the year; when appropriate it seeks out new firms to supply goods; and it operates a general policy of rotating invitations to tender subject to value for money considerations. The Department does not keep records of the size of firms to which contracts are awarded.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Agriculture Ministers meeting in Brussels on 13 and 14 December; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement that I made in the House earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

The few purchases made direct by the Department of Energy are of low value. There are no hindrances to small firms receiving orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Meriden, Official Report, 2 December, c. 241, what is the trend in the percentage of United Kingdom-sourced component material used by BL.

I understand that the percentage of BL's total purchases made in the United Kingdom was about 95 per cent. in 1980 and 90 per cent. in 1981.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has determined future levels of BL's United Kingdom-sourced component supply with the chairman of BL; and if he will make a statement.

Individual decisions on component purchasing are matters for BL's commercial judgment. However, in view of the implications for the United Kingdom components industry, the company does keep me and my ministerial colleagues fully informed of its overall policy on purchases of components. I know that the company is as concerned as we are to see a healthy United Kingdom components industry; at the same time, it cannot lose sight of the need to keep down costs, and nor can the industry itself.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

In accordance with the Government's public purchasing policy my Department's suppliers are selected on merit, irrespective of company size. We shall, however, be applying the new measures to simplify tendering and approval procedures for small firms which I announced on 26 November, the implementation of which is now being pursued. A large proportion of my Department's contracts have an individual value of under £20,000 and could therefore be suitable for smaller firms. However the Department does not keep records of the size of firms to which contracts are awarded. For this reason it is not possible to estimate the proportion of contracts likely to be awarded to small firms in 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish figures for (a) employment in the steel industry in Scotland, (b) steelmaking capacity in Scotland, (c) steel production in Scotland and (d) the estimated total demand for steel in Scotland for each of the years 1967, 1970, 1975, 1980 and 1981.

[pursuant to his reply, 13 December 1982, Vol. 34, c. 10]: Such information as is readily available on employment, capacity and production is given in the following table. Figures of demand are not available.

Steel Industry in Scotland
	Employment*	Capacity†	Production‡
	(mid-year, '000)	(million tonnes)	(million tonnes)
1967	29·2	≑	2·6
1970	27·9	≑	3·3
1975	27·4	2·9	2·0
1980	18·0¶	3·2	1·3
1981	15·4¶	3·2	2·0
* These figures are derived from the Scottish manufacturing establishment record. They relate to units with 11 or more employees classified, as is known, to Minimum List Headings 311 and 312—"Iron and Steel, and steel tubes".
† Source: European Coal and Steel Community.
† Source: Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau.
≑ Not readily available.
¶ Estimated.

asked the Prime Minister what negotiations have been started and what agreement has been reached regarding the transfer of the United States command headquarters from Stuttgart to the United Kingdom.

We have agreed that in war time an alternative headquarters for parts of US European

	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982 to 30 September
Financial Aid
Food Aid	1,187,000	1,021,000	1,091,000	22,000	—
Disaster Relief	42,000	193,000	23,000	—	—
Development Loans	586,000	516,000	76,000	1,000	11,000
Grants	478,000	354,000	50,000	1,000	7,000
Total	2,293,000	2,084,000	1,240,000	*24,000	18,000
Technical Co-operation
Students and Trainees (Less WUS)	120,000	199,000	201,000	64,000	—
Wholly Financed Experts	146,000	85,000	68,000	62,000	3,000
R & D	23,000	12,000	14,000	—	—
Consultancies	149,000	285,000	34,000	—	—
Equipment and Supplies	30,000	2,000	12,000	16,000	—
Surveys	—	8,000	—	—	—
Other	5,000	3,000	—	—	—
WUS	75,000	199,000	377,000	397,000	63,000
Total	548,000	793,000	706,000	539,000	*66,000
Grand Total	2,841,000	2,877,000	1,946,000	*563,000	*84,000
* Revised.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why the English language export being recruited to aid educational command may be located at Wycombe air station. This will be purely a national headquarters which is not the same as a NATO headquarters. USEUCOM is responsible for directing the reinforcement and logistic support of United States forces in Europe. Forward defence remains an essential element of NATO's political and military strategy.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement outlining the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the granting of official development assistance to the Government of Ethiopia.

There are at present no plans to increase official development assistance to the Government of Ethiopia, but we shall continue to be ready to provide humanitarian assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a breakdown into the categories of food aid, disaster relief, development loans and grants, and other, of financial aid given by Her Majesty's Government to the Ethiopian Government in the years 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981 and 1982 to 30 September, and a breakdown of technical co-operation funds provided to the same Government over the same period into amounts under the refugee student scheme and other.

Following are the figures:development in Namibia, noted in his reply of 17 November,

The English language expert is being recruited for the United Nations Institute for Namibia which is located in Lusaka. The Institute was set up in 1976 under the aegis of the United Nations Council for Namibia: its purpose is to enable Namibians, many of whom are political exiles, to develop and acquire the necessary skills for manning the public service of an independent Namibia.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why, pursuant to his reply of 25 November, Official Report, c. 544, Namibia's opportunities for training work in the areas of child care, nursing, pharmacy and other subjects are judged to be limited within pre-independence Namibia.

Most aid schemes are administered in co-operation with recipient Governments. Her Majesty's Government do not recognise the South African occupation of Namibia as lawful and have no dealings with the current administration that was set up following the 1978 internal elections. This seriously limits the opportunities for training in Namibia in all fields, not only those mentioned by the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place a copy of his speech to the Royal Commonwealth Society on 7 December in the Library.

Copies have been so placed.

asked the Minister for Trade when Her Majesty's Government will bring part II of the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982 into force.

I have made an order under section 20(3) of the Act bringing part II into force on 4 July 1983. Those who provide services under contracts made in England, Wales and Northern Ireland on or after that date will, unless it is otherwise agreed between the parties, be subject to a statutory obligation to do so with reasonable care and skill, to provide the services within a reasonable time and not to make more than a reasonable charge.I have also made an order under section 12(4) excluding from the provisions of section 13, which implies that services will rendered with reasonable care and skill, the services rendered by company directors to their companies and the services of those acting as advocates in court, before tribunals or before arbitrators. The courts have held that solicitors enjoy the same immunity from suit as barristers in respect of their conduct of proceedings in court and certain pre-trial work. It seems possible that the courts would hold that the same immunity extended to other advocates and to proceedings before tribunals and arbitrators. Similarly the duty owed to a company by a director who has no contract of service is not the same as that which would be applied by section 13. The exclusion order will ensure that no change is made in the present law applicable to company directors or those acting as advocates in court, before tribunals or before arbitrators.I hope that trade associations and similar bodies representing the service industries will examine part II of the Act and will get in touch with my Department at once if they think that it will impose new burdens on them. I shall be prepared to consider a further exclusion order if I am satisfied that part II will impose additional responsibilities on those providing particular types of service.

asked the Minister for Trade in what way he intends to conform with International Labour Organisation recommendation 138 to ensure adequate welfare facilities for seafarers.

ILO recommendations are meant to provide guidance for the development of national policy and practice and the Government will continue to be guided by most of the provisions of recommendation No. 138 concerning seafarers' welfare. I consider that adequate welfare facilities for seafarers in United Kingdom ports are being provided by the Merchant Navy Welfare Board and the voluntary societies, whose activities are co-ordinated by the board acting both centrally and through local port welfare committees.

asked the Minister for Trade what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on compulsory third party insurance for all aircraft.

Although there is no statutory requirement for third party insurance for aircraft this has not given rise to serious problems. The aircraft of United Kingdom airlines are required to carry such insurance as a condition of their air transport licences and I am informed that most other aircraft are insured voluntarily against third party risks. I am prepared to consider whether new legislation should be introduced but the issues are complicated and I should wish interested parties to be consulted before any legislation was drawn up. No early provision is therefore contemplated.

asked the Minister for Trade, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Carlton on 7 December, Official Report, c. 473–82, if he will list the full-time occupation and relevant experience of each of the persons holding part-time appointment to non-departmental public bodies associated with his Department.

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

asked the Minister for Trade, in view of the Director General of Fair Trading's recommendation that the Consumer Credit Advertisements and Quotations Regulations should be amended so that their provisions apply equally to all financial institutions and other bodies engaged in house mortgage lending and, in particular, that article 8(2) of the regulations should be revoked and that bodies at present exempt should adjust their procedures accordingly, whether he will take steps to implement this recommendation; and whether he will make a statement.

I am still considering the report and hope to consult interested bodies early in the new year.

asked the Minister for Trade what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

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

asked the Minister for Trade if he will make a statement on the proposals he has under consideration regarding the Eady levy on cinema admissions.

[pursuant to the reply 14 December 1982]: I have yet to complete consultations with those concerned, and it is too soon yet to draw even tentative conclusions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for the average weekly earnings of (a) women, (b) men, (c) lone mothers, (d) lone fathers, (e) head of two-parent families, (f) married women with dependent children and (g) married women without dependent children.

Following is the latest information on average weekly earnings from the new earnings survey and the family expenditure survey.

Average gross weekly earnings (£) of full-time employees whose pay was not affected by absence
	April 1982
Women aged 18 and over	99·0
Men aged 21 and over	154·5

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

The procurement policy of my Department, in line with the Government's public purchasing policy generally, is to select suppliers on merit, irrespective of company size. Small firms are, of course, free to compete and we will be applying the new simplified tendering and approval procedures announced on 26 November by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Industry. Our records of contracts awarded do not include details of size of company; it is not, therefore, possible to estimate the proportion of such contracts likely to be won by small firms in 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the statutory minimum rates of pay for adult men and women within the scope of each of the wages councils.

The minimum rates for adults are set out in the wages orders made by the wages councils. Copies of the orders are available in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people between the ages of 16 and 19 years are registered as unemployed in Northern Ireland.

Following the introduction of voluntary registration in October 1982, unemployment statistics are now based on claims for benefit at unemployment benefit offices, and not on registrations at employment service offices.At 11 November 1982 there were 21,831 unemployed claimants between the ages of 16 and 19 years in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people between the ages of 16 and 19 years are registered as unemployed in Belfast; and what are the figures for each of East, West, North and South Belfast.

Following the introduction of voluntary registration in October 1982, unemployment statistics are now based on claims for benefit at unemployment benefit offices, and not on registrations at employment service offices.At 11 November 1982 there were 7,661 unemployed claimants in the 16–19 age group in the Belfast employment service area.Details of unemployment for East, West, North and South Belfast are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements there are in his Department to ensure that the Government's policy towards small firms is furthered through the procurement policy of his Department so that small businesses receive a proportion of all purchasing contracts issued by his Department; and what proportion he expects this will be in 1982–83.

In accordance with the Government's public purchasing policy, Northern Ireland Departments' suppliers are selected on merit, irrespective of company size. We expect, however, to apply in Northern Ireland the new procedures designed to assist small firms seeking Government contracts which have recently been agreed. Northern Ireland Departments do not keep records of the size of firms to which contracts are awarded; for this reason it is not possible to estimate the proportion of contracts likely to be awarded to small firms in 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Social services how many applications were made for mobility allowance on an annual basis since 1978 in (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) West Glamorgan; and how many were granted in each area.

The only available information relates to Great Britain as a whole, as follows:

Year	Applications*	Awards
1978	58,200	42,900
1979	61,900	41,700
1980	85,700	60,200
1981	60,800	41,400
* Excluding claims not pursued because of ineligibility on age grounds.