asked Her Majesty's Government:Whether they will secure a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the circumstances in which police officers were called to The Hollies children's home in Sidcup as a result of a dispute involving residential social workers employed by the London borough of Southwark.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that social workers employed by Southwark Borough Council at The Hollies children's home withdrew their services on the evening of 27th October and that disorder broke out at the Home when Council officials arrived to place children resident there in alternative accommodation. Police were called at 10.58 p.m. to help in searching the premises and escorting children to a place of safety.

asked Her Majesty's Government:On how many days during the month of October the special cells at Parkhurst were occupied by prisoners, and what was the temperature in the cells on each of those days.

No prisoner was confined in a special cell at Parkhurst during October.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What their view is on the proposal by the Commission for Racial Equality that compulsory ethnic records should be kept by all firms of employees and applicants for employment; and whether they are aware of the widespread anxiety caused by this proposal in industry and among people of all racial groups.

The Commission for Racial Equality has a statutory duty to keep under review the working of the Race Relations Act 1975. It has published in a consultation document a number of proposals for amending the Act, including one relating to the keeping of ethnic records of employees and job applicants. I understand that the process of consultation is continuing and that the commission has not yet decided what firm proposals it wishes to put to the Home Secretary. When such proposals are received, they will, of course, be carefully considered, but I cannot indicate now what the outcome of that consideration might be.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made towards elimination of excessive noise in industry since the debate on the partially deaf on 23rd March 1983.

The Health and Safety Commission and Executive are currently promoting publicity to raise awareness of industrial noise as a health hazard. Health and Safety Inspectors monitor compliance with legal duties and promote observance of the existing voluntary code of practice on the subject. The Health and Safety Commission's Industrial Advisory Committees are considering what further can be done to control noise and protect hearing in each of the industries for which they are responsible. Negotiations continue in Brussels about a proposed Council directive, and decisions on the form of future legislation in Britain on the protection of workers from industrial noise will depend on the outcome of those discussions. Further action is planned to take place over the next year, including action to encourage machine designers to make adequate provision for noise contol at the design stage.

asked Her Majesty's Government:What progress has been made with the EEC draft directive first published in 1975 on electrically operated lifts; and what view they take of the need for such a directive.

Discussion in the Council of Ministers of the proposed EC directive on electrically operated lifts was completed in September 1980. The proposal was then passed to the Committee of Permanent Representatives in Brussels for resolution of a number of reservations held by member states. It has remained at this stage, pending resolution of the issue of access of countries outside the EC, a general problem relating to EC directives and not one specific to this proposal. Although there is no safety benefit to the United Kingdom from this proposed directive, the United Kingdom lift industry favours the harmonisation of standards that the directive would bring; therefore its adoption would be welcomed by Her Majesty's Government.

asked Her Majesty's Government:When they will reply to the Report of the Select Committee on Science and Technology on Engineering Research and Development (Second Report, Session 1982–83); and whether they will take steps to publicise their response.

The reply has been sent to the Select Committee and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses. We are now considering, in consultation with the Select Committee what further publicity could be given to the response.