asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent the British shipbuilding industry has contracted during the past two years.

Between September, 1969, and September, 1971, employment in the shipbuilding and ship-repairing industry in Great Britain increased from 154,500 to 157,800.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the increase in the number of unemployed since 18th June, 1970.

Between June, 1970, and October, 1971, the numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain including the temporarily stopped and school leavers increased by 339,975. The rise in the seasonally adjusted figures for wholly unemployed was 271,600.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the ratio of registered unemployed persons to notified vacancies in Great Britain, Scotland and Glasgow, respectively, at the most recent date for which figures are available.

At 11th October, the numbers of notified vacancies remaining unfilled per hundred persons registered as wholly unemployed were 19·4 for Great Britain, 5·8 for Scotland and 5·4 for the Glasgow travel-to-work area. There is no obligation on employers to notify their vacancies to my Department and the figures do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by what date he expects all the provisions of the Industrial Relations Act to be fully operational.

By Easter, with two exceptions. These are the provisions which deal with disclosure of information and those which enable industrial tribunals to deal with claims for damages for breach of contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to publicise the aims and operation of the Industrial Relations Act, 1971.

My Department has already published three explanatory booklets and produced the first in a series of educational films, both with associated advertising. The film has broken all records for hirings and is evidently a best seller. Further announcements are being made as the provisions of the Act come into force.

Scott asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to shorten the waiting list of those wishing to take Government training centre courses.

My right hon. Friend has already taken effective steps to make greater use of the existing capacity of Government training centres. He is also expanding the number of places as rapidly as possible, concentrating on those areas and trades where facilities are insufficient.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many Government training centres now offer training courses at semi-skilled levels; and whether he intends to increase such facilities.

Six at present. Courses have already been authorised at a further nine centres and others are planned.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he is taking to protect the position of small firms under the Industrial Training Board scheme.

Following the statement of my right hon. Friend last February, training boards have been exempting more small firms from the training levy. The view of the Bolton Committee on Small Firms is being taken into account in the review of the work of the training boards and a consultative document will be published before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he will be in a position to make a statement on the future of the Industrial Training Board system.

I hope to publish a consultative document on industrial training before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how the percentage level of wage settlements has altered for each month during the last year.

It is quite clear that the general level of settlements has fallen gradually this year from the peak reached at the end of last year, and since the beginning of this year the wage rate and earning indices have risen by less than 7 per cent. compared with 8 per cent. and 9·4 per cent. in the same periods last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is now the average overtime in hours worked per employee per week in each of the main manufacturing and service industries and in total, and in each case how much of the total take-home pay is due to overtime; and how this position compares with that of a year ago.

The reply is long and statistical. The latest available information is as follows:

Information on overtime worked by operatives in manufacturing industries is obtained each month and published in the Department's Gazette. An industrial analysis comparing September, 1970, and September, 1971, is given below. In these industries, the average overtime worked was 2·4 hours per operative in the week ended 18th September, 1971, compared with 2·9 hours in the corresponding week in 1970.

Information about overtime pay and hours in April is obtained from the annual New Earnings Surveys. Among full-time manual men whose pay was not affected by absence in the survey pay-period in April, 1970, overtime pay then accounted on average for 16·4 per cent. of total earnings, before tax and national insurance deductions, but only 2·4 per cent. for full-time women and non-manual men. Tables 44 to 47 of the published report, New Earnings Survey 1970 give detailed industrial analyses. Corresponding April, 1971, figures will be available shortly.

OVERTIME HOURS WORKED BY OPERATIVES (OTHER THAN MAINTENANCE WORKERS) IN MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES
	*Average hours per operative per week
Industry	Week ended 19th September, 1970	Week ended 18th September 1971
Food, drink and tobacco	3·2	3·2
Coal and petroleum products	1·6	1·6
Chemicals and allied industries	2·6	2·2
Metal manufacture	2·7	2·2
Mechanical engineering	4·5	3·3
Instrument engineering	2·8	2·3
Electrical engineering	2·4	1·9
Marine engineering	3·3	2·6
Vehicle	2·5	1·9
Metal goods not elsewhere Specified	3·2	2·6
Textiles	1·7	1·7
Leather, leather goods, and fur	2·3	2·3
Clothing and footwear	0·5	0·5
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc.	3·5	3·3
Timber, furniture, etc	3·7	3·2
Paper, printing and publishing	3·3	2·9
Other manufacturing industries	2·9	2·7
All manufacturing industries excluding shipbuilding and ship-repairing	2·9	2·4
The estimates relate to establishments with 11 or more employees.
*Average overtime hours worked by all operatives (i.e. total overtime hours divided by total operatives whether or not they worked overtime).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to take action to reduce the number of unemployed in the Wolver hampton area.

The Government have already taken a large number of measures which are designed to expand the national economy. When they have taken effect, unemployment in Wolverhampton, as in other areas, should come down. Where my Department is concerned, staff in employment exchanges are continually making every effort to help unemployed people to find jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of those wholly unemployed and temporarily stopped in the Coventry and Nuneaton areas for the latest convenient date; and how these compare with each of the years 1964 to 1970.

The rate of unemployment for those who were wholly unemployed in October, 1971, in the Coventry travel-to-work area, which includes Nuneaton, was 4·4 per cent. The rate of unemployment for all those registered, including an abnormally large number of temporarily stopped workers, was 11·3 per cent.Following is the similar information from 1964 to 1970:

PERCENTAGE RATES OF UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE COVENTRY TRAVEL-TO-WORK AREA BASED (a) ON THE TOTAL NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED AND (b) ON THE NUMBERS REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED
	Total registered unemployed	Registered wholly unemployed
October, 1964	1·1	0·9
October, 1965	1·9	1·0
October, 1966	4·9	1·4
October, 1967	4·2	3·0
October, 1968	3·3	2·8
October, 1969	4·5	2·1
October. 1970	3·1	2·5

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the honourable Member for West Ham, North, may expect a reply to his communication regarding the obtaining of employment for Mr. W. P. Stone of Caernarvon Road, E.15; and whether he will give assistance to this man in finding some form of employment.

A reply to the hon. Member's telephone enquiry about Mr. Stone has been sent. Mr. Stone is not at present registered at his local employment exchange, as he is not yet available for work. As soon as he becomes avail-able every effort will be made to help him.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will amend the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act, 1969, General Regulations to include a requirement that the certificate of insurance required to be displayed shall give warning of any limitations on the processes insured which may affect a possible claim by an injured employee.

No. It would not be practicable to make a requirement along the lines suggested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if lie will make a statement on the future of Thorne Local Employment Committee.

It is proposed that the Thorne Local Employment Committee should be merged with the Don-caster Local Employment Committee to form a combined one when the terms of office of both committees expire next month. The two towns have a substantial community of interest and they are in the same travel-to-work area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current deficit in the Redundancy Payments Fund; what is the estimated deficit for the end of the year; and if he is considering either an increase in contributions or a reduction of benefits.

The deficit in the Redundancy Fund at the end of last week was about £2·4 million and may be somewhat higher at the end of the year. My right hon. Friend is keeping the position under review and will consider, if it becomes necessary to do so, what remedial measures would be appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for reducing youth unemployment in Fife.

477 young persons were registered as unemployed in Fife in October. The Government's economic measures, the incentives to industry in development areas, the provision of an additional careers officer and of extra training opportunities should help to reduce unemployment among young people in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures for the employment areas covered by the Faversham constituency, in numbers and percentages.

At 11th October, 1,554 people were registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Sitting-bourne, Faversham and Sheerness Employment Exchanges and the rate of unemployment was 4·9 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will continue to ensure that the services of his Department's officers are provided free of charge to those seeking jobs.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the employment services available at employment exchanges; and what proposals he has for improving the facilities available for those who are unemployed.

I have already made improvements in the training facilities and transfer allowances available to the unemployed through employment ex-changes. I expect to announce plans for improving the effectiveness of the Employment Service in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the employment prospects of the present unemployed teenagers.

64,000 young persons under 18 years of age were registered as unemployed in mid-October. Careers officers are doing all they can to help them find suitable employment and new training opportunities have been made available. The Government's economic measures will improve employment prospects for young people as well as adults. Already there are signs of some increase in industrial activity.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he intends to take arising from discussions between his Department, trade unions and employers' representatives, regarding the increase in the number of unemployed in the London Borough of Ealing and neighbouring boroughs.

The Government have already taken a large number of steps to stimulate output, investment and employment in the country generally, and Ealing and the London area are expected to share in the improvement these measures will bring.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest available figures for young persons unemployed in the South Shields register; how this compares with a year ago; and what action he proposes to take to improve the position.

355 young persons were registered as unemployed in South Shields in October, compared with 217 in October, 1970. The Government's economic measures, the incentives to industry in special development areas and the provision of extra training opportunities should help to reduce unemployment among young people in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a Ministerial broadcast on employment prospects.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the review of the relationship between the current intake of overseas workers and manpower needs has been completed; and if he will make a statement about the Government's plans to restrict the entry of unskilled and semi-skilled alien workers.

In view of the present employment situation, the Government have decided to cease, as from 1st January, 1972, issuing work permits in industry and commerce for unskilled and semi-skilled alien men for all countries other than the European Economic Community, Norway and Denmark. The only exception to this will be the hotel and catering industry where a reduction will be brought about in stages by means of a quota system for permits. Details of this system and how it will apply to the hotel and catering industry are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the percentage increase in unemployment in the Houghton-le-Spring constituency arising from the closure of Silksworth Colliery.

I understand that most of the miners employed at Silks-worth have been given jobs in other collieries. I would not wish to minimise the very real problems being faced by the workers who are losing their jobs, but I do not expect the closure to lead to a significant rise in unemployment in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many European Economic Community nationals are in possession of work permits in the United Kingdom at the latest convenient date.

Statistics showing the number of work permit holders here at any one time are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, as a means of assisting Great Britain's entry into the European Economic Community, he will take whatever action may be necessary to increase the existing British public holidays to the level of the country in the Six which has the highest number of public holidays; and by how many extra days holiday the British workers would benefit from this action.

I have nothing to add to the Answer I gave to the hon. Member on 21st October, 1971.—[Vol. 823, c. 171.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the statistics for the number of male unemployed and the number of unfilled vacancies for the Scottish economic planning sub-regions since June, 1970.

Following is the information:

Total numbers of males registered as unemployed, numbers of males registered as

		Highland Region			North East Region
		Total unemployed	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies	Total Unemployed	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies
June, 1970	…	4,396	3,958	511	4,105	3,801	345
July, 1970	…	4,322	4,024	4,024	4,899	4,441	313
August, 1970	…	4,598	4,393	338	4,583	4,277	293
September, 1970	…	5,010	4,675	317	4,274	4,109	268
October, 1970	…	5,364	4,808	330	4,418	4,029	260
November, 1970	…	5,838	5,010	265	5,609	4,380	254
December, 1970	…	5,464	5,115	338	5,117	4,597	777
January, 1971	…	6,613	5,737	246	5,717	5,448	173
February, 1971	…	6,412	5,699	297	5,559	5,430	220
March, 1971	…	6,218	5,568	373	5,733	5,411	265
April, 1971	…	5,703	5,399	414	5,970	5,497	226
May, 1971	…	5,211	4,788	369	5,427	5,002	196
June, 1971	…	5,168	4,743	337	5,032	4,715	215
July, 1971	…	5,388	5,000	293	5,849	5,342	238
August, 1971	…	5,679	5,396	247	5,900	5,469	222
September, 1971	…	5,871	5,473	301	5,528	5,277	151
October, 1971	…	6.120	5,660	227	5,538	5,216	152

		Tayside Region			Edinburgh Region
		Total unemployed	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies	Total Unemployed	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies
June, 1970	…	5,055	4,947	680	12,531	12,352	1,845
July, 1970	…	5,455	5,410	733	14,582	14,007	1,750
August, 1970	…	5,583	5,489	757	15,148	14,083	1,688
September, 1970	…	5,391	5,356	775	13,736	13,680	1,620
October, 1970	…	5,310	5,222	728	13,153	13,099	1,430
November, 1970	…	5,531	5,445	570	13,871	13,731	1,242
December, 1970	…	6,131	5,921	520	14,496	14,351	1,503
January, 1971	…	6,974	6,895	450	16,154	16,124	919
February, 1971	…	6,964	6,805	452	16,722	16,432	985
March, 1971	…	7,124	6,746	585	17,021	16,674	921
April, 1971	…	7,220	7,121	542	17,783	17,664	1,006
May, 1971	…	7,598	7,193	437	17,147	17,067	972
June 1971	…	7,468	6,887	518	19,830	16,768	1,039
July 1971	…	8,340	7,676	367	21,333	18,459	905
August 1971	…	8,016	7,806	351	18,558	18,530	1,043
September, 1911	…	7,916	7,878	384	17,707	17,624	1,021
October. 1971	…	7,541	7,412	340	17,621	17.563	994

		Falkirk/Stirling Region			Glasgow Region
		Total unemployed	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies	Total Unemployed	Wholly unemployed	Vacancies
June. 1970	…	2,579	2,302	560	37,357	36,702	4,274
July 1970	…	2,721	2,602	483	41,237	40,472	4,091
August. 1970	…	2,884	2,720	385	42,834	42,732	3,711
September, 1970	…	2,588	2,568	349	42,772	42,013	3,260
October, 1970	…	2,709	2,612	304	44,255	42,834	3,000
November, 1970	…	2,949	2,821	298	43,436	43,027	3,188
December, 1970	…	3,220	3,045	455	45,928	44,311	4,303
January, 1971	…	3,631	3,517	284	50,666	50,459	2,419
February, 1971	…	4,600	3,534	214	51,041	50,629	2,209
March, 1971	…	3,967	3,674	248	54,980	51,593	2,073
April, 1971	…	4,603	4,098	253	54,787	54,183	2,105
May, 1971	…	4,725	4,194	253	54,861	54,117	1,977
June, 1971	…	4,460	4,072	202	54,811	54,049	3,073
holy, 1971	…	3,650	3,641	180	61,174	60,461	2,474
August, 1971	…	4,053	3,786	182	63,135	62,725	1,591
September, 1971	…	3,917	3,801	173	63,145	62,801	1,518
October, 1971	…	4.080	3,860	148	64,481	62,703	1.573

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what recommendations he made to the Coventry Engineering Employers' Association following the visit of the Department of Employment team to Coventry to study the Tool Room Agreement; and if he will make a statement on the operation of the Agreement in Coventry.

No recommendations were made by me or by my Department to the association on the tool room agreement. At this juncture it would be inappropriate for me to express a view on the merits of the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the Robens Committee of Inquiry into Health and Safety to report to him.

I hope to receive the Committee's report by about the middle of 1972.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies were registered in the employment exchanges in the Northern Region in September this year; and what this figure represents as a ratio to the number of persons unemployed.

At 13th September, 6,980 notified vacancies remained unfilled in the Northern Region. There were 8·5 notified vacancies per hundred persons registered as wholly unemployed. There is no obligation on employers to notify their vacancies to my Department and the figures do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men have found employment in the Northern Region as a result of extra public authority schemes initiated by Her Majesty's Government last session.

We have not asked employers for this information. While it takes time for these schemes to have an impact on unemployment, I am sure that they will provide an appreciable and growing number of jobs for construction workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many coal miners have been declared redundant since June, 1970 in the Northern Region; how many have been retained in the industry; and how many are now unemployed.

Information supplied to my Department by the National Coal Board indicates that between 9th June, 1970, and 13th September, 1971, 643 men in Northern Region were made redundant. I also understand from the Board that in September, 1971, 49,885 workers were on colliery books in Northern Region. On 13th September, 1971, 4,468 workers who had been made redundant from mining were registered as unemployed in Northern Region. This figure includes workers discharged before June, 1970. Separate statistics showing how many of those made redundant since then are still unemployed are not available.

ESTIMATED NUMBERS OF EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN GREAT BRITAIN IN CERTAIN INDUSTRIAL SECTORS AS PERCENTAGES OF EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN ALL INDUSTRIES AND SERVICES
					June, 1960	June, 1965	June, 1970
					per cent.	per cent.	per cent.
Agriculture, forestry and fishing: Mining and Quarrying; and all manufacturing industries*	…	…	…	…	45	42½	42½
All other industries and services†	…	…	…	…	55	57½	57½
All industries and services	…	…	…	…	100	100	100
* Orders I to XVI on the Standard Industrial Classification (1958) on which the June, 1960 and June, 1965 estimates were analysed, and
Orders I to XIX of the Standard Industrial Classification (1968) which was used for the June, 1970 figures.
† Orders XVII to XXIV of the Standard Industrial Classification (1958) and Orders XX to XXVII of the Standard Industrial Classification (1968).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consultations he has had with the management of Rolls-Royce (1971) Limited about their decision to lock out 1,500 toolroom and related workers.

None. The company informed my Department of its proposed action but decisions to impose lock-outs or call strikes are matters for managements and unions to decide.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the meeting he held with the Trades Union Congress regarding lack of employment for young people.

I have not recently met the Trades Union Congress to discuss the employment situation for young people, but I shall be happy to arrange a meeting if one is requested.

asked the Secretary of State of Employment in how many

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the labour force was employed in primary sector and manufacturing industries compared with the proportion employed in the tertiary sector in 1960, 1965 and 1970 or the nearest available years.

Following is the information:industries the number of days lost through industrial action has increased over the last year, and in how many industries the number has declined.

The numbers of working days lost have been analysed in 25 industry groups. Taking the 12 months ended 30th September, 1971, compared with the previous 12 months, the figures decreased in 16 of these groups and increased in nine.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men, women, and juveniles, respectively, were unemployed in Stockport in the month of September for the years 1964, 1967, 1970, and 1971.

Following is the information:

NUMBERS REGISTERED AS UNEMPLOYED IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE STOCKPORT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE
	Men	Women	Boys and Girls	Total
September, 1964	698	198	254	1,150
September, 1967	1,262	262	267	1,791
September, 1970	1,519	191	186	1,896
September, 1971	2,648	271	273	3,192

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacancies for employment there were in Stockport at the latest available date, in the categories men, women, juveniles, skilled and unskilled, respectively.

At 6th October, 131 notified vacancies for men, 224 for women and 126 for boys and girls remained unfilled in the area covered by the Stockport Employment Exchange. A full occupational analysis of the numbers of unfilled vacancies for men and women, but not boys and girls, is made quarterly.

The following table shows information for 8th September, the latest date for which a full occupational analysis was made:

NOTIFIED VACANCIES FOR MEN AND WOMEN REMAINING UNFILLED AT 8TH SEPTEMBER, 1971, IN THE AREA COVERED BY THE STOCKPORT EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE
	Men	Women
Engineering, construction, vehicle building, woodworking and printing occupations generally regarded as skilled	52	3
Labouring and certain similar occupations generally regarded as unskilled	7	20
All other occupations	45	183
	104	206

The statistics relate only to notified vacancies remaining unfilled and do not purport to measure the total unsatisfied demand for labour.

MEN REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED WHO LAST WORKED IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY RECORDED UNDER THE OCCUPATIONS FOR WHICH THEY ARE REGISTERED
				October, 1971		October, 1969
				Scotland	England and Wales	Scotland	England and Wales
Carpenter, joiner, shutterer	…	…	…	1,263	3,250	659	3,528
Bricklayer	…	…	…	670	1,675	360	2,854
Mason, stone carver	…	…	…	50	105	54	150
Slater, tiler, thatcher etc	…	…	…	322	635	227	424
Plasterer	…	…	…	298	730	144	1,023
Floor and wall tiler etc	…	…	…	85	334	41	275
Painter, decorator, signwriter	…	…	…	733	4,669	422	4,187
Plumber, gas fitter etc	…	…	…	975	3,066	244	1,994
Glazier	…	…	…	52	132	18	113
Pavior, road etc. surface layer	…	…	…	99	446	66	341
Steel erector, sheeter	…	…	…	454	2,158	202	1,670
Electrician, cable jointer, linesman		…	…	899	2,626	260	1,538
Mechanical handling plant etc. operator			…	601	2,127	294	1,347
Erector, millwright, maintenance fitter		…	…	151	788	59	567
Miscellaneous building and civil engineering Worker	…	…	…	2,381	6,698	1,104	5,278
Labourer	…	…	…	13,275	50,597	9,168	38,722
Foreman	…	…	…	90	474	36	487
All other occupations	…	…	…	3,529	16,514	1,973	11,377
Total, all occupations	…	…	…	25,927	97,024	15,331	75,875

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many male workers earn £12 per week or less in full-time employment; and in what categories of employment they are engaged.

About 25,000 in manual occupations and 10,000 in non-manual occupations. These estimates are based on results of the 1971 New Earnings Survey being pubished later this month. They relate to men aged 21 and over, including trainees and elderly workers, normally working for more than 30 hours per week whose pay was not affected by absence in the survey pay-period in April, 1971. A detailed occupational analysis is not yet available. Some of these workers would, in addition, receive tips and/or income in kind such as free accommodation and meals provided by their employers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many building trade workers, by craft, were unemployed on the latest date for which figures are available, in Scotland and England and Wales, respectively; and what were the comparable figures in 1969.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has studied the proposals in the study of 2,000 Accidents, by the National Institute of Industrial Psychology, a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

Smith: This report is being referred to a subcommittee of the Industrial Safety Advisory Council in order to obtain the views of both sides of industry on its findings and recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide information showing the job losses and/or gains for males and females, respectively, in the South-West Scotland Planning Region, over the period of the past 12 months.

Information is not available in this precise form but between June, 1969, and June, 1970, the number of male employees in employment in the South-West Planning Region of Scotland decreased by 200 and the number of females increased by 1,100.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are now unemployed in Macclesfield resulting from the voluntary liquidation of Servonics Limited; and what action he is taking to find them alternative employment.

There are three former employees of Servonics Ltd. signing the unemployed register. The local officers of my Department are helping them to find other jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many men over 50 years of age were on the unemployed register at Crook, Durham, Bishop Auckland and Stanley Exchanges, respectively, at the last count; what percentage they represented of the total male unem- ployed in each exchange area; and how many of then had been unemployed for more than six months.

The numbers of people registered as wholly unemployed are analysed by age in January and July each year. Following is the information available for July, 1971:

NUMBERS OF MEN AGED 50 YEARN AND OVER REGISTERED AS WHOLLY UNEMPLOYED AT 12TH JULY, 1971, IN CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT EXCHANGE AREAS
	Total	Expressed as percentage of all males registered as wholly unemployed than per cent	Number registered for more than 26 weeks
Crook	305	51·3	241
Durham	464	42·1	373
Bishop Auckland	244	27·7	171
Stanley	539	51·6	465

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to implement that part of the Industrial Relations Act, 1971, which deals with unfair dismissals.

As my right hon. Friend indicated in his earlier reply to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Normanton), he proposes to bring these provisions into operation in the early part of next year before Easter.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many casual staff have been taken on at employment exchanges and National Insurance offices to deal with matters connected with the increased number of unemployed; how many of these have been taken on since June, 1970 until the latest stated date; what is the annual or weekly cost in wages and salaries and what has been the cost between 1st January and 1st July, 1971, for the salaries of the 457 additional non-industrial staff that have been employed to deal with unemployment.

The number of casuals in post in employment exchanges was 889 on 1st July, 1970, and 2,302 on 1st July, 1971. The increase was due almost entirely to higher unemployment. The increased salary cost at 1st July, 1971, was about £30,000 a week.

The weekly salary cost at 1st July, 1971, of the 457 non-industrial staff taken on at intervals during the preceding six months was £12,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will take action to ensure that when Members of Parliament and the general public write to his Department they are not kept waiting for up to eight weeks for replies on straightforward matters.

I am not aware of any unreasonable delays by my Department in answering correspondence. It is the practice to send interim replies when detailed inquiries are needed which may delay a final reply.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children now receive school meals compared with 18th June, 1970.

I have no figure relating to 18th June, 1970, but on a day in September, 1970, 5,147,840 pupils in maintained schools in England and Wales took the school meal. The corresponding figure for 1971 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children affected by the Education (Milk) Act, 1971, are not receiving free milk in the Northern Region; and what the September, 1970, and 1971 figures are, respectively, for pupils paying for midday meals.

Returns from all authorities in the Northern Region relating to the census of school meals and milk taken last month are not yet available. In September, 1970, 307, 132 pupils in maintained schools in the region received school meals on payment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils are receiving paid midday meals at Hartlepool at the latest available date; and what are the figures for the same date in 1970.

5,738 pupils in the Hartlepool local education authority area received school meals on payment on a day in October, 1971, compared with 6,889 a year earlier. Corresponding figures for free meals were 2,658 and 2,024, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will now publish the Dainton Report on the Research Councils.

I expect the report to be published before the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many apprenticeships have been offered by her Department so far in 1971; and how this figure compares with a similar period in the previous year.

The Department does not offer apprenticeships.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on her proposals for the future organisation and financing of student unions.

My right hon. Friend recently sent out to the various bodies concerned a consultative document outlining proposals to establish the financing of student unions on a new basis. They have been asked to send in their comments as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters she has received regarding the financing of student unions; and if she will make a statement.

Since 1st October, my right hon. Friend has received about 70 such letters. On the second part of the Question, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to the Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Haltemprice (Mr. Wall).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she now has plans for setting up an inquiry into the special educational needs of the handicapped.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a Question by the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Mrs. Doris Fisher) on 9th November.—[Vol. 825, c. 140.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she expects to publish the Report of the James Committee on Teacher Training; and if she will postpone any Government decision on any of its recommendations until she has been able to study the comments of those most closely concerned.

It is my intention to publish the report as soon as practicable after its receipt, and to consult interested bodies about its recommendations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the average number of teeth filled per full-time dental officer in the School Dental Service in 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969 and 1970; and what the comparable figures were for the County of Stafford-shire

					1965	1966	1967	1968	1969	1970
Average number per full-time dental officer in the school dental service of:—
1.	Patients treated:
	England and Wales	…	…	…	1,010	1,030	1,020	1,000	990	980
	Staffordshire	…	…	…	1,090	820	970	1,020	1.020	840
2.	Courses of treatment completed:
	England and Wales	…	…	…	840	870	880	860	860	880
	Staffordshire	…	…	…	890	680	830	890	970	840
3.	Treatment visits:
	England and Wales	…	…	…	2,620	2,660	2,670	2,630	2,630	2,660
	Staffordshire	…	…	…	2,880	2 440	2,630	2,400	2,360	2,100
4.	Teeth filled:
	England and Wales	…	…	…	1,800	1,870	1,890	1,880	1,930	1,990
	Staffordshire	…	…	…	2,050	1,790	1,850	1,670	1,680	1,520
5.	Teeth extracted:
	England and Wales	…	…	…	970	940	920	900	880	850
	Staffordshire	…	…	…	1,350	930	1,150	1,210	1,160	1,010
6.	General anaesthetics administered:
	England and Wales	…	…	…	99	99	91	83	83	74
	Staffordshire	…	…	…	12	9	49	128	104	74

In the following figures some allowance is made for staffing fluctuations during the year; the work of dental auxiliaries is included:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is aware that the Chairman of the Board of the National Gallery has stated to the hon. Member for Smethwick that it would not be right to assist him in the performance of his duties by making available to him correspondence which passed in 1920-21 between the National Gallery and the Department then responsible; and, having regard to the fact that counterparts of this correspondence are readily accessible at the Public Record Office, if she will state whether or not the Chairman's denial of facilities was made with her authority.

No. My authority was not sought and is not required.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of students admitted to medical schools in each year from 1960-61 to the present date.

Annual preclinical school intakes in Great Britain since 1960-61 are given below; the figure for 1971-72 is provisional:

Academic Year	Student Intake
1960-61	2,020
1961-62	2,103
1962-63	2,192
1963-64	2,281
1964-65	2,407
1965-66	2,478
1966-67	2,502
1967-68	2,560
1968-69	2,693
1969-70	2,695
1970-71	2,878
1971-72 (provisional)*	3,008
*NOTE.—The final figure for 1971-72 will not be available until next November: the comparable provisional figure for 1970-71 was 2,873.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many primary schools there are in Lancashire that were built before 1833; and how this compares with the rest of England;

(2) how many primary schools there are in Lancashire with outside toilets; and how this compares with the rest of England.

Information of this kind is not available in the Department. Details about schools in Lancashire may be obtained from the local education authority.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT the expenditure of the colleges of education, including the voluntary colleges, in the cost bands on which she issued the guidance to the colleges.

The guidance on cost bands for 1970-71 in the Department's letter of 15th September, 1971, related to L.E.A. colleges of education only. The financial year for voluntary colleges does not end until 31st July and many of their returns of accounts for 1970-71 have not yet been received. The following tuition expenditure relates to 61,959 students in 92 L.E.A. colleges outside the London area and to 7,981 students and 11 colleges inside that area.

	Outside London	Inside London
	£000's	£000's
Teaching Staff Costs	17,567	2,255
Other Tuition costs, of which:	11,803	1,804
Equipment and ancillary staff	4,157	628
Premises	3,224	475
Administration and Establishment Expenses	2,698	465
Total Tuition Costs	29,370	4,059

No cost bands were given in respect of catering and residential expenditure. The totals of expenditure on these items to which the letter referred were:

	Outside London	Inside London
	£000's	£000's
Catering Expenditure	5,856	695
Residential Expenditure	3,494	451

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she aware that St. Paul's Primary School, Royton, which was built in 1833, has not yet been given a firm date when a new school will be available; and if she will consult with the education authority and announce when the replacement can be expected.

Lancashire Education Authority determines its own priority order for primary school replacements and makes proposals accordingly to my right hon. Friend. No such proposals have been received for the St. Paul's Church of England Junior and Infants Schools in Royton.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of immigrant children in Roman Catholic Schools compared with the number in schools other than Roman Catholic.

This information could not be provided without disproportionate expenditure of manpower and other resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters she has received from youth employment committees concerning work experience; and if she will now make a statement.

None, but in considering the possibility of amendment of the law to make work experience available to children in their last year of compulsory education when the school-leaving age is raised, my right hon. Friend has consulted, among others, the local authority associations. No doubt, in formulating the views they have conveyed to her, the associations took into account any views that might have been expressed by youth employment committees.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will give an estimate of the approximate cost to direct grant schools of the latest Burnham award to teachers.

£1·5 million in 1971-72.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if she will list the powers she possesses to limit the freedom of governors of direct grant schools to raise school fees;(2) if she will list the powers she will use to enforce her policy that the increase in capitation grant to direct grant schools shall be used exclusively to reduce the level of fees charged to parents and local education authorities.

Paragraph 18(i) of the Direct Grant Schools Regulations, 1959, states:

"The fees payable in respect of the education provided at a school, and any boarding or other charges, shall be such as the Secretary of State shall approve."

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish in the OFFICIAL REPORT a table showing the parental contributions towards the fees of pupils at direct grant schools at the old and new sliding scales and the respective reduction in fees for parents with incomes of approximately £1,000, £1,500, £2,000 and £2,500 for one, two, three, and four pupils, respectively.

The information requested is given in the tables below, which are based on an assumption that all the children in the families concerned have fee-paying places at direct grant schools.

1. PARENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS TOWARDS ANNUAL FEES
(a)Old Scale
	One Child	2 children	3 children	4 children
Gross
Income:	£	£	£	£
£1,000	46	60	68	70
£1,500	88	123	152	170
£2,000	130	186	236	275
£2,500	172	249	316	380

(b) New Scale
	One Child	2 children	3 children	4 children
Gross
Income:	£	£	£	£
£1,000	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
£1,500	36	40·50	42	37·50
£2,000	69	90	108	120
£2,500	102	144	174	202.50

2. REDUCTION IN PARENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS
	One Child	2 children	3 children	4 children
Gross
Income:	£	£	£	£
£1,000	46	60	68	70
£1,500	52	82·50	110	132·50
£2,000	61	96	128	155
£2,500	70	105	142	177·50

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science taking the national total for minor works as 100 in 1969 on projects for which her Department is responsible, what will be the figure for the total in each of the years 1971 and 1972, respectively; and what is the amount for each of these years calculated to assist local authorities to carry out their obligations under Section 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, 1970.

At 1971 prices, the value of minor works allocations in 1969-70 was £30 million. Taking this figure as 100, corresponding figures for 1970-71 and 1971-72, also at 1971 prices, are 100 and 119. It is for local authorities to determine how to use their allocations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will take action to ensure that when Members of Parliament and the general public write to her Department they are not kept waiting for up to eight weeks for replies on straightforward matters.

Every effort is made by the Department to deal with correspondence as quickly and effectively as possible. It is the practice to send interim replies when detailed inquiries are needed which may delay a final reply. If the hon. Member has any particular case in mind where excessive delay has been incurred perhaps he would let me have details so that I can look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take immediate steps to introduce a compensatory grant to offset tax deductions made against medical and dental reimbursements, having regard to the fact that this is a change of policy to that previously followed in certain county boroughs and constitutes an imposition on the police force.

My right hon. Friend has carefully considered this in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He has no information about payment of grant for this purpose in the past and does not think there are grounds for altering the present general practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he permitted members of the security services of South Africa to enter the United Kingdom; and if he will now expel them.

Officials of foreign governments are admitted as a general rule unless they are personally undesirable or their activities here are likely to be not conducive to the public good. I should be happy to consider any information in particular cases which the hon. Member cares to send to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that no officer of the Metropolitan Police has given assistance to agents of the South African Government engaged in the surveillance of residents of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Any such assistance would be contrary to instructions. Liaison between the Metropolitan Police and the South African authorities is limited to criminal matters and the protection of individuals and property.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the support given to the day-manning system for fire stations by the Report of the Departmental Committee on the Fire Service, he will inquire into the reasons for the abolition of the system at Biggin Hill Fire Station.

Since no reduction in the standard of fire cover is proposed, my right hon. Friend has no power to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has now concluded his review of the Model Byelaw, Dogs Fouling Footways, and to what effect.

My right hon. Friend is at present consulting the local authority associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the purge procedure for officers of the security departments of the police force.