asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much would a married man with no children, a married man with one child, a married man with two children, and a single man, respectively, require to be earning to have maintained in terms of purchasing power and after tax and national insurance contributions, an income of £1,000 in 1970, £1,000 in 1966, £750 in 1970 and £750 in 1966, respectively.

The figures are as follows:

	Gross income	1975–76 gross earnings required to give same real net income as specified gross income in
		1966–67	1970–71
	£	£	£
Married man:
No children	750	1,923	1,511
	1,000	2,575	2,024
One child	750	1,916	1,523
	1,000	2,619	2,036
2 children	750	1,828	1,339
	1,000	2,574	1,945
Single man	750	1,920	1,489
	1,000	2,547	2,002

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the position, under the new rules introduced by the Finance Act 1975 for the tax treatment of loans taken in connection with life annuities, of schemes of the house and income type.

Yes. The "House and Incomes" scheme operated by some life offices enable an elderly person owning his own home to increase his income by obtaining a loan from the life office on the security of his property and apply the money to the purchase of an annuity from the life office. In appropriate circumstances income can later be increased by taking an additional loan with which to buy a further annuity.When the rules under which tax relief is allowable on interest paid were amended in the Finance Act 1974 a specific provision—paragraph 24 of Schedule 1 to the Act—was incorporated to ensure that interest payable on loans up to a maximum of £25,000 under this type of scheme would qualify for tax relief.It has now emerged that where a second or later loan is taken in connection with an arrangements of this kind which was effected after 26th March 1974 the combined effects of paragraphs 16 and 17 of Schedule 2 to the Finance Act 1975 is to impose a tax charge, based on the amount of that loan, as though there had been a surrender of rights under the original annuity contract. This result was not intended, and where it occurred it would largely defeat the purpose of paragraph 24.The Government therefore propose to include in the next Finance Bill a short provision to rectify the position in those cases where the conditions for tax relief under paragraph 24 are satisfied. In the meantime the Inland Revenue will, by concession, refrain from raising a tax charge in any case of this kind which may arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had on the possible effects on industrial investment of the proposed wealth tax.

I have received a number of letters about the effect of the proposed wealth tax on small and medium-sized businesses, and I understand that the Select Committee on Wealth Tax have received evidence on the same subject.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer; further to the reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 17th October 1975, column 830–32, if he will show column (five Publish Sector Transfer Payments) at constant market prices.

Transfer payments are not expressed at constant prices in the national accounts since there are no goods and services obtained for them to be revalued. In the index shown below transfers have been deflated by the gross domestic product deflator.

Public Sector Transfer Payments(including net lending) deflated* 1950=100
1950	100
1951	97·6
1952	94·4
1953	94·5
1954	95·2
1955	99·6
1956	96·2
1957	97·3
1958	103·6
1959	107·9
1960	118·5
1961	126·2
1962	128·5
1963	133·7
1964	137·4
1965	149·1
1966	149·4
1967	170·4
1968	188·8
1969	188·8
1970	189·2
1971	190·4
1972	204·1
1973	227·0
1974	272·7
*By the deflator of gdp at market prices.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North on 21st October 1975, column 163–64, if he will show growth in industrial production at current market prices.

The following table shows figures of the net output of the index of production industries at current factor cost. Figures are not available before 1960.

	£ million
1960	10,894
1961	11,335
1962	11,688
1963	12,325
1964	13,522
1965	14,492
1966	15,044
1967	15,449
1968	16,560
1969	17,458
1970	19,033
1971	20,607
1972	23,067
1973	26,571
1974	29,566

Source: National Income and Expenditure 1964–74

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the gain to the Exchequer if all tax allowances were calculated at the standard rate.

About £350 million for 1975–76.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in view of the high cost to the State of maintaining workers on unemployment benefit, whether he will ensure that firms are given extensions of time to pay outstanding tax liabilities, in cases where he is satisfied that not to do so would result in redundancies.

In general firms must be expected to budget to meet their tax liabilities promptly in the same way as their ordinary commercial liabilities. If they have genuine difficulty about doing so on a particular occasion, they should consult their local collector of taxes; but there can be no question of any general deferment of tax payments. PA YE tax deducted from employees' wages and salaries must in any case be paid over to the Inland Revenue promptly because this is employees' tax money which employers collect on behalf of the Government.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what current instructions apply in cases where it is represented to the Inland Revenue that insistence on the payment of outstanding revenue without delay will result in the closure of a firm with consequent loss of employment.

The Inland Revenue naturally takes account of representations about the consequences of the possible closure of the firm when deciding how to set about the recovery of tax due from an employer. But there can be no question of any general departure from the principle that the Inland Revenue's function is to get in tax due as speedily as possible, if need be by recourse to bankruptcy or company liquidation proceedings.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward proposals to zero rate, for value added tax purposes, distress alarms fitted to the homes of disabled and elderly persons; and if he will back-date such zero rating to the date of the last Budget.

The application of VAT to distress alarms is under review. I have noted my hon. Friend's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received to zero rate, for value added tax purposes, distress alarms fitted to the homes of disabled and elderly persons.

Three, including one from my hon. Friend.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed on 7th August, he has given further consideration to the representations he has received about the price paid for the Burmah Oil holding of BP stock; and what replies he has given to those representations.

I have considered the representations I have received and have made it clear in my replies that the Government propose to take no further action.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps have been and are being taken to ensure the free movement of capital between Great Britain and other members of the EEC since 1st January 1973; and what commitments to further action in this regard have been entered into by Her Majesty's Government.

As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson) on 17th October—[Vol. 897, c. 835]—the retention of existing exchange control restrictions on capital movements has been authorised in view of our balance of payments difficulties. No date has been decided for the removal of these restrictions.On the second point, no commitments have been undertaken in this regard beyond those in the Treaty of Accession.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what action is to be taken to reimburse those persons who renewed existing television rental agreements on an annual basis between 16th April and 1st August and paid a VAT rate of 25 per cent.

None. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 5th August to the hon. Member for Sudbury and Woodbridge (Mr. Stainton).

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms have been subject to rescue by the Bank of England's lifeboat committee; and what to date has been the total cost of the operation.

The details of the lifeboat operation are a matter for the Bank of England and the clearing banks on the one hand and the companies assisted on the other, and I do not think it would be in the public interest to give the information requested.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what steps were taken to obtain independent commercial opinion as to the market value of the Water Newton treasure trove before the amount of reward to the finder was determined;(2) what proportion of the full market value of the Water Newton treasure trove the reward paid to the finder was designed to represent.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will now publish a statement on Scotland's balance of payments position vis-à-vis England.

No. England and Scotland are not separate States.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated total of power coal reserves in England, Scotland, and Wales, respectively; and what these reserves represent in years of supply at current rates of consumption.

The latest estimate of known recoverable United Kingdom coal reserves as published in the 1974 World Energy Conference Survey Report was 3,800 million tons. The NCB latest assessment of economically recoverable coal suitable for electricity generation accessible to existing collieries indicate that reserves are in the region of 1,450 million tons of which 1,254 million tons are in England and 196 million tons are in Scotland. Power stations in Wales are designed to use local coal which is not normally classified as power coal.Existing knowledge of total coal in the ground indicates that, with suitably large investment, supplies could be made available to meet demand at current rate of consumption for an indefinite period.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many people are engaged in the Oil Policy (Home) Division, the Offshore Supplies Office and Petroleum Production Division of the Department of Energy, respectively; and what plans have been made for the recruitment of staff.

Staff engaged in Oil Policy (Home) Division, the Offshore Supplies Office and Petroleum Production Division number 61, 167 and 100, respectively. Within the overall staffing constraints recruitment of staff to those divisions is continuing, through open competition inter-departmental advertisement and normal internal posting.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many people are engaged by his Department in matters appertaining to the development of North Sea resources.

There are 305 officials in the Department engaged in work directly associated with the development of North Sea resources.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will tabulate the main types and approximate quantities of smokeless domestic fuels consumed in the United Kingdom, showing for each main type the retail price per ton, the amounts produced inside the United Kingdom and imported respectively giving some indication of origin for imported fuel.

The quantities of domestic solid smokeless fuels consumed in the United Kingdom during the year ended March 1975, together with the range of typical current retail prices—dependent on exact type and grade of fuel—in North London, are tabulated below:

	Million tons	£/ton
Naturally smokeless fuels	1·7	38·80 to 48·20
Manufactured fuels	4·6	42·20 to 49·40
Imports	0·2
Total	6·5

The imported fuels are mainly briquettes from France and the Federal Republic of Germany and anthracite from the Netherlands and the Federal Republic of Germany. Information on retail prices of these fuels is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many staff will be employed initially by the BNOC; what plans there are for additional recruitment; and what are the number and locations of their offices.

The recruitment and deployment of BNOC staff will be the concern of the BNOC Organising Committee and subsequently of the corporation itself. As has already been announced, the corporation's headquarters will be in Glasgow; it will be for the corporation to consider the need for subsidiary offices elsewhere. BNOC's immediate staffing needs will be determined by its initial responsibilities, including those arising out of participation negotiations. Recruitment thereafter will depend on the pace of BNOC's development and expansion.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will tabulate in the Official Report the pithead price of the major grades of coal together with the usual retail price and indicate the approximate split between trunk transport, local distribution cost and profit per ton.

The estimated current average pithead realisations are:

Type of Coal	£/ton
Domestic	16·40
industrial	17·75
Power station	14·45
Coke oven	23·10

Because of the wide variations in transport costs according to distance and type of market supplied it is not possible to give representative figures for transport, distribution costs or profits. I am asking the Chairman of the NCB to write to my hon. Friend on this matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his plans to control increases in prices of coal, gas and electricity within the 5 per cent. limit in the first six months in 1976; and what payments he calculates would be necessary to compensate the industries affected.

There will be discussions with the nationalised industries on the scope for bringing their prices within the scheme for restraint on selected products of special importance in family expenditure referred to in paragraph 33 of Cmnd. 6151 "The Attack on Inflation", but it remains the Government's intention to move towards economic pricing. Paragraph 36 of "The Attack on Inflation" records that there are good prospects that the rate of price increase in the nationalised industries as a whole should be markedly lower next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many pit closures have taken place since March 1974.

Including one closure due to take place on 31st October, 12 collieries have closed since March 1974, and in addition there have been three mergers.

asked the Secretary of Slate for Energy what proportion of the present total consumption of gas in Scotland is supplied from outside sources; and if he will supply comparable figures for each of the last five years.

Of the gas supplied by the British Gas Corporation in Scotland in 1974–75, 66 per cent. was natural gas piped from shore terminals in England. A further 23 per cent. was manufactured in Scotland using such natural gas as feedstock, and the balance mainly from petroleum feedstock. The corresponding percentages in preceding years were:

1973–74	57, 26 per cent
1972–73	42, 32 per cent.
1971–72	20, 48 per cent.
1970–71	3, 24 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he expects to announce further closures or partial closures of small power stations, additional to those announced in October 1975.

The amount of plant required on the CEGB system is normally reviewed annually, taking into account electricity demand forecasts agreed in the spring of each year by the Electricity Council. The closures and partial closures announced in October 1975 complete the industry's currently agreed list to cover the financial year ending 31st March 1977. I am arranging meetings at which the Electricity Council, the CEGB, the NCB and all the unions concerned can discuss the hardship of these problems in the future.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how the average amount of coal produced per manshift in the financial year 1975–76 to date compares with the average in the corresponding periods of 1973 and 1974.

The average output per manshift worked overall in NCB mines, excluding capital working and tip coal, for the 29 weeks between 30th March 1975 and 18th October 1975 was 43·86 cwt. The figures for the corresponding periods of 1973 and 1974 were 45·23 cwt. and 43·83 cwt. respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many production platforms for the North Sea were on order with United Kingdom yards on 1st January 1974, 1st January 1975, and 1st September 1975.

This information is being collected and I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects that a start will be made to the construction of the SGHWR.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Wilson) on 27th October.—[Vol. 898, c. 328.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of coal stocks (a) at pits and (b) held by distributors, respectively.

At end September 1975 stocks of coal at collieries were 8·2 million tons and distributed stocks were 20·2 million tons. Both figures relate to Great Britain.Information about stocks at collieries, other undistributed stocks and distributed stocks of coal in Great Britain, excluding distributed stocks held in merchants' yards and stocks held by industry for which detailed figures are not available, is published regularly in Table 8 of "Energy Trends" available in the Library of the House. The October issue appeared last week.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the quantity per annum of uranium which will be supplied in 1976 and each of the succeeding eight years under the Rossing uranium contract.

Deliveries under this contract will not commence until 1977. The quantities due to be delivered, amounting to 7,500 short tons, are as follows:

	(Short tons)
1977	1,125
1978	1,125
1979	1,475
1980	1,525
1981	1,125
1982	1,125

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what practical proposals, if any, have reached his Department from the Commission of the European Communities regarding safety measures for the disposal of radioactive waste, heat pollution, the transport of radioactive material and the decommissioning of nuclear power stations.

I have been asked to reply.A revised Euratom directive for the control of radioactive substances is now in an advanced stage of preparation. We are of course participating in its drafting. Work is also being done by the Commission on problems of thermal discharges and on the decommissioning of nuclear power stations, but it is too early to talk in terms of practical results.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now initiate legislation to prohibit the import into the United Kingdom of sperm whale products.

No. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Lambeth, Central (Mr. Lipton) on 30th October 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 574.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many registered milk producers and how many cows, have left milk production under the milk-to-beef conversion scheme: (a) in its entire duration, and (b) during the period from 1st January 1975 to its conclusion.

In the United Kingdom, 6,638 registered milk producers with 249,477 dairy cows joined the Dairy Herd Conversion Scheme over the period of its duration. Of these, 2,760 producers with 109,712 dairy cows completed the conversion during 1975. The number of dairy cows in each case relates to the number kept on the scheme reference date 4th June 1973.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has completed his consultations over the alleged harassment of tenants by agricultural landlords; and if he will make a statement.

Following complaints of harassment from tenant farmers in South-East Wales, representatives of the agriculture industry and the interested professional organisations have been consulted. The bodies concerned are the National Farmers' Union, the Country Landowners' Association, the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors, the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers and the Incorporated Society of Valuers and Auctioneers. I have decided to propose, as soon as the parliamentary timetable permits, changes in the agricultural holdings legislation to deal with this matter.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give for each quarter of 1974 and 1975 to date: (a) the quantity of butter produced within England, Scotland and Wales combined, and (b) the value of imports of butter, expressed in £ sterling.

The information is as follows:

	Butter production in Great Britain	Imports into the United Kingdom
	Metric tonnes	£ million
1974:
January-March	8,104	52·4
April-June	26,170	45·4
July-September	7,587*	60·2
October-December	2,752*	71·7
1975:
January-March	3,991*	79·8
April-June	19,648*	70·7
July-September	2,997*	96·1
*Provisional.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the distance offshore to which eel fishing is controlled; what authorities or organisations have the powers to enforce control; what licensing arrangements are authorised for this purpose; and if he will make a statement.

Regional water authorities are responsible for licensing and control arrangements for salmon, freshwater and eel fisheries in their areas. Licences are freely available for a small fee. These arrangements extend to coastal waters in which we have exclusive rights of fishing.

asked the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of applicants for and places in veterinary schools and colleges in the United Kingdom and the Irish Republic in the last available relevant year compared with the same figures for each of the previous five years; and whether he is satisfied with the number of such places available.

I have been asked to reply.I am unable to provide information relating to the Republic of Ireland. Following is the information for the United Kingdom:

Academic Year	Number of candidates for admission to United Kingdom universities giving Veterinary Science as their subject of first choice	First year full-time undergraduates in veterinary science at United Kingdom universities
1969–70	888	256
1970–71	1,006	226
1971–72	1,045	279
1972–73	1,155	286
1973–74	1,213	296
1974–75	1,336	340*
*Approximate.

One of the recommendations of the report of the committee of inquiry into the veterinary profession (Cmnd. 6143) was that the annual entry to veterinary schools should be maintained at about 335 for the next five years. The Government are at present considering the report.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what was the sterling value of orders placed for computers under one Atlas power by the Government in the years ended 31st March 1973, 1974 and 1975; and what percentages of those orders were placed with foreign manufacturers.

In the years ended 31st March 1973, 1974 and 1975 the values of orders placed for new computers of less than one Atlas power for central Government were £6 million, £5·7 million and £7·2 million respectively. In the two later years 61 per cent. and 62 per cent. respectively of the total orders were placed with companies understood to be owned and controlled from outside the United Kingdom, but some of this equipment would have been manufactured in Britain. I regret that for the first year specified the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants and industrial civil servants, respectively, received redundancy or severance payments in the year to 30th September 1975 or in the most recent 12-month period for which the information is available.

	1975–76	Total Estimated Cost
	£	£
Royal Commission on the Press	296,000	485,000
Royal Commission on Standards of Conduct in Public Life	82,000	130,000
Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth	400,000	*
*Not known: appointed as a Standing Commission.

In addition certain other costs are provided on an allied services basis by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Property Services Agency, for which figures are not available and cannot be obtained without disproportionate effort.The appointment of two further Royal Commissions has recently been announced but it is too early to determine their estimate costs. They are the Royal Commission on the National Health Service—[

For the last period for which this information is available, the calendar year 1974, the figure was 1,028. This includes both non-industrial and industrial civil servants; separate figures are not held centrally.

asked the Lord President of the Council what will be the final cost of the Government's newspaper advertisement campaign promoting the views of prominent trade unionists and businessmen on the problem of beating inflation.

The final cost of the current advertising campaign in the Press on counter-inflation will be approximately £550,000.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Royal Commissions have been set up since March 1974; what is their estimated cost for the current financial year; and what their estimated total cost will be.

The following Royal Commissions have been set up since March 1974:Royal Commission on the Press.Royal Commission on Standards of Conduct in Public Life.Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth.The estimated costs are:Gambling—[

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing the number of Service men professing no religious affiliation.

The most recent statistics indicate that there are about 5,800 Service men who profess no religious affiliation or whose religion is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the estimated cost of Exercise Jowar, involving 800 men of 16 Parachute Brigade in the Sudan in November.

The estimated cost of staging Exercise Jowar between 3rd November and 2nd December is about £550,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that the continuing need for detailed hydrographic surveys in both home and overseas waters is maintained.

This is being taken fully into account in the consideration by the Government of the Report of the Hydro-graphic Study Group.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence by what type of weapon the soldier was injured in the riot in Mourneview Estate, Lurgan, on Sunday 26th October.

One soldier received a gunshot wound during this incident but it is not known what type of weapon was involved as the bullet was not recovered. Five other soldiers were injured by bottles or stones.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds were fired by the Army, and how many rounds the Army estimated were fired against it, during the riot on Mourneview Estate, Lurgan, on Sunday night, 26th October.

It is estimated that during the riot on Mourneview Estate 16–20 rounds were fired at the Army. Fire was returned, and 29 rounds were discharged.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers discharged their weapons during the riot in Mourneview Estate, Lurgan, on Sunday night, 26th October.

Sixteen.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many non-commissioned officers in the British Army were employed as pilots in the Army Air Corps in 1972, 1973 and 1974; and how many are so employed in 1975.

At 1st September in each year the number was as follows: 1972, 164; 1973, 155; 1974, 141; 1975, 150.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if it is his policy to approve the use of lectures and facilities provided through the Institute for the Study of Conflict in the training of members of Her Majesty's Armed Forces; and if he will make a statement.

Relevant publications issued by the Institute for the Study of Conflict are one of the many sources drawn upon in the training of members of Her Majesty's Forces, particularly at Staff level.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce legislation to give people who have received a notice of redundancy the right to work during that period of notice.

No. The Government have already significantly improved the protection available to redundant employees through the obligations imposed on employers in the Employment Protection Bill to consult the appropriate trade union representatives in advance of all redundancies and to inform the Secretary of State in advance of larger redundancies. The Bill provides safeguards for employees' remuneration where the employer fails to consult trade union representatives as required.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current waiting list for entry into Skillcentres in the Northern Region.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 905 people are awaiting admission to skillcentres in the standard Northern Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of persons currently taking courses at skillcentres in the Northern Region.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 30th September 1975 1,431 people were receiving training at skillcentres in the standard Northern Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what consideration has been given by his Department on the need for training centre facilities in the Wansbeck district.

The Manpower Services Commission informs me that the Training Services Agency has recently carried out a review of training facilities in the North East Region, including the Wansbeck district. The agency is satisfied that the training needs of the area can be met by the existing skillcentre facilities in the region, together with the use of spare capacity in local colleges of further education and employers' establishments. There are no plans at the present time for establishing other skillcentres in the area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to bring the conciliation services to bear in the inter-union dispute which is causing the laying off of brewery workers and threatening the supply of beer to public houses in the Birmingham and Coventry areas.

I understand that the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been in touch with the parties throughout the dispute affecting Ansell's brewery in Birmingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide for the management of companies experiencing short-time working pre-paid post cards for the purpose of claiming unemployment benefit, so that they can be issued to employees, thus saving long and expensive journeys to employment exchanges.

To ensure the proper control of claims for unemployment benefit and prevention of abuse, claimants are normally required to attend their nearest unemployment benefit office to make their claims. Claimants who are infirm, or live more than six miles from their nearest benefit office, may make their weekly claims to that office by post using pre-paid envelopes.In cases where an unemployment benefit office is unable to deal with large numbers of people put on short-time working by a particular company, arrangements may be made by the local benefit office management for the claims to be dealt with on the firm's premises, either by benefit office staff or by the employer, depending on the circumstances.Provision of pre-paid postcards for the purpose of claiming unemployment benefit to people who may be still receiving some wages, could not be justified on grounds of cost or fairness to other national insurance contributors and to those claimants who are unemployed and required to attend weekly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of males unemployed within the mid-Northumberland local employment area have been unemployed for over 26 weeks but less than 52 weeks; and what percentage have been unemployed for more than 52 weeks up to the latest available date.

On 9th October 1975, in the area covered by the Amble, Ashington, Bedlington, Blyth and Morpeth Employment Offices, about 61 per cent. of males unemployed had been

NUMBERS UNEMPLOYED AND PERCENTAGE RATE OF UNEMPLOYMENT
		Numbers unemployed		Percentage rate of unemployment
		July 1975	Latest available	July 1975	Latest available
Scotland	…	129,800	125,796 (provisional) (October)	6·0	5·8 (provisional) (October)
Norway	…	14,600	17,400 (August)	0·9	1·1 (estimate) (August)
Sweden	…	53,000	67,000 (August)	1·2	1·2 (August)
Finland	…	48,000	48,000 (July)	2·0	2·0 (July)
Austria	…	37,000	36,000 (August)	1·3	1·3 (August)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action is presently being taken by his Department to improve the number of disabled persons being provided by employers in the North West with suitable opportunities to work.

The employment prospects of disabled people depend primarily on the general employment situation and disabled people, like others in the region, can be expected to benefit both from the measures against unemployment which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced last month and from the aid available to assisted areas under the Industry Act, 1972.The specialist employment, rehabilitation and training services of the Man- registered for up to 26 weeks, about 14 per cent. for over 26 and up to 52 weeks and about 25 per cent. for over 52 weeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the unemployment figures for Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Austria on the latest date for which figures are available.

The table below gives the numbers unemployed and the percentage rate of unemployment for each country for July 1975, the latest date for which information is generally available, and also for the latest month for each country. The figures reflect different national practices in measuring unemployment are are not strictly comparable:power Services Commission's two executive agencies continue to do everything possible to promote the employment of disabled people and steps are being taken to improve these services in accordance with plans published last year. The quota scheme and sheltered employment are under review and I hope to announce the Government's proposals for the future later this year. Meanwhile the need for further provision of sheltered employment in the North-West, as elsewhere, is being kept under careful review and detailed surveys are currently being undertaken in Lancashire and Cheshire.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what advice the ACAS has formulated about the appropriate length of the working day necessary to secure the optimum efficiency of unskilled manual workers, skilled manual workers, unskilled clerical workers and intellectual workers respectively; and what steps have been taken to ensure that all employers are made aware of this information in the interests of the health and effectiveness of the working population.

None. However, the Department of Employment's Work Research Unit would be prepared to offer advice on the subject if requested.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the Construction Industry Training Board Centre in Glasgow; what money is available to assist the centre from the European Social Fund and from Her Majesty's Government, respectively, over the next three years; and whether, in view of the importance of the centre for the training of skilled workers for North Sea oil programmes, he will urge firms to give the project their maximum financial support.

The Construction Industry Training Board Centre was set up to provide training facilities for building and civil engineering operative skills to meet the normal work programmes and to correct any imbalances in the supply of trained workers who, it was anticipated, would be required for concrete platform construction and to create the infrastructure for the oil related industries.The centre has only been in partial operation since April and it is too early for the CITB to determine precisely the full extent of the centre's long term operations. Provided that employers in the industry support the courses at the centre, which was set up at the request of the industry, the viability of the centre will be assured.The centre will be able to offer a growing range of courses to meet the training needs of construction employers, in particular, those engaged in concrete gravity structure fabrication, but continuing and increasing support of the industry is essential.The Board is concerned at the lack of take-up and is actively drawing the attention of the industry to the facility and the value to them and to Scotland of main- taining a long term industry training facility. At the first "open day" of the centre on 23rd October, the CITB Deputy Chairman invited local firms to give maximum support to the centre.I endorse that appeal and urge employers to make full use of the valuable facilities at this Centre.In July 1975 the Commission of the European Communities reserved the following amounts for the Construction Industry Training Board for training activities carried out in the centre:

	£
1975	15,240
1976	44,165
1977	50,155
Total	109,560

The Manpower Services Commission has made available to the CITB, through the Training Services Agency, grant-in-aid to a maximum of £96,500 over the financial years ending on 31st March 1976 and 1977, to assist the initial use and throughput on these new course facilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were directly employed in Scotland in offshore oil related work in August 1974 and August 1975; of these how many in each instance were foreign and Community workers, respectively; and what were the relevant percentages.

The number of workers employed at 31st August 1975 in companies in Scotland wholly engaged in activities related to the offshore oil industry was estimated to be 20,800. The corresponding figure for 31st August 1974 was 15,480. These estimates do not include workers engaged in offshore oil-related work in companies only partially engaged in such work nor those in the construction industry.I regret that it is not possible to identify within these totals the number of foreign or Community workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many vacancies for skilled and unskilled building workers have been notified in his Department in the Tayside Region; what is the total number of such workers in the region; and how many in each locality are resident or registered in Dundee;(2) how many skilled and unskilled building workers there were unemployed in Tayside and in Dundee at the last most convenient date; and, of skilled workers, what was the relative breakdown according to trades.

The following table shows an occupational analysis of unemployed males, registered at employment

SEPTEMBER 1975
	Tayside		Dundee
	Unemployed	Unfilled vacancies	Unemployed	Unfilled vacancies
Site and other managers, agents and clerks of works, general foremen (building and civil engineering)	2	—	—	—
Carpenters and joiners (construction sites and maintenance)	40	13	31	—
Maintenance fitters (non-electrical) plant and industrial machinery	6	—	3	—
Electricians (installation and maintenance) premises and ships	23	—	13	—
Plumbers, pipe fitters	33	1	29	1
Heating and ventilating engineering fitters	4	—	4	—
Gas fitters	3	—	2	—
Steel erectors	7	—	6	—
Scaffolders, stagers	13	—	11	—
Steel benders, bar benders and fixers	13	—	11	—
Painters and decorators	23	17	14	16
Bricklayers	43	5	29	4
Plasterers	12	6	5	2
Floor and wall tilers, terrazzo workers	9	—	8	—
Roofers and slaters	17	2	14	—
Glaziers	4	—	4	—
Concrete levellers/screeders	3	—	2	—
Mains and service layers and pipe jointers (gas, water, drainage, oil)	2	—	2	—
Mechanical plant drivers/operators (earth moving and civil engineering)	13	—	3	—
Crane drivers/operators	2	—	—	—
All other occupations, including labourers	880	31	512	9
Total, all occupations	1,152	75	703	32

The table does not include data from careers offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to bring the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service to bear in an inter-union dispute affecting the National Association of Licensed House Managers which is causing unemployment in the Birmingham area.

I understand that the independent Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been in touch with offices who last worked in construction and of notified unfilled vacancies for males in the industry. The vacancy statistics relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and are not a measure of total vacancies. At June 1974, the most recent date for which the information is available, there were about 11,800 males employed in construction in the Tayside Region, of whom about 6,400 worked in Dundee. Up-to-date estimates of the number of skilled and the number of unskilled workers in these areas are not available.the parties throughout the dispute affecting Ansell's brewery in Birmingham.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the redundancies and short-time working arising from cutbacks at Chrysler's establishments in the United Kingdom, if he will ask the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service to lend its offices in an attempt to solve the present difficulties.

I am sure that the independent Advisory, Conciliation and

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the numbers and categories of skilled operatives in the building industry in the Northern Region registered as unemployed at the latest available date.

The following table shows an occupational analysis of unemployed males registered at Employment Offices, who last worked in construction:

Unemployed males in the North Region at September1975:Construction
Site and other managers, agents and clerks of works, general foremen (building and civil engineering)	49
Carpenters and joiners (construction sites and maintenance)	797
Maintenance fitters (non-electrical) plant and industrial machinery	166
Electricians (installation and maintenance) premises and ships	249
Cable jointers and linesmen	6
Plumbers, pipe fitters	426
Heating and ventilating engineering fitters	51
Gas fitters	49
Steel erectors	138
Scaffolders, stagers	127
Steel benders, bar benders and fixers	82
Painters and decorators	576
Bricklayers	573
Fixer/walling masons	9
Plasterers	307
Floor and wall tilers, terrazzo workers	35
Roofers and slaters	118
Glaziers	17
Asphalt and bitumen road surfacers	28
Other roadmen	64
Concrete erectors/assemblers	3
Concrete levellers/screeders	17
Mains and service layers and pipe jointers (gas, water, drainage, oil)	57
Mechanical plant drivers/operators (earth moving and civil engineering)	148
Crane drivers/operators	60
Fork lift and other mechanical truck drivers/operators	35
All other occupations, including labourers	12,376
Total, all occupations	16,563

The table does not include unemployed registered at Careers Offices.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the local amenity and conserva- tion societies were consulted before proceeding with the programme to build round the existing frontage of the Surrey home of correction, now known as Her Majesty's Prison, Wandsworth.

In accordance with the normal arrangements applicable to Government Departments, the Home Office informed the local planning authority of its proposals. It is for the local planning authority to decide the extent to which a scheme proposed by a Government Department should be publicised and to consult and to take account of any comments by amenity and conservation societies and interested parties in formulating its view of the proposal.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of the building of a security frontage at Her Majesty's Prison, Wandsworth.

The estimated cost of providing a secure vehicle compound at the entrance to Wandsworth Prison is £73,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers were specially trained to operate the two control units.

Only one control unit, at Wakefield prison, was opened 31 prison officers were specially trained to work there.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of fines imposed on football hooligans are unpaid; for how long; and whether he will now consider taking steps to revise the penalties for convicted offenders.

I regret that information about the proportion of fines imposed for particular offences which remains unpaid is not available. The penalties for criminal offences which may be committed by football hooligans, as for all offences, are kept under review but the maxima are already very substantial.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of setting up the control unit at Wakefield in capital and revenue costs.

£110,500 in capital costs. The running costs were mainly staff costs which varied according to the use of the unit and cannot be accurately measured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money has been spent on the creation of a control unit in Wormwood Scrubs.

£10,500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost of the control units set up with Her Majesty's Prison Service.

£121,000 in capital costs. The running costs were mainly staff costs which varied according to the use of the unit and cannot be accurately measured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what specialist training has been provided for officers recruited to the control units; and what use will now be made of that training.

All the officers selected for work in the control unit at Wakefield attended a two-week course designed to provide greater insight and understanding of the management and treatment of difficult and disruptive prisoners. This training will continue to be of value in other work to which these officers may be assigned.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the present prison control unit methods; and if he will make a statement in the light of the evidence sent to him on this matter by the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to a Question from my hon Friend the Member for Gloucestershire, West (Mr. Watkinson) on 24th October.—[Vol. 898, c. 283–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken designed to ensure that adequate compensation is paid to people who suffer the loss of life, limb or property as a result of terrorist action in Great Britain; and if he will make a statement.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme provides that those who receive injuries directly attributable to a crime of violence, and the dependants of those who are killed, may apply for compensation to the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board. No distinction is made between the victims of terrorist actions and those of other violent crimes.There are in general no arrangements for paying compensation from public funds for loss of property caused by terrorist acts in Great Britain. Owners of property are in general able to obtain insurance cover which includes compensation for such attacks at normal rates of premium.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what psychiatric advice was made available to Mr. Nathan Greenberg in Wormwood Scrubs Prison after Mr. Greenberg commenced to refuse food on 26th June 1975 and continued to refuse food for over two months.

He was seen on six occasions by outside psychiatric consultants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of Mr. Nathan Greenberg's state of health he will now arrange for him to be accommodated in more suitable accommodation than that available in Wormwood Scrubs Prison.

No. I am not clear what in all the circumstances could be regarded as more suitable accommodation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what reply has been given to Mr. Nathan

The representations made on behalf of Mr. Greenberg are still being considered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many suicides have taken place in Her Majesty's prisons during the past 12 months, and where; and in which cases he has ordered inquiries to be made.

12 during the 12 months ending on 31st October. They occurred at Birmingham (two), Brixton (two), Chelmsford, Leeds (two), Lewes, Liverpool, Norwich, Risley (two). Inquiries are carried out by the Prison Department into the circumstances of every case of suicide; but we have ordered no special inquiry into any case in the past 12 months.A coroner's inquest is held in the case of every death occurring in a prison.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the proportion of staff to prisoners on 30th September 1975 at Her Majesty's Prisons Leeds, Liverpool, Pentonville, Wandsworth, Wormwood Scrubs, Winchester, Cardiff, Camp Hill and Oxford.

The information is as follows:

	Staff		Prisoners
Leeds	1	:	2·3
Liverpool	1	:	2·7
Pentonville	1	:	2·9
Wandsworth	1	:	3·0
Wormwood Scrubs	1	:	2·1
Winchester	1	:	2·1
Cardiff	1	:	1·7
Camp Hill	1	:	1·8
Oxford	1	:	1·8

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to take any action to deal with complaints of harassment of agricultural tenants in Scotland.

While I am satisfied that there is no general problem of harassment of agricultural tenants in Scotland I intend, if changes are to be made in the agricultural holdings legislation for England and Wales, to propose that similar changes should be made in the parallel Scottish legislation.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many secondary pupils were receiving part-time education at the most recent date for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in each of the previous five years.

Returns from education authorities show that 20,222 secondary pupils were on part-time education on 6th October 1975. The comparable figure for October 1974 was 39,624. Figures for the nearest comparable dates in earlier years are:

1970 (September)	5,529
1971 (September)	389
1972 (September)	71
1973 (November)	6,473

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what requests he has received for Government aid for plans to redevelop the village of Ballachulish in Argyll.

None, although I understand that Lochaber District Council has recently asked that the Scottish Development Agency, when appointed, should consider the question of the redevelopment of Ballachulish.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will indicate on passports issued to Welsh people in Wales that they are of Welsh nationality.

None. Welsh people are citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies and are so described in their passports.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will initiate discussions with member States in the United Nations Organisation for more uniform and resolute steps to be taken on a world basis in respect of terrorism, kidnapping and hijacking.

We shall continue to do all in our power to ensure that the United Nations and other international organisations take effective measures to deal with the problems of terorism. In this connection, we intend to introduce as soon as possible the necessary Bill to enable Her Majesty's Government to raitfy the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Internationally Protected Persons, which was adopted by the United Nations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report details of the United Kingdom contribution to UNRWA in 1972, 1973, 1974 and 1975, and the proposed contribution for 1976 (figures expressed in sterling).

Contributions have been made by Her Majesty's Government to UNRWA as follows:

	£
1972	1,875,000
1973	2,000,000
1974	2,000,000
1975	2,250,000

In view of the serious financial difficulties facing UNRWA and in response to appeals from the Secretary General of the United Nations and the Commissioner- General of UNRWA, Her Majesty's Government announced on 20th October that an additional contribution of £200,000 would be made in 1975 and that, subject to parliamentary approval, they would be prepared to increase this sum within a maximum of £1 million to 10 per cent., of the total of any additional contributions made by countries other than the United Kingdom and the United States since the Commissioner-General's appeal of 24th June.The level of our contribution for 1976 is still under consideration.The United Kingdom also participates in the contributions made to UNRWA by the EEC.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the appropriate Article of the Treaty of Rome referred to in the Official Report, column 1588, of 29th October last, that obliges the United Kingdom to eventual direct elections to the European Assembly.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave on 16th July to my hon. Friend the Member for Keighley (Mr. Cryer)—[Vol. 895, c. 1495–6.]. The texts of the original treaty establishing the European Economic Community and the adjustments to the treaty set out in the Act annexed to the Treaty of Accession are available in Command Paper No. 5179, Parts I and II (Treaty Series No. 1 (1973)).

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made since 29th October to the Turkish authorities concerning the settlement of families from mainland Turkey into the northern part of Cyprus; and what evidence is available to the Government concerning the number of those who have been settled.

No further representations have been made since those of which I informed the House on 23rd October. The evidence available from different sources about movement into the northern part of Cyprus is conflicting.