asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the results of his Department's schemes to eliminate the badger in certain parts of the country by the use of cyanide gas; and if he will at the same time individually list the areas concerned with an estimate of the number of badgers or other wild creatures which his Department estimates have been destroyed to date.

By 26th November cyanide gassing had been carried out at one place in Dorset, five in North Avon and one in Gloucestershire. In all, 214 groups of holes had been treated. It is not possible to estimate the number of badgers, or of other wild creatures if any, that have been destroyed as a result of these operations.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the immediate and long-term prospects of the soft fruit industry, especially raspberries; and if he will make a statement.

The prospects for efficient soft fruit growers are generally good. This is true for raspberry growers provided supply can be adapted to demand.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans exist for a common policy for soft fruits and especially Scottish raspberries in the Common Market;(2) if he proposes to introduce intervention buying in the soft fruit and especially the raspberry industry in order to alleviate the present difficulties of that industry.

There are already common Community policies for fresh and processed soft fruits. They cover free intra-Community trade and a common Customs tariff to which we are gradually moving during transition; safeguard arrangements if the Community market is threatened; a system of monitoring imports of certain sensitive processed fruits, including raspberries, blackcurrants and strawberries; and quality standards for strawberries. Groups of fresh fruit producers may fix withdrawal prices applicable to sales of their members' produce and finance any withdrawals from their own funds, but there is no Community scheme of FEOGA-financed compensation for withdrawals of soft fruits, and I do not think that such a scheme would be appropriate.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to introduce a marketing board or other market mechanism for the soft fruit industry and the raspberry industry in particular.

No. Under the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958 the initiative for the establishment of any marketing board rests with the producers concerned. I assume that, in referring to other market mechanisms, the hon. Member has in mind co-operative selling. The Central Council for Agricultural and Horticultural Co-operation administers measures to encourage co-operation and producers interested should get in touch with them.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he is satisfied that the views of the British food and drink manufacturing and processing industry are given as much consideration by the Council of Ministers in Brussels as are the views of farmers and of consumers.

Yes. We are well aware of the views of the food and drink industry on questions arising in the Council and are able to take these fully into account. In addition, the Food and Drink Industries Council plays an active part in the Commission des Industries Agricoles et Alimentaires de l'Unice which the European Commission consults on matters of interest to the food and drink industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the low profit margins of the British food and drink manufacturing industries and the rôle the industries play in guaranteeing food supplies, he will take steps to improve their financial position.

We are well aware of the importance of these industries and of the difficulties which they face. The Government's overriding aim is to conquer inflation, and this will benefit all sectors of industry.

aked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish in the Official Report information available of the number of farm animals killed by stray dogs in the United Kingdom as a whole and in the area around greater Manchester for the most recent year figures are available.

Our latest available information on this covers the calendar year preceding local government reorganisation. This precludes any figures in respect of the new Greater Manchester area, but the following table gives combined totals for the counties from parts of which that area was formed:

FARM ANIMALS KILLED BY DOGS—NUMBERS NOTIFIED IN 1973
Type	Great Britain	Cheshire, Lancashire and Yorkshire (WR) only
Sheep	5,276	455
Poultry	3,274	391
Cattle	25	3
Pigs	16	4
Totals	8,591	853

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many acres of derelict and scrub land there are.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he can now report on the result of the prosecution referred to in his statement of 11th April 1975 concerning export of live sheep to France; and whether the new arrangements he referred to are now in effective operation.

I have now been informed by the French authorities that in a hearing before an examining magistrate it has been decided that there is insufficient evidence to justify further proceedings in the case to which I referred on 11th April 1975.Since the beginning of April exporters have been required to declare in writing the exact final destination of each consignment of animals when applying for a veterinary inspection certificate. Also since April we have advised the French authorities immediately of the departure and the declared destinations of all consignments of sheep leaving this country for slaughter in France. As a result of these arrangements sheep exported to the more remote parts of France are allowed to travel only where there is assurance that they will be properly rested, fed and watered

asked the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the number of licensed quarantine kennels in Kent and overall in the United Kingdom.

Four quarantine kennels in Kent are licensed for imported dogs and cats under the rabies legislation. The corresponding figure for the United Kingdom is 52.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans exist to deal with a possible outbreak of rabies in Kent.

The Rabies (Control) Order 1974 provides comprehensive powers to contain and eliminate the disease in the event of an outbreak anywhere in the country. The detailed implementation of those powers in Kent would take into account the nature of any outbreak and local circumstances. Contingency planning is well advanced and work is continuing in association with local authorities and other interested Departments and bodies to ensure that plans, manpower and equipment are available to meet any likely outbreak.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the various mileage allowances for the appropriate groups in the Civil Service.

The standard rate of mileage allowance is paid when a private motor vehicle is used on official business provided certain conditions about the particular journey are satisfied and the officer has normal comprehensive insurance cover. The allowances for cars with an engine capacity of more than 500 cc are calculated by reference to the schedules of estimated motoring costs published from time to time by the Automobile Association taking into account up-to-date petrol prices. The standard rates of mileage allowance, which depend on the type of vehicle and the engine capacity, are as follows:

Rate per mile	Type of Vehicle and Engine Capacity
	Motor Cycle	Motor Car including 3-wheel vehicle
2·2p	150cc or less	150cc or less
2·7p	151cc–235cc	151cc–245cc
3·8p	246cc–500cc	246cc–500cc (except Fiat 500)
4·7p	501cc and over
7·9p		501cc–1,000cc (including Fiat 500)
9·4p		1,001cc–1,750cc
10·2p		1,751cc and over

In certain circumstances reimbursement is at the public transport rates of mileage allowance, which are currently as follows:

Rate per mile	Type of Vehicle and Engine Capacity
	Motor Cycle	Motor Car including 3-wheel vehicle
2·2p	150cc or less	150cc or less
2·7p	151cc–245cc	151cc–245cc
3·8p	246cc–500cc	246cc–500cc (except Fiat 500)
4·1p	501cc and over	All other engine capacities (including Fiat 500)

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he is taking to halt the increase in staff of the Government Economic Services Department, in view of the fact that it has shown a compound 28 per cent. annual growth since 1964.

Staff in the Government Economic Service are employed by several Departments. The numbers of economist posts in each Department are kept under close scrutiny by my Department, in consultation with the Head of the Government Economic Service, to ensure that they are no larger than are required to meet essential needs.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether any Government Department shows a comparable growth rate to that of the Government Economic Services Department, which is averaging 28 per cent. compound growth between 1964 and 1975.

There is no Government Economic Services Department. There is a professional group known as the Government Economic Service distributed between some 20 Departments and other Government bodies. This group has grown faster than any individual Department largely because there were only 21 economists, almost entirely in the Treasury, in 1964 and new departmental functions acquired since then require to be performed by professionally qualified staff, especially in the fields of overseas aid, transport economics, housing and environmental economics and health economics.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he intends to impose cash limits, or numerical ceilings, upon Civil Service manpower and its related expenditure during the current financial year.

No. But strict control will continue to be exercised to restrict manpower and expenditure to the minimum necessary to meet the demands placed on the Civil Service by Parliament.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what instructions he has given to Ministers to reduce the numbers of civil servants within their Departments and to secure other economies.

The size and cost of the Civil Service are directly related to the work it is given to do by Parliament. Ministers are under instruction to ensure that their Departments are tautly complemented and that everything possible is done to seek efficiency and economy.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many civil servants now in the Under-Secretary grade of the administrative category were recruited into the Civil Service in specialist grades.

Posts at the Under-Secretary level fall within the Open Structure, and may thus be held by any civil servant with the ability and qualifications to do the job successfully, irrespective

		Full-time	Part-time	Total (Full-time and part-time)
Aberdeen	…	—	—	—
Dundee	…	—	—	—
Edinburgh:
CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT:
Civil Service Catering Organisation	…	101	18
Civil Service College	…	111	40
CSD Regional Offices	…	10	—
Medical Advisory Service	…	3	—
HM STATIONERY OFFICE	…	385	2
TOTALS	…	610	60	670
Glasgow:
CIVIL SERVICE DEPARTMENT:
Civil Service Catering Organisation	…	124	13
HM STATIONERY OFFICE	…	2	—
TOTALS	…	126	13	139

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what would be the size of fund required to meet the pension commitments of the public sector if these were not met on a "pay-as-you-go" basis.

The Government see no case for departing from the "pay as you go" basis which governs most public service pension schemes within the public sector. If these schemes were to be funded the total fund required would, amongst other factors, depend upon the actuarial assumptions made at the time about long-term rates of inflation and interest rates.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many pensionable

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the offices and numbers of relevant employees for which he has executive or advisory responsibility in each of the following: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The offices and numbers of employees for which I have departmental responsibility at each of these locations are as follows:persons were employed in the Civil Service excluding the Post Office on 30th September 1964; and how many were employed on 30th September 1975, or on the latest date for which figures are available.

On 30th September 1964 the Civil Service—excluding the Post Office—employed 406,219 permanent and 248,644 temporary staff, the latter not being pensionable. On 30th September 1975 there were 719,145 permanent staff nearly all of whom are pensionable, those serving in a temporary capacity in 1972 automatically having become pensionable with the introduction of the new Civil Service pension scheme in that year.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether his Department is taking actuarial advice about the effect of inflation-proofing on Civil Service pensions.

Yes.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what percentage of Civil Service salaries is taken by the Pay Unit to be the value of current Civil Service pension benefits when making comparisons between total emoluments in the public and private sectors.

Before being attributed to the equivalent Civil Service grade all pay rates provided by the Civil Service Pay Research Unit for broadly comparable private sector employment are specifically reduced by the precise superannuation contribution paid for personal benefits by those in such employment; this in a typical case is 5 per cent. or 6 per cent. A further deduction, which was 1·75 per cent. under the 1974 pay agreement, is made to take account of differences in superannuation benefits. The pay agreement between the Official and Staff Sides of the National Whitley Council provides for this last adjustment to be reassessed by the Government Actuary following each pay research settlement, in order to determine whether the size of the adjustment is still appropriate.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the total pension cost in this year's Estimates for civil servants, including present employees; and what was the comparable figure in each of the last four years.

The Civil Service pension scheme is not funded. The Exchequer meets the cost of emerging benefits through the Vote for Civil Superannuation etc.—Class XIV, Vote 6 in the Supply Estimates for 1975–76—to which contributions paid by civil servants towards the cost of widows' etc. benefits and other offsetting receipts are appropriated in aid. Excluding a special payment of £40 million in respect of the pension rights of civil servants transferred to the Civil Aviation Authority and the small provision made for payments to and in respect of ex-members of the Royal Irish Constabulary, the original estimate for net expenditure from this Vote in 1975–76 was £190·8 million, but parliamentary approval will be sought for an additional £16·8 million in the Winter Supplementary Estimates. The resulting total of £207·6 million compares with actual net expenditure for comparable services of £160·3 million in 1974–75, £135·5 million in 1973–74. £128·5 million in 1972–73 and £107·5 million in 1971–72.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what has been the cost to public funds of inflation-proofing the pensions of civil servants in the financial years 1971–72, 1972–73, 1973–74 and 1974–75. respectively.

The cost of inflation-proofing the pensions of civil servants, including widows' and children's benefits, rose by approximately £6 million, £8 million, £9 million and £12 million for the financial years 1971–72, 1972–73. 1973–74 and 1974–75 respectively.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many brief cases have been issued to civil servants over the past two years; what has been the cost; and what is the size and value of current stocks of brief cases held by the Government.

8,884 standard plastic brief cases costing about £14,000 have been issued to Government Departments in the past two years. A stock of 940 of these worth about £1,700 is held. A further 8,000 brief cases for special purposes, such as those with security safeguards, were issued at a cost of £87,000. Stocks are held of 328 of these, worth £2,800.

asked the Minister of State for the Civil Service Department if he will give in respect of the employees of each Department of Government the information on salaries as required of company directors of civil companies by Section 8(1) of the Companies Act 1967.

The total number of home civil servants, at 1st April 1975, in receipt of a national salary rate of £12,000 or more, per annum was as follows:

Salary Bands	Numbers of staff
£12,000–£12,500	577
£12,501–£15,000	206
£15,001–£17,500	28
£17,501–£20,000	23
£20,001–£22,500	3

In addition there are 2,962 home civil servants in grades paid on scales with a national minimum below £10,000 and a maximum between £10,000–£11,999 but the numbers actually receiving more than £10,000 cannot be identified without disproportionate cost. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of these figures by Departments in the time available but I will write to the hon. and learned Member when this information comes to hand.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the current total annual salary and wage bill for civil servants, and apart from the General Post Office what was the total in 1964: what is the percentage increase between the two dates; and what are the percentage increases in the cost of living and the national average wage, respectively, between the same dates.

The current total annual salary and wages bill to civil servants is £2,252 million, compared with £668 million in 1964, a percentage increase of 237 per cent. between the two dates. Because the size of the Civil Service has increased during the period the rise in the average earnings of civil servants has been only 196 per cent. The percentage increases in the cost of living and the national average wage between the two dates were 153 per cent. and 239 per cent. respectively.

A. HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA—STUDENTS ON COURSE
					1970	1971	7972	1973	November 1974
England	…	…	…	…	19,056	19,530	18,735	17,641	17,007
Wales	…	…	…	…	1,046	1,022	1,026	924	860
Total	…	…	…	…	20,102	20,552	19,761	18,565	17,867
B. HIGHER NATIONAL DIPLOMA—FINAL EXAMINATIONS (ENGLAND AND WALES)
					1970	1971	1972	1973	Calendar Year 1974
Entries	…	…	…	…	6,800	7,779	8,164	7,853	7,177
Passes	…	…	…	…	5,341	6,159	6,526	6,235	5,893

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons sat and passed higher national diploma examinations in England and Wales, respectively, in each of the past five years.

The information requested is not available in my Department for England and Wales separately. The number of students enrolled on Higher National Diploma courses at colleges in England and Wales respectively are shown below together with figures for the total numbers of entries and passes—England and Wales together—supplied by the several joint committees responsible for examinations at this level.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department proposes to establish a unit on assessment of performance; and for what object such a unit will be used.

This unit has already been established. The terms of reference and the tasks proposed for the unit are set out in Annex B to "Educational Disadvantage and the Educational Needs of Immigrants" (Cmnd. 5720).

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he anticipates that the extension of the main college site now in building at the Basingstoke Technical College will be completed, furnished and brought into commission.

I am informed by the Hampshire County Council Architects Department that the construction of Phase IIIa is due to be completed in December 1975 and it is proposed to use the building in January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities currently make no provision for the education of handicapped children under the age of 5 years; and if he will make a statement.

In January 1975, the latest date for which information is available, all local education authorities made some provision of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he has given to local education authorities about the needs of handicapped children for education at the earliest possible age; if he will ensure that such children are protected from the cuts recommended in his Department's Circular 10/75; and if he will make a statement.

Section 34 of the Education Act 1944 imposes responsibility on local education authorities for identifying children who may require special education; and the Department has taken suitable opportunities over the years to stress the importance for handicapped children of education at the earliest possible age. In March 1975 a circular of guidance on the discovery of children requiring special education and the assessment of their needs was issued. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy. It is for local education authorities to decide the ways in which reduction in the planned growth of their expenditure should be effected; but in outlining his priorities for educational expenditure my right hon. Friend has emphasised the importance of giving adequate special consideration to the needs of the educationally disadvantaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many professional divers drowned in each of the last 23-month periods for which records are available; in how many of such cases was the deceased fully trained; in how many of such cases was the deceased a former diver in one of the armed services; and in how many and what percentage of such cases was the body of the deceased not recovered.

I have been in-formed by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that in respect of operations subject to the Factories Act 1961 the following information about fatal accidents is recorded. Since January 1973 there have been six accidental deaths of professional divers. In only one of those cases was the diver not trained. In two of the cases the divers were known to have had experience of diving during service with the Armed Forces. In all the cases the bodies of the divers were recovered.Before 1973 detailed information about fatal accidents to divers was not recorded centrally, but it is known that in each of the years 1970, 1971 and 1972 there was one such accident.Accidents arising from diving operation in connection with offshore installations are the responsibility of the Department of Energy. Diving operations not subject to regulations under the Factories Act or the Mineral Workings (Offshore Installations) Act 1971 may be the concern of the Department of Trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a list in the Official Report of the number of immigrants in each employment district of the United Kingdom aged between 16 and 18 years—or a similar more convenient age band—the percentage in each area who are unemployed and the percentage who have been unemployed for more than six months.

I regret that the information requested is not readily avail-able and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. In February of each year statistics are collected which analyse by age groups unemployed persons who were born, or whose parents were born, in certain Commonwealth countries and Pakistan. The numbers in the 16–17 age group unemployed in February 1975—standard regions of Great Britain only—were:

REGION
East Anglia	21
South-East	710
South-West	43
West Midlands	448
East Midlands	101
Yorks and Humber	126
North-West	98
North	13
Wales	5
Scotland	4

The statistics do not include the duration of unemployment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many dock workers are currently employed under the Dock Workers Employment Scheme.

At 18th November 1975 there were 32,000 dock workers registered under the Dock Workers Employment Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of workers directly employed as dockers by ports which do not subscribe to the Dock Workers Employment Scheme.

In a survey of non-scheme ports and wharves published in 1973 the National Ports Council reported that some 2,900 were employed on cargo-handling work. No later estimate is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of workers employed in container groupage work in the sea-borne import-export trade, other than those directly employed within docks.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the number of workers engaged within five miles of the mean high water mark of places used for the loading or unloading of vessels and which are connected to the sea by river or canal as specified in Clause 21 of the consultative document entitled "Dockwork" published by his Department in March 1975 in each of the following categories: storage, warehousing, sorting, weighing, movement, lighterage, identification of goods, checking of goods, and recording of goods, excluding in each case the specific exclusions listed in Clause 20 of the said consultative document.

None. Paragraph 20 of the consultative document broadly identified the type of operations to which, in appropriate circumstances, extension of the dock labour scheme might be desirable and paragraph 21 proposed that extension to particular operations could take place only if they were carried on within five miles of either the mean high water mark or the waterside limits of any named place used for the loading or unloading of vessels and connected to the sea by river or canal.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the functions of the Labour Attaché at the British Embassy in Madrid.

The labour attaché at the British Embassy in Madrid is a specialist in labour and social affairs and within this sphere his functions are: to advise Her Majesty's Ambassador on current events in his field and their significance; to keep the Department of Employment and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office informed of developments of interest to them; to provide information on British policy, practice and events; to arrange contracts between persons and organisations in Britain and Spain respectively, as appropriate.In the present situation in Spain it is important for Her Majesty's Government to have a proper knowledge and understanding of developments in labour and trade union fields.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people known to his Department were considered to be (a) incapable of work and (b) capable of but not available for work, at the latest date for which figures are available.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the only figures available relate to those on the register of disabled persons, of whom in April 1975 there were 557,217, most of whom are in employment. In October 1975, 72,500 disabled people on the register were also registered as unemployed; all are regarded as capable of and available for work.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the offices and numbers of relevant employees for which he has executive or advisory responsibility in each of the following: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

The offices for which I have executive or advisory responsibility in Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow and the number of staff currently employed in these offices are set out below.

ABERDEEN
Unemployment benefit office,	63
DUNDEE
Unemployment benefit office, Edward Street	50
Unemployment benefit office, Gellatly Street	63
EDINBURGH
Office for Scotland	198
Finance Office, Scotland	34
Unemployment benefit office, Argyll House	72
Unemployment benefit office, Tollcross	51

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the overall annual capacity of Government training facilities in Scotland; and if he will give details for specific industries.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is expected that 7,200 people will be trained under the Training Opportunities Scheme in Scotland during 1975. About 2,000 will be trained in skillcentres, 4,300 in colleges of further education and 900 in other establishments.Skillcentre trainees are in the following industrial groups:

Construction	470
Engineering Production	470
Engineering Servicing	50
Electrical/Electronic	270
Plant and Automotive	500
General Servicing	40
Miscellaneous	200

Training in colleges of further education is available for a wide variety of jobs. Most trainees are on clerical/commercial and keyboard courses. There are 400 trainees in approved employers' establishments mainly on short engineering courses. 500 trainees are being taught heavy goods vehicle driving.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the annual capacity of Government training facilities including colleges of further education, in Dundee.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commision that it is expected that 540 people will be trained under the Training Opportunities Scheme in Dundee during 1975. About 130 will be trained in skillcentres, 260 in colleges of further education and 150 in other establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current total number of trainees under training with the Training Opportunities Scheme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 31st October 1975, 40,779 people were receiving training under the Training Opportunities Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of trainees currently undergoing instructors' equestrian training with the Training Opportunities Scheme and the average cost per head of the training.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 30th September 1975, 35 people were on courses leading to instructors' qualifications of the British Horse Society. Training costs vary according to establishment, level and length of course but fees average £32 per week. Maintenance allowances to trainees are additional and dependent on domestic circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of trainees undergoing clerical training under the Training Opportunities Scheme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that on 30th September 1975, 5,924 people were receiving clerical training under the Training Opportunities Scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the Bristol area are awaiting admission to Government training centres.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that 537 people in the Bristol area are awaiting admission to a skill centre. 275 have been accepted and 262 have not yet been accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the ports in the United Kingdom which are used for the loading or unloading of vessels and which are connected to the sea by river or canal.

The best estimate available is that at least 600 places on the sea or rivers and canals might be defined as ports for the purpose of the Dock-workers (Regulation of Employment) Act 1946. A very large number of these are not in active use, or could be used only by very small craft, or are used only by fishing vessels.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a map showing areas which are within five miles of the mean high water mark of ports which are used for the loading or unloading of vessels and which are connected to the sea by river or canal.

The information is not readily available and a map could only be prepared at a disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is aware of the job creation programme submitted to the Manpower Services Commission by the Humberside County Council dealing with welfare cadets, a transport survey team and a tree-felling programme to deal with Dutch elm disease; and if, in order to create job opportunities for unemployed school leavers, he will ask the Manpower Services Commission to look favourably at these three schemes.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that these applications have been received and that they are being urgently and sym-pathetically considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why 1st July was chosen for paying the London allowance; whether it is his policy to make allowance payments to those with an anniversary date other than 1st July; and what is the present situation with regard to cost compensation.

The Pay Board Advisory Report on London weighting published in July 1974 recommended that allowances should be updated in July each year. The pay limits apply to any increases in London weighting on or after 1st August 1975, and they should be kept, together with the annual settlement within the £6 limit; those earning £8,500 or more should receive no increase. Reviews of London weighting with due dates before 1st August should be negotiated only in strict accordance with guidelines existing at the due date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied that the fire regulations covering warehouses, and cold storage warehouses in particular, are adequate.

Yes. The Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission informs me that fire precautions in certain types of warehouse are dealt with under the Factories Act 1961 or the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963. Some warehouses are not subject to specific fire precautions requirements under either of those Acts but he is satisfied that the general powers under Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 are adequate to protect the safety of persons at work in them. Advice on fire prevention in warehouses is freely available from the staff of the Health and Safety Executive or from fire authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the fire at the Central Cold Storage Company in Walsall, if he proposes to issue any instructions or advice to companies or individuals using polystyrene.

Advice on hazards to persons in the storage, handling and use of expanded plastics is given in Technical Data Note No. 29 (Rev), which can be obtained free of charge from the district offices of Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate. I am advised by the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that there are at present no plans to issue other advice, but that the matter will be reviewed if the circumstances of the fire in Walsall reveal any new points. Her Majesty's inspectors of factories discuss the risk with employers and employees as opportunities arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the wage increase paid by the Standard Telephone Company has yet been determined to be within or without the guidelines contained in the White Paper, "The Attack upon Inflation".

This breach of the counter-inflation policy was remedied on 20th October, when the wage increase was modified so as to bring it within the limits set out in the White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what is his policy towards the employment of blind people as blind persons' resettlement officers;(2) if he will discriminate in favour of blind persons when appointing blind persons' resettlement officers.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that blind persons resettlement officer posts are filled by staff in the executive officer grade and appointment to this grade is made either by promotion from the clerical grade or by direct recruitment through the Civil Service Commission open competition. Candidates for the open competition must have obtained either five GCE passes, two of them at A-level obtained in the same examination, and be under the age of 28 or have two A-levels or equivalent qualifications and be at least 28 and under 50 years of age. Blind people with the appropriate experience and qualifications are appointed to the Executive Grade.Blind people who have recently been successful have not been considered for BPRO posts because the duties are unsuitable for someone with a severe visual handicap. With only 32 officers covering the whole country, each BPRO has a large area to cover and, with many domiciliary visits and calls on employers being an essential aspect of the duties, the BPRO, to be efficient and effective, needs to be a car owner-driver. It is becoming increasingly difficult to undertake the duties adequately, aided by public transport, and the blind BPROs currently in post are employed only in urban areas where the amount of travelling is manageable.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many blind people are unemployed in the North-West of England; and how many are under the age of 25 years;(2) how many blind people are unemployed in the United Kingdom; and how many are under the age of 25 years;(3) how the numbers of unemployed blind people in the North-West of England compare with the national average.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the number of blind people unemployed in the North-West Region of England when the last count was made in April 1975 was 146. No records are maintained giving the ages of unemployed blind people. The number of blind people unemployed in England, Scotland and Wales in April 1975 was 865. The unemployment rate amongst blind people in the North-West Region at that date was 12·1 per cent. Nationally it was 10·3 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unskilled jobs available in Liverpool for each of the years 1966 to 1971.

Occupational analyses of the numbers of notified unfilled vacancies are compiled for employment office areas. The statistics do not identify all notified unskilled vacancies, but for the period 1966 to 1971 there are separate figures for the particular category of labourers. The data relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and not a measure of total vacancies. Following is the information available:

NOTIFIED UNFILLED VACANCIES FOR LABOURERS IN THE LIVERPOOL, OLD SWAN, GARSTON AND WALLASEY EMPLOYMENT OFFICE AREAS
	Men	Women
June 1966	181	178
June 1967	37	126
June 1968	79	280
June 1969	83	189
June 1970	40	145
June 1971	16	200

The table does not include vacancies notified to careers offices.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of new jobs created in the special development areas, the development areas, and the intermediate areas since March 1974, and the average cost per job to public funds in each case, expressed as a percentage of the cost of unemployment benefit paid to those people unemployed in the same areas for the same period.

I have been asked to reply.Between 1st April 1974 and 30th September 1975 regional selective assistance under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 was offered in respect of the following projects giving rise to new employment:

	Projects	Estimated new employment created	Average cost per job
			£
S.D.A.	409	36,000	3,515
D.A.	338	27,000	2,762
I.A.	510	33,000	2,167

Additional new jobs in these areas have also been created in Government and local authority services; in industrial projects qualifying for regional development grants under the Industry Act, and in new and expanding service industry projects located in the assisted areas. Estimates of the number of new jobs arising from these sources are not readily available. Nor is information on the amount of unemployment benefits paid in the assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in order to reduce unemployment and to help young people acquire a skilled trade, he will advise the Wages Council to lift its ban on hairdressers having more than one apprentice.

I understand that changes in apprenticeship conditions are being currently considered by the Hair-dressing Undertakings Wages Council and that the Training Services Agency has approached the two main employers' organisations offering premium grants under the Special Measures Scheme to make additional places available within the apprenticeship conditions established by the Council.

asked the Minister for Overseas Development what is the total amount of British development aid made available during each of the past five years to developing countries for the construction or expansion of textile factories.

As I explained in the answer which I gave to the hon. Member's Question on 28th November, separate statistics of United Kingdom aid made available for textile industry projects in developing countries are not kept.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he has received any representations from trade unions for further cuts in defence spending.

				Aberdeen	Dundee	Edinburgh	Glasgow
Navy Uunits	…	…	…	—	13	—	9
Army Units	…	…	…	141	25	620	129
RAF Units	…	…	…	12	15	123	7
Procurement Executive Offices	…	…	…	—	—	25	113
Careers Information Offices	…	…	…	7	8	13	24
Meteorological Offices	…	…	…	—	—	41	20
Claims and Audit Offices	…	…	…	—	—	20	2
Total	…	…	…	160	61	842	304

asked the Secretary of State for Defence by how much he has reduced Government spending or purchases from the aerospace industry since he took office.

The attention of Ministers has been drawn by the National Union of Railwaymen and the Scottish TUC to resolutions to this effect carried at their annual conferences.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether any payments, additional to normal rates, are made to officers and men posted in the North-East of Scotland; and if he will specify the payments by type and personnel by rank in the Official Report.

In general, no. However, current rates of excess rent allowance payable to married personnel living in privately rented accommodation in certain parts of North-East Scotland take account of the prevailing level of rents in those areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the offices and numbers of relevant employees for which he has executive or advisory responsibility in each of the following: Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

On the basis of information available the following table shows the number of directly employed civilians working in those offices and units which are within the city boundaries and for which the Secretary of State has responsibility:

It is too soon for decisions taken in the course of the defence review and subsequently to have made a major impact on our expenditure with the aerospace industry. They will, however, eventually reduce expenditure on major aerospace projects by about £600 million from that previously envisaged.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether, when appealing to the Defence Council against his discharge, a soldier may request a personal hearing; and whether someone may accompany him to support his appeal and/or make representations on his behalf.

A soldier appealing against his discharge does not have a right to a personal hearing by the Defence Council.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are to be made redundant in Gan as a result of the closure of the RAF base; what compensation payments are to be made to them; and to what extent these payments are less than those to which they would have been entitled under the United Kingdom redundancy payments scheme.

Approximately 980 locally entered Maldivian civilians will be made redundant and about 80 Pakistani workers will not have their contracts renewed Of the Maldivians about 420 work for the MOD and 460 for the Department of the Environment. A further 44 are employed by NAAFI and 53 privately. Redundancy compensation for locally entered civilians of Her Majesty's Government abroad is normally determined by local good employer practice or by local law. As neither of these standards exists in the area the level of redundancy compensation was agreed with the Government of the Republic of the Maldives and will amount to one week's pay for each completed year of service. This will be paid to MOD, DOE and NAAFI Maldivian employees.Redundant locally entered civilian employees are not entitled to compensation awarded under the United Kingdom Redundancy Payments scheme which is funded by contributions from United Kingdom employers. Under this scheme compensation is assessed at rates rising from a half week's pay to 1½ weeks' pay for each reckonable year of service depending on the redundant employee's age. Since records of Maldivian employees' birth dates are not available, it is not practicable to compare the two levels of compensation.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he is satisfied that the reduced level of Service strengths set out in the 1975 Statement on the Defence Estimates is the minimum compatible with national security and the provision of an effective contribution to NATO.

Command 5976 sets out Her Majesty's Government's defence review decisions on the general level of defence and balance of forces which Britain should maintain to ensure our security and that of the Alliance. We will continue to maintain modern and effective forces to meet our essential commitments, but no public expenditure programme can be immune from changes in its forward plans.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the size of the garrison in Hong Kong on 1st January 1975 and its approximate annual cost; and what will be the size and annual cost in 1976.

On 1st January 1975 the Hong Kong garrison comprised five infantry battalions, three of them Gurkha, an artillery regiment, an armoured reconnaissance squadron, an engineer squadron, a frigate and patrol craft, and a RAF helicopter squadron. At current prices it costs about £65 million a year. I announced on 6th November—[Vol. 899, c. 270–1.]—that the garrison will be reduced in 1976 to four infantry battalions, three of them Gurkha, an engineer squadron, five naval patrol craft and a RAF helicopter squadron, whose total cost is £42½ million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to publish the next Defence White Paper.

I have nothing further to add to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 20th October 1975.—[Vol. 898, c. 2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence when he or one of his Ministerial colleagues last visited the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment at Harwell.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence and I both visited the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment which is at Aldermaston in July this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now answer Parliamentary Questions relating to security arrangements at atomic research establishments.

As I said in my reply on 14th January 1975—[Vol. 884, c. 57.]—there are comprehensive security arrangements at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment and these are kept under continuous review.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the countries outside NATO that have been provided with the NATO codification system for equipment and spares.

At present, the following non-NATO countries use the NATO Codification System:

• Argentina.
• Australia.
• Brazil.
• Republic of China.
• India.
• Iran.
• Israel.
• Japan.
• New Zealand.
• Pakistan.
• Philippines.
• South Africa.
• South Korea.
• Spain.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if British firms have provided equipment for the Advokaat system in South Africa.

Project Advokaat is a private industrial development being undertaken by a German company for South Africa. If the Question refers, as I assume it does, to defence equipment, I would refer the hon. Member to the statement made in the House on 4th December 1974 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.—[Vol. 882, c. 1555.]

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the NATO codification system for equipment and spares has been provided to the South African Government.

The NATO Codification system is an unclassified and completely open automatic data processing method for the identification and stock numbering of equipment. It is used by a number of non-NATO countries, including South Africa. The United Kingdom does not provide NATO codification information to South Africa in cases where such information relates to embargoed equipments.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any evidence to suggest that the Russian Ship "Gorizont" was acting in a rôle other than a factory fishing vessel.

We have no such evidence.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales whether he can now give the go-ahead for the construction of a new school to replace the Twthill Primary School in Caernarvon.

If the Gwynedd County Council chooses to provide a new school within its lump sum allocation for school building I shall be prepared to give consideration to this matter. I cannot, however, make available at present financial compensation for the land on which the existing school stands, which will be required for the road scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the total budget for last year for each of the following: the area health authorities in Wales, the Welsh National Water Development Authority, the Wales Tourist Board, the Welsh Arts Council and the Welsh Sports Council.

The accounts for 1974–75 of the Welsh National Water Development Authority, the Wales Tourist Board, the Arts Council of Great Britain for the Welsh Arts Council, and the Sports Council of Wales are contained in the published annual reports of those bodies and are available in the Library. Summarised accounts of expenditure by Health authorities will be laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many additional staff have been taken on by local authorities in Wales since 1st March 1974; and at what cost.

The information is not available in the form requested. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 26th November 1975[Vol. 901, c. 222]—which gave the best estimate possible of the increase in full-time and part-time local government employees in Wales since reorganisation. It is not possible to estimate the associated cost of the increased staff.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the total road expenditure in Wales by his Department and by local authorities, respectively, for the financial year 1974–75.

About £33·4 million and £39·4 million respectively. These figures are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report (1) how many prisoners have been in the Wakefield Control Unit since it was opened, including those already there, (2) the periods over which they have been detained there, (3) the prisons from which they have been transferred, and (4) the criteria he uses in authorising transfer to control units.

The answers are (1) six; (2) 180 days; 186; 226; 156; 156; and 156 days; (3) Hull Prison; (4) the criteria used prior to 24th October when the control unit was closed were explained in reply to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Mr. Graham) on 14th November 1974—[Vol. 881, c. 195–6.]—and set out in detail in documents which I placed in the Library of the House later that month.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to make a statement about communication between people in prison establishments and Members of Parliament.

As I indicated in replies to Questions on 5th August to my hon. Friend the Member for Gloucestershire West (Mr. Watkinson) and on 16th October to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) I am anxious that communication between prisoners and Members should be as free as possible. I also recognise the legitimate interest that prison staff, whose associations I have consulted, have in this matter. I am now making the following changes.First, a letter to a Member will no longer be stopped or sent back to the writer for amendment unless it contains a complaint about the administration of an establishment or the actions of staff that has not been raised and considered through the normal internal procedure. Secondly, a visit to a prisoner by a Member, acting in his capacity as a Member, will no longer be within hearing of prison staff, unless the Member so requests, or there are specific reasons of security, as in the case of prisoners in security category "A" who form less than 1 per cent. of the prison population.It is clearly desirable that Members should, on these occassions, give prisoners no encouragement to circumvent the well-established procedures for enabling complaints against prison administration and staff to be considered by the governor, the board of visitors, and the Secretary of State. Whether it is a question of

matters raised during visits or in correspondence, it is important that the prison authorities should first have an opportunity to inquire into complaints and remedy those that are legitimate. These arrangements are consistent with the principle underlying the Government's response, announced on 5th August, to the decision of the European Court of Human Rights concerning the ability of prisoners to engage in civil litigation.—[Vol. 897, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost to public funds of repairing the damage at Wormwood Scrubs resulting from a demonstration by certain criminals; and what action is being taken against the culprits.

				Authorised establishment	Strength at 31st October 1975	First 10 months of 1975
						Recruitment	Net gain
Dyfed Powys	…	…	…	916	903	74	53
Gwent	…	…	…	964	935	85	28
North Wales	…	…	…	1,276	1,210	104	63
South Wales	…	…	…	3,069	2,922	194	97

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the Police Federation on the inadequacy of the law to combat crime; what reply he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

I am aware of the Federation's current campaign about the state of crime and public order. In considering possible amandments to the criminal law I take into account the views of all sections of the community, including those of the Police Federation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) why 104 young persons sentenced to borstal training are in local prisons;(2) how long each of the 104 young persons sentenced to borstal training but located instead in local prisons on 30th September 1975 have been held in prison;(3) which local prisons are being used to hold those 104 young persons sentenced to borstal training but held in prison instead; and how many are in each prison;

£25,000. Three prisoners were charged with offences against discipline under Rule 47 of the Prison Rules. The charges were referred to the Board of Visitors, who awarded in all three cases forfeiture of earnings, forfeiture of privileges and non-associated labour for 56 days. In the case of two of these men serving determinate sentences, the Board also ordered the forfeiture of 180 days' remission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on police recruitment in Wales.

Police recruitment in Wales has been encouraging this year and all four forces are making satisfactory progress towards their establishments, as the following table shows:(4) if he will take steps to provide borstal training for those 104 young persons sentenced to same but held instead in local prisons.

Young people aged 15–20 sentenced to borstal training are received in remand centres or local prisons to await transfer to a borstal allocation centre or direct to a training borstal. Borstal trainees may also be located in remand centres or local prisons to facilitate production at court or necessary medical treatment. On 30th September 1975, 104 male borstal trainees were in the following local prisons:

Bedford	5
Birmingham	23
Bristol	7
Canterbury	3
Durham	5
Exeter	1
Gloucester	5
Leeds	24
Leicester	3
Lewes	2
Lincoln	13
Liverpool	5
Oxford	7
Shrewsbury	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the 104 young persons sentenced to borstal training but located instead in local prisons on 30th September 1975 are girls.

I regret that my answer of 20th October—[Vol. 898, c. 8.]—to a Question by my hon. Friend omitted reference to 42 girls between the ages of 15 and 20 sentenced to borstal training who were located on 30th September in HMP Holloway. Of these 13 were at that time awaiting transfer to a training borstal, four were receiving treatment in the drug unit, two were in the prison hospital, two were in the mother and baby unit and 21 were receiving borstal training under temporary arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young persons sentenced to borstal training were located in local prisons at the latest available date.

173 on 15th November 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there are any young persons sentenced to borstal training located at places other than borstals and local prisons; and if so, what are the places and how many young per-sons are located in them.

On 15th November, the latest date for which information is available, 153 young persons aged 15–20 sentenced to borstal training were in remand centres as follows:

Boys
Brockhill	4
Cardiff	32
Exeter	6
Low Newton	64
Risley	1
Winchester	20
	127

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of foreign nationals currently being held in British prisons.

I regret that central information about the nationality of prisoners is not available and could be obtained only by extensive inquiry and at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now seek to harmonise the law so that citizens of Eire, in their relationship with the United Kingdom, are treated identically with other EEC citizens under the laws governing the United Kingdom's relations with her seven other EEC partners; and if he will make a statement.

This is a complex matter on which the hon. Member has written to my right hon. Friend. I would ask him to await our reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has had from printers regarding their inability to meet the 10 per cent. factor of Section 45 of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963;(2) whether, in view of the increases in printing costs and their effects on the smallest lotteries, he is satisfied with the operation of Section 45 of the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act which relates to the limit on the amount of proceeds appropriated as expenses.

The limit has been raised from 10 per cent. to 25 per cent. by Section 13 of the Lotteries Act 1975 which was brought into operation on 5th September. The amendment followed representations received about increases in printing and other costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on whether the establishment for the Metropolitan Special Constabulary in the London borough of Havering is up to strength; and whether a further recruitment campaign is required.

The strength of the Metropolitan Special Constabulary in Havering is 73. Chief officers of police are encouraged to recruit as many special constables as they can usefully employ. We understand that the Commissioner intends to mount a further recruitment campaign in the spring.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects to be in a position to announce the extension of Great Britain's fishing limits to 200 miles.

Our fisheries limits are being kept under review in the light of developments at the Law of the Sea Conference and elsewhere. It would be against the policy of Her Majesty's Government to extend contrary to international law.