asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will tabulate a distribution of the output by age of

Age range (years)					Number of Pits	Percentage	Saleable Output (million tons)	Percentage
Over 100	…	…	…	…	84	35	35·1	31
71–100	…	…	…	…	61	25	25·4	23
41–70	…	…	…	…	65	27	33·4	30
40 and under	…	…	…	…	31	13	18·1	16
Total	…	…	…	…	241	100	112·0*	100
* Excluding slurry and collieries closed during the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he made of the output per man-shift for the following new mines and projects before giving his approval for development: Royston, Betws, Selby, Belvoir, Park and Musselburgh.

Of the six schemes referred to, only Royston, Betws and Selby have so far been approved for development. For these, the planned levels of overall output per man shift in full production are: Royston, 158 cwt; Betws, 115 cwt; Selby, 250 cwt.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his latest estimate of EEC coal imports from third countries; and what is the current level of United Kingdom coal exports to the EEC.

The latest details of imports from third countries are reported in "Eurostat No. 11/76" as follows:

		Thousand tones January-August
		1975	1976
Federal Republic of Germany	…	5,780	3,038
France	…	10,921	8,325
Netherlands	…	2,848	2,350
Belgium	…	2,404	2,498
Luxembourg	…	47	60
United Kingdom	…	4,952	1,936
Denmark	…	4,120	2,188*
Eire	…	499	..
Italy	…	9,560	..
		41,131	..
* For January-July 1976.
.. Not available.

The output by age of United Kingdom collieries, as of March 1976, was as follows:Details of United Kingdom exports are published in the

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the number of miners employed in the Scottish coalfield in February 1974; and what is his estimate of the total that will be employed in December 1976.

There were 24,423 miners on colliery books in the Scottish area on 2nd February 1974 and 22,974 on 13th November 1976. The estimate for December 1976 is 22,950.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportions of North Sea oil reserves lie in that area of the North Sea subject to Scots law and English law, respectively.

The boundary drawn for the purpose of defining the Scottish and English jurisdiction areas on the Continental Shelf is not relevant to the attribution of reserves. The estimated total of reserves in the designated areas of the UKCS as a whole remains at between 3,000 million and 4,500 million tonnes.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he plans to follow the precedent of the Silver Jubilee of King George V, and recommend the holding of a Thanksgiving Service as part of the House's celebrations of the Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen in 1977.

The Silver Jubilee of Her Majesty the Queen will be marked by the presentation of Addresses to Her Majesty by both Houses of Parliament on 4th May 1977. There will be a national Service of Thanksgiving at St. Paul's Cathedral on 7th June 1977. It was the equivalent of this service that both Houses of Parliament attended in 1935 to mark the Silver Jubilee of King George V.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will introduce legislation to give greater powers to courts to make compensation orders against parents of young people who cause damage to property.

The Criminal Law Bill recently introduced in another place provides that where a juvenile fails to pay certain sums, including compensation, imposed on him by a court order, the court may, subject to certain safeguards, order the defaulter's parent to pay the sum outstanding or to ensure payment on the part of the juvenile.This does not affect the existing power under Section 55 of the Children and Young Perasons Act 1933 which provides that a court, when ordering financial compensation, must in the case of an offender aged under 14, and may, in the case of young people aged 14–16, order the parent to pay unless satisfied that he did not conduce to the offence by neglecting to exercise due care or control.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will advise magistrates to make compensation orders in all cases of vandalism involving damage to school property.

No. This, like other matters relating to sentence, must be a matter for the discretion of the court in the individual case. Magistrates are encouraged—for example, by the Lord Chancellor on a number of occasions recently—to make use of their powers to order compensation whenever it is appropriate to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek to increase the penalties imposed on those who cause damage to school property.

There is no separate offence of damaging school property. The Criminal Law Bill which has been introduced in another place proposes substantial increases in the maximum fines imposable on summary conviction of offences of criminal damage. The Bill also raises the maximum fines imposable on juveniles for any offence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his latest estimate of the number of foreign nationals entitled by residence to vote in (a) England, (b) Scotland), (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) the Hitchin constituency.

No foreign nationals are entitled to vote in United Kingdom elections unless they are also either British subjects or citizens of the Republic of Ireland or unless they are citizens of Pakistan who, under the provisions of the Pakistan Acts 1973 and 1974, applied for registration as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies before 1st September 1974 and whose applications have not yet been determined. The number of persons in these categories who are registered as electors is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many black or coloured prisoners have been assaulted by other prisoners because of their colour, in the last year.

This information is not available. Our statistical information about those in custody does not distinguish between the colour of prisoners. If my hon. Friend has any particular case in mind I shall be glad to look into it.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prisoners are permitted to make complaints about prison doctors to the General Medical Council.

No, but perhaps my hon. Friend would write to us if he has an individual case which gives him cause for concern.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the average number of prisoners with dependants.

I regret that there is insufficient information available centrally on which to base such an estimate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of adult prisoners in prison in England and Wales on 31st October 1976 and the number of persons in borstal on that date and the number of young persons in prison departments established on the same dates.

On 31st October 1976 prison department establishments were holding 29,475 adults and 12,363 young persons under 21 years of age, of whom 5,980 were in borstal. In addition, there were 576 non-criminal prisoners.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the most recent figures for reconviction rates of adult male prisoners and adult female prisoners within (a) a one-year period and (b) a five-year period of discharge.

35 per cent. of the adult male and 23 per cent. of the adult female prisoners discharged in 1972 were convicted of standard list offences within one year of discharge. I regret that an estimation of reconviction rates within a five-year period of discharge is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is aware of any discrimination by prison officers against black and coloured prisoners; and what steps he is taking to ensure that discrimination is not practised in future;(2) what evidence he has of prison officers belonging to the National Front or other racialist and extremist right wing organisations; and if he will make a statement;(3) if he will institute an inquiry into the influence of the National Front and other racialist and extremist right wing organisations amongst prison officers.

I am aware that some prison officers belong to the National Front, but I have no reason to think that the number is substantial. I have no evidence of discrimination against black or coloured prisoners, but, as I have previously said, I will examine any such evidence that any hon. Member places before me. Civil servants are not barred from membership of political organisations and "politically free" grades of civil servant—which include prison officers—are at liberty in their private lives to take part in political activities. Their political views and activities are a matter for official attention only if they interfere with the performance of official duties; discrimination for political, or any other reason, would be a matter for disciplinary action.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been prosecuted for offences as a result of which they have been served with a deportation order, over the past six months.

Records do not provide information in the form requested, but in the six months ended 30th November 1976, 105 people were deported, by order of the Home Secretary, on the recommendation of a criminal court under Section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the joint DHSS and Home Office circular 179/76 issued on 18th November 1976 so far as it concerns matters within his responsibility.

Yes. This circular has been issued in order to promote understanding of the respective ròles of the police and other services concerned with cases of non-accidental injury to children, and to facilitate co-operation between them.The circular asks those concerned to work towards police attendance at all conferences called to discuss cases of non-accidental injury, and contains guidance on such matters as the release of confidential police information, including information from the criminal records. Chief officers of police are asked to take into account any views expressed by case conferences about the investigation and prosecution of offences, but like members of other services concerned they retain the capacity to take action independently where their duties require them to do so. I consider that the police have a vitally important rôle to play in dealing with this serious and complex problem. It is my hope that the circular will help to improve co-operation between the police and other services concerned still further in the many areas where relations are already good, and to overcome difficulties where they have arisen. I am sure that it is of the utmost importance that all the services concerned should strive for the closest possible co-operation as is consonant with their respective responsibilities.A circular in similar terms has been issued in Wales jointly by my Department and the Welsh Office. Copies of both circulars have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whom he intends to consult about the future classification of documents;(2) if he intends to set up the broadly-based committee as recommended in the Franks Report to classify documents; and, if so, who will be the members of the Committee.

As recommended by the Franks Committee, the Government will discuss the establishment of an informal committee on classification with representatives of the news media and others directly affected at the appropriate time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the consultations on devising procedures to limit applications for unruly certificates have been completed; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend hopes to make the necessary orders in relation to Section 69 of the Children Act 1975 early in the New Year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his plans for reducing the cost of the prison and allied services in 1977.

As indicated in the White Paper on "Public Expenditure to 1979–80" (Cmnd. 6393), during 1977–78 there will be some reduction in both capital and current expenditure on the prison service. The bulk of the savings will be achieved by deferment of building schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the certified normal accommodation of Brixton, Leeds, Liverpool, Wandsworth and Bristol Prisons; and what was the actual population of the same prisons on 15th November 1976.

The information requested is given in the following table:

	Certified normal accommodation	Population
H.M.P. Brixton	649	1,046
H.M.P. Leeds	592	1,078
H.M.P. Liverpool	1,041	1,628
H.M.P. Wandsworth	1,197	1,585
H.M.P. Bristol	581	562

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has completed his consideration of the reports of the Home Office Working Party on Adjudication Procedures in Prisons and the Jellicoe Committee on Boards of Visitors of Penal Institutions; and if he will make a statement.

The setting up of the Home Office Working Party which reported last year was announced by Lord Carr when Home Secretary in June 1973. The report of the Jellicoe Committee, set up jointly—and independently—by Justice, the Howard League and the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders also in 1973, was published in May 1975. Although the Jellicoe report went beyond the matters covered by the Working Party, my immediate predecessor was, I am sure, right to judge that the two reports should be considered together in the light of the comments they attracted.I am satisfied there is much of value in the Jellicoe report. I am sure the Committee was right to conclude that boards of visitors should continue to provide independent supervision on behalf of the community and that they should be careful at all times to preserve their independence. Like the Jellicoe Committee, I am concerned that boards should not be isolated, and that they should continue to maintain a balanced attitude to staff and inmates. I accept, too, the desirability of widening the basis of recruitment where practicable. There are many recommendations in the report which reinforce current best practice and which I shall be glad to commend to boards—e.g., the desirability of frequent visits to establishments, of ensuring inmates are informed of the outcomes of their applications and of showing a proper concern for staff morale. I have no doubt that balanced, outward looking boards have a good deal to contribute to the well-being of penal institutions.There was one important area where the two reports diverged. The Jellicoe Committee laid great stress on the need for boards—which, it suggested, should be renamed "councils"—to display conspicuous independence, and that to maintain this independence boards must be divorced from executive responsibility of any kind. In particular, it recommended that the boards should not have disciplinary functions.It was a necessary assumption of the Working Party, on the other hand, that boards would continue to have disciplinary functions. Its report drew attention to the special features inherent in adjudication in a custodial setting and to the consequent need both for knowledge of the establishment in question and for adjudications to be carried out in such a way as leave all those concerned in no doubt as to the impartiality of those conducting them. Against that background the Working Party drew up a standard form of procedure for adjudications by boards, and recommended a number of further points of good practice relating to all stages of adjudication. The Working Party also recommended that arrangements should be made to experiment with the effect of making assistance available to prisoners facing adjudication by boards.I am sure the Jellicoe Committee was right to emphasise the importance of the independent position of boards, but, after careful consideration and consultation, I have concluded that this independence and the boards' present functions are compatible. Accordingly, I have decided, after paying due regard also to public expenditure implications, that boards should retain all their present functions, including those relating to disciplinary matters. I have, however, accepted much of the general argument in the Jellicoe Committee report as well as the substance of the Working Party's recommendations. The necessary advice will be issued to boards of visitors and governors. I intend also to carry out further consultation about the best way of testing experimentally the provision of assistance to inmates facing adjudication by boards.I am sure that the boards will continue to find both reports of great value to them in the exercise of their important and demanding responsibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many hotels and boarding houses have (a) closed, (b) reduced their number of letting bedrooms below the qualifying level, or (c) been converted to self-catering establishments through inability to comply with the requirements of the fire officers acting under the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971;(2) if he will list, for all fire authority areas in England and Wales (

I shall be seeking relevant information from fire authorities at the end of the year, and I shall write to the hon. Member when the returns have been collated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many appeals by small hotels and boarding houses against the requirements of fire authorities have been made in pursuance of requirements made following the passage of the Fire Precautions Act; and if he will list them for each fire authority area.

Only three such appeals had been made up to April of this year. For this reason, it has not hitherto been considered necessary to seek this information from fire authorities on a regular basis, but it will be obtained annually as from the end of next year, following the extension of the Act to a wider range of premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the rate of issue of fire certificates to hotels and boarding houses under the terms of the Fire Precautions Act 1971; and if he will make a statement.

The rate of progress in the implementation of the Fire Precautions (Hotels and Boarding Houses) Order 1972 (S.I. 1972 No. 238) is broadly satisfactory, having regard to current constraints on local authorities' resources, although I am aware that there are difficulties in some areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost per head per year of keeping someone in borstal.

In 1974–75, the latest financial year for which separate information is available about maintenance of different categories of prisoners, the cost of keeping a trainee in a male borstal was estimated to be about £3,570. Separate information regarding females in borstal is not available, but taking all categories of penal establishment together, the estimated cost of keeping a female was £3,850.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimate of the number of people who on present trends will have a criminal conviction by the year 2013, or any other convenient date around the turn of the century, expressed (a) as a proportion of the male adult population and (b) as a proportion of the total population.

The making of any such estimate would entail a cost out of proportion to the likely benefit.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consult with the appropriate bodies and then make an estimate of the amount of invisible earnings that will be lost annually to the United Kingdom as a result of his discontinuing the use of the £ sterling for commercial transactions between third countries.

Consultations are planned on this and other aspects of the recent exchange control measures.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following his Written Answer of 15th November, Official Report, column 375, to the hon. Member for Surrey, North-West, if he will now take steps to publish the forecast referred to in paragraph 6 of Schedule 5 to the Industry Act 1975, in accordance with the provisions of that schedule governing date of publication of the forecast; and if he will make a statement as to why he failed to publish the forecast in accordance with the provisions of that Act.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave him on 15th November. There has been no failure to comply with the Act, which requires two forecasts to be published in the year beginning November 1976.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the annual cost of those sections of Her Majesty's Treasury dealing with capital gains tax, income tax, surtax, and corporation tax evasion; and what amounts are recovered from taxpayers involved in evasion of those taxes.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 1st December 1976; Vol. 921, c. 188], gave the following information:The administration of the Taxes Acts is a matter for the Inland Revenue: I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 1st December—[Vol. 921, c.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the costs of translating communications received by taxpayers from the Inland Revenue are an allowable expense if the taxpayer is not fluent in the language used in the communication.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1976], gave the following information:Such expenditure would not be an admissible deduction under the rules of Schedule E nor normally in computing the profit of a trade profession or vocation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications have now been made for new construction industry sub-contractors' tax certificates; how many more applications are expected; and how many certificates have been granted and how many refused.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1976], gave the following information:At the most recent count, on 12th November, 268,669 applications had been received, of which 185,730 had been approved and 20,960 refused. It is not possible to estimate how many more applications will be received.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer in how many cases the refusal of a construction industry sub-contractor's tax certificate was due to the absence of three years' satisfactory tax records; and in how many cases a certificate was refused for other reasons.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1976], gave the following information:I regret that this information is not available, and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many appeals have been made against the refusal of a construction industry sub-contractor's tax certificate; how many appeals have been successful; and what time elapses between appeals and decisions.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1976], gave the following information:I regret that information about the number of appeals cannot be provided without disproportionate effort and expense. The time taken between the lodging of an appeal and a decision depends upon the date of the next available meeting of the appropriate body of appeal commissioners.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the net revenue from the National Insurance surcharge will be, bearing in mind that such payments can be set against corporation tax.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6th December 1976], gave the following information:It is not possible to isolate the impact of the introduction of the surcharge on the yield from corporation tax. However, the net reduction in the PSBR, taking account of the effect of the surcharge on all taxes (including corporation tax) and the associated changes in public expenditure, will be £700 million in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what legislative changes are still necessary in each of the other eight countries in the EEC to enable direct elections to the European Assembly to take place in 1978.

It will be for each of the member Governments of the European Economic Community to decide how to implement their expressed intention of enabling direct elections to take place in May or June 1978. I understand that legislative proposals have still to be introduced in the respective Parliaments.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the current position of dependent relatives of immigrants who have the right of settlement in the United Kingdom, awaiting entry clearance at the British Embassy in Islamabad and the British Consulate-General in Karachi; and whether he is satisfied with the present situation.

In Pakistan there are approximately 14,000 outstanding applications from persons seeking entry clearance for settlement here. Those now being seen have waited approximately 13 months for their interview. Earlier interviews are given to certain categories and in cases where there are strong and exceptional compassionate grounds.We are doing what we can to speed up the procedures and reduce the waiting times but the number of applications received in Pakistan so far this year is higher than the number for the comparable period of 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance will be given for celebrating Commonwealth Day on 14th March 1977 in connection with the Silver Jubilee.

The new date for Commonwealth Day was chosen by agreement between all Commonwealth Governments to enable celebrations to take place on a uniform date in all the countries concerned.We are sure that the special significance of Commonwealth Day in 1977, the year of the Silver Jubilee, will be recognised.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Tuesday 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister what his official engagements are for Tuesday 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister what his official engagements are for 7th December 1976.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Tuesday 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 7th December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 7th December.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet, which will be resumed later in the day. I shall also be meeting the Foreign Minister of Canada. This evening I hope to have my regular weekly audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the Trades Union Congress.

asked the Prime Minister when next he intends to meet the Trades Union Congress.

I met the Joint Social and Economic Committee of the TUC on 1st December and further meetings will be arranged as necessary.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the leaders of the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 30th November.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to meet the Confederation of British Industry.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 30th November.

asked the Prime Minister what constitutional relationship is envisaged between directly-elected Members of the European Assembly and the Prime Minister as Head of the Government.

The question of a formal constitutional relationship does not arise. If my hon. Friend has any particular problems or proposals in mind, I will be glad to consider them.

asked the Prime Minister what is the annual cost of the Central Policy Review Staff; and if he is satisfied with its cost effectiveness.

The answer to the first part of the question is £428,000 including provision for supporting staff, accommodation and administrative overheads: and to the second part, yes.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Hayes and Harlington.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the constituency of Hayes and Harlington.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Hayes and Harlington.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Hayes and Harlington.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to the Hayes and Harlington constituency.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay a visit to Hayes and Harlington.

asked the Prime Minister if he will visit Hayes and Harlington.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Burton (Mr. Lawrence).

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Carshalton.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will introduce a system of voluntary security vetting for Members of Parliament.

No. I hope to reply to the letter I received from the hon. Member on this matter shortly.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Cleethorpes.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister what plans he has to visit the Northern Region.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will seek to pay an official visit to Washington DC.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Reigate (Mr. Gardiner) on 2nd December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to the West Midlands.

I visited the West Midlands in September. At present I have no plans for a further visit.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will pay an official visit to Skelton.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to visit Brussels.

I have no immediate plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next intends to make a ministerial broadcast.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Madden).

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and Industry relating to the recruitment and training of engineers and technologists in view of the industry's needs and the present vacancies on engineering and technology courses in higher education.

My right hon. Friends have emphasised the importance they attach to meeting the needs of industry for engineers, and are working closely together on this matter.

asked the Prime Minister if he will now set up a separate Ministry for the Arts.

No. My noble Friend Lord Donaldson has responsibility for the arts under the general direction of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans for recommending the creation of a large number of peers who are members of the Labour Party.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to my hon. Friend the Member for Cannock (Mr. Roberts) on 30th November.

asked the Prime Minister whether the CPRS reports direct to him or to the Ministers concerned with particular subjects under consideration.

The CPRS normally reports to Ministers collectively.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office in relation to the rate support grant.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister when he plans next to meet the heads of the EEC.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sowerby (Mr. Madden) on 2nd December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will visit Crosby.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent nursery schools are oversubscribed for the current academic year.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will bring forward legislation to enable schoolchildren who reach their sixteenth birthday by December of the academic year to leave school at the end of the autumn term providing they have the offer of employment or an apprenticeship.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of school leavers has received instruction in foreign languages to O-level.

My Department does not receive statistical returns of the number of school leavers who have been taught particular subjects, but between 1970 and 1975 the total number of entries for GCE O-level and CSE for modern languages rose from about 270,000 to about 360,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she is satisfied with the current teaching practices regarding the teaching of foreign languages.

Modern language teaching is one of the topics we shall be considering during the regional conferences to be held in February and March next year as part of the follow-up to the Prime Minister's speech at Ruskin College on 18th October.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will appoint a working party to investigate, as a matter of urgency, the capital value of buildings and equipment of colleges of education no longer required for teacher training, and to make recommendations as to their future use within the State education system.

No. This is a matter for local education authorities and the voluntary bodies concerned. My Department offers advice in individual cases as appropriate, in consultation with other Departments.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further discussions she will have with local education authorities about the purchase of school books in view of the reduction in the proportion of local authority spending met by central Government grants.

None. Decisions on school book provision are within the discretion of individual local education authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what communications she has sent to local education authorities in connection with the exercise of her powers concerning comprehensive education contained in the Education Act 1976.

On 24th November I wrote to eight local education authorities—Bexley, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Kingston upon Thames, Redbridge, Sutton, Tameside and Trafford—requiring them, under Section 2 of the Education Act 1976, to submit within six months proposals for the abolition of selection in their areas. In addition, on 25th November, two circulars were issued by my Department. One—Circular 11/76—reproduced the text of the remarks I made to the House on that day about the Education Act 1976. The other—Circular 12/76—drew attention to the provisions of Section 5 of the Act and required authorities to submit information about existing arrangements and proposed future arrangements for the support of education at non-maintained schools.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children attended schools in England and Wales during the school year ended August 1976; what percentage took school dinners; what percentage of pupils taking dinners received them free of charge; and how these figures compare with the corresponding figures for each of the last four years.

There were 8,405,000 pupils in school, of whom 70·1 per cent. took school dinners, 13·3 per cent. receiving them free of charge. From figures for previous years, which I will circulate in the Official Report, it is clear that the percentage of pupils taking dinners has continued to rise.Following are the figures:

MAINTAINED SCHOOLS IN ENGLAND AND WALES (INCLUDING NURSERY AND SPECIAL SCHOOLS)
Year (October)		Pupils in attendance 000's	Percentage of pupils in attendance taking school dinners Per cent.	Percentage of pupils taking school dinners who received them free of charge Per cent.
1971		7,785	59·8	17·3
1972	…	7,929	64·0	16·7
1973	…	8,198	66·1	14·7
1974	…	8,240	70·1	13·0
1975	…	8,405	70·1	13·3

The figures relate to a day in October on which the school meals census was taken for the years in question; the entry for 1975 relates, therefore, to the educational year ending 31st August 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish details showing how eligibility to free school meals is calculated.

Details are given in the Provision of Milk and Meals Regulations 1969, as amended, which can be obtained from Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Copies are available in the Library. The statutory regulations may, however, be too complex to be helpful to potential applicants, and we have recently indicated to local education authorities that they should make available sufficient information about the income scale and about the deductions, allowances and disregards of income to enable parents to come to a reasonable decision whether or not it is worth their while to make application.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many qualified teachers are now unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of unemployed teachers at the latest available date; and what is the estimate for the number over the next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current level of teacher unemployment.

In September, 7,187 people were registered by the Department of Employment as seeking teaching posts in schools in England and Wales, and 1,984 as seeking posts in higher or further education. I cannot usefully offer any estimate of the number of unemployed teachers over the next year, since the determining factors are too uncertain.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers were placed on protected salaries as a consequence of the introduction of comprehensive schools.

To assemble this information would require a special inquiry, the cost of which could not be justified in present circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps she is taking to improve the mutual co-operation and understanding necessary between her Department and employers in British industry.

We shall be looking closely during the current debate on education at ways in which co-operation between schools and industry might be improved. My right hon. Friend has already met representatives of the TUC and asked them for their views on these important matters, and will shortly be having similar discussions with the CBI. Representatives of local employers and trade unions will be invited to participate in the regional conferences to be held in February and March 1977 about school education.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations about spending on education she has received in connection with the recent mass lobby on public expenditure cuts; and if she proposes any action in response.

My right hon. Friend has received about 15 letters referring to the mass lobby on public expenditure last month. The replies made clear the need for the education service to play its part in securing next year that expenditure overall complies with the levels set out in the Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 6393) as modified by the Chancellor's statement on 22nd July—[Vol. 915, c. 2010–36.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she has any plans to introduce a national curriculum for English and mathematics.

No. My right hon. Friend made it clear in her speech at Rotherham on 22nd October that she has no intention of seeking central control of the curriculum. In the course of the current debate on the school curriculum and standards we shall be looking at areas of special concern, including English and mathematics.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the number of unfilled university places for the current academic year.

In terms of the physical capacity of academic buildings, universities have about 22,000 empty places in science and technology, excluding medicine. To fill these places admissions to first degree courses would have to rise by about 4,000 above the 1976–77 level of 76,800. This does not mean that such a number could have been admitted in the current academic year, as the size of the new entry depends on the judgment of universities on the academic merit of candidates and the availability of recurrent resources to teach them. This unfilled capacity will, however, allow student numbers to expand gradually in future years if suitable candidates present themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many extra university places will be available to the 1976–77 session as compared to the 1975–76 session at the University College of North Wales, Bangor.

None in terms of physical capacity, but the total number of students rose by 190.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how she assesses the cost-effectiveness of colleges of further education.

My right hon. Friend draws on the informed judgments of her professional advisers, particularly Her Majesty's Inspectorate, and on advice received from local authorities and advisory bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will include in her investigation into educational standards the value of new mathematics as a preparation for university courses involving sound knowledge of mathematics.

Mathematics in relation to the teaching of the skills required to pursue profitably particular courses of further and higher education will be considered in the present consultations on the curriculum and standards. It will continue to be for the schools themselves to assess the potential value of new approaches to mathematics teaching.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her policy towards a change in the present rules governing the provision of free school transport as laid down in Sections 39 and 55 of the Education Act 1944.

My right hon. Friend would welcome changes in the present arrangements; but they would require more widespread support than any proposals so far put forward.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been spent in each of the last five years and what it is estimated will be spent in each of the next five years by local authorities on school travel, broken down into contract hire, travel on stage service buses and travel on British Railways.

Details of the estimated future expenditure cannot be provided in the form requested because local authorities furnish no itemised return of forward estimates. The only available information is given in Appendix 2 of the report of the Working Party on School Transport, Table III.3 of which provides the following information for the financial year 1971–72 relating to pupils in primary and secondary schools in England and Wales:

EXPENDITURE BY MODE OF TRANSPORT AS A PERCENTAGE OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE
Mode			Percentage
Stage carriage buses	…	…	37·4
Contract vehicles	…	…	52·4
Rail and tube	…	…	5·2
LEA-owned vehicles	…	…	3·8
Parental cars	…	…	0·5
Other	…	…	0·7

Total net expenditure on transport between home and school by local authorities in England and Wales in the last five years was as follows:

Financial year				£ million (outturn prices)
1971–72	…	…	…	32·0
1972–73	…	…	…	36·0
1973–74	…	…	…	44·6
1974–75	…	…	…	54·2
1975·76	…	…	…	74·1

Local authorities are not required to provide forward estimates of their expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps she is taking to ensure that classes in schools have a maximum of 30 pupils.

The average size of classes in both primary and secondary schools has been considerably reduced during recent years and now stands below 30. My right hon. Friend has already made clear her wish to secure a reduction in the number of over-large classes, but in present economic circumstances the Government cannot provide for any further improvement in staffing standards.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she has received any report from the Schools Council containing a recommendation that there be a revision of the O-level examination system so that no certificate may be granted unless at least five subjects have been passed at the same sitting, and if she will make a statement.

No such report has been received. The Schools Council has proposed a common system of examining at 16+ to replace the existing GCE O-level and CSE examinations, but this would involve examinations on a single subject basis as at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will review the situation in which children from families on supplementary benefit may not receive assistance towards the purchase of physical education or games kit for use in school; and if she will make a statement.

I understand that it is the policy of the Supplementary Benefits Commission not to assist towards the purchase of such kit since the local education authorities have discretionary powers to make a range of items available to any pupil free on loan. My right hon. Friend does not consider that in present circumstances a change in this arrangement is possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much revenue the Government receive from the higher fees charged to overseas students in higher and further education.

Income from tuition fees does not accrue directly to the Government but is received by universities and local authority maintained institutions. The estimated total fee income from overseas students in 1975–76 was some £20 million. In 1976–77, allowing for an increase of 30 per cent. in recommended fee levels and for the increased numbers of overseas students, the total income from their fees is expected to be about £29 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will clarify or amplify the statements she made to the hon. Member for Ripon on 25th November, Official Report, column 190, that the new levels of student tuition fees which she announced were in 1976 prices, in contrast to the 12th July 1976 statement, Official Report, column 38, which calculated them in 1975 prices and that the savings which she expects to make in the financial year 1978–79 namely, £14 million at 1975 prices, will be fully met in the package that she put before the House on 25th November.

The fees for 1977–78 which my right hon. Friend announced on 25th November were in cash prices. The savings which will be effected were estimated at 1975 Survey Prices in July, and these savings will now be updated to 1976 Survey Prices. The carry-over effect of the November recommendations will be to save about a further £6 million in the financial year 1978–79 at 1975 Survey Prices; my right hon. Friend will expect to find the balance of the £14 million saving in 1978–79 at 1975 Survey Prices referred to on 12th July through further adjustments when the fees for 1978–79 are considered.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the future of the education psychology service, on the basis of the Trethowan Report.

The Trethowan Report is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions she has had with the local education authorities and with educational psychologists on the future based on the Trethowan Report.

None. The report is concerned with the rôle of psychologists in the health services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what rôle she envisages the educational psychologists offering the community psychological service and not merely to children in their school setting.

I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of a circular issued in March 1974 which gives advice on the pattern of child guidance services.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in view of of the importance of parental contact with children in special schools, she will issue a circular to local education authorities drawing their attention to this and advising them to pay the costs of weekly visits where necessary; and if she will make a statement.

My Department has long recognised the importance of contact between parents and their handicapped children who are boarded away from home and has issued guidance to local education authorities on the circumstances in which they may assist parents with the cost of making visits. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of this document.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will encourage the lending of exhibits from the Victoria and Albert Museum and other national museums and galleries to provincial centres.

Both my right hon. Friend, who is responsible for the collections in her Department, and the Trustees of the National Museums and Galleries, would like to increase the number of objects which are lent to local collections. At present, about 4,000 objects are so lent. There have been notable developments in recent years, including the arrangement of a continuing exhibition of objects from the National Portrait Gallery at Montacute House, a property of the National Trust. There are, however, difficulties concerning the safe keeping and insurance of such objects, and my noble Friend is considering how these problems can be dealt with. The final decision in the case of the trustee museums, must rest with the trustees.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if if he will list in the Official Report all those local councils in the Yorkshire and Humberside, North-West and Northern Regions that have (a) exhausted their current mortgage allocations and (b) expect to have exhausted their current mortgage allocations by the end of the year, respectively.

(a) The following local authorities in these three regions have reported advances that exhaust their current mortgage allocations: