asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation requiring political pressure groups, such as the National Association for Freedom, which are seeking funds from the public, to register as a charity, as a company or in some other way, so the public are aware of their full sources of funds, their executive members and officers and their objectives.

Any legislation would have to cover all political pressure groups and would require careful consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects courts in the Alnwick and Berwick areas will be in a position to make community service orders.

It will be for the Northumbria Probation and After-Care Committee to decide, in the light of the implications for probation expenditure of the rate support grant settlement for 1977–78, when it will be possible to extend community service arrangements to these areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many probation areas schemes of community service are still not available to all the courts in the area.

Community service arrangements do not yet exist in parts of 26 probation areas and in the whole of three others.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many community service orders were made in the first six months of 1976 by (a) Crown courts and (b) magistrates' courts;(2) how many community service orders were made during the most recent six months for which figures are available, by (

1975 is the latest period for which figures are readily available from criminal statistics, and then only for the calendar year. These figures show that in England and Wales the number of persons in 1975 given a community service order for the principal offence dealt with at a court appearance was 764 by the Crown Court and 2,362 by magistrates' courts.As regards more recent figures, it has been estimated from four-monthly returns made by probation and after-care areas that the number of persons given a community service order for any offences in the eight months 1st December 1975–31st July 1976 was 1,454 by the Crown Court and 4,215 by magistrates' courts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for extending schemes of community service to those parts of the country in which they are not at present available.

It is for probation and after-care committees to consider how far it is possible to introduce or extend community service arrangements in their areas within the limits of the resources available to them. In present circumstances additional resources cannot be provided, but I hope that the committees concerned will make these arrangements wherever they can by reallocation of staff.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what rental income he estimates to have been forgone by the leaving unoccupied during 1976 of the 142 houses currently unoccupied at Her Majesty's Prison, Acklington.

It is not possible to suggest a meaningful figure, since prison officers do not pay rent for quarters and, owing to the isolated position of the houses, it is unlikely that suitable tenants would have been found if they had been available for letting to members of the public.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis regarding police handling of the disturbance at Imperial College on 12th December 1976 during a meeting of the Federation of Turkish Students in Great Britain.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis tells me that he has no record of a disturbance at Imperial College on 12th December 1976. The police were, however, called to the college following a disturbance on 5th December, when five students were injured. It was not possible to proceed with police inquiries, because the students were not willing to make statements or assist the police in their inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisoners on 15th October 1976

PERSONS SERVING TERMS OF IMPRISONMENT BY SENTENCE LENGTH
			Number of Persons
Length of sentence			As at 30th June 1975	As at 31st October 1976
Up to and including one month	…	…	405	382
Over one month, up to and including three months	…	…	1,088	1,385
Over three months, up to and including six months	…	…	2,082	2,299
Over six months and up to and including 18 months	…	…	7,737	8,160
Over 18 months	…	…	14,824	16,132
Total	…	…	26,136	28,358

I regret that an estimate of the effect of altering full remission from one-third to half of sentence for the various categories could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department of those

PERSONS SENTENCED TO IMPRISONMENT BY MAGISTRATES' COURTS AND THE CROWN COURT, ENGLAND AND WALES, 1975
By term of sentence
Term of sentence			Magistrates' Courts	Number of persons Crown Court
Up to and including one month	…	…	2,399	5,264
Over one month and up to and including three months	…	…	6,868
Over three months and up to and including six months	…	…	6,092
Over six months and up to and including 18 months	…	…	46	9,872
Over 18 months	…	…	—	6,617
Total	…	…	15,405	21,753

The information requested is not available for the dates specified. The following table gives the available information for 30th June 1975 and 31st October 1976.sentenced to imprisonment by the courts in 1975, how many were sentenced to (

The following table gives the information which is readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is his policy that the closed shop be introduced into his Department, if this is so desired by union membership.

Any proposals to introduce a form of union membership agreement into the Home Office would need to be considered in the context of the Civil Service as a whole. In the case of industrial civil servants, I understand that a request to negotiate such an agreement has been made by the Trade Union Side of the Joint Co-ordinating Committee for Government Industrial Establishments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria he uses in assessing the value of information given in answer to a Question from an hon. Member and the cost of obtaining the information by his Department when refusing to provide information on the grounds of disproportionate costs involved.

I always try to give hon. Members the information for which they ask but where the cost is substantial I take this aspect into account together with such factors as the degree of public importance of the subject and any special interests of the House or of individual hon. Members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total income from fees charged under Section 112 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1952 for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

This information is not available centrally, as fees are not distinguished and fines in returns made by justices' clerks. Sums involved are however relatively small, as fees for criminal business were abolished by the Criminal Justice Act 1967.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all those measures that he is currently considering for reducing the prison population.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdare (Mr. Evans) on 18th November.—[Vol. 919, c. 652–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the daily cost to Her Majesty's Government of detaining in custody each person refused entry on arrival at Heathrow Airport and subsequently taken to a detention centre.

The daily cost of detaining a person at the Harmondsworth detention centre would be of the order of £13, assuming full occupancy. Not all of the detention costs are borne on public funds because carrying companies are liable for the cost of detention of passengers who arrive without an entry clearance or work permit and are sent away.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total cost of operating closed-circuit television in prison service establishments.

The cost of maintaining closed-circuit television in prisons is expected to amount to about £60,000 in the current financial year. It is not possible to isolate other operating costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons are employed in operating closed-circut television in prison service establishments; and what is their total wage bill.

No person is wholly employed in operating closed-circuit television in Prison service establishments. There is a total of 30 senior officers and 109 officers employed on shift-work in emergency control rooms whose duties consist, only in part, of operating closed-circuit television.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those prison service establishments that have closed-circuit television, indicating in each case what area of the establishment is surveyed and for what length of time; and what is the purpose of such surveillance.

There are closed-circuit television installations at the following prison:

• Albany
• Gartree
• Hull
• Long Lartin
• Parkhurst
• Wakefield
• Wormwood Scrubs
• Chelmsford
• Coldingley
• Durham
• Leicester
• Liverpool
• Reading
• Brixton
• Manchester
• Wandsworth
• Winchester

These installations normally operate continuously throughout the 24 hours. Their purpose is to detect attempts to break through the prison perimeter both from within and without, to monitor prisoners' movements in those parts of the prison where security and control requirements call for close surveillance and to enable emergency action to be co-ordinated from a well-informed central point.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many visitors to the United Kingdom were refused entry on arrival, were subsequently released from detention on bail and ultimately failed to honour their bail conditions; and on how many occasions this has occurred over the last 12 months;(2) how many visitors to the United Kingdom were refused permission to enter the United Kingdom on arrival; how many had visas or Letters of Consent or entry certificates; how many entitled to appeal were granted bail awaiting their appeal; how many returned to their country of origin immediately on being refused entry; how many of the remainder were detained at the port or reception centre and for how long; and if he will provide this information itemised for the last three-month period.

During the 12 months period ended 31st August 1976 6,205 visitors were refused admission, of whom 1,875 were refused admission in the last three months of that period. The other information sought could not be obtained without disproportionate effort, but I can say that only a very small proportion of those refused admission as visitors would have arrived with an entry clearance.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Turkish and Greek Cypriots have been deported from the United Kingdom during the last four quarters; and what were the reasons for their deportation.

The available information is given below for deportation orders made under Sections 3(5) and 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971.

DEPORTATION ORDERS ENFORCED IN 1976
	Turkish Cypriots	Greek Cypriots
Section 3(5)(a) (For breach of conditions)	8	2
Section 3(6) (Following court recommendations)	8	1
Total	16	3

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated number of Turkish and Greek Cypriots at present resident in the United Kingdom; and what is the estimated number in the United Kingdom (a) as refugees and (b) on a temporary basis.

Information in the form requested is not available. The 1971 Census recorded that about 64,000 citizens of Cyprus were resident in the United Kingdom at that time. During the period from 1971 to 1975 inclusive, about 5,000 citizens of Cyprus were accepted for settlement; the numbers admitted on conditions for various temporary purposes may be found in the annual White Papers in which the statistics of immigration control are published. It is not possible to distinguish refugees from others from Cyprus who were admitted to this country or had their stay extended in view of the special circumstances which arose following the emergency in Cyprus in 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department against how many Turkish and Greek Cypriots deportation orders have been issued at present; and how many are held in prisons awaiting deportation.

The information given below relates to the number of deportation orders made in respect of citizens of Cyprus, but not yet implemented.

	Not detained	Detained in prison
Turkish Cypriots	42	3
Greek Cypriots	16	1
Total	58	4

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list the precise requirements for granting bail to holders of entry certificates and Letters of Consent who have been refused admittance to the United Kingdom, so that friends and relations and those representing refused visitors can clearly understand what is required, thus eliminating a multiplicity of journeys;(2) what instructions relative to the amounts or the character of bail sureties have been issued to immigration officers who act on the powers conferred by paragraphs 29(2) of Schedule 2 to the Immigration Act; and what are the conditions which necessitate a different approach being adopted by immigration officers as distinct from the police.

I regret that instructions to the Immigration Service as to the conditions on which bail may be granted to appellants under the Immigration Act 1971 are confidential. I hope, however, it will be of assistance to my hon. Friend if I explain that I do not think it would be helpful to attempt to lay down precise criteria on this matter for the guidance of prospective sureties, because the requirements vary according to the circumstances of the individual case. I am not aware that there is a divergence of approach between the Immigration Service and the police; it is of course necessary to have regard to the financial standing of the surety and whether he stands in such proximity to the person concerned as to be likely to be able to exercise some control over him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make the order ending the remand of 14-year-old girls to prison service establishments.

A draft of the order has to be laid before both Houses of Parliament, and I intend to do so on 18th January.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on the first year's working of the Sex Discrimination Act; what has been the total costs involved; how this money has been used on wages, salaries, expenses, etc.; what was the number of cases dealt with and the number of successes; what these cost on average per case; and whether, in view of the Government call for economy, he will take steps to reduce the costs of this Act.

The Equal Opportunities Commission, which has a statutory duty to keep under review the working of the Sex Discrimination Act, will shortly be publishing its first annual report, which will cover these matters. I shall arrange for a copy to be sent to my hon. Friend. I have no plans to reduce the grant to the Equal Opportunities Commission in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimate made for expenditure on police forces' pay in 1975–76; and what was the actual amount spent.

The estimated expenditure on pay for police officers in forces in England and Wales for 1975–76 was £346,722,000. The provisional figure for actual expenditure is £412,033,000. The difference between the two figures reflects a combination of growth in numbers and the effect of the September 1975 pay award.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he can now state the number of accidents which have taken place at Windscale since it first came into production.

I am advised that, prior to April 1971, two incidents were reported by the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to the responsible Minister under a direction requiring the reporting of incidents given by the Lord President of the Council dated 31st January 1957, and a further direction on safety requirements by the Minister for Science dated 1st April 1960. When British Nuclear Fuels Ltd took over responsibility for the Windscale works in April 1971, the site became subject to licensing under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965. Under this Act reporting requirements are defined in the Nuclear Installations (Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1965 and in the conditions attached to the nuclear site licences. No reports in respect of Windscale have been made under the regulations. Twenty-five incidents have been reported to the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate under the licence conditions, which cover a wide range of incidents of lesser significance than those reportable under either the regulations or the directions referred to above. The incidents reported under the licence conditions involved cases of contamination and radiation exposure which exceeded prescribed levels. None of them is believed to have caused any significant risk of harm to any person. I have given instructions that in future I shall be immediately informed when incidents, however apparently insignificant, occur on nuclear installations for which I am answerable to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will order an inquiry into recent gas explosions; and if he will make a statement.

I have set up, in conjunction with Sir Denis Rooke, Chairman of the British Gas Corporation, a three-man inquiry under the chairmanship of Dr. P. J. King to investigate all the circum- stances surrounding the recent series of explosions involving gas. The report will be presented to Parliament and published as soon as possible.The terms of reference of the inquiry are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the electrical power plant industry.

As my hon. Friend is aware, Ministers are currently considering the problems of the industry in the light of the CPRS Report.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects agreement on the site for the European thermonuclear fusion research project; and if work now proceeding at Culham would continue to receive his support at the projected levels if no joint European programme is agreed.

With the exception of the Joint European Torus, the Community five-year fusion programme 1976–80 was agreed by the Council of Ministers (Research) on 15th February 1976, when funding for 1976 was released: funding for the last four years was released by the Council on 18th November. The ongoing work at Culham forms part of the agreed programme. We will endeavour to secure the earliest possible agreement on the JET project and its site when we assume the Presidency of the Council in January 1977, but I cannot forecast when a consensus will be reached.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if contracts for preliminary research work on the joint European thermonuclear fusion project, now under way at Culham, will be renewed, pending a decision on the future of a collaborative programme.

The Commission has proposed a supplementary agreement to extend the JET design agreement for a further period. This would permit preliminary work to continue. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is ready to sign the supplementary agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the reasons why the meeting of EEC research Ministers has been adjourned without an agreement on the siting of the joint European thermonuclear fusion project.

The Council of Ministers (Research) which was planned for 20th December 1976 was cancelled by the President of the Council on 17th December, after consultations with member States because he judged that there was no chance of agreement this year on the site for the joint European thermonuclear fusion project.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his Department's estimate of the likely increase in electricity prices that might result from the advancement of completion of the Drax B power station as recommended by CPRS; and on what assumptions his estimate is made.

The additional costs of advancing Drax B would vary according to the rate of growth in electricity peak demand and other factors. The effect on prices over the next few years could range from negligible to about 4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the United Kingdom's known reserves of recoverable coal lies in Wales.

The proportion is 25 per cent., but the proportion that would be economically recoverable, under current market conditions and using present mining techniques, is lower at 8 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimates he has made of the number of standby generators currently held by industrial firms in the United Kingdom; and what consideration he has given to permitting the use of these at peak periods of demand for electricity.

The most recent estimate of the number of firms with stand-by generating sets and of the total installed capacity is given in Business Monitor M11, which is available in the Library of the House. The figures relate to April 1975, and show that 7,222 firms possessed standby sets with a total capacity of 1·55 GVA. An additional 76 MVA was on order. The use of such sets for the public system at periods of normal peak demand, as opposed to periods of emergency, is a matter for commercial negotiation between the owner of the set and his local electricity board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what areas have been converted to natural gas; which areas remain to be converted; and when he expects the entire programme to be completed.

I am informed by British Gas that it has completed its conversion programme in England and Wales and that 83 per cent. of the Scottish programme had been completed at the end of 1976. The balance of the latter programme includes 140,000 customers in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Inverness, and the latest estimate for completion is September 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated cost of a gas-gathering network in the North Sea; and how much money has been spent on this pipeline study, and on alternative studies such as on gas production platforms.

The WilliamsMerz study estimated that their preferred gas gathering system would cost some £1·6 billion. No other gas gathering studies have been commissioned by the Government, but further detailed studies will be financed and commissioned by the recently formed company Gas Gathering Pipelines (North Sea) Limited, comprising the British Gas Corporation and the British National Oil Corporation, together with some private sector participation. Costs of studies are commercially confidential matters between the consultants and their clients.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the average number of days' sickness leave claimed in the electricity industry in the last 12 months; and how this compares with the national average.

The average number of days lost due to sickness absences—including uncertificated absences—in the electricity supply industry was 10·2 in the year ended 31st March 1976. This compares with a national average in 1974–75 of 16·3 days lost. The latter figure is, however, based on national insurance data, and is not therefore strictly comparable since it excludes uncertificated sickness absences and includes long-term incapacity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what effect the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement on 16th December 1976 of public expenditure savings will have on the timetable for the construction of the first steam generating heavy water reactors;(2) if he will list the capital projects to be abandoned, curtailed or delayed by the nationalised industries responsible to him as a result of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's announcement on 16th December 1976.

No capital project in the nationalised industries for which I am responsible is affected thereby. I am pursuing with the Atomic Energy Authority the question of possible adjustments to its programmes.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what further consideration has been given to introducing selective import controls; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's policy, as set out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer last April, remains one of readiness to use temporary selective measures to protect normally viable industries which are suffering serious injury as a result of increased imports.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when, and on which dates, Rossiter Publications Ltd. filed accounts with the Companies Registration Office under the Companies Act.

No accounts have been filed by this company since its incorporation on 6th December 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will initiate prosecution against Rossiter Publications Limited, Northumberland Avenue, London, for failure to comply with the provisions of the Companies Act to file annual accounts.

Consideration will be given to prosecution of the company under Section 127(3) of the Companies Act 1948 if it fails to respond to reminder letters about accounts due in April 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether, in the light of current trading practices of Japan, he will now introduce import controls on Japanese cars, electronic goods of all kinds and steel products.

I have at present no plans to do so. In the last few months there have been discussions between the British and Japanese industries at which the Japanese made predictions about the level of their exports to the United Kingdom of televisions and ball bearings. There have also been discussions between the EEC Commission and the Japanese Government on bulk and special steels. I understand that the British and Japanese car industries will be meeting later this month.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what Government funds or Government contribution is being made to set up the Japan Trade Force, aiming at boosting United Kingdom exports to Japan; and whether the Scottish Council for Development and Industry is being invited to participate.

The Government contribution to the Japan Task Force lies in the provision of a joint chairman and a joint secretary from the staff of the exports to Japan unit of the British Overseas Trade Board. The Scottish Council (Development and Industry) was invited to participate in the BOTB/CBI conference on 9th December, which established the task force, but was unable to send a representative. It has, however, been requested to contribute suggestions as to its operation, with which it will be associated, as appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his policy concerning the registration of hotels and boarding houses, pursuant to the Development of Tourism Act 1969.

An alternative scheme of voluntary registration approved by the Government and linked to accommodation guides issued annually by the national tourist boards was introduced in 1974; with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, I am keeping the position under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is his policy towards the development of tourism; and if this has changed since he took office.

Together with my colleagues, the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales, I keep under review the development of the policy announced by my predecessor in November 1974 and I have made no change.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many civil servants in his Department are engaged full-time in activities associated with: (a) tourism, (b) civil aviation, (c) insurance and (d) shipping; and what have been the overseas earnings for each of these sectors, for each of the last five years.

Staff in my Department employed full-time in activities associated with the industries listed, are as follows:

Tourism	17
Civil Aviation	182
Insurance	128
Shipping	954

Most of those concerned with civil aviation, insurance and shipping are engaged on international relations or regulatory functions.The overseas earnings arising from these activities are given in Tables 9 to 11 and 38 of United Kingdom Balance of Payments 1965–75.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list, for each of the nine EEC countries, in which country there is: (a) a Minister designated as Minister of Tourism; (b) a Minister whose job-description includes the word Tourism in his title; (c) a Government Department with civil servants working solely on tourism matters; and whom, in each Government, the Minister so designated has as his immediate superior.

From the information readily available I understand that in no member State is there a Government Department solely responsible for tourism. In France, the Minister for the Quality of Life is assisted by a Secretary of State for Tourism, and in Italy there is a Minister for Tourism and Sport, responsible to the Prime Minister. The only other EEC Government to single out tourism is Luxembourg, where the Minister of the National Economy, Middle Classes and Tourism—who at present also holds the portfolio for Transport and Power—is answerable to the Prime Minister.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what are the latest figures showing the movement in United Kingdom export prices for manufactures in dollar terms since the beginning of 1976.

Quarterly information is given in Table B23 of the latest edition (No. 15) of the Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics, a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library. The index numbers—with 1970=100—for the latest two months, October and November, are 170·0 and 172·9, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many civil servants in his Department are engaged full-time in activities associated with (a) the steel industry, (b) motor vehicle manufacturing, (c) chemicals, (d) heavy engineering and (e) machine tools; and what have been the overseas earnings for each of these sectors for each of the last five years.

Numbers of staff in my Department engaged full-time in activities associated with the following commodities are:

Steel	57
Motor Vehicle Manufacturing	36
Chemicals	15
Machine Tools	22

There is no generally recognised definition for heavy engineering.Figures of overseas earnings are not available under these headings, but values of visible exports are as follows:airlines, and arrangements for further discussions are in hand.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what moves are being made to lease the Concorde aircraft to foreign airlines.

We are prepared to consider leasing as an alternative to sale and proposals have been put by the manufacturers to a number of airlines. The policy issues involved in various forms of leasing are currently being examined by the British and French Governments.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement of the statement on the recent report of the Post Office Users' National Council advocating the restoration of Sunday mail collection.

The Post Office has undertaken to review the suspension of Sunday collections and has told me that it will certainly take account of the POUNC Report before it reaches any conclusion.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will bring up to date the information concerning the microelectronic support scheme contained in his answer to the hon. Member for Braintree in the Official Report, 27th May 1976, columns 343–4.

The present terms of reference of the microelectronic support scheme remain unchanged.The total of public funds available under the scheme is £10 million, of which £4·9 million has been paid to the three British-owned semi-conductor manufacturers who manufacture integrated circuits specially designed for particular applications. They are Ferranti, GEC and Plessey. Another £3·1 million has been authorised; thus, the total allocated is £8 million.A further 15 projects have been approved since my answer in the

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the British Steel Corporation regarding redundancies threatened at the Stanton concrete and iron pipe plant cuts in capital spending projects. as a result of the economic package of

BSC has given me an estimate of the effects on its Stanton and Staveley group of a six-month moratorium on new capital contracts let by regional water authorities. My right hon. Friend is exploring this with the corporation and is in close touch with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment about it.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the price paid by the National Enterprise Board for the 750,000 ordinary and the 200,000 cumulative preference shares in Sinclair Radionics Limited; and when the approval was given by the Secretary of State under Section 10 of the Industry Act 1975, for the National Enterprise Board to acquire more than 30 per cent. of the shares.

The NEB paid £650,000 for 75,000 ordinary shares and 200,000 cumulative preference shares in Sinclair Radionics Ltd.My right hon. Friend gave his approval on 20th October last, under Section 10 of the Industry Act 1975, to the NEB acquiring more than 30 per cent. of the voting equity of the company.In my reply of 7th December last—[Vol. 922, c. 149–50], I said that the acquisition by the NEB of 75,000 ordinary shares in Sinclair Radionics gave the board 37½ per cent. of the company's enlarged ordinary share capital. This should have been 42·9 per cent. I apologise for this error.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what shareholding is held by the National Enterprise Board in Twinlock Ltd.; what was the cost of these shares to the Board; and what proportion of the total shares this represents.

7·123 million ordinary shares, at 14p per share, representing one-third of the equity capital of Twinlock Ltd.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether, in view of the present economic climate in the North-West, he will take action to ensure continuing employment prospects through Government support of the GEC's turbine generator plant in Trafford Park, Lancashire.

Decisions on possible measures to meet the problems of the power plant manufacturers will be taken after Ministers have consulted interested parties about the CPRS report on the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much public money has so far been expended under the machine tool industry scheme; and how that money has been divided between the various categories of eligible projects.

Formal offers of assistance made under the machine tool industry scheme so far total £2,742,000, of which £539,000 is for product development, £1,809,000 for new plant and machinery and £394,000 for building work. Payments totalling £152,000 have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the advice he has received from the Waste Management Advisory Council on further measures required by way of regulations or new schemes of support to encourage recycling and the reclamation of waste.

The Waste Management Advisory Council is continuing to examine, with industry, ways of improving the conservation and recovery of materials, and to identify any technical or economic barriers to them. When this has been done the council will be in a position to assess whether there is a need for regulatory or financial measures. In the shorter term, the Government intend to support a campaign, agreed by the council, to increase public awareness of waste and to promote schemes for the segregation and collection for re-use of certain items of household refuse.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the British Scrap Federation regarding the opportunity for scrap exports and for import substitution; and if he will make a statement.

I recently received a deputation from the Federation following its request for an open general export licence for ferrous scrap. We have also received a number of written representations. Exports of ferrous scrap by ECSC countries to third countries are restricted in order to safeguard essential supplies for the domestic steel industries. The United Kingdom's export quota to these countries, hitherto made available only for low-grade scrap, is being increased for the first quarter of 1977 to 90,000 tonnes, of which 15 per cent. may be used for fragmentised scrap. There are no restrictions on exports to Community countries.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry for what purposes the National Enterprise Board is considering taking a stake in the computer software industry.

This would accord with the interim policy guidance which the Government has given to the NEB.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total amount of public money available to the National Enterprise Board for the acquisition of a stake in the computer software industry.

No specific sum has been allocated for this purpose.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in the absence of voluntary planning agreements, he will make a further statement of his policy towards the introduction of compulsory planning agreements.

The Government have consistently made clear their preference for a voluntary system of planning agreements. However, the Secretary of State has made clear on a number of occasions that he is dissatisfied with the progress on planning agreements so far, and I hope that industry will realise the benefits to their investment and technology that may be achieved through the planning agreement system.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on progress made in concluding planning agreements with Head Wrightson, Clarke Chapman, Babcock and Wilcox, Whessoe, GEC, Reyrolle Parson, British Leyland and Chrysler (United Kingdom).

Of the first six companies named, four are primarily concerned with the manufacture of power generating equipment and the other two also have interests in this area. Further planning agreement discussions with these companies await the outcome of the urgent consideration the Government is giving to the report by the CPRS on the problems of the industry. Discussions with British

					1973–74	1974–75	1975–76
£ million at historic prices	…	…	…	…	37·1	60·5	81·9
£ per head of employed population	…	…	…	…	13·8	22·3	30·4

These figures do not include expenditure on schemes and expenditure under Section 8 of the 1972 Industry Act, which are not confined to the assisted areas and for which records are not kept on a regional basis. No separate breakdown is available for expenditure in Merseyside, Kirkby or Ormskirk.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will outline his policy designed to protect industry in London, to prevent the loss of manufacturing industries in the London area and to encourage the establishment of new industries in that area and so prevent increases in unemployment.

We had the needs of manufacturing firms in London in mind last year in making modifications Leyland and Chrysler UK are continuing. A statement will be laid before the House whenever a planning agreement has been concluded.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state his objective in quantitative terms regarding planning agreements for 1977.

The Government are fully committed to the system of planning agreements, and our objective is to make progress as rapidly as possible. Discussions are taking place with a number of companies, but I cannot forecast how many agreements will be concluded this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the total amount of grants, loans and subsidies paid to industry in (a) the North-West, (b) Merseyside, (c) Kirkby and (d) Ormskirk in each of the last three years; and how much they amount to per head of the employed population.

Expenditure by the Department of Industry on regional incentives in the North-West, for the most recent three years for which figures are available, was as follows:to the industrial development certificate control, when the exemption limit was raised from 5,000 sq. ft. to 12,500 sq. ft. in the South-East and provision made for IDCs in respect of the speculative replacement of obsolete industrial premises. In addition, qualifying firms in London stand to benefit from all of the schemes under Section 8 of the Industry Act 1972 to encourage investment in specific industries, which were introduced last year. Unemployment in London, however, at 4·1 per cent., remains below the national average, and much below the levels experienced in the development and special development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what recent representations he has received regarding the problems of the wool textile industry on the world decline in demand; and what reply he has sent.

I have received no such representations. Indeed, statistics compiled by the Commonwealth Secretariat suggest that world demand for wool textiles in the first half of 1976 was considerably higher than in the same period of 1975, and in the case of wool tops and worsted yarn was also higher than in 1974. The United Kingdom wool textile industry has taken advantage of this increased demand to further improve its excellent export performance.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he has yet received the report of the Working Party on Metrological Control Systems on the method of implementing the changeover from the minimum to the average contents system of packaging.

I have already received an interim report from the working party and hope to receive its final report in a few weeks' time.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if the proposed increases in the price of gas announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer will be subject to the normal provisions of the Price Code.

I refer the hon. Lady to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Pudsey (Mr. Shaw) on 20th December 1976.—[Vol. 923, c. 6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will take action to reduce profit margins in television rentals under the prices policy.

Following the Price Commission's Report on TV Rentals, my right hon. Friend used his powers to withdraw investment relief for television receivers and obtained from the main specialist companies undertakings to freeze their rentals and absorb cost increases up to July next. He does not propose to take further action.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what effect a general 10 per cent. rise in public transport fares would have on the retail price index.

A 10 per cent. increase in bus and train passenger fares would add just under ¼ per cent. to the retail price index.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what effect a 10 per cent. rise in petrol prices and in diesel prices would have on the retail price index.

The direct effect of a 10 per cent. rise in petrol prices on the retail price index would be to raise the index by just over a third of 1 per cent. A 10 per cent. rise in diesel oil prices would have only indirect effects on the index. Taken together, the direct and indirect effects of such increases, when these have fully worked through, are estimated to total under ½ per cent. on the RPI.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will initiate discussions with the appropriate EEC Commissioners to establish closer liaison with consumer protection organisations within the Community.

The EEC Commission convened a symposium of representatives of European consumer organisations in Brussels on 2nd and 3rd December 1976. Officials from my Department and the Office of Fair Trading were present as observers. I do not doubt that the newly-appointed Commissioners will be concerned to maintain close contact with organisations representing consumers within the Community.

asked the Attorney-General when the Council of the Supreme Court of Judicature last met; and when it produced its last report.

A Council of the Judges of the Court of Appeal and the High Court last met on 2nd October 1972 and, in accordance with Section 210(2) of the Supreme Court of Judicature (Consolidation) Act 1925, a report was, on 10th October, made to the Secretary of State.

asked the Attorney General what is the average time spent awaiting trial of those remanded in custody for trial at (a) Manchester Crown Court, (b) Birmingham Crown Court, (c) Leeds Crown Court, (d) Newcastle on Tyne Crown Court, (e) Winchester Crown Court, (f) Liverpool Crown Court, (g) the Central Criminal Court, London and (h) the Inner London Crown Court; and what is the average time spent awaiting trial for those committed on bail for trial at each of these courts.

During the period January to September 1976 the average periods of time spent awaiting trial by defendants who had been committed for trial, in custody and on bail, at the Crown Court Centres listed below were as follows:

	Average waiting time (weeks)
Crown Court Centre	In Custody	On Bail
(a) Manchester (Courts of Justice and Minshull Street)	6·6	9·3
(b) Birmingham	6·4	7·4
(c) Leeds	5·9	8·7
(d) Newcastle on Tyne	5·5	6·6
(e) Winchester	7·7	8·6
(f) Liverpool	7·2	10·0
(g) Central Criminal Court	18·6	24·4
(h) Inner London	10·0	17·7

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total quantity of (a) courgettes and (b) radishes imported into the United Kingdom in the latest 12 month period for which figures are available; and how much, in each case, was imported by air freight.

Our import statistics do not separately distinguish these products.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which horticultural wholesale markets are being used for EEC monitoring purposes; what information he has about the numbers of public or municipal employees as opposed to traders and porters in each of these markets; and if this number of staff is tending to increase or decrease.

Marketing information is collected for a number of EEC purposes and the designated markets in the United Kingdom are those in Birmingham, Liverpool, Glasgow, Belfast and London—principally Covent Garden. Detailed information on the numbers of employees at this markets is not readily available and would be for the market authority and the commercial firms concerned to provide.

asked the Attorney-General how long the papers in the Bryant Builders (Birmingham) case have been with the Director of Public Prosecutions; and when he expects the Director of Public Prosecutions to announce his decision as to what action he is going to take.

I have nothing to add to my written replies to my hon. Friend's Questions given on 22nd November and 13th December 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the policy of his Department on the issue of work permits for overseas workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what date the current foreign worker quota period ends; what maximum quota he intends fixing for the following 12-month period; and how many of these will be allocated to the catering industry and the health service.

I do not propose to change the current general arrangements under which work permits are made available only for skilled workers from overseas, where vacancies cannot be filled from the resident labour force. I have reviewed the special arrangements, announced to the House on 3rd February 1976 by my hon. Friend the Member for Norwood (Mr. Fraser), then Under-Secretary of State for Employment, which related to those fields where annual numerical quotas apply—[Vol. 904, c. 559–561].

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what study he has made of the number of firms in 1976 which operate an eight-day holiday from Christmas to New Year; and if he will initiate discussions with the TUC and CBI aimed at obtaining further progress towards a general holiday entitlement of at least four weeks including, where possible, a holiday week covering the period from Christmas to New Year.

I have made no such study, but the Government supported the 1975 EEC recommendation, for four weeks' annual paid holiday by the end of 1978, on the basis that its progressive achievement was a matter for collective bargaining, subject to the requirements of counter-inflation policy. The dates on which holidays are taken are also, in general, a matter for negotiation between employers and employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many projects under the Job Creation Pro- gramme were approved in each of the months since the start of the scheme to the latest month for which figures are available; how many jobs were created; and at what cost.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is as follows:

	No. of projects approved	No. of jobs	MSC grant (£million)
1975
October	16	250	0·40
November	162	2,687	2·66
December	181	2,040	2·27
1976
January	251	2,972	3·24
February	382	3,773	4·60
March	302	3,376	4·19
April	455	4,696	5·62
May	369	4,166	5·51
June	537	5,302	7·84
July	434	4,104	6·10
August	561	5,134	8·06
September	550	4,872	7·18
October	446	4,650	6·80
November	539	4,956	7·46

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many projects under the Job Creation Programme were approved in the Northern Region in each of the last three months for which figures are available; how many jobs were created by those projects; and at what cost.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is as follows:

	No. of projects approved	No. of jobs	MSC grant (£million)
1976
September	93	608	1·11
October	95	827	1·26
November	98	616	0·85

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many replies have been received expressing views on the consultative document "Training for Vital Skills".

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that by the end of last year comments had been received from 481 organisations, including employers and employers' associations, trade unions, industrial training boards, education bodies, district manpower committees and others.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for the total number of self-employed persons for the last five years.

Following is the information available about the numbers of employers and self-employed persons working on their own account—with or without employees—in the United Kingdom at June in each year from 1970 to 1974, the latest date for which these estimates have been compiled.

1970	1,902,000
1971	1,909,000
1972	1,899,000
1973	1,947,000
1974	1,925,000

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies and how much short-time working he expects next year in the concrete and iron pipe making industry as a result of the economic package for the reduction of capital expenditure projects.

Although I am naturally concerned about possible reductions in employment in the concrete and iron pipe making industries, it is not possible at this stage to make any precise estimates of the extent of short-time working or the number of redundancies which may occur in these industries as a result of the reduction of capital expenditure projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will instruct the Manpower Services Commission to review the categories of employees now included on the Professional and Executive Register in consultation with employers and trade unions most concerned.

I anticipate that the occupational scope of PER will be looked at as part of the study which is to be made jointly by the Manpower Services Commission, my Department and the Treasury of the implications, financial and otherwise, of merging PER with jobcentres.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in cases where practical experience and training is provided for young people by industry, what are the terms under which assistance is given, when decisions are normally taken to pay training costs to employers; and whether payments are normally made in advance, by instalments or in arrears after 26 weeks' training.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that young people participating in the work experience programme are paid an allowance of £16 per week. The allowance is paid to young people by employers running work experience schemes who are reimbursed by the Manpower Services Commission, usually monthly in arrears. Costs incurred by employers in mounting schemes are met by them. Employers are also encouraged to expand opportunities for experience and training in normal employment by the offer of per capita grants for additional recruitment, payable by instalments in arrears as a contribution towards initial training costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost to public funds in the latest 12 months for which figures are available of all the leaflets, posters, advertising and all other information sources, issued by, or on behalf of his Department, or any autonomous or semi-autonomous body for which he is the responsible Minister.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the level of both apprenticeship and youth training within the London area.

I am sorry that details are not available of the numbers of young persons currently receiving apprenticeship or other training in London or elsewhere and could be obtained only with difficulty and exorbitant cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many employment vouchers have been issued for the last six months for which records are available; and if he will itemise the particular industries to which the vouchers have been allocated.

Work permits have replaced employment vouchers. The number issued—for workers overseas—together with permissions given—to workers already here—for the six months ending 30th September 1976 was 12,273.An industrial analysis of work permits issued and permissions given in 1976 will be available in a few months' time and will be published, as those for previous years have been, in the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he has taken, by dismissal or suspension, or other means to discipline the civil servants who refused to compile statistics in relation to unemployment.

All members of the Civil and Public Services Association in the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission group were sent advance warning at the end of last week that if their union did not call off the industrial action the Government would have no option but to suspend without pay those who were not prepared to undertake to perform their normal duties, including statistics. A letter setting out the views of the Government on this industrial action was sent by the Civil Service Department to the General Secretary of the CPSA on 23rd December. This will be considered at a meeting of the union's national executive committee on 11th-12th January.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has yet replied to the letter from the Chairman of the Health and Safety Commission, dated 1st December 1976, regarding the delay in making regulations concerning safety representatives and committees; and, if so, if he will publish his reply in the Official Report.

No reply has been sent as I am still considering the matter. However, as requested by the chairman in his letter, I met with the Health and Safety Commission on 7th December to discuss the issues involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many copies of the booklet "Safety Representatives and Safety Committees" have been printed, distributed and sold since publication;(2) if he will make a statement regarding the delay in publication of the report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Factories for the year 1975.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the value of regional employment premium paid to industry in Wales during each of the last four years, the estimated value for the current year and the estimated loss to industry in Wales during each of the next four years as a result of the withdrawal of this premium in the New Year.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23rd December 1976; Vol. 923, c. 317], gave the following information:The abolition of the Regional Employment Premium is part of a wider package of industrial measures, which include the retention of the temporary employment subsidy until the end of April 1977. The measures as a whole are designed to reduce the level of unemployment in 1977 compared with what it would otherwise have been.The estimated payment made in respect of regional employment premium for the Welsh development area were:

Financial Year	£ million
1972–73	13
1973–74	15
1974–75	22
1975–76	31

For the current financial year the estimated amount paid to the end of November 1976 is £23 million. Had REP continued the estimated amounts payable would have been:

Financial Year	£ million
1976–77	32
1977–78	25
1978–79	26
1979–80	27
1980–81	28

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many applications under the job release scheme have been approved and rejected in each of the assisted areas.

I shall reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost to public funds of Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service; and how many people it employs.

pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 23rd December 1976; Vol. 923, c. 316], gave the following information:The cost to public funds in 1976–77 of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service is expected to be about £6·6 million. The service employs 774 staff, including eight servicing the Certification Officer and 18 the Central Arbitration Committee.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will review the system of senior appointments in the Civil Service in the light of evidence sent to him by the hon. Member for Upminster.

No. In my reply to the hon. Member on 30th November I described the procedure for making senior appointments in the Civil Service. I am satisfied that before they are made there is proper consultation and full consideration of the field of potential candidates.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why copies of the Official Report for Wednesday 24th November are not avaliable in the Vote Office in the normal printed and bound form; and when copies in this form will be available.

Publication of the Official Report for Wednesday 24th November was delayed because of an industrial dispute. The dispute has now been resolved and the Report will be published as soon as production can be fitted in with other essential parliamentary work.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will estimate by how much the expected £114 million cost of inflation-proofing public service pensions would be reduced if pension increases had been prevented by the amount that they exceeded £6 per week.

Figures are available only for the Civil Service. It is estimated that the cost of the 1st December 1976 increase to Civil Service pensions will be £31 million in a full year. If the £6 limit had been applied, the estimated saving would be about £2½ million. There is no evidence to suggest that the saving ratio for the rest of the public service would be significantly different.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the approximate annual cost of printing the "Demand Form for EEC Printed Papers"; what is the general circulation of each issue; and how many are sent to Members, Government Departments, individuals and other organisations, respectively.