asked the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has met the Chairman of the Welsh Development Agency.

I have met the Chairman formally on seven occasions in the past 12 months, and on several other occasions informally.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the dispute between Great Britain, France and Eire concerning definition of national areas where there is no dispute about the medians drawn up for oil exploration and extraction following the Continental Shelf Convention of 1968; and if he will place a map in the Library clearly indicating the areas in dispute and the claims of each country which are now the subject of a decision by the Court of Justice in the Hague.

Under a bilateral agreement of 10th July 1975 a court of arbitration was set up in Geneva with the purpose of delimiting the Continental Shelf between the United Kingdom and France West of 0°30 West. The crucial oral hearings before the court are due to begin on 26th January and the court is expected to deliver its verdict later this year.United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland officials have been in touch about the delimitation of the Continental Shelf boundary between the United Kingdom and the Republic.I am unable at this stage to place in the Library a map showing the respective claim lines, since this would infringe the confidentiality of the proceedings of the court of arbitration and of Her Majesty's Government's discussions with the Republic of Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, in the light of his reply to the hon. Member for Louth's Question of 23rd December, concerning the staff at the British Embassy, Moscow, what is the function of the one Greek employee.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 14th January.—[Vol. 923, c. 599.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what have been the travelling expenses of Mr. Ivor Richard since the start of the Geneva talks.

The cost of fares for Mr. Richard to travel between New York and Geneva and for journeys to and from London was £1,599. It is not possible to separate Mr. Richard's travelling expenses on his African tour from those of the members of his accompanying staff: to date the approximate cost of the party's journeys amount to £13,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy in dealing with international terrorism.

We have taken every opportunity to express our abhorrence of actions which put the lives of innocent people in danger. We strongly condemn all terrorist acts.Our determination to combat terrorism internationally is shown by our ratification of The Hague Convention of 1970 on Hijacking and the Montreal Convention of 1971 on Sabotage of Aircraft. We participated at the last United Nations General Assembly in a consensus resolution calling for the setting up of a committee to draft a convention against the taking of hostages. It is the Government's intention to sign on 27th January the European Convention on the Suppression of Terrorism, recently adopted by the Council of Europe, and to seek parliamentary approval to enable it to ratify the convention without reservations at the earliest possible opportunity. In addition, a group of senior officials is meeting within the framework of European political co-operation to consider the follow-up to the European Council Declaration on Terrorism.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy, in relation to uninhabitable islands, will be adopted by Her Majesty's Government when the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea resumes deliberations in May 1977.

Her Majesty's Government will continue to maintain, as at previous sessions of the Conference, that there should be no distinction between islands in their entitlement to generate an economic zone and continental shelf.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Denmark about the boundaries of the 200-mile Exclusive Economic Zone around the United Kingdom, particularly with reference to Rockall.

None. Her Majesty's Government have had initial contacts with the Danish Government regarding the delimitation of the United Kingdom and Danish fishery zones both in the North Sea and in respect of the Faroes to the north-west of Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the provisions of the single negotiating text of the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, in regard to the generation of economic zones, 200 miles or other, by unihabitable islets.

Article 128.3 in Part II of the Revised Single Negotiating Text currently before the Conference reads,

"Rocks which cannot sustain human habitation or economic life of their own shall have no exclusive economic zone or continental shelf".

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom regards Rockall as generating a 200-mile exclusive economic zone; and, if so, on what grounds.

The question of generation of an exclusive economic zone, by Rockall or by any other part of the United Kingdom, does not arise at the present time. Section 1 of the Fishery Limits Act 1976 provides that British fishery limits extend to 200 miles from the baselines of the United Kingdom or, provided that another line has not been specified, to the median line. Rockell is part of the United Kingdom and accordingly British fishery limits extend around Rockall to 200 miles or to the median line.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many Civil Service jobs there are in Scotland at present; and what is his estimate for each of the next two years.

There are at present 71,300 civil servants in Scotland. Estimates for future years are not available.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what representation he has received in regard to amending Section 2 of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971.

I have received a number of letters urging me to change the provisions of the Pensions (Increase) Act 1971, but without specifying the method of change. I have also received a number of letters urging me not to make such a change.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether Civil Service pensions are payable in full, including the increments to cover inflation, if the pensioner goes to live abroad.

Yes.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will set out the broad lines of his Department's responsibility vis-à-vis other Departments in Whitehall.

Broadly, the Civil Service Department is responsible for the central management of the Civil Service. The responsibility involves a wide range of different functions, in which the Civil Service Department works in partnership with other Departments whose Ministers and accounting officers carry direct responsibility for the administration of their Departments. Particular responsibilities have developed to serve the needs of parliamentary accountability, of economy and of efficiency.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what further steps he is taking to resolve the industrial dispute in the Civil Service which is preventing the publication of monthly unemployment figures.

The national executive committee of the Civil and Public Servants Association has decided to suspend the industrial action which was preventing the publication of the monthly unemployment figures.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he now expects to make an announcement about the pay of Ministry of Defence chief police officers under the general police pay settlement of September 1975.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why it is that 10 members of the Ministry of Defence Chief Police Officers' Association have been excluded from the 1975 police pay settlement.

As I explained to the hon. Member for Devizes (Mr. Morrison) when I wrote to him on 20th January, the claim made by the Ministry of Defence Chief Police Officers' Association is being actively considered with my relevant ministerial colleagues. I re- gret-the time it is taking to reach a final decision, but a number of difficult issues are involved.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has for the dispersal of Civil Service posts to the West Midlands.

My hon. Friend will be aware that a programme involving the dispersal of over 31,000 Civil Service posts from London is currently in progress. It was decided in 1974 that most of these would go to the assisted areas. As he will appreciate, the decisions already taken cannot now be reopened, and the opportunities for further dispersal are limited. But for any work which cannot be sited in an assisted area the claims of the West Midlands will be considered, along with those of other areas.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many computer data banks are run by the Government; and what they are.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to personal information about identifiable individuals. A list of tasks carried out on Government computers holding such information is contained in the White Paper "Computers: Safeguards for Privacy" (Cmnd 6353) published in December 1975.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many computers are in operation in the public sector.

I can only answer for the Civil Service. There are about 300 computers installed in Government Departments for administrative and scientific purposes. A list of them, including information about the use for which they were acquired, is published in "Management Services in Government" annually in May and is up-dated quarterly. The publication is available in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will bring up to date the table of Civil Service staff increases given in his reply to the hon. Member for Melton on 19th October 1976; and if he will outline the legislative or policy reasons which caused a variation in manpower between 1st July and 1st October 1976, wherever applicable.

The number of staff in post, by Department, on 1st March 1974 and 1st October 1976 is given below. The main changes in staff numbers between 1st July and 1st Octo-

CIVIL SERVICE MANPOWER
	Staff in Post at 1st March 1974			Staff in Post at 1st October 1976
Department	Non-Industrials	Industrials	Total	Non-Industrials	Industrials	Total
Cabinet Office	599	—	599	664	—	664
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1)	14,328	1,133	15,461	14,710	1,164	15,874
H.M. TREASURY	997	—	997	1,122	—	1,122
H.M. Customs and Excise	24,932	—	24,932	29,390	—	29,390
Inland Revenue	69,659	33	69,692	81,166	28	81,194
Department for National Savings	13,435	132	13,567	12,667	95	12,762
Department of Education and Science (2)	3,858	83	3,941	3,979	105	4,084
Department of Employment (3)	32,080	1,577	33,657	48,497	1,913	60,410
Department of Energy	1,364	82	1,446	1,348	12	1,360
Department of the Environment (4)	42,034	27,480	69,514	45,545	26,416	71,961
Ordnance Survey	4,151	371	4,522	3,930	335	4,265
Foreign and Commonwealth Office	9,967	250	10,217	9,820	240	10,060
Ministry of Overseas Development	2,123	48	2,171	2,281	54	2,335
Home Office	24,858	3,652	28,510	28,618	3,658	32,276
Lord Chancellor's Office and Courts, etc.	9,428	—	9,428	9,917	—	9,917
Land Registry	4,838	5	4,843	4,917	6	4,923
Civil Service Department	3,492	1,601	5,093	3,715	1,567	5,282
Central Office of Information	1,188	63	1,251	1,282	63	1,345
H.M. Stationery Office	3,142	4,037	7,179	3,315	4,041	7,356
Scottish Office	9,052	755	9,807	9,860	702	10,562
Scottish Courts Administration, etc.	731	4	735	756	5	761
Department of Health and Social Security	82,331	209	82,540	93,515	250	93,765
Office of Population Censuses and Surveys	2,706	18	2,724	2,546	23	2,569
Department of Trade (5)	16,550	805	17,355	7,870	43	7,913
Department of Industry (5)	—	—	—	9,179	770	9,949
Department of Prices and Consumer Protection (5)	—	—	—	382	—	382
Export Credits Guarantee Department	1,642	—	1,642	1,919	—	1,919
Welsh Office	1,091	2	1,093	1,554	2	1,556
Ministry of Defence (6)	128,535	139,231	267,766	128,278	135,092	263,370
All Other Departments	5,548	829	6,377	5,844	937	6,281
TOTAL	514,659	182,400	697,059	568,586	177,521	746,107
Notes:
All figures include part-time staff counted as one half.
(1) Includes staff of the Intervention Board for Agricultural Produce.
(2) Includes staff of the Victoria and Albert and Science Museums.
(3) Includes on 1st October 1976 staff of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service, the Health and Safety Executive, the Manpower Services Commission and its Agencies.
(4) Includes staff of the Property Services Agency.
(5) These three Departments formed the Department of Trade and Industry at 1st March 1974.
(6) Includes staff of the Royal Ordnance Factories.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will place in the Library the details of the proposals to re-site and re-equip St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press.

Although certain proposals with regard to the re-siting and re-equipping of the St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press are under consideration, no final decisions have yet been made. The implementation of any proposals must depend on the wishes of Parliament and the availability of public funds. The House is being consulted about certain consequential problems, and I will make a further statement as soon as there is anything of substance to report.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service (1) when he expects to announce the revised starting date for construction work on the new Overseas Development office in East Kilbride;(2) when he expects to announce a revised date for the start of construction work on the new Ministry of Defence office in Glasgow.

As I told the hon. Member on 20th December last, the Government remain committed to the moves of posts in the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Overseas Development to Scotland. The detailed effects of the measures announced on 15th December are being assessed, and an announcement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the total amount which has now been given out in official financial aid to opposition parties.

A total of £389,742 has so far been paid from the House of Commons Vote to opposition parties under the terms of the Resolution of the House of 20th March 1975.

asked the Lord President of the Council what progress he has made on defining the regulations and questions relative to the referendum on devolution.

Work is in hand, and my right hon. Friend hopes to table a new clause and schedule as soon as possible.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he has any proposals to reform House of Commons procedures and machinery of government; and if he will make a statement.

As the House is aware, a Select Committee on Procedure is at present engaged on a general review of our procedures. The House will no doubt wish to consider that Committee's proposals in due course.

asked the Lord President of the Council when the room designed to replace interview rooms taken over for the use of Members' secretarial staff will be completed and available for meetings.

I understand that work on four interview rooms on the ground floor of Westminster Hall Annex is expected to be completed shortly after the Easter Recess and work on the rest of the annex, consisting of two normal size and one large interviewroom, a conference room and kitchen, by the end of the Summer Recess.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will list in the Official Report the official overseas visits made by members of each Select Committee of the House in each of the last four financial years.

The following is the information:

VISITS OF SELECT COMMITTEES OVERSEAS
Financial Year		Committee		Destination		Dates
1973–74	…	European Secondary Legislation &c.	…	Brussels	…	22nd May 1973
				Strasbourg	…	4th-5th July 1973
		Expenditure: Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee	…	Munich	…	14th-15th May 1973
		Expenditure: Education and Arts Sub-Committee	…	Canada/U.S.A.	…	16th September to 4th October 1973
				Denmark, Sweden, Holland, Norway	…
		Nationalised Industries	…	Helsinki/Stockholm	…	15th-19th April 1973
				Paris	…	6th-10th May 1973
		Overseas Development	…	Brussels	…	4th-6th June 1973
				South East Asia	…	22nd January to 11th February 1974
1974–75	…	European Secondary Legislation &c.	…	Brussels	…	20th-21st June 1974
				Brussels	…	6th-7th February 1975
				Brussels	…	17th-19th March 1975
		Expenditure: Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee	…	Gibraltar	…	24th-25th June 1974
		Nationalised Industries	…	Norway	…	1st-5th July 1974
		Race Relations and Immigration	…	U.S.A.	…	16th-26th March 1975
		Science and Technology	…	Washington	…	2nd-9th September 1974
1975–76	…	Armed Forces	…	Germany	…	29th-30th March 1976
		Cyprus	…	Cyprus	…	11th-17th September 1975
		European Secondary Legislation &c.	…	Luxembourg	…	16th-17th April 1975
				Luxembourg	…	16th May 1975
				Denmark, Belgium	…	23rd-28th November 1975
				Brussels	…	24th-25th February 1976
		Expenditure: Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee	…	Germany	…	13th-18th April 1975
				Hong Kong, Cyprus	…	16th-28th November 1975
		Expenditure: Social Services and Employment Sub-Committee	…	Scandinavia	…	15th-21st June 1975
		Expenditure: Trade and Industry Sub-Committee	…	Italy, Germany	…	18th-23rd May 1975
		Nationalised Industries	…	Berne, Dusseldorf	…	6th-9th July 1975
				U.S.A., West Indies, Bahrain	…	13th-29th October 1975
		Overseas Development	…	Canada/U.S.A.	…	13th-18th July 1975
				Central Africa	…	20th November to 4th December 1975
		Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration	…	Paris	…	23rd-24th July 1975
		Race Relations and Immigration	…	Amsterdam, Brussels	…	18th-20th June 1975
				West Indies	…	14th-21st January 1976
		Science and Technology	…	Cologne, Munich, Paris	…	6th-11th July 1975
				North America	…	7th-17th September 1975
		Energy Resources Sub-Committee	…	Abu Dhabi, Kuwait	…	19th-24th October 1975

Financial Year		Committee		Destination	Dates
1976–77	…	European Secondary Legislation &c.	…	Brussels, Luxembourg	5th-8th July 1976
		Expenditure: Defence and External Affairs Sub-Committee	…	U.S.A./Canada	10th-24th June 1976
		Expenditure: Education, Arts and Home Office Sub-Committee	…	Sweden	2nd-5th May 1976
		Expenditure: General	…	Paris	12th-14th October 1976
		Nationalised Industries:
		Sub-Committee A	…	Sweden, Denmark, West Germany, Belgium	23rd-29th October 1976
				Holland, France	8th-10th December 1976
		Sub-Committee B	…	U.S.A.	29th October to 6th November 1976
				Japan	10th-19th November 1976
		Sub-Committee C	…	Washington/New York	9th-14th May 1976
				Frankfurt/Amsterdam	17th-19th May 1976
		Overseas Development	…	West Indies	21st-28th July 1976

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will list in the Official Report each of the Reports published by each Select Committee of the House in each of the last four years, indicating at the same time whether the report has been debated by the House; and, if so, when.

REPORTS
				Numbers of
Committee				(a) Reports	(b) Special Reports
1972–73—
European Secondary Legislation	…	…	…	2	—
Expenditure	…	…	…	12	—
Delegated Legislation	…	…	…	2	—
Services	…	…	…	7	—
Nationalised Industries	…	…	…	2	2
Overseas Development	…	…	…	1	—
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration	…	…	…	1	—
Procedure	…	…	…	6	—
Public Accounts	…	…	…	8	—
Race Relations and Immigration	…	…	…	1	1
Science and Technology	…	…	…	3	2
Statutory Instruments	…	…	…	12	—
Privileges	…	…	…	1	—
1973–74—
Expenditure	…	…	…	8	3
Nationalised Industries	…	…	…	1	1
Overseas Development	…	…	…	—	2
Race Relations and Immigration	…	…	…	—	1
Science and Technology	…	…	…	1	—
Statutory Instruments	…	…	…	8	—
1974—
European Secondary Legislation	…	…	…	9	1
Expenditure	…	…	…	9	3
Services	…	…	…	9	—
Members' Interest (Declaration)	…	…	…	—	1
Privileges	…	…	…	2	—
Nationalised Industries	…	…	…	1	1
Overseas Development	…	…	…	1	2
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration	…	…	…	1	—
Public Accounts	…	…	…	4	—
Race Relations and Immigration	…	…	…	1	1
Science and Technology	…	…	…	1	1
Statutory Instruments	…	…	…	15	—
1974–75—
Rt. Hon. Member for Walsall North	…	…	…	4	—
Members' Interest (Declaration)	…	…	…	2	—
Services	…	…	…	8	—
Cyprus	…	…	…	—	1
Nationalised Industries	…	…	…	2	3
Procedure	…	…	…	4	1
Violence in Marriage	…	…	…	1	1
European Secondary Legislation	…	…	…	39	3
Science and Technology	…	…	…	2	1
Overseas Development	…	…	…	1	1
Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration	…	…	…	1	—
Expenditure	…	…	…	14	6
Wealth Tax	…	…	…	1	—
Public Accounts	…	…	…	5	—
Assistance to Private Members	…	…	…	2	1
Race Relations and Immigration	…	…	…	1	2
Statutory Instruments	…	…	…	27	—
Privileges	…	…	…	2	—

With the exception of those from Joint Committees on Consolidation, &c., Bills, Special Procedure Orders and Statutory Instruments, the Standing Orders Committee and the Committee of Selection, the number of reports published by Select Committees since Session 1972–73 and those which have been debated are set out in the tables below:

asked the Lord President of the Council if his attention has been drawn to the proliferation of unread local newspapers in the Members' Tea Room; what is the total annual cost of such provision; and whether he will consider replacing such purchases with the provision of a few international newspapers.

Local newspapers are provided free by courtesy of the editors concerned.

asked the Lord President of the Council to what use Room 10 in the Upper Committee Corridor is currently being put; and what is the cost of the decoration and other changes made in that room.

On 15th July 1975 the Services Committee recommended that this room should be allocated to the Chairman of its Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee on the understanding that it be made available for meetings of the Committee's Sub-Committees, thus relieving pressure on the rooms on the Committee Corridor. The room was also to be used as an archive room for the preservation of records of all works carried out in the Palace, together with details of historic furnishings and decorations. This recommendation was approved by Mr. Speaker. The room is currently being used for these purposes. Ten meetings of the Sub-Committees have been held in this room since its decoration, and it is now used for this purpose nearly every week. The work is also frequently used for meetings in relation to the work of the Services Committee between the Chairman of the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee, Officers of the House and officials of Government Departments. The room was redecorated following rewiring and ventilation work done in that part of the Palace. The total cost was £1,083, including the cost of replacing a worn-out carpet.

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) if he will move the House for a return of the Memoranda presented by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Editor of Hansard which were not reported in the First Report of the Services Committee (HC 53);(2) if he will move the House for a return of the minutes of the proceedings of the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee of the Services Committee reported to the main Committee on 7th December last, showing the date or dates when it considered the printing of the

No. The House leaves the question of publication of memoranda of evidence and the proceedings of its Sub-Committees to the discretion of its Select Committees.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the pension and other retirement benefits available to Members of Parliament in the United Kingdom, the other countries of the EEC, Canada, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the USA.

I regret that all the information requested is not available in an up-to-date form, but I am having it collected, and will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible. In the meantime, Appendix E to the First Report of the Review Body on Top Salaries (Cmnd. 4836) of December 1971 may be of some help.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will give for the longest stated period of time the number of bottles of Harvey's 1971 Chateau de L'Abbaye Skinner that has been sold by the Refreshment Department; and what is the cost per bottle or case thereof.

I have been asked to reply.All 500 bottles of this wine have been sold in the six months it has been stocked. The cost to Members was £2·24. The Catering Sub-Committee does not think it appropriate to disclose its costs.

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

The latest available information relates to September 1976, when 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

FULL-TIME AND SANDWICH UNIVERSITY STUDENTS
		Number of overseas students	Percentage engaged in undergraduate studies	Percentage engaged in postgraduate studies	Overseas students as percentage of all students
1948–49—
England and Wales	…	5,041	Not available	Not available	7·6
Scotland	…	883	Not available	Not available	5·2
1958–59*—
England and Wales	…	8,460	Not available	Not available	10·2
Scotland	…	1,740	Not available	Not available	10·1
1968–69†—
England and Wales	…	13,837	39·7	60·3	7·8
Scotland	…	1,855	58·3	41·7	5·5
1975–76—
England and Wales	…	29,363	46·4	53·6	12·7
Scotland	…	3,590	51·9	48·1	8·7
* For Great Britain as a whole 58·1 per cent. of overseas students were undergraduates and 41·9 per cent. postgraduates.
† There was a change of definition of overseas students in 1967–68 which restricted the coverage to that used for fees purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the pupil-teacher ratio in the primary and secondary schools, respectively, in Humberside; and how this compares with national averages.

In January 1976 the average pupil-teacher ratios in maintained primary and secondary schools in Humberside were 22·8:1 and 17·0:1 respectively. Comparable figures for England and Wales as a whole were 23·9:1 and 17·0:1.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total number of overseas students attending universities in England and Wales and in Scotland in 1948, 1958, 1968 and at the most recent available date; what proportion of these were engaged in (a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate studies; and what proportion these students represented of the total undergraduate and postgraduate student population.

The information is as follows:the average size of classes in (

In January 1976 the average sizes of primary classes as registered and secondary classes as taught in maintained schools in the metropolitan districts of Greater Manchester were as follows:

Metropolitan District		Primary classes as registered	Secondary classes as taught
Bolton	…	33·0	23·7
Bury	…	30·9	22·1
Manchester	…	27·9	22·1
Oldham	…	30·5	24·1
Rochdale	…	31·2	22·7*
Salford	…	30·8	21·9
Stockport	…	31·8	22·2
Tameside	…	30·6	22·7
Trafford	…	29·1	22·0
Wigan	…	31·6	24·1*
Greater Manchester	…	30·5	22·7*
* Including middle schools deemed secondary.

It is not possible to make reliable projections of class sizes as the disposition of teachers within schools is at the discretion of headteachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to column 53 Official Report 18th January how much, in a full financial year the Exchequer will receive following the increase after September 1977

	Academic year
	1950–51	1955–56	1960–61	1970–71	1975–76	1976–77
	(Numbers in thousands)
Universities	85·3	85·2	107·7	228·1	261·3	272·5*
Other higher education (including teacher training)	35·7*	42·3	71·3	218·2	241·6	N.A.
TOTAL	121·0	127·5	179·0	446·3	502·8	N.A.

N.A.=not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students live in halls of residence in each of the Scottish Universities and colleges of further education.

The following information relates to the academic year 1975–76, the latest available, and, so far as the Scottish central institutions and colleges of education are concerned, has been supplied by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland. Information

It is estimated that the additional income to local education authorities resulting from the increase in the school meals charge from 15p to 25p will be about £80 million in a full year. Unless his allowable expenses are abnormally high, a parent earning the average industrial wage, and with three children all at school, would pay the full meals charge for each of his children—i.e., an extra £1·50 per week.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of full-time students at university on 31st October 1976, 31st October 1970, 31st October 1960, 31st October 1955 and 31st October 1950; and what were the numbers of full-time students in attendance at places of advanced education beyond secondary level on 31st October 1976, 31st October 1970, 31st October 1960, 31st October 1955 and 31st October 1950.

Following are the numbers of students in Great Britain on full-time and sandwich courses at a level higher than GCE A-level:about students living in halls of residence in colleges of further education in Scotland is not available.

Universities
Aberdeen	…	…	…	…	2,012
Dundee	…	…	…	…	1,338
Edinburgh	…	…	…	…	2,645
Glasgow	…	…	…	…	1,118
Heriot-Watt	…	…	…	…	634
St. Andrews	…	…	…	…	2,292
Stirling	…	…	…	…	1,502
Strathclyde	…	…	…	…	1,091
					12,632

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, as a tribute to the Queen's Silver Jubilee celebrations, he will consider the establishment of a National Youth Service.

The proposal for a National Youth Service recently canvassed in the Press has implications for several Departments, and it would, therefore, be a matter for consultation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if Her Majesty's Government now plan to continue with the programme of foreign currency borrowing by public sector bodies.

Although our external financial position and prospect is now greatly improved, we still face a period of external deficit. Moreover, our official reserves have for long been very low in relation both to the scale of our external transacations and by international standards. As I indicated to the House on 11th January, we do not intend to meet our financing needs on the basis of any build-up of potentially volatile external holdings of sterling and this makes it important to strengthen the reserves on a secure medium-term basis, as and when we are able to do so on acceptable terms.In this situation, the Bank of England has negotiated on behalf of Her Majesty's Government a syndicated credit of $1·5 billion. The lenders are led by a group of major British, American and German banks; the loan will have an average life of nearly six years and final repayment will be made in seven years. Interest will be payable at the appropriate interbank rate in the Euro-dollar market in London plus a margin of 7/8ths per cent. for the first two years and 1 per cent. thereafter. These and other aspects of the terms are very satisfactory in present market conditions; they are the best terms that have been achieved in the market for a comparable operation since the loan to Her Majesty's Government of 1974.In my statement on 15th December, I referred to my intention to strengthen the reserves with $500 million offered in the form of short-term swaps by the United States Treasury and Federal Reserve. In the light of the improved reserves position on the basis of the first drawing made from the IMF and with the prospect of further strengthening of the reserves over the next few months as this new market loan is drawn down, I have now decided that no drawings should at present be made on these swaps. With the agreement of the American authorities they will, however, remain available for the time being on a standby basis, alongside the parallel $350 million facility with the Bundesbank.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing all borrowings in foreign currencies by Her Majesty's Government, and by all local authorities, nationalised industries and other public bodies since February 1974 to the latest convenient date, and their current sterling values.

Tables have already been placed in the House of Commons Library giving for each month up to the end of November 1976 the names of all borrowers, the amounts borrowed, and the sterling equivalent at the rates prevailing when the loans were drawn down. I am arranging for this list to be updated.The current sterling values of each of these loans could only be given at the cost of disproportionate time and effort, and the information would go out of date quickly as the value of the pound moved against all the other currencies involved.The current sterling value of the total of all foreign currency borrowing by Her Majesty's Government and the public sector between 1st March 1974 and 31st December 1976 is about £6·8 billion.

MARRIED MAN WITH TWO CHILDREN (AGED UNDER 11): TAX ON INCOME FROM EMPLOYMENT
		Income Tax Threshold £	Initial Rate Per cent.	Maximum Rate Per cent.	Income at which Maximum Rate chargeable £
Belgium	…	2,200	11·2 (11·9)	72 (75·6)	65,950
Denmark	…	2,700	14·4 (38·6)	39·6 (63·8)	12,250
France	…	3,550	3·6	54	46800
Germany	…	2,200	22	56	65,700
Ireland	…	1,550	26	77	11,900
Italy	…	1,400	10	72	394,250
Luxembourg	…	4,550	18·2	57·7	26,100
Netherlands	…	2,750	19·2	72	38,000
United Kingdom	…	1,685	35	83	21,685
Sweden	…	1,500	4 (29·2)	57 (82·2)	21,000
United States of America	…	4,000	25	50 (55·5)	29,600
Canada	…	3,900	6 (7·8)	47 (61·3)	48,750
Japan	…	3,550	7 (9·8)	67·5 (83·7)	180,550
Notes:
1. Foreign currency amounts are converted into sterling at the exchange rates for 12th January 1977 and rounded to the nearest £50.
2. Figures for United Kingdom and Ireland are for the tax year 1976–77; for Denmark, 1977; for all other countries, 1976.
3. The rates of tax in brackets include local income taxes, as follows:
(a) for Belgium, a general surcharge;
(b) for Denmark, the local income tax payable in Copenhagen;
(c) for Sweden, the average rate of local income tax;
(d) for United States of America, the local income tax payable in California;
(e) for Canada, the provincial income tax payable in Ontario;
(f) for Japan, provincial and municipal income tax.
4. The figures allow for deductible social security contributions, deductible local income taxes (United States of America only), and any earned income relief, personal relief or other minimum or flat-rate reliefs available. Marginal tax rates have been abated as appropriate where reliefs are given which are expressed as a percentage of income.
5. Belgium: The initial rate is 40 per cent.—50 per cent. less abatement for expenses deduction—but the rate settles down to 11·2 per cent.—14 per cent. less abatement.
6. United Kingdom: The United Kingdom figures take no account of family allowances or the family allowances deduction ("clawback").
7. United States of America: The initial rate for United States of America—25 per cent.—is an effective rate which combines the effects of 15 per cent. tax and the withdrawal of tax credit on earned income at the rate of $1 for every $10 additional income.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Government statistical reports and surveys have been prepared by sending

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, for a married man with two children: (a) the income tax threshold converted into £ sterling, (b) the initial rates at which income tax is charged, (c) the maximum rates chargeable, and (d) the level of income at which they are charged also converted into £ sterling in each of the EEC member states, Sweden, United States of America, Canada and Japan.

The following is the information requested:questionnaires to taxpayers during the years 1973, 1974, 1975 and 1976.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wirral (Mr. Hunt) on 19th November 1976—[Vol. 919, c. 771.] In addition, Customs and Excise prepared a survey in 1976 on gaming machines.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will compare the value of single, married and child tax allowances in 1946 and 1976.

The figures are as follows:

	1946–47	1976–77
	£	£
Single Person's Allowance	129	735
Married Person's Allowance	209	1,085
Child Tax Allowance:
Child not over 11	57	300 (248)
Child over 11 but not over 16	57	335 (283)
Child over 16	57	365 (313)

The figures for 1946–47 take account of the effect of earned income relief and the relief given for national insurance contributions The figures in brackets are net of the family allowance deduction ("clawback").

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rôle of the capital note in company transactions with the Inland Revenue and the effect of their existence on receipts to the national Exchequer.

The expression "capital notes" has been used to describe loan stock units, and the same tax rules and effects exist for them as for loan stock and other such securities by reference to their terms.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make proposals to the International Monetary Fund with a view to improving the Fund's economic forecasting procedures and models.

No. Discussions with the Fund on economic forecasts are not conducted exclusively on the basis of any single economic model. In the case of the United Kingdom, full account is taken of the Government's own forecasts as well as of other relevant sources.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated loss of income to industry in the Northern Region in the years 1977–78 and 1978–79, respectively, resulting from the decision to abolish the regional employment premium; and what is the estimated job loss as a consequence.

It is estimated that about £50 million would have been spent on the regional employment premium in the Northern Region in both 1977–78 and 1978–79. The premium was withdrawn as part of a package of industrial and economic measures and the effect of this package will be to reduce unemployment as against what it would otherwise have been.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion in value of all goods or services purchased or hired by the Government in the United Kingdom are purchased or hired in England, Scotland and Wales, respectively.

In 1975–76 Government Departments purchased goods and services from firms in the following broad proportions by value: in England 89 per cent., Scotland 7 per cent. and Wales 4 per cent. Similar information regarding the hire of equipment, and so on, is not available.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the costs, in terms of loss of revenue to the Exchequer, if (a) the single personal allowance were raised by £52 per annum in 1977 and (b) if the married man's allowance and the wife's earned income allowance were raised by £52 per annum in 1977.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would be forgone if the married man's allowance were payable only to men with wives (a) over 50 years of age in 1977 and (b) over 55 years of age in 1977.

The information on which to base a precise calculation is not available, but the approximate increases in revenue would be £1,000 million and £1,150 million respectively.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the costs, in terms of loss of revenue to the Exchequer, if the tax threshold due to take effect from April 1977 were raised to the current FIS levels for (a) a married couple with one child aged four years, (b) a married couple with two children aged 4 and 8 years, (c) a married couple with three children aged 4, 8 and 11 years, (d) a married couple with four children aged 4, 8, 11 and 16 years, and (e) a a married couple with six children aged 4, 6, 8, 11, 14 and 16 years.

I will let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the costs, in terms of loss of revenue to the Exchequer, if a band of taxation at 20 per cent. were introduced between the tax thresholds due to take effect in April 1977 and the current FIS levels for (a) a married couple with one child aged 4 years, (b) a married couple with two children aged 4 and 8 years, (c) a married couple with three children aged 4, 8 and 11 years, (d) a married couple with four children aged 4, 8, 11 and 16 years and (e) a married couple with six children aged 4, 6, 8, 11, 14 and 16 years; and what would be the savings on income tax for the married couples as described.

I shall let my hon. Friend have a reply as soon as possible.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the costs of the administration of the aggregation of the incomes of married women with that of their husbands for a combined income tax assessment, in the light of the fact that such aggregation often means that more than one Inland Revenue office is involved in the collection of tax.

Since the system of aggregation of the incomes of a married couple is an integral part of the general work of tax offices, it is difficult to identify the cost of administration of this aspect alone. However, from such estimates as can be made, it seems likely that the cost of the present system is appreciably less than would be the cost of a system in which there was no aggregation of the incomes of husband and wife.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report details of the reassessment of the tax liabilities of multinational companies to date, resulting from the Inland Revenue's special unit designed to investigate the pricing policies of multi-national companies, and the basis of such reassessments.

Prices paid in international transactions between companies under common control are adjustable for the purpose of charging United Kingdom tax on profits to the prices which would have been paid if the companies had been independent and acting at arm's length. Information about the tax affairs of particular taxpayers is confidential, but aggregate central adjustments to profits since the beginning of 1974 total about £20 million. In addition, adjustments have been made by local Inspectors in some smaller cases. Figures for these cannot be readily obtained.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated loss of revenue to the Board of Inland Revenue if the mobility allowance were to be made tax free in the fiscal year 1977–78.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on his proposal that special tax treatment of salaries of those temporarily abroad on business will only apply if this is for a continuous period of 30 days or more; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what amount duty receipts on wine exceeded or fell short of the Budget estimate for the year ended 31st March 1976; and why the annual report for the Customs and Excise for that year failed to state the difference between the Budget estimate and the actual amount received.

In the financial year 1975–76 receipts of wine duties exceeded the estimate by £16·7 million. The report of the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Customs and Excise for the year ended 31st March 1976 remarked upon the 72 per cent. increase in revenues from imported wine. The Budget estimate for 1975–76 was given in the previous year's report.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the Inland Revenue was the subject of investigation by the Parliamentary Commissioner during the last 12 months for which figures are available; on how many occasions a completed investigation showed maladministration; and on how many occasions the Inland Revenue has still to rectify a complaint which the Parliamentary Commissioner had accepted as having some basis of maladministration.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if it is the current practice of the Inland Revenue to send out prepaid envelopes in connection with tax returns.

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