asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has reached any further participation agreement.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st December 1976; Vol. 923, c. 123], gave the following further information:In implementation of Her Majesty's Government's policy of securing majority State participation, Her Majesty's Government and the British National Oil Corporation (BNOC) have today concluded a memorandum of principles with Murphy Petroleum Limited and Ocean Exploration Co. Limited on the principles governing majority State participation in the companies' interests in the Ninian field and related facilities in the North Sea. All parties intend to conclude a definitive legal agreement embodying these principles as soon as possible.The memorandum provides for BNOC to have access after a build-up period to up to 51 per cent. of Murphy and Ocean's oil from the Ninian field at market price with the companies having certain repurchase rights. There will be full consultations between Her Majesty's Government, advised by BNOC under Section 3(3) of the Petroleum and Submarine Pipe-lines Act 1975, and Murphy and Ocean on matters of common interest.It is the intention of the parties that, subject to the consent of the Ninian partners, BNOC should, through these participation arrangements, gain an effective voice and vote in the committees managing field operations.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what assistance he is making available to pensioners, who receive a basic State pension but no supplementary benefit, towards the cost of electricity for the quarter from February to April 1977.

Pensioners whose resources are above the level of supplementary pensions or who have not claimed their entitlement to supplementary benefit are outside the arrangements for giving a discount on electricity bills for periods ending in February, March or April 1977. But the Code of Practice for Payment of domestic Electricity and Gas Bills recently published by the industries after consultation with the Government provides a safeguard against disconnection for all pensioners over retirement age during the winter and helps them to get useful advice on possible ways out of difficulty in meeting fuel bills.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will have investigations made to ascertain to what extent fuel and other costs would be saved if a four-day working week were introduced.

No. Net energy savings arising from a rearrangement of the working week would be unlikely to be big enough to be a significant factor in any such decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated cost of implementing the 25 per cent. discount scheme for electricity users supported by supplementary benefit or family income supplement; and what is the estimated extra cost per unit to the normal domestic consumer which this figure represents taken over the three-month period.

Estimated administrative costs amounting to about £2·5 million arising from the implementation of the scheme will be met by my Department. There will be no effect on the cost per unit to the normal domestic consumer.

asked the Attorney-General if he will list those cases referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions following Department of Trade investigations and give a progress report on each case, stating when he expects the Director of Public Prosecutions to announce his decision as to what action he intends to take.

It would not be in the public interest to list the cases which have been referred by the Department of Trade to the Director of Public Prosecutions, because that would identify companies, and possibly individuals, who are the subject of current police inquiries. There are 28 cases which have been so referred and in which decisions as to the institution of criminal proceedings have not yet been taken. In 27 of the cases police inquiries are continuing. In the remaining case police inquiries have been completed, but the Director requires a report from the liquidator of the company concerned to enable him to reach a decision about the matter. In these circumstances it is not possible to forecast how long it will be before the Director will be in a position to reach a decision affecting the institution of criminal proceedings in any of the cases.

asked the Solicitor-General what consultations and discussions took place between the Lord Chancellor's Department and the Law Society and other interested parties prior to the Lord Chancellor's announcement on 15th June 1976 of his intention to remove legal aid from undefended divorces; what consultations have taken place subsequently; and what was the number and nature of the representations he has received expressing dissatisfaction with these proposals.

As the House has already been informed in a Written Answer by my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General on 26th July 1976, my noble Friend discussed his proposals with a number of interested parties before making his announcement. Since, however, these discussions were confidential it would not be appropriate for him to disclose the details.Since the announcement he and his Department have undertaken extensive and detailed consultations about the implementation of his proposals with all relevant judicial and professional authorities, and particularly with the Law Society. As the House was informed in a Written Answer by my right hon. and learned Friend on 19th November, my noble Friend has received a number of representations for and against his proposals. Between 15th June and 15th November 1976 my noble Friend received 29 representations critical of the proposals. Most of them were from solicitors who are under the misapprehension that my noble Friend proposed to withdraw the necessary services of advice and assistance from litigants in undefended divorce cases. In fact, as he made clear from the first, my noble Friend's proposal is, by removing the need for a hearing in open court in such cases, to remove the need for legal representation at such a hearing and hence the need for legal aid for such representation. Other necessary legal services will, however, continue to be available by way of advice and assistance, and of legal aid for ancillary proceedings concerning maintenance, property and children.Since November my noble Friend has received very few representations on this matter.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when the Government Actuary expects to complete the further calculations needed to reassess the situation of inflation-proofed Civil Service pensions.

The General Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee have asked the Government Actuary to submit further evidence on the deductions that are embodied in Civil Service pay to take account of differences in pension benefits, including pensions increase. The Government Actuary expects to submit a memorandum to the Sub-Committee before the end of February.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service on how many parliamentary working days during 1975 and 1976 parliamentary papers were delivered late to the Vote Office or not delivered at all as a result of industrial difficulties.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 4th February 1977; Vol. 925, c. 442–3, gave the following information:Deliveries of parliamentary papers to the Vote Office were not possible on 10 working parliamentary days in the 1974–75 Session and on seven working parliamentary days in the 1975–76 Session because of major industrial relations difficulties. In addition, various production difficulties were responsible for deliveries of parliamentary papers to the Vote Office being later than scheduled on 94 working parliamentary days in the 1974–75 Session and on 62 working parliamentary days in the 1975–76 Session. The majority of the difficulties referred to were attributable to causes beyond the control of HMSO.

asked the Attorney-General how long the papers in the Pergamon Press Ltd. 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 intends to take.

The initial papers were received by the Director of Public Prosecutions from the Department of Trade on 7th and 25th January 1971, and following a conference with that Department on 9th February 1971 the police were forthwith requested to make inquiries. These have been continuing since that date and are still not completed. Numerous interim reports have been supplied and conferences have been held with counsel. Currently, police inquiries are proceeding into an important aspect of the case, and every effort is being made to complete the inquiries within a few weeks, to enable counsel to provide the Director with their final advice. It is then hoped to take a decision with the minimum of delay.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were employed in aircraft and aero-engine manufacture in the Bristol area in each year, respectively, between 1966 and 1976.

This Department's statistics can be disclosed only in a form which ensures that information about individual undertakings cannot be identified. Consequently the figures below relate to the county of Avon rather than to the Bristol area. They relate to June in each year from 1966 to 1975, the latest date for which they are available.

EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT: COUNTY OF AVON Aerospace equipment manufacturing and repair (Minimum List Heading 383 of the Standard Industrial Classification)
(Thousands)
June each year:
1966	…	…	…	…	24·9
1967	…	…	…	…	26·0
1968	…	…	…	…	26·2
1969	…	…	…	…	25·2
1970	…	…	…	…	26·9
1971*—
(a)	…	…	…	…	26·7
(b)	…	…	…	…	25·8
1972	…	…	…	…	25·4
1973	…	…	…	…	24·0
1974	…	…	…	…	24·6
1975	…	…	…	…	25·4
* Estimates for 1971(a) and earlier years are obtained from counts of national insurance cards. Estimates for 1971(b) and later years are obtained from the Censuses of Employment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will explain why it was not possible to obtain a reply on the telephone from any person in his Department other than the security guard at 5.31 p.m. on Tuesday 1st February and at 5.36 p.m. on Wednesday 2nd February; and whether he will make the necessary arrangements to ensure that phone calls will be answered up until 6 p.m. at night.

I understand that my hon. Friend spoke to my office at the Department by telephone shortly before 6 p.m. on Wednesday 2nd February. He can do so on any weekday until well after 6 p.m. by telephoning the direct number listed in the House of Commons telephone directory.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the numbers of (a) women and (b) men with shop-floor experience but no previous managerial training or experience admitted to management development courses by the Training Services Agency in the years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77 to date.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information is not obtainable other than at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the amount spent by the Training Services Agency on management development courses in the years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77; and what proportion this figure represents of the Training Services Agency's total expenditure in each of these years.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the requested information is not available without incurring disproportionate expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the amount spent by the Training Services Agency on advertising management development courses in the years 1974–75, 1975–76 and 1976–77.

						(1) All unemployed people in Great Britain	(2) Unemployed registered disabled people (included in Column 1)
(a) Total number unemployed	…	…	…	…	…	1,402,470	66,176
Number unemployed for longer than:
(b) 6 months	…	…	…	…	…	243,486	13,067
(c) 12 months	…	…	…	…	…	229,791	30,010
(d) 24 months	…	…	…	…	…	Figures are not available

Information about medical categories was not available on 8th July 1976. Analysis of the disabilities of unemployed registered disabled people is undertaken on an annual basis and was last carried out in April 1976, when there were 57,315 physically disabled and 6,937 mentally disabled people unemployed in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many registered housing associations in England and Wales receive revenue deficit grant and how many do not; what is the total amount of revenue deficit grant paid

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the figure in respect of 1976–77 is £2,899. Prior to the current fiscal year, management development courses were run only on an experimental base.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, at the latest convenient date, what were (a) the total number of persons who were unemployed, (b) the number within that total who had been unemployed for longer than six months, (c) the number within that total who had been unemployed for longer than 12 months, (d) the number within that total who had been unemployed for longer than 24 months, (e) the number of registered disabled people in groups (a), (b), (c), (d), and (f) his estimate of numbers within (e) who were physically disabled and mentally disabled.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that the information below relates to 8th July 1976, the latest date for which figures are available showing duration of unemployment among registered disabled people.in each of the past five years; what is the total paid to registered housing associations in grants for modernisation in each of the past five years; and what is the average revenue deficit grant per dwelling and per pound of fair rent for those associations which receive it.

Grants to registered housing associations are made under provisions in the Housing Act 1974 which came into effect on 1st April 1975. Since that date 232 out of a total of 2,246 registered associations in England and Wales have received management grant and/or revenue deficit grant; payments totalled £2·2 million in 1975–76 and £6·8 million so far in 1976–77. Grants for modernisation account for about 40 per cent of the payments of housing association grant made for all approved housing projects; these amounted to £132·7 million in 1975–76 and £280·6 million in the first three quarters of 1976–77. The other information requested is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he has had with local authorities about his proposals concerning direct labour organisations.

The local authority associations have been consulted on proposals on the powers of local authorities to undertake construction work and on charging and accounting arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total number of paper bags used in 1975 and 1976, respectively, by HMSO bookshops; and what were the respective total costs to HMSO

TABLE 1
ACCEPTANCES FOR SETTLEMENT ON ARRIVAL OR ON REMOVAL OF TIME LIMIT COMMONWEALTH CITIZENS
(Number of people)
				1st January 1976–30th September 1976
Country or territory issuing passport				Total acceptances for settlement	Accepted for settlement on arrival	Accepted for settlement on removal of time limit
Australia	…	…	…	2,744	1,788	956
Bangladesh	…	…	…	3,261	3,042	219
Barbados	…	…	…	185	112	73
Canada	…	…	…	774	380	394
Cyprus	…	…	…	1,224	209	1,015
Ghana	…	…	…	512	70	442
Guyana	…	…	…	293	111	182
Hong Kong	…	…	…	1,494	1,081	413
India	…	…	…	8,755	5,281	3,474
Jamaica	…	…	…	841	612	229
Kenya	…	…	…	1,258	900	358
Malaysia	…	…	…	1,526	58	1,468
Malta	…	…	…	97	35	62
Mauritius	…	…	…	1,083	192	891
New Zealand	…	…	…	1,239	750	489
Nigeria	…	…	…	522	104	418
Rhodesia	…	…	…	171	19	152
Sierra Leone	…	…	…	113	9	104
Singapore	…	…	…	214	76	138
Sri Lanka	…	…	…	522	184	338
Tanzania	…	…	…	816	363	453
Trinidad and Tobago	…	…	…	458	62	396
Uganda	…	…	…	119	25	94
West Indies Associated States	…	…	…	351	206	145
Zambia	…	…	…	433	313	120
United Kingdom Passport Holders	…	…	…	9,276	8,549	727
All Other Territories	…	…	…	554	307	247
Total	…	…	…	38,835	24,838	13,997

I have been asked to reply.In 1975 and 1976 the estimated number and cost of paper bags used by HMSO bookshops were 549,000 and £1,820 and 487,000 and £1,400, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of those allowed into the United Kingdom for permanent settlement for each of the last five years, and to the latest convenient date, broken down by countries of origin.

Table 1 shows the number of Commonwealth citizens and table 2 the number of foreign nationals accepted for settlement on arrival and on removal of time limit during the period January to September 1976. The available information for 1975 and for previous years is to be found in the published Immigration Statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will ask those responsible to arrange a scheme whereby retirement pensioners can, on production of their pension order book, claim both for the non-expired portions of their television licences when they have to give up their televisions because of breakage or to save money.

No. The grounds on which refunds may be given must be limited if the licensing system is not to become unmanageably complicated and unduly expensive.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many searches were carried out during December 1976 by persons under the control of his Department of the MV "Crail", bound for Saudi Arabia; who took part in these searches; what were the costs involved; what was the purpose; and whether dogs were used.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of the construction of a police station at Orpington.

Plans for the proposed police station have been approved, but the scheme has had to be deferred because of the severe restrictions on capital allocations for 1977–78 and later years. It is not now possible to say when a start on the building can be made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report those countries whose citizens are required to be in possesion of a visa or similar documentation before being allowed entry to the United Kingdom.

The "Statement of Immigration Rules for Control on Entry: EEC and Other Non-Commonwealth Nationals" (HC 81) provides in paragraph 8 and the appendix, as amended, that visas are required by:—

Stateless persons and other holders of non-national documents (except holders of certain refugee documents coming on visits of three months or less), and

Nationals of:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made in connection with a review of parliamentary boundaries in England and Wales.

The Boundary Commission for England has so far, in the course of its general review, published provisional recommendations for constituencies in the counties of Cleveland and Nottinghamshire. The Boundary Commission for Wales has not yet commenced a general review of the constituencies in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will seek to amend the law so that the granting of legal aid in magistrates' courts becomes the responsibility of the Law Society's Legal Aid Department in order to ensure uniformity of treatment of applications made.

I have no proposals for amending legislation on these lines.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made in developing the rôle of the Voluntary Service Unit in Scotland, with a view to allowing direct expenditure by this organisation or voluntary organisations in Scotland.

The Voluntary Services Unit can make grants direct to organisations in Scotland if they satisfy the same criteria as other VSU-funded bodies—that is, that their work spans the interests of several Government Departments or does not fall within the responsibility of any one Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the amount of money allocated to the Voluntary Services Unit; and what is the sum being allocated to Scotland in this financial year.

The sum made available to the VSU for general grants in 1976–77 as £2,159,000. None of this is specifically allocated to Scotland, or to any other part of the United Kingdom, but most of the major organisations funded by the VSU carry out some work in Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the total costs of the recent inquiry by Lord Justice Scarman into the Red Lion Square demonstration;(2) if he will publish in the

The additional costs to public funds arising from the Red Lion Square inquiry amounted to £60,914·08. Details are given in the table below.

ADDITIONAL COSTS TO PUBLIC FUNDS OF THE RED LION SQUARE INQUIRY
Legal costs	£
Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis	6,913·76
London Area Council of Liberation	9,563·77
International Marxist Group	8,227·06
Warwick University Students Union and the National Union of Students	9,582·22
National Front	6,270·54
Sub—Total	£ 40,557·35
Counsel for the Inquiry	14,339·16
Administrative Costs (Printing, advertisements etc.)	5,940·48
Witnesses expenses	77·09
Total	£60,914·08

The inquiry was held under the provisions of Section 32 of the Police Act 1964. At the conclusion of the hearing Lord Justice Scarman indicated that he would recommend to the Home Secretary that the reasonable taxed costs of all the represented parties should be met from the Police Fund. There is provision for the Home Secretary to direct that such costs should be paid from the police fund under Section 32(5) of the Police Act 1964.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry to what con ditions the Government's offer to subordinate their loan to Meriden Motor Cycle Co-operative to other loans has been made subject.

The subordination of their loan to Meriden Motor Cycles Ltd. forms part of a programme for assistance to that company which the Government are prepared to undertake subject to the approval of the House and to the completion of appropriate arrangements. This programme was outlined in my right hon. Friend's statement to the House of 7th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what estimate he has made of the world capacity in the production and supply of heavy steel pipe required for major pipeline works in submarine runs; whether the Government have agreed to supply the British Steel Corporation with finance for this purpose, and guarantee the corporation in whole or in part against any losses sustained by the projected investment at Hartlepool; and whether any representations have been made to him concerning the consistency of such a development with United Kingdom obligations as a member of the European Coal and Steel Community;(2) what percentage of the United Kingdom's total requirements of North Sea steel pipe he estimates the British Steel Corporation will be in a position to supply a reasonable time after the commissioning of their new plant at Hartlepool;(3) whether the National Enterprise Board has been involved in the decision of the British Steel Corporation to manufacture steel pipe of the size and specification suitable for North Sea pipelining; and whether he is prepared to make capital funds available for the formation of a joint subsidiary for this purpose and for promoting export with any of the leading companies in the EEC engaged in this field;(4) whether he has agreed the British Steel Corporation's proposed investment in the manufacture of steel pipe of the size and specification required for the North Sea; and why the decision has been delayed;

After consultation with prospective customers and the work force, the British Steel Corporation has decided to invest in enhancement of the Hartlepool Pipe Mill in order to supply heavy steel pipe to the North Sea market. The commercial viability and timing of the investment are matters for the Corporation; the cost will be met from within agreed levels of capital expenditure. My right hon. Friend's consent has not been sought for the formation of a subsidiary company. Nor has the National Enterprise Board been involved. I have received no representations concerning this project in relation to the United Kingdom's obligation as a member of the European Coal and Steel Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received to date from interested parties in the Northern Region opposing the decision to abolish regional employment premium.

Following the decision to abolish REP there have been a number of representations about its withdrawal, including several from the Northern Region, but I regret that detailed figures are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish a table detailing the financial support that, according to official evidence to the Industry Sub-Committee of the Expenditure Committee during their investigation into the motor industry prior to their Fourteenth Report, is given by other European Governments to their national motor industries; and how this compares in size with that being given to British Leyland.

It is not possible to tabulate this information in the time available and without disproportionate expense.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether all schemes of selective help to particular sectors of industry are cleared with the European Commission prior to their introduction.

Yes. The Commission is informed of sectoral schemes prior to their introduction in accordance with our EEC obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state, and make available in the Library, according to the agreement of 5th January 1976 between Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited and his Department, clause 5, subclause 2(vii), exactly the numbers to be employed, redundancies, productivity and related matters of the Stoke Linwood and Truck Plan and the C6 Programme; and whether such agreements which have been concluded are being satisfactorily implemented.

For information on employment levels the hon. Gentleman should write to the company. Other aspects of the plans to which he refers are commercially confidential. I am satisfied that there is a very large measure of agreement between management and representatives of the work force on the means by which these plans are to be achieved, and that these agreements are being satisfactorily implemented.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement as to whether the payments made by him under clause 2, sub-clause 6 of the 5th January 1976 agreement between Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited and his Department, exceeded the amount which could have been required to be paid under sub-clause (3) of this clause 2 or paid by service of a notice under sub-clause (5) of this clause 2; if so, whether Chrysler (United Kingdom) Limited has repaid on amount equal to such excess, specifying the amount of the repayment; and if it was accompanied by a report signed by the accountants as to the amount of the adjusted losses or adjusted profits by reference to which the repayment is to be made.

The annual accounts of Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd. which will form the basis of any adjustments have not yet been finalised.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total amount of Government expenditure on the Concorde project since its inception including aircraft production to date.

The net cost to the Government of the Concorde project up to 31st December 1976 was £727 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will give figures for the cost of post entry into service development of Concorde and for the production of the aircraft to date.

The cost to the Government of post entry into service development was £27 million up to 31st December 1976, and of production £289 million. The latter was offset by £119 million of receipts.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the reason for the 125 per cent. increase since December in the price of sultanas in the Province.

Details of retail prices of sultanas in Northern Ireland are not available, but for the United Kingdom as a whole average retail prices rose between October and December 1976 by about 80 per cent. and have since eased slightly. Factors which account for this increase were smaller crops in producing countries through adverse weather conditions, removal of export subsidies by some producing countries and the depreciation of sterling.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will give full details in the Official Report of the differences between the calculation of profits and profit margins for price control purposes by the Price Commission and the calculation of profits on accepted accounting principles.

Profit margins calculated under the present Price Code may differ from those calculated for the purpose of companies' published accounts in the following major respects:

(a) Profits on exports and certain other sales excluded from price control do not appear in profit margins for Price Code purposes.

(b) As a partial move towards inflation accounting the Price Code permits depreciation charges to be raised by a factor of 1·4 if they have been based on historic cost valuations or on revaluations made before the price controls were introduced.

(c) For the same reason the Price Code permits stock relief, equivalent to 70 per cent. of any increase in the value of stocks, to be deducted from current profit margins.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the profits of the category I firms, listed on page 41 of the "Report of the Price Commission for the period 1st September to 30th November 1976" as calculated by the Price Commission and the profits calculated according to normal accounting principles, for the six-month period June to November 1976.

It is not possible to disclose information which individual companies submit to the Price Commission since the information is confidential under the Counter Inflation Act 1973.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what reply he has given to the telex message which he has received from the South West Export Advisory Committee on replacing the regional employment premium with an incentive to small or first time exporters.

The hon. Member for Torbay (Sir F. Bennett) has written about this. I am placing a copy of my reply in the Library of the House for the information of other Members, and sending a copy to the hon. Gentleman for Cornwall, North (Mr. Pardoe).

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will publish figures for the United Kingdom and the original Six members of the Common Market showing the percentage increase in ex

		Exports of machinery*				Exports of manufactured goods† Percentage change on previous quarte
		1976 1st quarter		1976 2nd quarter		1976 1st quarter		1976 2nd quarter
		Intra-trade EEC	Other countries	Intra-trade EEC	Other countries	Intra-trade EEC	Other countries	Intra-trade EEC	Other countries
United Kingdom	…	2·3	7·6	0·5	-7·1	4·7	3·2	5·8	-1·3
Belgium/Luxembourg	…	8·1	-7·8	1·6	2·8	8·4	-7·1	9·3	9·8
France	…	4·8	-0·1	3·8	7·7	8·5	-0·6	6·1	9·1
German Federal Republic	…	-0·3	-5·9	7·4	2·6	9·5	-5·1	4·4	4·8
Italy	…	-15·0	-22·2	13·6	10·1	-3·9	-16·1	6·2	10·8
Netherlands	…	-3·8	-10·1	6·9	8·6	0·5	-6·1	7·2	12·8
*Machinery SITC divisions 71 plus 72.
†Manufactured goods SITC sections 5–8.
This is the latest available information and is based on statistics in European units of account not seasonally adjusted published in the Eurostat Monthly Trade Bulletin

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what were United Kingdom exports of (a) machinery and (b) manufactures in terms of EUR for the latest three months for which figures have been published by the EEC; how these com

		Exports of machinery*1976 April-June		Exports of manufactured goods† 1976 April-June
		value EUA mil‡	Percentage change on January-March	Value EUA mil‡	Percentage change on January-March
United Kingdom	…	2,612	—5·0	7,842	1·0
Belgium/Luxembourg	…	793	2·1	5,361	9·5
France	…	2,513	6·3	8,925	7·7
German Federal Republic	…	5,991	4·5	17,392	4·6
Italy	…	1,690	11·4	6,008	8·6
Netherlands	…	924	7·7	4,358	8·9
*Machinery—SITC divisions 71 plus 72.
†Manufactured goods—SITC sections 5–8.
‡Not seasonally adjusted.
Source: Eurostat Monthly Trade Bulletin.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the index of trade competitiveness made any allowance for changes in the United Kingdom competitiveness caused by the loss of tariff preferences in home and overseas markets over the past five years.

No explicit allowance for changes in tariffs is made in the compilation of the export competitiveness index, which is defined, for the published statistics, as the ratio of United Kingdom export prices of manufactures to a

The available information is shown on the attached note:pare with the figures for the same three months for other EEC countries; and what, in each case, is the percentage increase on the first quarter of 1976.

Following is the information:weighted average of those of our major competitors, both expressed in terms of United States dollars. However, changes in tariffs may affect the export prices of both the United Kingdom and our competitors, and also the market pattern of trade, and, hence, the weighting used in compiling the index.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he will list in the Official Report those companies in the private sector, other than those in which the National Enterprise Board holds shares, having over 2,000 employees; and which of these companies has experienced major industrial problems resulting in strikes during the last three years.

Although an estimate has been given in the Bullock Report of the number of companies having over 2,000 employees in the United Kingdom, the available sources do not enable a definitive list of names of companies to be compiled. Nor is it the practice of the Department of Employment to publish statistics of stoppages due to industrial disputes naming individual establishments or companies.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what proportion of imports from Arab countries is now covered by exports to those countries.

Figures on a balance of payments basis are not compiled for this group of countries. On an overseas trade statistics basis, the value of United Kingdom exports (f.o.b.) to Arab countries^* in 1976 was 73 per cent. of the value of United Kingdom imports (c.i.f.) from these countries: ^*Abu Dhabi; Dubai; Sharjah, etc.; Bahrain; Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Lebanon; Oman; Qatar; Saudi Arabia; Syria; Yemen Arab Republic; People's Democratic Republic of Yemen; Algeria; Egypt; Libya; Morocco; Sudan; Tunisia.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) how many persons are employed to operate the import surveillance licensing scheme; and what are their posts and grades;(2) what is the cost to date of the import surveillance licensing scheme; and what is the estimated annual cost of the scheme.

38 Import Licensing Branch staff, comprising one higher executive officer, five executive officers, 25 clerical officers and seven clerical assistants, are employed in operating the surveillance import licensing scheme for textiles consigned to the United Kingdom from non-EEC sources. Their current annual cost, calculated on the basic staff cost plus accommodation, is about £207,000, and on the same basis the cost up to 31st January 1977 was some £320,000. These figures do not take into account costs incurred by other Departments, such as the Department of Industry, which is associated with the scheme, and Customs and Excise.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what research has been carried out by his Department, or to which his Department has access, into the nature and distribution of sonic booms reaching the ground from supersonic aircraft.

Considerable research has been carried out by Government Departments and scientific establishments into the nature and likely effects of primary sonic boom from supersonic aircraft. Information from research by French, American and other authorities has also been made available. More recently the Government have been co-operating with Bristol University in investigating the nature of secondary booms.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what steps he intends to take following the refusal of the Port of New York Authority to make a decision on 10th February on the use of Kennedy Airport, New York, by Concorde.

The British and French Governments are working in close liaison in determining what further action should be taken and have already made their views known to the new United States Administration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the value of orders placed by the Scottish Home and Health Department with firms resident in Scotland through the general and special preference schemes in each of the years 1970 to 1976.

The information is not available in the form requested, but in the financial years 1970–71 to 1975–76 contracts were placed by the Scottish Home and Health Department with firms in Scotland under the general preference scheme or under normal commercial conditions as follows:

Year				Total Value £000
1970–71	…	…	…	721
1971–72	…	…	…	590
1972–73	…	…	…	551
1973–74	…	…	…	1,787
1974–75	…	…	…	408
1975–76	…	…	…	526

None was placed under the special preference scheme.The 1973–74 figure includes a coal contract for the National Health Service negotiated that year with the National Coal Board. Responsibility for those National Health Service contracts let centrally by the Scottish Home and Health Department was transferred to the Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service on National Health Service reorganisation in 1974. All contracts for the National Health Service are now let centrally by other Government Departments, by the Common Services Agency or by the health boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each year of the past decade, the estimated total catch of salmon on Scottish rivers by rod and line.

The rod and line catches for the most up-to-date period available in the returns supplied to my Department are as follows:

			Salmon	Grilse	Total
1966	…	…	64,208	8,474	72,682
1967	…	…	62,898	14,450	77,348
1968	…	…	45,675	6,701	52,376
1969	…	…	42,754	8,090	50,844
1970	…	…	46,247	11,548	57,795
1971	…	…	40,220	7,875	48,095
1972	…	…	49,165	6,285	55,450
1973	…	…	52,500	9,433	61,933
1974	…	…	49,767	9,042	58,809
1975	…	…	63,118	9,866	72,984

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each year of the past decade, the estimated total catch of salmon in the Atlantic Ocean by: (a) British and (b) foreign vessels.

There is no evidence of British participation in Atlantic Ocean high seas fishing for salmon. The taking of salmon in the high seas of the Atlantic Ocean is the subject of international agreement so far as fishermen of the participating States of the International Commission for North-West Atlantic Fisheries and the North-East Atlantic Fisheries Commission are concerned. Catches reported by participating States, including in some cases salmon caught in coastal and inland waters, are recorded by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea.For the most up-to-date period available they are as follows:

Year					Tonnes
1966	…	…	…	…	2,608
1967	…	…	…	…	3,141
1968	…	…	…	…	2,948
1969	…	…	…	…	4,858
1970	…	…	…	…	4,884
1971	…	…	…	…	4,816
1972	…	…	…	…	4,359
1973	…	…	…	…	4,847
1974	…	…	…	…	4,475
1975	…	…	…	…	4,761

The international agreement prohibiting or limiting fishing for salmon on the high seas of the ocean came into effect on 1st January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, for each year of the past decade, the estimated total catch of salmon by net on Scottish river estuaries.

It is not possible except at disproportionate cost to differentiate between the net catches in estuaries and those in the rivers themselves. Information is, however, readily available, in the returns supplied to my Department, on net and coble catches of salmon in Scottish rivers including their estuaries. Details for the most up-to-date period are as follows:

			Salmon	Grilse	Total
1966	…	…	87,077	95,202	182,279
1967	…	…	123,168	161,227	284,395
1968	…	…	103,079	98,861	201,940
1969	…	…	107,675	169,559	277,234
1970	…	…	87,320	121,347	208,667
1971	…	…	67,798	117,998	185,796
1972	…	…	96,140	102,247	198,387
1973	…	…	102,956	109,923	212,879
1974	…	…	72,238	103,350	175,588
1975	…	…	86,169	101,018	187,187

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what consideration is being given to provision of suitable retirement or redundancy terms to encourage voluntary retirement or resignations of staff in colleges of education in the light of table 13 of his circular of 17th January 1977.

Paragraph 48 of my right hon. Friend's consultative paper of 17th January indicated that staff made redundant would be eligible to apply for compensation under the Crombie code and that after decisions on the future of the whole college system have been made there will be detailed consultations about the rundown of staffs with college and staff representatives.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether, in making his proposals to retain Dundee College of Education, he took into account the need to make adequate provision for teacher training in Fife and Tayside as well as the facilities available.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Thomson Committee's report.

The main bodies concerned on the Second Report of the Thomson Committee have been consulted, and my right hon. Friend is now considering the recommendations in the light of their comments.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the functions of the Social Work Services Group within the Scottish Education Department.

The Social Work Services Group, which comprises four administrative divisions and the Central Advisory Service, assists the Secretary of State in carrying out his functions under the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. These functions include guidance to local authorities on the provision of social work services, making regulations under the Act, appointment of members of children's panels and financial assistance to voluntary organisations, List D Schools, research and training.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of moneys in real terms, made available through his Department to voluntary organisations in Scotland in each of the last five years; and what is his projected level of grant for the next financial year.

The following is the information, in respect of grants relating to current and capital expenditure respectively, under Section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, Section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 and the Further Education (Scotland) Regulations 1959. All figures are at November 1975 prices.

		£'000
		Current	Capital
1972–73	…	385	439
1973–74	…	556	413
1974–75	…	672	657
1975–76	…	802	810
1976–77	…	909	816
1977–78 (provisional)	…	1,105*	816
(*Includes approximately £190,000 formerly administered by the Development Commission).

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many registered housing associations in Scotland receive revenue deficit grant and how many do not; what is the total amount of revenue deficit grant paid in each of the past five years; what is the total paid to registered housing associations in grants for modernisation in each of the past five years; and what is average revenue deficit grant per dwelling and per pound of fair rent for those associations which receive it.

There are 109 registered housing associations in Scotland, of which four have received revenue deficit grant and 105 have not. This grant, introduced by the Housing Act 1974, is payable for an accounting year ending on or after 1st January 1974. The first payments, in 1975–76, totalled £27,300. In 1976–77, £162,600 has so far been paid.The registration of housing associations by the Housing Corporation was also introduced by the 1974 Act. £2,746,000 has been paid in 1976–77 by way of housing association grant for rehabilitation to registered housing associations under the Housing Act 1974. No such payments were made in 1975–76.The revenue deficit grant paid to date represents an average per dwelling of about £85. The average grant per pound of fair rent is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons in Scotland who received bail were arrested for further offences before trial in 1976.

Information of this kind is not regularly collected, but I would refer the hon. Member to the illustrative data contained in the Scottish Office research study "Pre-Trial Bail and Custody in the Scottish Sheriff Courts" published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made on negotiations for reciprocal social security arrangements with Portugal.

					1974–75	1975–76	1976–77*
					£ million	£ million	£ million
Unemployment Benefit	…	…	…	…	214	454	568
Sickness Benefit	…	…	…	…	345	425	485
Supplementary Benefit	…	…	…	…	835	1,187	1,540
*Estimated.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) in what circumstances his Department pays for television licences for persons on social security; on how many occasions this has been done in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what was the cost;(2) in what circumstances his Department pays for hire-purchase debts in respect of television sets; on how many occasions this has occurred in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what has been the cost to public funds.

Arrangements are being made for exploratory talks on the possibility of a bilateral agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action his Department takes when it is discovered that money given to a social security claimant for the purchase of furniture is spent by the claimant on buying a car.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply on 15th November 1976.—[Vol. 919, c. 406–7.] My Department has fully investigated many allegations of this kind but has yet to find a single case where they were well founded.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what was the total cost in each of the years 1974, 1975, and 1976 of unemployment benefit;(2) what was the total cost in each of the years 1974, 1975 and 1976 of sickness benefit;(3) what was the total cost in each of the years 1974, 1975 and 1976 of supplementary benefits.

Expenditure figures for calendar years are not readily available, but the cost of the benefits by financial years is as follows:

I understand that the Supplementary Benefits Commission does not consider television sets to be an essential need and, therefore, neither meets the cost of television licences nor pays for hire-purchase debts in respect of sets.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the present proposals to increase the number of beds available in Victoria Hospital, Blackpool.

The Lancashire Area Health Authority's current plans for the hospital include provision of eight additional medical assessment beds by April 1977 and 120 additional psychiatric beds by August 1979. There are tentative plans for further expansion of accommodation after 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in view of the restriction on admissions to Victoria Hospital, Blackpool, what is his estimate of the present shortage of beds in that hospital.

Thirty-three beds are temporarily out of use while upgrading is in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is the policy of the Supplementary Benefits Commission to assist with draught-proofing or heat insulation expenses; and, if so, how much has been disbursed in this way in the most convenient recent period for which figures are available.

I would refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-upon-Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas) on 27th January.—[Vol. 924, c. 722.] I regret that the expenditure figure requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, following his answer to the hon. Member for Christchurch and Lymington naming the manufacturers of whooping-cough vaccine available under the NHS as Duncan Flockhart and Co. Ltd. (Evans Biologicals Ltd. and Glaxo Laboratories (NZ) Ltd.), the Lister Institute, and Wellcome Research Laboratories, if any of these companies, their parent companies, or their subsidiary companies, has (a) any subsidiaries, (b) any financial relationship other than a trading relationship, or (c) are themselves subsidiaries of companies registered in the United States of America.

I understand that, of the companies listed, Glaxo Laboratories (NZ) Ltd is not a United Kingdom registered company. Nor is Wellcome Research Laboratories a registered United Kingdom company, but the Wellcome Foundation Ltd. has four subsidiaries in the United States of America. Its annual report on accounts for 30th August 1975 does not give details of its financial relationship with its subsidiaries. So far as we know, none of the remaining companies is a subsidiary of companies registered in the United States.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the total number of administrators employed by the Wessex Regional Health Authority; and what was the total of their salaries for the latest 12 months for which figures are available.

At 31st December 1976 the total number of administrators employed by the Wessex Regional Health Authority, including those employed in the blood transfusion service, was 149·4 whole-time equivalent staff. This figure covers staff of Whitley Council general administrative grades and above, and excludes secretarial, clerical and other specialised grades within the Administrative and Clerical Group. Their estimated total salary cost for the 12 months ending at 31st December 1976 was £747,150.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list, for each regional health authority, the number of administrators in each region expressed as a percentage of every 10,000 people living in the region and eligible for NHS facilities.

The number of administrators in each NHS region per 10,000 population resident in the region is as follows:

Northern	…	…	…	3·2
Yorkshire	…	…	…	3·4
Trent	…	…	…	3·0
East Anglia	…	…	…	3·8
N.W. Thames	…	…	…	4·1
N.E. Thames	…	…	…	4·7
S.E. Thames	…	…	…	4·2
S.W. Thames	…	…	…	3·9
Wessex	…	…	…	2·9
Oxford	…	…	…	4·0
South Western	…	…	…	2·8
West Midlands	…	…	…	3·5
Mersey	…	…	…	3·8
North Western	…	…	…	3·4

These figures cover staff of Whitley Council general administrative grades and above at 30th September 1975, the latest date for which complete figures are available, and exclude secretarial, clerical and other specialised grades within the Administrative and Clerical Group.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many spinal injury units there are within the National Health Service at present; where each such unit is located; how many beds there

	Number of Beds
Unit	1976	1971	1966
National Spinal Injuries Centre, Stoke Mandeville Hospital	193*	210	193
Midlands Spinal Injuries Unit, Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry	46	61	61
Lodge Moor Spinal Injuries Unit, Sheffield	64	58	58
South port Paraplegic Unit, Southport	34	34	34
Pinderfields General Hospital Spinal Injuries Unit, Wakefield	40	31	31
Hexham Spinal Injuries Unit, Hexham	20	16	16
* Includes 40 beds in the Younger Disabled Unit.
Discussions are now taking place about the possible establishment of a spinal injuries unit at Salisbury. I intend to make a full statement about this in the near future.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what provision he is making within the National Health Service for the post-graduate training of doctors in the treatment of spinal injuries; and if he will make a statement.

The treatment of spinal injuries requires a specialised team of doctors skilled in a number of fields of medicine including neurosurgery, orthopaedic surgery, neurology and urology. Post-graduate training is provided within the National Health Service in all these specialities and there has been no difficulty in finding doctors who have completed their training to fill existing posts.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps he is taking to ensure that the counselling advisory service is generally available to paraplegics, both in hospitals and in their homes.

Health and social services staff are responsible for the total care of a disabled person, and this will involve any counselling on social or other problems. I understand that the Spinal Injuries Association is seeking to establish a counselling advisory service specifically for paraplegics and tetraplegics, and I shall be interested to see how this develops.