asked the Lord President of the Council what has been the growth in numbers of parliamentary Questions tabled for oral or Written Answer compared with two, five, 10 and 20 years ago.

The information is as follows:

asked the Lord President of the Council (1) what proportion of the cost of answering parliamentary Questions would be saved if the numbers answered orally and in writing were halved in each case;(2) what was the number of parliamentary Questions answered orally and what was the number answered in writing in the last Session of Parliament; and what was the estimated total cost of printing and answering them in each case.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested since the total cost in Session 1975–76 of printing and answering parliamentary Questions is not known. However, the estimated average cost of answering oral and written parliamentary Questions based on the updated results of the last sample survey undertaken is, as my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Civil Service Department told my hon. Friend the Member for Loughborough (Mr. Cronin) on Thursday, 7th July, £30 and £18 respectively.In the Session 1975–76, 3,199 oral and 39,121 Written parliamentary Questions were answered.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the fact that Mr. Arshap Siddiqui, details of whom have been supplied to him, was admitted to the United Kingdom on 2nd October 1974 on condition that he did not work, and yet has worked since this date, why he was admitted without permission to work knowing he would have to exist on social security, and as he has now been recommended for deportation when this is likely to take place.

The court's recommendation for Mr. Siddiqui's deportation, made on 21st June, is now being considered. I will reply to my hon. Friend's letter of 4th July as soon as a decision is taken.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many children and young persons, during the most recent period of 12 months for which figures are available, have been dealt with for a third or subsequent offence (a) involving violence or (b) of burglary.

I regret that this information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he has taken on recommendation 220 of the Finer Report, regarding the provision of education for schoolgirls who become pregnant.

The arrangements made by education authorities to provide education for pregnant schoolgirls vary, but they include special classes, home tuition and correspondence courses. I have no proposals for further action at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his policy towards the provision of practical home economics for both boys and girls in school, as recommended in paragraph 219 of the Finer Report.

Responsibility for the content of the school curriculum rests with education authorities. It is desirable that boys and girls should have equal access to home economics courses, but my right hon. Friend does not consider that the subject should be compulsory for any pupil.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in date order the applications submitted by Edinburgh District Council for permission to sell council houses; and what progress he has made in granting approval.

The following applications have been received from the District Council:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will give similar information in tabular form for Scotland regarding the implementation of the Community Land Act 1975 as was given by the Secretary of State for the Environment regarding England, Official Report, 12th May, columns 379–80.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Angus (Mr. Welsh) on 13th June 1977.—[Vol. 933, c. 42–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table giving the eligibility for rent and rate rebates for (a) a single person, (b) a married couple and (c) a married couple with one, two and four children expressed as a percentage of average earnings for each year since the scheme has been in operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will compare in tabular form the loan

The Question cannot be answered in the form requested because eligibility would vary with income, rent and rates, among other factors.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will compare in tabular form the loan sanctions granted for each county area for 1976–77 for acquisition under the Community Land Act 1975 with the money actually spent in each case; and whether he will indicate for each county the amount of unused loan sanction at the end of the financial year, following which the allocation lapsed under the provisions of paragraph 8 of GNLA/12.

The information is as follows:Sanctions granted for each county area for 1977–78 for acquisition under the Community Land Act 1975, indicating

for each county the percentage increase or decrease over (

Sufficient information is not yet to hand to start making comparisons of this kind.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to the answer by the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Barnett) Official Report, 4th July, c. 410, he will now break down each of the figures regarding the Community Land Act contained in the table on page 75 of Command Paper No. 6393 for (a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland; and whether he will indicate where this detailed information has previously been published.

These details have not been published previously. For the reasons given in my answer to the hon. Member on 4th July—[Vol. 934, c. 410]—it would serve no purpose to publish them now.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average level of nitrates in the water supplied by the various water authorities in the South-West Region.

This is a matter for the South-West Water Authority.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many gardeners are employed by his Department; and what is their cost to public funds.

1,125. The cost of wages and insurance is £3·5 million a year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made by the working party on heating and energy conservation in public sector housing.

The working party has met monthly since its establishment earlier this year and aims to publish its first advisory document for local authorities during the autumn. Further documents will follow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities rate unoccupied property under the powers given them under Section 17 of and Schedule 1 to the General Rate Act 1967.

I regret that the information requested is not available within my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in view of continuing rising costs, he will take steps to raise the statutory limit of £6,400, on improvement grants in housing action areas arising from Section 64 of the Housing Act 1974.

My right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Construction is urgently considering the representations made to him following his reply to the Question by the hon. Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury) on 18th May. The present limits under Section 64(3)(a) and (b) of the 1974 Act arc £3,200 and £3,700 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what calculations and consultations his Department bases its assessment of the housing cost yardstick and its regional variations; what his Department assesses to be the difference in costs of house building between rural areas and urban areas; and how this assessment is arrived at.

The levels of the housing cost yardstick and its regional variations are based primarily on movements and forecast trends in tender prices. Differences in cost which arise within regions and as between urban and rural areas are monitored by my Department, but such differences vary in nature over the country and there is no general identifiable pattern which could provide the basis for any meaningful assessment.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received regarding the development of agricultural land at Singleton, near Ashford; and what replies he has sent.

My right hon. Friend the Minister has received two copies of a circular letter expressing opposition to the development of land at Singleton which was approved by the then Secretary of State for the Environment in 1974 following a public local inquiry. As the replies

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the difference between the exchange value of the £ sterling and the green pound at the latest convenient date; what would be the cost to the Exchequer of an immediate devaluation of the green pound to the prevailing rate of the £ sterling; and what is his estimate of the economic consequences of such a devaluation on the British farmer and on the British consumer, respectively.

The gap between the representative—green pound—rate and the market rate used for calculating monetary compensatory amounts is 33·8 per cent. If the green pound were devalued to that market rate, the cost to the Community budget of sterling monetary compensatory amounts, now estimated at about £350 million in a full year, would be eliminated. Net levies on agricultural products

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the increase in the total amount spent on food by British consumers for each year since 1967; and what percentage of this increase has been returned to the British agricultural producer.

The total amounts spent by British consumers on all food, whether of domestic or foreign origin, and the receipts of home producers are as follows:imported from outside the Community, which now accrue to the United Kingdom Exchequer, would rise. In due course these gains for the United Kingdom Exchequer would be wholly or partly offset by a fall in imports and by extra costs for the Community in disposing of higher production.A full devaluation of the green pound would raise most Community support prices for United Kingdom farmers by 33·8 per cent. I cannot give a firm estimate of the effect on farmers' incomes of a change of this large order. We have estimated that a 10 per cent. devaluation of the green pound, which would increase support prices by 11·1 per cent., might increase United Kingdom aggregate farm income, after a time lag of up to a year, by about £300 million. A 10 per cent. devaluation of the green pound, on the same assumptions, might increase average retail food prices by about 2½ per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what rules he has laid down for guidance of local traffic commissioners in considering applications for increases in bus fares; and when these rules were framed;(2) what criteria are used by local traffic commissioners in considering applications for increases in bus fares.

The Secretary of State has no power to lay down such rules. The traffic commissioners are independent bodies with discretionary powers under Section 135 of the Road Traffic Act 1960 to attach conditions to road service licences to ensure that bus fares are not unreasonable. My right hon. Friend cannot intervene in their decisions, except in relation to a properly constituted appeal.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects work on the double-tracking of the Perth-Inverness railway line to be completed.

I understand from the British Railways Board that the whole project should be completed by next summer.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made in the development of a quiet heavy goods vehicle.

The research phase of the Government's quiet heavy goods vehicle project was completed at the end of last year. This and other research has shown the technical feasibility of a heavy vehicle with a noise limit of 80 dBA. Development work is now in progress to determine the feasibility of mass producing such a vehicle and the costs involved. This phase of the project should be completed early next year.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will give considera- tion to the use of Northolt air space for air routes from Heathrow.

This has been considered. I am advised by the Civil Aviation Authority that use of Northolt air space by Heathrow traffic is not practicable as it would add to routeing problems in an already complex area.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied that adequate facilities exist for coping with the present levels of incoming tourists; and what action he is taking, independently and in co-ordination with local authorities and other interested parties, to effect improvements.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11th July 1977; Vol. 935, c. 3], gave the following information:The facilities used by incoming tourists include transport, hotels, restaurants, shops, theatres and other amenities of this country. Responsibility for these is very widely spread and, whilst not all are as adequate as one might wish, there is a general endeavour to provide good service. The Government support this as appropriate. For instance, my right hon. Friend announced on 20th May proposals to establish three new tourism growth points and in pursuance of this I myself yesterday fulfilled an engagement in the north of England to open up consultations with local authorities and other interested parties about proposals to expand tourism facilities in the High Pennines.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many sch000l leavers are currently unemployed on Merseyside; and what the figure is likely to be at the end of the summer term.

10,000 school leavers were registered as unemployed on Merseyside on 9th June, and of these about 5,500 left school on or after 27th May. I regret that it is not possible to forecast reliably how many are likely to be unemployed when the summer term ends in mid-July.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to give further general guidance in employment matters to trade union negotiators in factories where there is less than a majority of the work force belonging to unions.

No. The provision of general guidance on industrial relations matters is now the responsibility of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest seasonably adjusted unemployment rate in the development and special development areas of Wales.

Seasonally adjusted unemployment rates are not available for individual development and special development areas. However, these areas account for most of the unemployed in Wales where the seasonally adjusted rate in June 1977 was 7·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average cost of a job under the job creation scheme expressed as an annual wage.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the average gross cost of each job created to date under the job creation programme is £1,436. The average duration is 31 weeks. Taking into account the return to the Exchequer in taxes and national insurance contributions and savings in unemployment benefit and social security payments, the net cost is estimated to be about £600. The average gross cost expressed as an annual figure is approximately £2,300.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates to be the average cost of each job, temporary or permanent, created by the various job creation programmes of his Department.

The average cost depends on the particular scheme. The average gross cost of each job covered under the various programmes is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the numbers of unemployed have been reduced as a result of the job creation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the numbers of unemployed have been reduced as a result of the job creation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the numbers of unemployed have been reduced as a result of the job creation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the numbers of unemployed persons have been reduced as a result of the job creation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the numbers of unemployed have been reduced as a result of the job creation programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by how many the numbers of unemployed have been reduced as a result of the job creation programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is estimated that job creation programme projects are currently providing approximately 40,000 jobs for people who would otherwise have been unemployed. It is estimated that about 115,000 unemployed people have so far been helped and that by the end of the programme this figure has risen to 190,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he remains satisfied with the working of the job creation scheme.

Yes. I believe the scheme has been very successful. Since the scheme began in October 1975, over 86,000 jobs have been created for people who would otherwise have been unemployed, three-quarters of whom are young people under the age of 25.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now seek to introduce an opportunity guarantee for all unemployed school leavers.

As I announced in the House on 29th June, I have asked the Manpower Services Commission to operate a new programme of opportunities for young people on the lines of its proposals based on its working party's report on "Young People and Work". The programme will provide a range of opportunities to help young people prepare for work by giving training and worthwhile work experience. The programme will be in full operation by September 1978 when, with other programmes for young people, it will provide up to 130,000 places which should benefit over 230,000 young people in a full year. The Commission will make arrangements to ensure that no summer or Easter school leaver who remains unemployed the following Easter will remain without offer of a place under the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will initiate an emergency programme for the training of school leavers who are now unemployed.

As my right hon. Friend announced in the House on 29th June, the Manpower Services Commission has been asked to operate a new programme of opportunities for unemployed young people on the lines of its proposals based on its working party's report on "Young People and Work". The programme will provide a range of work preparation and work experience courses. It will be in operation fully by September 1978 when, with other programmes for young people, it will provide up to 130,000 places which should benefit over 230,000 in a full year. There will be a progressive build-up of places in work preparation courses from this September. The work experience programme will continue into the new programme, and to ease the transition the job creation programme will be open for applications until the end of the year and the youth employment subsidy will be extended until 31st March 1978. This means that there will be over 30,000 more places available for young people this autumn than last autumn.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were out of work in the United Kingdom at the most recent count; and what was the comparable figure in the same month in 1973.

The numbers registered as unemployed in the United Kingdom at June 1977 and June 1973 were 1,450,055 and 574,612, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many areas in England have a rate of unemployment worse than Clacton-on-Sea (a) including development areas, and (b) excluding development areas.

At 9th June the unemployment rate for Clacton-on-Sea was 10·6 per cent. There were 16 areas in England with rates in excess of 10·6 per cent. and six of these were outside the development areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the latest unemployment figures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures; and if he will make a statement.

The latest unemployment figures were announced on 21st June. These showed that at 9th June, 1,390,401 people were registered as unemployed in Great Britain, an increase of over 100,000 since mid-May. The total has risen mainly because of the summer school leavers although there was also a small increase in the number of adult unemployed. The July and August figures will include the rest of the summer school leavers, and so any decline in the figures in the immediate future is very unlikely.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest figures for unemployment among the 16 to 19 and 16 to 25 years age groups.

At January 1977, the latest date for which the half-yearly age analysis is available, the numbers of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain in the under 20 and under 25 year age groups were 252,328 and 507,244, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current level of unemployment.

At 9th June, 1,390,401 people were registered as unemployed in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unemployed in June 1976; what is the number of unemployed for June 1977; and if he will make a statement.

The numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain in June 1976 ark; June 1977 were 1,277,884 and 1,390,401 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average number unemployed in the periods 1945–51, 1952–64, 1965–70, 1971–74 and 1975–76.

The current series of unemployment statistics commenced in July 1948. The following table gives the average numbers registered as unemployed in Great Britain in 1949 to 1951 and in the other periods specified:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the cost of his Department in Scotland, and in England and Wales, respectively.

In the 1976–77 financial year expenditure by my Department, excluding payment of regional employment premium, is provisionally estimated to have been £61 million in Scotland and £560 million in England and Wales. The comparable figures for regional employment premium are estimated to have been £79 million in Scotland and £136 million in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the special steps being taken to alleviate the unemployment of young people in Sunderland; and what further steps are proposed.

The special employment and training measures which we have introduced since 1975 have helped young people in all parts of the country. In Sunderland 67 projects are currently operating under the job creation programme, providing jobs for over 600 people; 65 schemes involving 166 young people are being supported under the work experience programme; the Wear-side Community Industry unit is employing about 180 young people; since October 572 young people have been helped into jobs by the youth employment subsidy; and on 31st May within daily travelling distance of Sunderland there were more than 500 places for young people on short courses provided by the Training Service Agency. In addition young people in Sunderland will have been helped by the measures to support apprenticeship and other longterm training in industry.As my right hon. Friend announced on 29th June, the Manpower Services Commisssion is to introduce a new programme of opportunities for unemployed young people to replace some of those measures. When operating fully in September 1978 the new programme, together with community industry and measures to support training in industry, will provide up to 130,000 places and should benefit over 230,000 young people a year. Resources will be allocated to different areas according to their needs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the working of the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The purpose of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act is to provide the legislative framework to promote, encourage and enforce high standards of health and safety at work. In general, I find the extent to which employers and employees have accepted their responsibilities under the Act encouraging. But there are few fields in the area of health and safety at work where standards cannot be improved.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies of "Positive Policies" have been distributed; and to whom.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that about 180,000 copies of "Positive Policies", the guide to employers on employing disabled people, have so far been distributed. Copies have gone to employers in the private and public sector with a quota obligation, Government Departments, statutory and voluntary organisations, individuals interested in the employment of disabled people, the Press, and members of the all-party group. The CBI distributed copies to affiliates. The TUC and Scottish TUC sent copies to trade unions and trades councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of registered disabled people who are at present unemployed; what percentage this represents of the total number registered; and if he will make a statement about steps taken to assist them.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that on 9th June, the latest date on which information is available, 74,381 or 14·0 per cent. of registered disabled people were unemployed in Great Britain.I believe the Government have made worthwhile progress in the past 12 months to assist unemployed disabled people and draw attention to their special needs. In particular, since I last made a statement on this subject on 7th March in reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers) the Manpower Services Commission has published "Positive Policies", a guide to employers on employing disabled people, and has introduced a job introduction scheme for disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the procedures for appeals against unfair dismissal.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the size of the Government grant towards trade union education and training in the current financial year.

The size of this grant to be provided jointly by DE and DES for the current financial year is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a further statement on youth unemployment.

I would refer the hon. Member to my reply to similar Questions earlier today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the anticipated total cost of Government measures to deal with youth unemployment in the next 12 months following the Holland Report, as compared with total costs in the 12 months previously.

The new youth opportunities programme will be in full operation by September 1978 when, together with community industry, it will cost about £160 million gross a year. This figure does not include any provision for special measures to support training in industry for which £46 million has been allocated for the 1977–78 training year. The annual cost of present measures for young people is estimated to be about £110 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated reduction in youth employment expected in the next 12 months as a result of his recent measures to alleviate the problem.

I am afraid that it is not possible to make precise estimates, but the objective of the new youth opportunities programme is to provide, by September 1978, 130,000 places in work preparation or work experience courses for young people who would otherwise be unemployed.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the powers of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service.

I do not think it would be appropriate to review the powers of the Service at present.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many recog nisation issues the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has reported on or is currently studying.

I understand from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service that up to the end of June 1977, 51 recognition references had been the subject of formal reports, and 537 references were still being dealt with.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Dock Work Regulation Act.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to a similar Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden) on 6th July.—[Vol. 934, c. 578–9]—Appointments effective from 1st August 1977 have since been made to the National Dock Labour Board under Section 1 of the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he will next meet TUC leaders.

With some of my colleagues I shall be meeting members of the TUC Economic Committee later today.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is satisfied with the employment situation in the Northern Region.

The Government's aim is to create the conditions in which levels of unemployment can be brought down and kept down. In the short term, we have introduced a number of measures to alleviate the worst effects of unemployment. These have already benefited over 41,000 people in Northern Region.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why the unemployment figures for Brixton have risen from 3.672 in April 1973 to 8,813 in April 1977.

The rise in unemployment in Brixton between April 1973 and April 1977 reflects not only the present economic recession but also the difficulties facing inner city areas such as Brixton which were highlighted in the White Paper "Policy for the Inner Cities" (Command 6845)—e.g., a loss of jobs, particularly for the semi-skilled and unskilled, physical decay, transport difficulties and the problems associated with redevelopment.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he anticipates a continuing shortage of skilled engineering workers beyond 1980; and if he will make a statement.

There is much work going on both in industry and Government to establish the right level of training and how it can best be provided to reduce the chances that shortages on the scale of those experienced during the 1973–74 boom will recur. For example, the sector working parties in the industrial strategy will be looking at their future manpower requirements, much work is being done by the industrial training boards, and in particular the Engineering Industry Training Board, and through the boards and the Manpower Services Commission the Government are making a substantial input to the training of skilled workers. It is estimated that an additional 32,500 apprenticeships or equivalent schemes will be supported in 1977 at a cost of some £37 million from public funds. Completions of engineering courses under the training opportunities scheme are expected to reach 21,000 and 23,000 in 1977 and 1978 respectively. Additionally the Commission has set up a Vital Skills Task Group under the chairmanship of Sir Richard O'Brien to look at the funding of training for young people, and this is expected to report in the autumn. The Government wish to ensure that the right numbers of people are trained in the right skills. But both sides of industry have a part to play by ensuring that the existing supply of skilled workers is employed as efficiently and effectively as possible, and the future needs are foreseen and planned for.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons were listed on the unemployment register at the Mexborough employment exchange at the latest available date.

At 9th June, 2,092 people were registered as unemployed in the Mexborough employment office area.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his proposals for drawing up the Press Charter.

As I indicated in my reply to a Question by the hon. Member for Brentford and Isleworth (Mr. Hayhoe) on 10th May, my Department and I will be entering into consultations about the Press Charter with those concerned when they and I have had the chance to consider the recommendations on the issues involved made by the Royal Commission on the Press in its final report published last week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many of the 91 full-time employees of the Grunwick factory, who were dismissed on 2nd September 1976, were members of any trade union at that time.

This is one of the facts which I hope will be established when Lord Justice Scarman's court of inquiry reports on the dispute.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will introduce an earnings-related element into payments under the job release scheme.

No. The job release scheme was designed to be as simple and unbureaucratic as possible for its users, and as cheap as possible to administer, and the change proposed would go against this aim.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will introduce measures to reform the law on picketing.

The Government have no immediate plans to bring forward legislation on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received regarding the further free executive training courses for those earning £7,000 per annum, similar to the one organised at the Holiday Inn, Leicester, from 3rd May 1976 to 28th May 1976.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no representations have been received about further training courses for unemployed executives of the type held last year at Holiday Inn, Leicester.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is aware that 3,910 people were registered as unemployed on 9th June at Huntingdon and Peterborough employment offices, which is the largest number for many years and to what extent his measures announced on 29th June will alleviate this problem.