asked the Lord President of the Council if he will now answer Questions on arrangements for consultations between Her Majesty's Government and Liberal parliamentary spokesmen.

No. I have nothing to add to what has previously been said both by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and by myself on this subject.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will give an assurance that the reports of the Review Board on Top Salaries will not be implemented for any other groups before that on hon. Members' salaries is implemented.

I appreciate the sentiment behind the hon. Member's Question, but I cannot give such an assurance. Under the 12–months rule, Members' salaries are not now due to be increased before the anniversary of their phase 2 increase on 13th June 1977, and I cannot say that no increase will be given before next June to groups who received their phase 2 increase before Members did and whose pay was last reported on by the Review Body before it reported on Members' pay. The Government will continue to be guided by their counter-inflation policy in considering the implementation of the salaries recommended by the Review Body

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the salaries of hon. Members, expressed in United States dollars, and of Members of Parliament in each of the countries of the Community in 1977.

The basic annual salaries of parliamentarians in the EEC countries compare as follows:

	National Currency	US Dollars
United Kingdom	£6,270	11,350
Belgium	1,310,277 BF	37,050
Denmark	128,240 Kr	21,000
Federal Republic of Germany.	90,000 DM	39,900
France	98,000 FF	40,750
Ireland	£6,069	11,000
Italy	15,428,956 Lire	17,550
Luxembourg	282,000 Lux. F	7,950
Netherlands	51,255–80,518 Fl	21,050–33,100

is table takes no account of supplementary allowances and other entitlements.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will communicate with the Zetland County Council specifying those clauses of the Zetland County Council Act 1974 which, assuming the Scotland Bill will pass in its present form, could be amended by the Scottish Assembly, and those which could not.

The Scottish Assembly would only be able to amend the 1974 Act if the amendment related to a devolved matter as defined in Schedule 10 to the Scotland Bill. This would exclude amendments relating to ports or energy. It is not practicable to list which sections of the 1974 Act may or may not be amended by the Assembly, because this would depend on the nature of the amendment. I shall be meeting representatives of Shetland Islands Council on 16th November.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement about the Houghton Committee's Report on State Aid to Political Parties.

The Committee's recommendations are still under consideration, but I have no proposals to put forward on this matter at present.

asked the Lord President of the Council what is the size of the staff currently employed at the Palace of Westminster; and what was the cost of the same to public funds in 1964, 1970, 1974 and at the latest convenient date, respectively.

I am having this information assembled and shall reply as soon as possible.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister what are his official engagements for 10th November.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be holding further meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.

asked the Prime Minister when lie next plans to make a broadcast to the nation.

I will do so at an appropriate time.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the co-ordination between the Chancellor of the Exchequer, the Secretary of State for Employment and the Secretary of State for Trade regarding the imposition of Government sanctions on firms found to be in breach of the pay guidelines under stage 2 of the wages policy and under the current pay round.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to meet the Dutch Prime Minister.

I expect to meet the Dutch Prime Minister at the next European Council in Brussels on 5th and 6th December.

asked the Prime Minister what further functions and responsibilities he proposes transferring during the current year to the Welsh Office.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Worthing (Mr. Higgins) on 8th November.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the CBI.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke—on—Trent, South (Mr. Ashley).

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any plans to recommend to Her Majesty the appointment of new life peers committed to the abolition of the House of Lords.

No.

asked the Prime Minister if he remains satisfied with the Government's progress with the economy.

In a number of respects the development of the economy has been encouraging, but I am not satisfied with the overall progress of either the British or the world economies.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied that the measures proposed by the Government will provide help for the construction industry in the coming winter.

The substantial increases of £230 million in public sector construction programmes announced in March, May and July will help the construction industry in the coming winter and later. The £400 million announced on 26th October by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer will provide additional help for the industry in 1978–79.

asked the Prime Minister what were the results of his meeting with representatives of the construction industry.

I met representatives of the construction industry on 16th June. I told them that I shared the con- cern about the serious problems facing the construction industry and that the Government would continue to do all they could, within the general economic constraints, to help the industry. The hon. Member will be aware that the Government have since then announced additional public sector construction programmes of £500 million.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Southern Africa.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to discuss the problems of Southern Africa with President Carter.

I have no immediate plans to meet President Carter. Our two Governments continue to be in close touch on the problems of Southern Africa.

asked the Prime Minister if he has any plans to visit Bonn

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove (Mr. Arnold) on 8th November.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

I have at present on plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if, pursuant to his reply to the

	1973–74	1977–78	£per week in 1977–78 at the prices of 1973–74
Average gross earnings	44·80	80·00	41·24
Tax and national insurance contributions, less family allowance or child benefit	8·97	17·39	8·96

The earnings figures are for full—time adult male workers in all occupations; the 1973–74 figure is the average of the figures for April 1973 and April 1974, and the 1977–78 figure an estimate for August 1977, the most recent figure available.

asked the Prime Minister whether he is satisfied with the progress of the Wilson Commission into the City and financial institutions; and when he expects it to report.

Yes; I understand that the committee may be issuing a progress report fairly soon.

asked the Prime Minister what steps he is taking to coordinate the Departments of Industry, Environment and Employment in their response to the recommendations of the National Enterprise Board contained in its report "Investment Potential in the North East and North West of hon. Member for Chingford, Official Report, 3rd November, column 40, that the man on average industrial earnings with two young children is as well off now as he was at the time of the last General Election, he will state the figures of net take-home pay in real terms upon which he based his statement.

In my speech on 3rd November I said that the burden of total tax and benefits is not greater today than it was when the Conservative Government left office. The figures to which I referred show that, as I stated, after taking account of child benefits and family allowance, the tax and national insurance contributions paid by a married man with two children under 11 on average earnings are the same this year, in real terms, as in 1973–74. The figures are as follows:England"; and how many of the recommendations have been accepted and implemented.

I have been asked to reply.The report has been considered by an appropriate inter-departmental committee. Eleven of the report's recommendations have been accepted and nine have been, or soon will be, implemented. The implementation of the remaining two is under consideration.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will reactivate immediately the Pay Research Unit to research the differential between the public and private sectors of wage levels since its last report in 1975 and ensure that the agreement of 1974 with the Civil Service unions be honoured.

I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Brigg and Scunthorpe (Mr. Ellis) on 7th November.—[Vol. 938, c. 11.]

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take the chair at a special meeting of the Energy Commission.

The first meeting of the Energy Commission, which I shall chair, has been arranged for Monday 28th November. I have no plans for a special meeting.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish figures showing the aggregate value of outstanding debt currently owed by individual consumers to the gas and electricity boards, respectively, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, respectively.

The electricity industry in Scotland, and the gas and electricity industries in Northern Ireland, are the responsibilities of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland, respectively. In respect of the areas falling within my responsibility I have asked the chairmen of the British Gas Corporation and the Electricity Council to write to the hon. Member about the information that he seeks.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many energy savings loans have been approved up to 1st October 1977; and what is the budget for this scheme for 1978.

Ten, although four of these were subsequently withdrawn by the applicants before completion of the arrangements for the advance of the loans. Five further applications were still under consideration at 1st October 1977. The budget for the Energy Saving Loan Scheme in the financial year 1977–78 is £500,000. As the hon. Member knows, the Government are currently engaged in a wide—ranging review of our energy saving policies, which may affect the Energy Saving Loan Scheme. No budget has therefore yet been agreed for the scheme in the financial year 1978–79.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total sum granted to voluntary organisations in each of the years 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77; and what is the size of the grants budgeted for 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80.

The Department of Energy made no grants to voluntary organisations between 1973–74 and 1976–77, and existing estimates for subsequent years do not make any such provisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the members of the Combined Heat and Power Group; and how many times it met in 1977.

The Combined Heat and Power Group have met three times so far this year with the membership shown. Much of the ongoing work on combined heat and power has been delegated by the main group to various working parties. For example, further work on estimating the national potential for combined heat and power is being carried out and five areas of Britain are being surveyed for this purpose.Dr. W. C. Marshall, UKAEA—Chairman of Group.Mr. A. N. Britten, Imperial Chemical Industries.Mr. P. L. Bakke, Building Research Establishment.Mr. J. A. Burchnall, The Electricity Council.Mr. G. G. Campbell, Department of Energy.Professor J. M. Cassels, University of Liverpool.Dr. E. Clatworthy, British Gas Corporation.Sir H. Clay, McLellan and Partners.Mr. J. Cohen, Department of Energy.Mr. D. C. Gore, Department of Energy.Dr. G. F. Hewitt, Atomic Energy Research Establishment.Dr. J. H. Horlock, University of Salford.Mr. R. C. Huxford, National Coal Board.Professor N. Kurti, University of Oxford.Miss P. R. Tindale, Department of the Environment.Mr. J. C. Waterton, South of Scotland Electricity Board.Dr. J. K. Wright, Central Electricity Generating Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what effect the implementation of the National Union of Mineworkers' Union claim for £135 a week for miners would have on both the price of coal and the retail price index, assuming it were implemented as regards different grades in the way envisaged by the National Union of Mineworkers and also assuming no increase in productivity.

It is not practicable to speculate in this way.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the estimated completion dates for all motorway and trunk road schemes in Kent that are now under construction in the firm programme and in the preparation pool.

The schemes are listed in the table. The expected start dates for those not yet in construction must be approximate, and they are shown in time bands. Most will be built with two-year contracts.

Under Construction	Estimated Completion Date
M25 Westerham-Sundridge Road	Summer 1979
M25 Sevenoaks Interchange	Spring 1980
M20 West Kingsdown-Wrotham	Autumn 1980
M26 Dunton Green-Wrotham	Autumn 1980

In Firm Programme	Estimated Start Date
A2 Canterbury Bypass (Railway Bridge)	(a)
A2 Canterbury Bypass (Main Works)	(b)
M20 Ashford-Sellindge	(b)
M20 Sellindge-Folkestone	(b)
M20 Maidstone-Ashford	(c)

In Preparation Pool
M25 Swanley-Sevenoaks Link	(c)
A21 Pembury Bypass	(c)
A20 Folkestone-Dover	(c)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the proposed starting dates and design stan- dards for the various sections of the Ashford-Folkestone M20 motorway.

As soon as we have completed our review of schemes in the light of the White Paper on Transport Policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether W. & C. French (Construction) Ltd. has now repaid all amounts due under the arrangement whereby it was given financial assistance to complete his Department's trunk road contracts.

Yes. Under the arrangements anounced on 22nd May 1975 the Government undertook to make an ex-gratia payment to W. & C. French (Construction) Ltd., of £9·5 million and additionally to make available a loan of up to a maximum of £4·5 million. If the total loss on the contracts was less than the forecast loss, the company undertook to repay half the difference. The Department's independent accountants have stated that in their opinion no repayment on this account is likely. Apart from some outstanding claims still to he settled, the aggregate losses on the contracts exceed the forecast loss by over £5 million.The company drew £1·5 million of the £4·5 million loan facility. This amount would have been repayable in six equal instalments beginning in September 1977, but at the company's request the Department agreed to allow early repayment of the loan, either in whole or by instalments, for an additional lump sum premium of 9 per cent. This negotiated settlement also provided that, prior to September 1978, the Department would not exercise its rights to convert any outstanding amounts of the loan into equity. In the event, the company repaid the whole of the loan, together with the premium of £135,000, on 12th August 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the road, water and sewerage schemes in the council areas of Londonderry, Limavady and Coleraine which will begin in the current and in the next financial year as a result of the statement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 26th October.

The apportionment of additional money in the financial year 1978–79 for the construction industry has not yet been finalised.The additional funds will enable a number of small water and sewerage schemes to be brought forward, particularly in those areas which are most in need of mains services. For road schemes it is proposed that the main use of the additional funds will be to bring forward within the five—year programme the starting date of major schemes already programmed.Consultation will take place with the district councils affected as to priorities within their area and I shall advise the hon. Member when this has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the total sum granted to non-statutory organisations in each of the years 1973–74, 1974–75, 1975–76, 1976–77; what is the size of the grants budgeted for 1977–78, 1978–79 and 1979–80; and if he will detail them.

Grants made by my Department to bodies not established by statute were as follows:

£000
1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77
1,183	1,440	2,153	2,965

Part A			Part B
Size of			Net Weekly Income in £p
Family			1	2	3	4	5	6
1	…	…	38·00
2	…	…	45·40	44·15
3	…	…	52·80	51·55	50·30
4	…	…	60·20	58·95	57·70	56·45
5	…	…	67·60	66·35	65·10	63·85	62·60
6	…	…	75·00	73·75	72·50	71·25	70·00	68·75
" Size of family" means the number of dependent children in the family who have not attained the age of 19.
For families which have more than six dependent children under the age of 19:
(a) £7·40 is to be added at each incremental point in every additional line, and
(b) £1·25 is to be deducted at each incremental point in every additional column.
Where the net weekly income of the parent of a family of any size specified in Part A is less than any amount shown in the corresponding entry in Part B, the number of children entitled to free school meals is as given at the head of the column in Part B showing the lowest amount in that entry which exceeds that income.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will arrange for an exhibition relating to the maritime environment to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 21st November to 2nd December.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish figures showing the new income limits for free school meals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the Official Report the scale rates of income used to decide the eligibility of school pupils for free school meals.

Details are contained in the Provision of Milk and Meals (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 1977 which were laid before Parliament on 24th October 1977 and will come into effect on 14th November. The regulations are subject to negative resolution procedure. The rates are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent steps were taken by her Department to inform parents of the new regulations for eligibility for free school meals.

The circular (7/77) announcing the changes which came into effect in August urged local education authorities to use all possible means of publicising information about the revised remission scale. My Department also provided briefing material for the national and local Press and for radio and television. The scale will be further raised as from 14th November as a consequence of the increase in the levels of supplementary benefit, and local authorities have been invited to take steps to draw the new scale to the attention of parents. Briefing will again be provided for the press and broadcasting services. Posters about eligibility for free school meals are being displayed in post offices, libraries, citizens advice bureaux and elsewhere; there will be versions in eight minority languages, as well as in English and Welsh. Details of the November scale have also been incorporated in the latest leaflet about family benefits, prepared by the Department of Health and Social Security.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is. her estimate for September 1977 of the take—up rate in England and Wales of free school meals expressed as a percentage of those who are estimated to qualify:and what is the corresponding figure for September 1976.

Our latest estimate is that 75 per cent. of the pupils eligible to receive free school meals in 1976–77 took up their entitlement. A comparable figure for 1977–78 is not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will list, for each education authority in England and Wales, the number of school pupils receiving paid school meals and free school meals, respectively, in September 1977 and the corresponding figures for September 1976.

The information for the current school term will not be available until next month, and will relate to a day in October. I will arrange for a copy of the complete return to be placed in the House of Commons Library. The comparable information from the October 1976 Census was placed in the Library last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of university students received the maximum grant during the year 1976–77.

It is estimated that 24 per cent. of university students receiving full value awards from local education authorities in England and Wales received a maximum grant in the academic year 1975–76, the latest year for which information is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will list, for each education authority in England and Wales, the total school population in September 1977 and the corresponding figures for September 1976.

Figures of pupils in schools are collected only as at January of each year. The number of pupils attending either maintained or non-maintained schools in the area of each local education authority in Eng-

					January 1976		January 1977
					Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils	Full-time pupils	Part-time pupils
Barking	…	…	…	…	29,343	180	29,259	312
Barnet	…	…	…	…	52,006	1,487	51,710	1,554
Bexley	…	…	…	…	41,347	484	41,256	521
Brent	…	…	…	…	45,664	493	45,026	791
Bromley	…	…	…	…	54,754	286	54,810	250
Croydon	…	…	…	…	67,124	339	66,507	374
Ealing	…	…	…	…	51,745	1,088	51,240	1,339
Enfield	…	…	…	…	47,405	1,016	47,429	1,247
Haringey	…	…	…	…	41,197	1,322	40,232	1,447
Harrow	…	…	…	…	37,622	374	37,499	480
Havering	…	…	…	…	48,061	650	47,735	637
Hillingdon	…	…	…	…	43,434	1,380	43,446	1,520
Hounslow	…	…	…	…	35,906	1,673	35,924	1,725
Kingston-upon-Thames	…	…	…	…	22,829	1,276	22,848	1,175
Merton	…	…	…	…	29,164	1,295	29,114	1,468
Newham	…	…	…	…	43,016	1,900	42,386	2,325
Redbridge	…	…	…	…	39,987	347	39,766	502
Richmond-upon-Thames	…	…	…	…	25,666	1,271	25,356	1,295
Sutton	…	…	…	…	28,694	659	28,661	635
Waltham Forest	…	…	…	…	40,010	544	39,814	1,062
Inner London	…	…	…	…	430,932	13,562	420,058	13,337
Birmingham	…	…	…	…	224,257	2,260	219,800	2,633
Coventry	…	…	…	…	71,189	852	70,607	1,027
Dudley	…	…	…	…	57,280	1,284	57,113	1,280
Sandwell	…	…	…	…	65,492	1,540	65,210	1,892
Solihull	…	…	…	…	45,616	822	46,141	950
Walsall	…	…	…	…	60,119	2,784	60,460	3,360
Wolverhampton	…	…	…	…	57,388	2,035	57,026	2,655
Knowsley	…	…	…	…	47,325	464	46,155	645
Liverpool	…	…	…	…	118,435	2,732	114,920	3,145
St. Helens	…	…	…	…	39,883	477	39,764	858
Sefton	…	…	…	…	66,936	1,315	66,406	1,511
Wirral	…	…	…	…	72,830	1,392	72,721	1,411
Bolton	…	…	…	…	55,783	932	56,445	1,175
Bury	…	…	…	…	34,849	100	35,166	271
Manchester	…	…	…	…	108,645	2,296	106,395	2,147
Oldham	…	…	…	…	45,230	243	45,852	380
Rochdale	…	…	…	…	43,568	1,160	43,736	1,244
Salford	…	…	…	…	56,392	588	55,447	473
Stockport	…	…	…	…	61,889	871	61,789	846
Tameside	…	…	…	…	43,527	918	43,620	1,076
Trafford	…	…	…	…	45,598	398	45,289	517
Wigan	…	…	…	…	64,085	1,698	65,090	1,797
Barnsley	…	…	…	…	45,565	1,887	45,621	2,331
Doncaster	…	…	…	…	62,562	1,689	62,115	2,326
Rotherham	…	…	…	…	52,852	1,307	53,268	1,651
Sheffield	…	…	…	…	108,175	3,102	107,917	3,210
Bradford	…	…	…	…	93,209	2,757	93,217	3,052
Calderdale	…	…	…	…	38,697	441	39,415	108
Kirklees	…	…	…	…	73,523	1,495	74,193	1,680
Leeds	…	…	…	…	144,739	2,480	144,386	2,879
Wakefield	…	…	…	…	65,605	1,399	65,600	2,126
Gateshead	…	…	…	…	42,760	520	42,062	734
Newcastle upon Tyne	…	…	…	…	59,055	909	57,900	906
North Tyneside	…	…	…	…	39,424	948	39,381	1,256
South Tyneside	…	…	…	…	33,881	832	33,050	1,026
Sunderland	…	…	…	…	64,231	1,045	64,093	1,526
Isles of Scilly	…	…	…	…	345	—	342	—
Avon	…	…	…	…	178,749	1,717	178,459	1,829
Bedfordshire	…	…	…	…	101,446	981	102,747	1,628
Berkshire	…	…	…	…	138,785	2,865	138,857	3,438
Buckinghamshire	…	…	…	…	104,782	1,704	106,241	1,969
Cambridgeshire	…	…	…	…	104,183	2,992	105,954	2,992
Cheshire	…	…	…	…	185,626	2,585	186,835	3,659
Cleveland	…	…	…	…	128,437	4,361	127,657	5,087
Cornwall	…	…	…	…	71,859	1,661	73,228	1,913
Cumbria	…	…	…	…	95,076	1,326	94,961	1,555
Derbyshire	…	…	…	…	173,929	2,589	174,988	3,409
Devon	…	…	…	…	163,664	1,228	165,065	1,414

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will arrange for Welsh unemployment statistics to reflect the position in each individual town in rural Wales and not merely that within an employment exchange area.

Unfortunately it is not practicable to provide unemployment figures for areas smaller than whole employment office areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in Merseyside and Greater Liverpool have been unemployed for three years, two-and-a-half years, two years, 18 months, one year and for six months, respectively; how many are receiving unemployment pay; and how many are receiving supplementary benefit.

At 13th October the number of people unemployed in the Merseyside special development area included 27,285 who had been registered for more than 52 weeks and 15,270 who had been registered for more than 26 and up to 52 weeks. The analysis does not provide information for the periods specified which are in excess of 52 weeks.I am informed by the Secretary of State for Social Services that at 2nd August 1977, of those recorded at the unemployment benefit offices which cover the Merseyside special development area, 18,500 were receiving unemployment benefit only, 5,300 were receiving un- employment benefit and supplementary benefit, and 47,300 were receiving supplementary benefit only.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the proportion of job vacancies notified to his Department.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the Employment Service Agency has estimated that, in the period 1966 to 1975, about a quarter of the flow of all job vacancies were notified to the agency.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish

ANNUAL AVERAGE PERCENTAGE INCREASE OF GROSS HOURLY EARNINGS OF MANUAL WORKERS IN THE MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES IN SELECTED COUNTRIES:1955–75
			Annual average percentage rate of increase
Country		Notes	1955–60	1960–65	1965–70	1970–75
United Kingdom	…	(1)(2)	6	6½	8	17
Belgium	…	(2)	4(3)	7½(3)	8½	17
France	…	(1)(4)	8½(5)	7½	9	16
Federal Republic of Germany	…	(6)	8½	9½	7½	10
Netherlands	…	—	7½	11	10	15½
Sweden	…	—	6½(7)	9(7)	9(7)	12
USA	…	—	4	3	5	7½
Canada	…	—	4	3½	7½	11
Japan	…	(8)	6	10	14½	18
Source: International Labour Office "Year Books of Labour Statistics ".
(1) Adults only.
(2) Males only.
(3) Based on daily (not hourly) earnings.
(4) Wage rates (not earnings).
(5) Four year period 1956–60.
(6) Including family allowances paid by employers.
(7) Including mining and quarrying.
(8) Based on monthly earnings of manual and non-manual workers; these include family allowances paid by employers and end of year bonuses.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people were unemployed in Manchester at the latest available date; and how these figures compare with 1974, 1975 and 1976.

At July 1977, the latest date for which the half yearly age analysis is available, the numbers of young people under 20 years of age registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Manchester, Didsbury, Levenshulme, Moss Side, Newton Heath, Openshaw and Wythenshaw employment offices was 6,145. The corresponding figures for July 1975 and July 1976 were 2,981 and 5,058. Information for July 1974 is not available.

Comparable intern-national earnings statistics, from 1955 onwards for the countries requested, are available only for manual workers in the manufacturing industries as defined by the International Standard Industrial Classification. The information available is shown in the table below. In making comparisons account must be taken of differences in methods of compilation by the various national statistical offices, the more important of which are referred to in the notes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of part-time workers registered as unemployed, given the figures separately for men and women;(2) if he will publish in the

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether employers can claim costs in which unfair dismissal is not proven.

Parties to industrial tribunal cases must normally bear their own costs whatever the outcome. The tribunal may, however, award costs if it considers that either party has acted frivilously or vexatiously; or if a party has requested a postponement of the proceedings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of unfair dismissal claims was successfully upheld in tribunals in 1976 and 1975.

In 1976, 36 per cent. of unfair dismissal applications that went to a hearing at industrial tribunals were upheld and in 1975 38 per cent. were upheld.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of unfair dismissal were brought in 1976 and 1975; and if he will give a breakdown of these figures by size of firm involved.

The number of unfair dismissal applications registered by the Central Offices of the Industrial Tribunals in 1975 was 30,153 and in 1976 was 37,869. Applications are not analysed by size of firm.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in the light of the decision by the American Government to withdraw their support from the International Labour Organisation, whether he intends that the United Kingdom should also withdraw from this organisation.

No. The Government very much regret the circumstances which led to the United States' decision to withdraw from the International Labour Organisation. We share many of the United States' concerns at recent trends within the organisation, but the Government have no intention that the United Kingdom should withdraw. The ILO since its foundation in 1919 has made an outstanding contribution to the promotion of social justice, to the improvement of international labour standards and working conditions and to the defence of human and trade union rights throughout the world, and the Government intend to continue to make every effort to help the organisation to pursue these objectives.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about unemployment in the building industry and what plans he has to increase the additional £400 million allocated to this industry in his 26th October financial statement.

My right hon. Friend has received representations from many sources. The increases in expenditure on construction which he has announced for 1978–79 will offset the reductions made last year, and the programmes for the following year are being increased so as to maintain next year's level of expenditure. It is this stability which many of those in the industry have been seeking.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration regional differences in unemployment played in his 26th October statement.

I believe that the measures announced on 26th October will help to promote growth in industrial investment and bring down the rate of unemployment throughout the United Kingdom.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what financial measures he has in view which are likely to promote immediate improvements in the United Kingdom employment position.

The measures which my right hon. Friend announced in his statement to the House on 26th October should, on the conventional arithmetic, produce an increase in employment of about 30,000 by the first quarter of 1978 and of 170,000 by the first quarter of 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated effect, adverse or favourable, of the recent revaluation of the £ sterling upon employment prospects during the next 12 months in the 12 most important labour-intensive manufacturing industries; and by what number total unemployment is likely to increase or decrease during this period as a consequence of this revaluation.

Any estimate made at this stage would be highly speculative. Much will depend on the actual path of the exchange rate, on the response of domestic costs, and hence on the impact on output.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next proposes to meet the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund.

As chairman of the interim committee my right hon. Friend will be keeping in touch with Mr. Witteveen. My right hon. Friend met him on Tuesday when he came through London.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he is satisfied with the extent to which the Government's guidelines for a gradual return to free collective bargaining have been observed.

The vast majority of workers covered by settlements reached since 1st August have settled in accordance with the Government's pay guidelines.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current rate of inflation as compared with November 1976.

The Retail Price Index rose by 12 per cent. from November 1976 to September 1977.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects inflation to reach the level obtaining when he first took office.

This month.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest annual rate of inflation in the United Kingdom United States of America, Japan and West Germany, respectively.

In the 12 months to September the rate of inflation in the United Kingdom was 15½6 per cent., in the United States 6½6 per cent., in Japan 7½6 per cent. and the Federal Republic of Germany 3½7 per cent.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received concerning the taxation of widows and what replies he has sent.

I have received a number of representations during this year concerning the taxation of widows from hon. Members, from widows' organisations and others. In reply to these representations I have explained generally that the substantial increases made in widows' pensions since this Government came to power have been a more effective way of helping all widows than providing special tax reliefs. The further increases in allowances this autumn will, of course, be of substantial benefit to widows as to other taxpayers.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on revenue of levying a single VAT rate of 10 per cent.

An increase of about £600 million in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will bring forward legislation to exempt the provision of legal services or legal aid from VAT.

No.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the British economy has grown since March 1974; and how this compares with the growth in the economy between July 1970 and February 1974.

Growth is usually measured by the index for gross domestic product and this is only published quarterly. The average growth rate from the first quarter of 1974 to second quarter 1977 has been 1½1 per cent. compared to 1½4 per cent. from the third quarter of 1970 to first quarter 1974. There are many factors which are reflected in the difference between the growth rates, of which the most important was the world boom from 1971 to 1973, followed by the worst world recession for a generation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if, in view of the fact that the present taxation system is proving a serious deterrent to investors in the British film industry and discouraging film makers and actors from working in Great Britain, he will bring forward proposals to alleviate this problem.

I have noted the hon. Member's views and will bear them in mind.