asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the number of people employed in the horticultural section of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service for each of the previous five years.

				Advisory Staff	Experimental Centres Staff	Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate	Total
1st November 1977	…	…	…	161	128	136	425
1st November 1976	…	…	…	162	130	140	432
1st November 1975	…	…	…	165	123	138	426
1st November 1974	…	…	…	155	108	140	403
1st November 1973	…	…	…	155	106	141	402

asked the Lord Advocate if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time

		Salaried	Fee paid	Unpaid
Scottish Law Commission—
full-time	…	3*	—	—
part-time	…	2	—	—
Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals—
full-time	…	—	—	—
part-time	…	1	—	6

The information requested is:

The number of established non-industrial staff at all levels, excluding administrative support staff, employed in the horticultural section of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service during the past five years is as follows:and part-time, salaried, fee-paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.

The bodies to which I appoint members are as follows:

asked the Lord President of the Council which of the matters for which he is responsible in England he is not responsible for in Scotland; for which matters he is currently responsible in Scotland; and which matters for which he is currently responsible in Scotland will become the responsibility of the Scottish Assembly and Executive under the terms of the Scotland Bill.

I am responsible for a variety of Royal Charter matters and appointments in relation to individual institutions in both England and Scotland. The devolved matters specified in Schedules 10 and 11 to the Scotland Bill do not alter these responsibilities.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals the National Enterprise Board has made to him under paragraph 5(3) of Schedule 2 to the Industry Act 1975, with regard to payments in consideration of receiving public dividend capital; and, if no proposals have yet been made, when he expects them to be made.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive the NEB's proposals after the end of the Board's current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total cost of the Business Statistics Office per annum; how many people are employed by the office; and if he will list all the surveys being undertaken currently by the office.

The total cost of the Business Statistics Office in the financial year 1976–77 was £6·8 million. The average number of persons employed in that year was 1,066. A list of surveys currently being carried out by the Business Statistics Office is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what steps he intends to take to enable the tourist industry to maintain or to increase its foreign earnings in 1978; and if he will make a statement;(2) what has been the fiscal relationship between expenditure by the British Tourist Authority and overseas earnings from tourism for each of the last five years.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many retailers received the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1976"; and how many did not complete it.

Information is not available in the precise form requested. 30,424 forms have been sent out. By 11th November, 22,485 had been returned and forms are still being received.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what was the cost of the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1976"; and how many staff were employed on the inquiry by the Business Statistics Office;(2) how many staff will be employed in dealing with the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1977" at the Business Statistics Office;(3) what is the estimated cost of the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1977".

The revised estimate of the cost of the 1976 retail trade inquiry is £470,000 at current costs. On the same basis that for 1977 is expected to be around £400,000.Many of the staff working on these inquiries will not be employed exclusively on them. For the 1976 inquiry it is estimated that the collection and analysis of the data will require about 25 staff for a two-year period, excluding the time of operational staff involved in processing the results. The corresponding requirement for the 1977 inquiry will be for between 20 and 25 staff, again for a two-year period.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many retailers will receive the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1977"; and what this figure is as a proportion of the total number of retailers.

About 25,000; that is about one in 12 of all retailers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade for what purposes retailers will be required to give VAT details when answering the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1977".

If the hon. Member has in mind the proposed question on VAT on retail sales, this information is needed for the calculation of gross margins exclusive of VAT and for the estimation of value added by the retail trade.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what action his Department takes against retailers who refuse to complete an inquiry into retail trading.

Every effort is made by my officials at the Business Statistics Office to assist retailers who have any difficulties with the completion of their form. However, businesses which persistently refuse to co-operate are liable to prosecution under Section 4 of the Statistics of Trade Act 1947.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what information is gained by the Business Statistics Office from an inquiry into retail trading that is not already available to his Department from other sources.

The annual retailing inquiries are in general required to provide information on turnover, stocks and capital expenditure of businesses having some or all of their activities in retailing. For their retailing activities only, information is obtained on turnover by country, stocks and the asset breakdown of their capital expenditure; on the relationship of persons employed to turnover, by kinds of business; and on a detailed breakdown of retail sales by commodity. This information is required for use in compiling the national accounts and for monitoring developments in the economy, and also for studying the structure of the retail industry. Such information cannot be obtained other than by means of these direct inquiries.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what estimate his Department has made of the average cost to retailers of completing the "Inquiry into Retail Trading for 1977".

Such estimates could not be made without disproportionate effort. The time taken and costs involved by a business in completing its return depends upon the type of form received and how readily the business has the information available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why, in the proposed retail inquiry for 1977, it is necessary for a grocer to calculate the retail receipts separately from any wholesale receipts; and why it is necessary for grocers to separate calculations of the sales of groceries and provisions from other food including chocolate.

Businesses are asked for an analysis of total turnover by activity in order to classify the nature of any activities other than retailing covered in their return. The analysis of sales by commodity is to adjust retail sales to constant prices, which is important for the monthly retail sales index.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what purpose is served by requiring retailers responding to the proposed retail inquiry for 1977 to keep separate records of sales receipts for alcoholic drinks.

Retailers are asked to provide separate details of sales of alcoholic drink within their total sales so that retail sales can be adjusted to constant prices. They are also needed to estimate the pattern of such sales for input-output purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) why, in the notes provided by the Manpower Services Commission for potential sponsors of job creation scheme projects, it is stated that the projects must have the support of appropriate trade unions;(2) how many job creation scheme projects have been approved without the support of appropriate trade unions.(3) whether any job creation projects which are sponsored by private industry and commerce have been approved without the agreement of the relevant trade unions.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that one of the conditions for approval of projects under the job creation programme is that there should be no loss of permanent employment opportunities as a result. Support for a project by the appropriate trade union is a useful indicator to the area action committee that this condition is met.Information about the number of projects approved without the support of the appropriate trade unions is not collected by the Commission. It is known, however, that the vast majority have received such support.It is unlikely that any projects sponsored by private industry or commerce have been approved without the agreement of the relevant trade unions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when approval was given by the Manpower Services Commission to a job creation scheme grant of £60,000 to the Ananda Marga sect; who was present when the decision was taken; who is the sponsor of the application; and what investigations were made into the sect's activities before approval was given.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that grants totalling £70,514 have been allocated under the job creation programme to a project sponsored by Mr. Hambi Haralambous of Ananda Marga Pracharaka Samgha for the conversion for community use of an old theatre in Liverpool. The first phase of the project was approved on 6th October 1976 and the second on 9th March 1977. It is not the practice of the Commission to publish names of those present at JCP action committee meetings.Local inquiries were carried out to satisfy the action committee that the criteria for approval were satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State of Employment how many school leavers in the Thanet area are still unemployed; and what further efforts are being made to find employment for them.

On 13th October, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 101 school leavers under 18 unemployed in the Thanet area covered by the Margate, Ramsgate and Sandwich Careers Offices. The Careers Service and Employment Services Agency will continue to do its utmost to place these young people in employment. They are being aided in this by the Government's programme of special measures. So far in the Thanet area 10 projects have been approved under the job creation scheme providing 24 jobs of which about half have been taken up by young people under 18; 10 schemes have been approved under the work experience programme with a further 24 young people participating; and the employment of 15 young people has been assisted under the youth employment subsidy scheme. Unemployed young people, particularly school leavers, will benefit in the Thanet area, as elsewhere, from the introduction of the new youth opportunities programme which will be fully operational by September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his current budget for the establishment of new jobcentres.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that a sum of £8·6 million covering rents, adaptations—including professional fees —and furniture and fittings is available for new jobcentres in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the total costs of each of the three new jobcentres in North Yorkshire.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the setting up costs for the jobcentres in question are as follows:

	Adaptations (including professional fees)	Furniture and fittings
	£	£
Malton, 45 Wheelgate	7,056	2,800
Scarborough, Pavilion House, Westborough	75,648	10,000
York, B Piccadilly	9,566	17,800

As for the running expenses, rents are not generally disclosed for commercial reasons and figures for other current expenditure for individual jobcentres are not readily available.The hon. Member may, however, find it useful to have the following details of the operating costs of an average jobcentre which were obtained in the recent evaluation exercise.

OPERATING COSTS OF AN AVERAGE JOBCENTRE WITH 15 STAFF
Cost Element	£	Per cent.
Salaries*	56,403	67·8
Staff Expenses†	1,071	1·3
Running Expenses‡	4,656	5·6
Premises Costs§	19,545	23·5
Advertising and Publicity	1,521	1·8
	83,196	100·0
*Includes employers costs such as ERNIC and liability for superannuation.
† Covers travel and subsistence costs.
‡ Covers such items as postage, stationery, telephone charges.
§ Covers rent, rates, maintenance, office cleaning, utilities and depreciation on adaptations and furniture and fittings.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has plans for establishing new jobcentres in North Yorkshire; and if he will give details.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it is eventually intended to replace all employment offices by jobcentres. At present there are only two firm projects in North Yorkshire, namely, Harrogate and Richmond, which it is hoped will open in February 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the most recent available figures relating to unemployment in the Northern Region; and what were the categories and numbers of workers unemployed.

, pursuant to his reply, [Official Report, 22nd November 1977], gave the following information: At 10th November 119,023 people were registered as unemployed in the Northern Region. This figure is provisional.The following table gives an industrial analysis of the number unemployed at 11st August, the latest date for which this information is available. The analysis is based on the industry in which the unemployed last worked.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing	1,037
Mining and quarrying	4,848
Food, drink and tobacco	3,038
Coal and petroleum products	84
Chemicals and allied industries	1,720

Metal manufacture	3,408
Mechanical engineering	3,551
Instrument engineering	205
Electrical engineering	2,994
Shipbuilding and marine engineering	2,250
Vehicles	484
Metal goods not elsewhere specified	1,128
Textiles	1,594
Leather, leather goods, and fur	231
Clothing and footwear	3,170
Bricks, pottery, glass, cement, etc.	1,248
Timber, furniture, etc.	996
Paper, printing and publishing	1,002
Other manfacturing industries	1,081
Construction	19,489
Gas, electricity and water	591
Transport and communication	3,705
Distributive trades	9,587
Insurance, banking, finance, etc.	1,324
Professional and scientific services	3,427
Miscellaneous services	9,744
Public administration and defence	6,189
Not elsewhere classified	39,195
All industries and services	127,320

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many women trained in shorthand and typing under the training opportunities scheme in 1976 got a job within one month of ending the course and kept that job for at least six months.

I regret that information is not available in the form requested. The nearest data from a sample survey of one in six trainees completing courses under the Training Opportunities Scheme show that 69 per cent. of the women who completed clerical/commercial courses in Great Britain in the first quarter of 1977 were in employment three months later.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he is not implementing the recommendation in the Foster Report to lift the ban on the admission to the United Kingdom of non-British members of the Church of Scientology.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Newham. North-West (Mr. Lewis) on 15th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total cost of providing police protection at the Grunwick factory in Willesden.

The costs of police attendance at the Grunwick factory could not be identified without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by his Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions with their respective meaning.

As a general rule I avoid abbreviations unless in regular use, such as BBC, IBA or CID. When particular topics come to the fore, like the current firemen's dispute, such additional abbreviations as FBU (Fire Brigades' Union) or NJC (National Joint Council) become temporarily current. If, however, there are any particular abbreviations which remain obscure to my hon. Friend I shall be glad to explain them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has received regarding refunds on television licences.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he intends to introduce legislation to seek to refund part-television licence fees to next of kin of deceased holders; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the regulations which permit the Post Office to issue refunds for television licences to include the unexpired portion of a deceased licence holder.

The policy on television licence refunds is currently under review in the light of the recommendation of the Annan Committee on the Future of Broadcasting that no changes should be made in the present arrangements.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what regional analysis is now available for the total tax yield and yield of individual taxes for England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the English regions.

The following table shows the available information, based on tax receipts in 1975–76, the latest available year:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated yield or loss of revenue of (a) and increase and (b) a decrease as follows: 1p in basic rate of income tax, 1p in basic rate of VAT, 1p in corporation tax, 10 per cent. on present alcohol duty, 10 per cent. on present tobacco duty, 10 per cent. on present petrol duty, and £10 on private (non-commercial) vehicle excise duty.

Following is the information:

	£ million 1977–78 full year revenue increase
1p on basic rate of income tax	450
1p on corporation tax	65
1 percentage point on standard rate of value added tax	350
10 per cent. increase in all alcohol duties	115
10 per cent. increase in the burden of duty on tobacco products	150
10 per cent. increase in petrol duty	140
£10 increase in private (noncommercial) vehicle excise duty	155

The revenue costs of equivalent cuts in taxes are broadly similar, though slight differences may arise.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many men employed in his Department on 14th November were in receipt of wages or salaries at or below those paid at the basic rate of firemen.

Taking the gross weekly basic pay of a fully qualified fireman in London as the comparison—£70·55 per week excluding the 1977 pay supplement—there are, as at the first week in November 1977, 287 men in the Treasury with gross earnings at or below those of a fireman.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates to be the net tax revenue paid by overseas visitors to Great Britain for the latest 12-month period for which figures are available.

Only the broadest of estimates is possible. In 1976, indirect taxes on expenditure by overseas visitors are thought to have been somewhere about £200 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of VAT in Great Britain is collected through the largest 300 companies.

Of the VAT paid to Customs and Excise in the financial year 1976–77, some 42 per cent. came from 300 companies.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend the provisions of Section 62(2) and related sections of the Finance Act 1976 covering provisions of petrol for company cars used by employees so that they do not apply when a company credit card is used by the employee to make payment to a garage; and, in particular, if he will seek to amend Section 60(3) to ensure that such transactions do not result in the employee's incurring a greater tax liability than would be the case if the petrol were provided from the company's own supplies.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net income after tax, national insurance contribution and child benefit of a married couple with two children as a percentage of the net income of a single person following his recent tax changes, assuming average national earnings in both cases; and what will be the percentage after April 1978, assuming the levels of child benefit and personal tax allowances he has announced.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 21st November 1977; Vol. 939, c. 537], circulated the folloying information:On the assumption that the children are not over eleven years of age, the figures are as follows:

Year				Net income of a married couple with 2 children as a percentage of the net income of a single person
				%
1977–78	…	…	…	115·1
1978–79	…	…	…	116·1

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many district authorities have actually achieved the target of 25 sheltered housing units per 1,000 elderly set by the Scottish Development Department in 1975; if he will give figures to show the actual achievement of each district authority; and if he will make a statement;(2) what Government incentives have been given and are planned to encourage the provision of sheltered housing units in Scotland.

My right hon. Friend has asked local authorities to make comprehensive assessments of housing needs, including those of the elderly and disabled, and to develop their future housing strategies accordingly. Under the system of housing plans now operating, authorities are expected to identify the various housing needs which exist in their areas and to show that they plan for adequate progress to be made towards meeting them.These arrangements supersede the interim target for sheltered housing set in 1972. My right hon. Friend expects to be able to give details early next year of the provision of sheltered housing by local authorities and other agencies, on completion of a survey currently being carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has been able to give consideration to the application for a grant for Westray pier; and if he will make a statement.

The Islands Council's proposals have been under consideration by my Department's engineers, who have been in consultation with the council's engineers about alternative methods of alleviating the difficulties of fishermen at Westray pier. When their reports are completed, I will arrange for further consultation with the council.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee-paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.

The latest comprehensive information is set out, in respect of paid appointments, in "A Directory of Paid Public Appointments made by Ministers", published by Her Majesty Stationery Office, and, in respect of unpaid appointments, in a list placed in the Library in response to the Question tabled by the hon. Member for Leek (Mr. Knox) on 13th October 1976.—[Vol. 917, c. 454.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to take to deal with the problems of delay and expense facing divorced women in obtaining payment of alimony awarded by the courts.

I have brought the recent expressions of public concern on this subject to the attention of the Scottish Law Commission. The Commission advises me that it is considering, as a matter of priority, the collection and enforcement of alimentary debt and hopes to publish a consultative paper during the first half of 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by his Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions, with their respective meanings.

I regret that this information could not be assembled without a disproportionate expenditure of time and money. In answering Questions, my Department endeavours not to use initial letters and abbreviations unless the words have been previously used in the text, or unless the abbreviation is one in very common use, such as UK or NHS.In speeches and statements, efforts are made not to use abbreviations which may be unfamiliar or confusing. However, Ministers in the Department will bear in mind my hon. Friend's point of concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many patients have been waiting for in-patient treatment for ear, nose and throat at Ormskirk Hospital: (a) for up to six months, (b) six months to one year, (c) one year to 18 months, (d) 18 months to two years and (e) over two years.

The numbers on 30th September 1977 were:

Up to six months	…	59
Six months to one year	…	31
One year to 18 months	…	10
18 months to two years	…	Nil
Over two years	…	Nil

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services in the light of the fact that some local authorities have allocated no expenditure at all for the purpose of Section 2(1)(e) and Section 2(1)(h) of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act, what consideration he is giving to guiding local authorities as to their legal duties under the Act; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that all local authorities in England have made provision in their estimates for such expenditure in 1977–78. Returns for 1976–77 suggest that a few authorities did not undertake any new telephone installations or adaptations to property in that year. I am having inquiries made into these cases and will write to my hon. Friend when these are complete. Meanwhile, I am grateful to my hon. Friend for this opportunity to repeat once again the advice I have received that authorities have a legal duty to meet identified and accepted need in respect of services under Section 2 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the annual number of deaths from (a) self-poisoning, (b) by self-inflicted gunshot and (c) other forms of suicide.

The numbers of deaths in England and Wales attributed to (i) suicide and (ii) injury undetermined whether accidentally or purposely

	1974		1975		1976
Cause (ICD category)	(i)	(ii)	(i)	(ii)	(i)	(ii)
Total (E950–9, E980–9)	3,899	1,173	3,693	1,377	3,816	1,508
(a) Self-poisoning	2,228	585	1,977	657	1,959	728
by:
solid or liquid substances (E950. E980)	1,877	554	1,678	628	1,600	701
domestic gases (E951, E981)	50	4	23	7	14	3
other gases (E952, E982)	301	27	276	22	345	24
(b) By firearms and explosives* (E955, E985)	162	9	160	18	177	15
(c) Other forms	1,509	579	1,556	702	1,680	765
* Suicide by explosives is rare.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what percentage of medical admissions to National Health Service hospitals self-poisonings and other forms of suicide and attempted suicide comprise;(2) if he will estimate how many attempted suicides and other forms of self-poisoning were handled by hospitals in the latest period of 12 months for which figures are available and for corresponding periods five, 10 and 20 years ago; and what proportions were male and female, and aged over and under 20 years or

			All deaths attributed to suicide including self-poisoning			Deaths attributed to self-poisoning
Year			Male	Female	Total	Male	Female	Total
1975	…	…	2,184	1,509	3,693	977	1,000	1,977
1970	…	…	2,271	1,669	3,940	1,206	1,266	2,472
1965	…	…	2,942	2,219	5,161	1,923	1,851	3,774
1955	…	…	3,060	1,940	5,000	1,633	1,471	3,104
A breakdown by age cannot be carried out without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what procedures are normally adopted by hospitals in handling cases of self-poisoning.

Accident and emergency departments and medical departments provide treatment in all cases of poisoning. Authorities are advised to ensure that after physical treatment all cases of attempted suicide receive psychiatric investigation before discharge.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the average cost to the National Health Service of handling a case of self-poisoning.

Information upon which to base an estimate is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will estimate the

I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested. It is estimated that in 1973, the latest year for which figures are available, 92,970 patients were admitted to hospital suffering from "adverse effects of medicinal agents" and 14,200 patients from "toxic effects of chiefly non-medicinal substances"; this compares with about 5 million total admissions. The number of deaths in England and Wales attributed to suicide in the years shown were as follows:total annual cost to the National Health Service of handling self-poisonings and other suicides and attempted suicides.

Information upon which to base an estimate is not available centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when the report of the National Insurance Advisory Committee on conditions for the receipt of unemployment benefit by seasonal workers is likely to be received; and if he will make a statement.

The report has been received and is published today—Cmnd 6991. The majority recommendation of the committee was that seasonal workers who claim unemployment benefit in their off-seasons should still have to satisfy additional conditions but that there should be some easements in the present conditions.We accept the recommendations of the committee. Since, however, they will involve some additional cost, their implementation will depend on the priority which they can be given within the resources available for social security expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he will reconstitute regional health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

All regional chairmen and half the regional membership will complete their present term of office on 31st July 1978. My right hon. Friend expects to be able to announce next April any changes and reappointments to the chairmenships, and at least a month in advance of appointment the names of the membership.Regional health authorities are crucial to the good management of the National Health Service. Appointments to these bodies are made after widespread consultation. If hon. Members wish to make recommendations, I invite them to write to me before the new year about chairmen and before April 1978 about the regional membership.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what progress has been made so far in preparation for the next census of population.

Consultation on the 1981 Census with users of census statistics is well advanced; discussions both formal and informal have been held with representatives of local government and of research and academic interests. The views of others are being sought. Discussions are also proceeding in the EEC on the harmonisation of the 1981 censuses to be taken in the nine member countries.A series of voluntary tests to try out procedures and question wording and to seek the public's views on these matters has been launched. The Registrar General is grateful to all the people who took part in the first test which was carried out in April in areas of Cambridgeshire, Devon, Leicester and York.A further test involving some 50,000 households is being planned for next April in the Districts of Slough, Berkshire, and Weymouth and Portland, Dorset. Its purpose it to try out modifications in procedures aimed particularly at helping the public to make their census returns. Again, I hope that everyone approached to take part in the test will do so. The answers given in these voluntary tests will be entirely confidential, and no information about individual persons or households will be passed outside the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.The form to be used in this next test has been developed over the past year after a separate series of small-scale tests. Specimen forms will be placed in the Library as soon as they are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking through diplomatic and other channels to press the European Commission in Brussels to accept Hong Kong's case that the new textile agreement should not discriminate against Hong Kong; if he is aware of the concern in Hong Kong including the danger of reaction against buying British equipment; and if he will take steps to safeguard the economic interests of this British colony.

My right hon. Friend is fully aware of Britain's constitutional responsibilities to Hong Kong. The Government have done their best to see that Hong Kong's interests do not suffer unduly, while at the same time ensuring the necessary protection for the British textile industry. Hong Kong is aware of our efforts.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list in the Official Report the number of tourists who visited Hong Kong in each of the past five years from the following countries: the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Japan, Australia and New Zealand to the latest available date.

Following is the information:United States of America: 1973–221,921; 1974–230,995; 1975–183,635; 1976–238,605; 1977 (up to September)—177,628.United Kingdom: 1973–44,430; 1974–43,060; 1975–47,477; 1976–57,783; 1977 (up to September)—49,909.Japan: 1973–486,677; 1974–423,098; 1975–382,740; 1976–437,931; 1977 (up to September)—377,433.Australia: 1973–86,060; 1974–105,429; 1975–127,112; 1976–157,360; 1977 (up to September)—118,063.New Zealand: 1973–11,928; 1974–12,472; 1975–13,634; 1976–18,316; 1977 (up to September)—17,139.

asked the Secretary for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is satisfied with the security arrangements at the Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong and if he will make a statement.

Security arrangements at Kai Tak Airport are under regular review. My right hon. Friend is satisfied with the current arrangements.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there have been any attempted hijack- ings of aircraft at the Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong, during the past five years.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the arrival of a private plane from the Philippines containing five alleged political refugees at Kai Tak Airport, Hong Kong, during 1977, who subsequently boarded a flight to the United States of America via the transit lounge without completing normal immigration and other airport procedures.

The passengers who were on the aircraft appear to have been in transit only. They did not leave Hong Kong airport. There were no immigration procedures to be completed and there is no evidence that any breach of Hong Kong law took place.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he remains satisfied with staffing levels in Lusaka, Maputo, Dar-es-Salaam and Gaberone in the light of the importance he currently attaches to Southern Africa.

Yes. My right hon. Friend remains satisfied with their present staffing levels. As in all countries where we have diplomatic and consular representation, these levels will be kept constantly under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many United Kingdom based staff and locally engaged staff are employed in the British High Commission in Pakistan; and what is the total annual running cost for 1977–78.

There are 70 United Kingdom-based and 93 locally-engaged staff employed at the British embassy in Pakistan who are borne on the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Vote. The total annual running cost for 1977–78 is £1·14 million, which relates to expenditure borne by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office together with relatively small expenditure borne by Her Majesty's Stationery Office and by the Property Services Agency for certain accommodation provided overseas.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many photographs of himself have been distributed overseas; who have been the recipients; and what is the total cost to date.

In accordance with longstanding practice photographs of Ministers in the Government are made available to posts overseas primarily for use by the media and libraries. 1,490 photographic prints and transparencies of my right hon. Friend, costing £440·55, have been supplied for this purpose to posts in 87 countries. I am not able to say how many have actually been distributed and to whom.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in each year since 1970, how many applications were received under the Foreign Office Egyptian Compensation Order; how many were dealt with; how many awards were made; and what was the annual administrative cost.

This information is available in the reports of the Foreign Compensation Commission, the independent statutory body responsible for the distribution of funds established under foreign compensation orders. These reports are presented to Parliament and published annually. The Commission's most recent report, for the financial year ended 31st March 1977, was published in August of this year as Cmnd. 6913.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements were made with the Government of the Maldives about the future use of Gan by other countries after the British withdrawal.

None. With the termination of the 1965 Anglo-Maldivian Agreement, which I announced in reply to a Question from the hon. Member for Blackpool, South (Mr. Blaker) on 7th June 1975—[Vol. 912, c. 575.]—the use of Gan became a matter exclusively for the Maldivian Government.

asked the Secretary of State for the Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.

The only full-time, salaried appointment that my right hon. Friend makes is that of Director of the Commonwealth Institute. The list below shows those bodies to which he appoints members who are not civil servants and the figures in brackets represent the number of members, other than civil servants, currently serving and appointed by my right hon. Friend's predecessors and by my right hon. Friend. All of the appointees so shown are part-time and unpaid:

• The Advisory Council of the European Discussion Centre (6)
• The Academic Council of Wilton Park (16)
• The Advisory Committee on Rhodesian Travel Restrictions (4)
• The Anglo-Soviet Consultative Committee (11)
• The Central African Power Corporation (1)
• The Commonwealth Foundation (1)
• The Commonwealth Institute
• (a) the Board of Governors (14)
• (b) the Trustees (3)
• The Imperial War Museum (2)
• The Marshall Aid Scholarship Commemoration Commission (9)
• The Reserve Bank of Rhodesia (1)
• The Governing Body of the School of Oriental and African Studies (2)
• University College of Wales, Aberystwyth: Wilson Chair of International Politics Advisory Board (1)
• The Secretary of State's Unofficial Advisory Group on UN Affairs (no fixed membership.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish a list of the abbreviations commonly used by her Department in parliamentary speeches, statements and answers to Questions with their respective meanings.

My Department does not normally use abbreviations unless they can be understood in the context of the parliamentary business concerned, but I will send my hon. Friend, for information, a list of those in general use within my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many prosecutions for truancy were undertaken by local authorities in 1976; and how many families were not prosecuted even though their children were persistent offenders.

Statistics concerning persistent truancy and prosecutions for non-attendance under Section 39 of the Education Act 1944 are not available. However, it seems likely that such prosecutions constituted a majority of the 3,777 prosecutions in magistrates' courts for all offences under the Education Acts in 1976

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what methods there are for monitoring the attendance of school students; and for how long truancy is allowed to continue before prosecution results.

It is for individual local education authorities to determine their own methods for monitoring school attendance and the circumstances in which they bring prosecutions under Section 39 of the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) at what percentage of attendance she advises local authorities to prosecute for truancy from schools;(2) what action her Department advises local education authorities to take for persistent truancy from schools;

My Department has not issued any guidance to local education authorities concerning truancy or prosecutions under Section 39 of the Education Act 1944. Her Majesty's Inspectorate has, however, been engaged during this year in two surveys of practice in the field: one has looked at a sample of secondary schools in difficult areas which have been notably successful in dealing with truancy and disruptive behaviour and the other has looked at the special units which most local education authorities now have for these pupils. When this work is complete, my right hon. Friend hopes to publish useful information based on its findings. A circular to be issued jointly by the DES, the DHSS and the Welsh Office on the rôle of the education welfare service, which the Departments see as having a vital part to play in tackling both truancy and some of the wider problems associated with it, is under consideration.Under the Criminal Law Act 1977, the fine upon parents who fail to ensure their children's regular attendance has been increased to a maximum of £200.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a list of all bodies to which he appoints members other than civil servants, distinguishing between full-time and part-time, salaried, fee-paid and unpaid appointments, indicating for each category of appointment the number of such appointees.

I have made the following salaried appointments:

	Full-time	Part-time
National Coal Board	7	6
Electricity Council	4	1
Central Electricity Generating Board	5	4
12 area electricity boards	26	62
British Gas Corporation	7	7
United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority	3	7
British National Oil Corporation	2	7
* Of these appointees, one full and one part-time member elect to serve unpaid; two full and seven part-time members receive no additional salary in respect of Board service on the Boards indicated.

The membership of these bodies may vary from time to time both in numbers and division between full and part-time appointments, to meet changing circumstances.In addition, I have also made the following appointments to departmental advisory committees:

	Unpaid	Fee paid
Advisory Council on Research and Development for Fuel and Power	12	—
Advisory Council on Energy Conservation	21	—
Offshore Energy Technology Board	8	—
Advisory Committee on Fixed Offshore Installations	10	1
Energy Commission	22	—

I have made public a list of all the appointments that it falls to me to make.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the prospects for fuel supplies during the coming winter, especially in the event of severe weather.

I have sought assessments of this from the coal, gas, electricity supply and oil industries. Their reports reveal that they believe that in general there are adequate stocks of fuel, and that they are well distributed. Oil stocks are at planned levels, and although coal stocks are somewhat below last year's high levels, the overall picture is much the same as last winter. There is spare capacity in the electricity generating system.Given normal production, the main winter hazard to fuel supplies lies in a combination of heavy snowfall and prolonged severe frost which can interfere with road and rail movement and freeze up stocks of solid fuel. Inevitably, any sudden onset of severe weather is likely to cause some temporary dislocation. The contingency plans for minimising its effects are kept under regular review by the fuel industries.Below I summarise the reports sent to me, at my request, by the individual industries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about progress on the award of fifth round petroleum production licences.

It will be recalled that the awards announced earlier this year were conditional on the settling of joint operating agreements to my satisfaction, and the agreement of an exploration programme for the early years of the licences. These conditions have now been met by the companies listed below, and I shall accordingly be writing to them confirming their awards. Progress is being made with regard to the remaining conditional awards, which will be the subject of further announcements. The companies whose awards I am now confirming, and the blocks to be awarded, are as follows:

• BNOC
• Monsanto Ltd.
• Pacific Petroleums (UK) Ltd.
• GAO (UK) Ltd., block 13/18;
• British Gas Corporation, block 98/22;
• Hydrocarbons Great Britain Ltd., blocks 107/16, 107/21, 110/9;
• BNOC
• General Crude Oil (UK) Ltd.
• Newmont Oil Company International (UK) Ltd.
• Rowan Petroleum (UK) Ltd., block 13/20;
• BNOC
• Occidental Petroleum (Scapa) Ltd.
• Getty Oil (Britain) Ltd.
• Allied Chemical (Great Britain) Ltd.
• Thomson Scottish Petroleum Ltd., block 14/18;
• BNOC
• Texaco North Sea UK Ltd., blocks 14/11, 23/26b, 106/15 and 106/20;
• BNOC
• Shell UK Ltd.
• Esso Petroleum Co. Ltd., blocks 13/15, 13/27 and 30/17b.
• BNOC
• Shell UK Ltd., block 87/10.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what further consents he has given, under the licence terms, for the flaring of associated gas from the Brent field.

My right hon. Friend has given consent to the limited flaring of gas during the commissioning of equipment on the Brent D platform. This platform is equipped with gas reinjection facilities, and once the equipment has been commissioned gas will be reinjected until the Brent to St. Fergus pipeline is operational in 1980. Work on the Brent B platform, including the installation of gas compression equipment, is continuing, and the platform should be back in production during the middle of next year.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development on how many occasions representatives of her Department have met the TUC to discuss the use of her grant to that organisation.

There is frequent informal contact between my Ministry and the TUC to discuss the use of the grant.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) for what purpose her Department is making available a grant of £40,000 to Christian Aid; what sum was made available in 1976–77; and what steps are taken to monitor its expenditure;(2) for what purpose her Department is making available a grant of £8,000 to the Beit Trust; what sum was made available last year; and what steps are taken to monitor its expenditure;(3) for what purpose her Department is making available a grant of £1,285 to the Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala; what sum was made available in 1976–77; and what steps are taken to monitor its expenditure;(4) for what purpose her Department is making available a grant of £7,210 to the Marr Munning Trust; what sum was made available in 1976–77; and what steps are taken to monitor its expenditure.

All these grants are being made under the joint funding scheme which I announced on 8th May 1975, under which my Ministry can give support to British voluntary agencies towards the cost of overseas development projects. The scheme is intended to help the agencies extend their development work among the poor in the developing countries, and the Ministry's contribution is normally given on a pound-for-pound basis.The grant to Christian Aid was for rural health projects in Ecuador, Haiti and Tanzania and an agricultural project in Zambia; that to the Beit Trust for a building for the treatment and rehabilitation of handicapped young people in Rhodesia; that to the Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala for a village betterment programme in North-West Tanzania; and that to the Marr-Munning Trust for a water supply for a school and community centre in central Kenya.In 1976–77, £12,084 was issued to Christian Aid, £10,863 to the Beit Trust and £6,170 to the Friends of Urambo and Mwanhala. No funds were issued to the Marr-Munning Trust in that year.Agencies receiving support under the scheme have to account for the expenditure and provide regular reports. Throughout the life of a project, my Ministry remains in close touch with the agency concerned.