asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate the source of supply of military-type smoke canisters used by demonstrators at the recent riots which occurred at Lewisham.

Police inquiries following the disorders at Lewisham on 13th August have not revealed the source of supply of the smoke bombs thrown. The police have no information to suggest that military type canisters were used.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why, in view of the fact that he has power to prevent undesirable aliens and others landing and remaining in Great Britain, he permitted ex-Nazi stormtroop officers to land and remain for a time in the United Kingdom; and why these were not refused permission to land.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Handsworth (Mr. Lee) on 25th November—[Vol. 939, c. 931.] In the recent case which I assume my hon. Friend has in mind, no information was available to my staff, at the time that the persons concerned were admitted, linking them with the publication of the book about the Waffen SS.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Immigration Act powers were not used to stop ex-Nazi stormtroop officers from landing in the United Kingdom and calling a Press conference.

As soon as I had sufficiently firm information about the ex-Waffen SS officers who intended to come here to promote a book, I gave instructions that they should be refused entry. That evening one of the men was refused entry at Heathrow. The same evening, the leave to remain of another man, who had entered the United Kingdom as a visitor some days before, was varied to require him to leave by the next day. The power to vary a person's leave to remain does not include power to prohibit him from calling a Press conference.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total number of inspectors: (a) appointed and (b) in post in each of the last five years under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 to visit premises carrying out experiments using live animals; how many inspections were carried out in each of the last five years; and what is the average period between inspections.

The following table gives the information requested in the first three parts of the Question:

Year	Number of Inspectors appointed	Number of Inspectors* in post at 31st December	Number of of visits to registered places
1972	—	13	4,052
1973	2	15†	4,181
1974	—	14	4,284
1975	2	16†	5,095
1976	1	14	5,861
* Including one Chief Inspector and two Superintending Inspectors.
† Including Inspectors about to retire.

The frequency of inspections varies considerably according to circumstances and the nature of the registered place, so that the average figure for all such places would not be a meaningful guide to the inspectors' practice.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will allow firemen who wish to do so to resign their position and to go on to their earned pension rights in the same manner as a retiring policeman.

The police and firemen's pensions schemes are similar in that they provide for a pension after 25 years' service, and for maximum pension after 30 years. The firemen's scheme provides that the pension cannot be put into payment until age 50 although some firemen have reserved rights to retire with a pension in payment after 25 years' service whatever their age. All policemen currently retiring after 25 years' service enjoy such reserved rights. This is because they joined before 1961 when a change was made in the Police Pensions Scheme to provide that a pension should not be put into payment until age 50 or on completion of 30 years' service. There are no plans to change the schemes to put everybody in the position of those who now hold reserved rights.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what amount the pay of firemen falls short of the national average wage.

The current weekly rates of pay of whole-time firemen were given in my Answer to a Question on 16th June 1977 by my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis).—[Vol. 933, col. 225] Information about the national average wage is not available. Information about average weekly earnings is given in the New Earnings Survey carried out by the Department of Employment. Subject to what I said in the Answer which I gave on 1st December to a Question by the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Penhaligon)—[Vol. 940, c. 317]—about the basis on which average weekly earnings estimates are compiled, in April 1977 the average weekly earnings of firemen reported as being affected by NJC agreements were £69.80 and those of all occupations in all industries and services was £78.60, a difference of £8.80.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate what percentage of a fireman's time, excluding false alarms, is spent in dealing with incidents which are not fires.

I regret that the information needed to provide the estimate requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents per annum over the last 10 years excluding false alarms have been attended by the Fire Service which are not fires; and whether attendance at such incidents is a statutory obligation or are at the discretion of the local fire authority.

In the last 10 years the number of special service calls, that is calls other than fire calls and false alarms, to which brigades responded, was as follows:

1967	49,479
1968	60,481
1969	51,690
1970	54,150
1971	53,030
1972	61,588
1973	71,586
1974	65,764
1975	60,000 (estimated)
1976	81,500 (estimated)

Fire authorities have an obligation under section 1 of the Fire Services Act 1947 to make provisions for fire-fighting purposes, which is defined as the extinction of fires and the protection of life and property in case of fire. They have discretion under Section 3(1)(

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have resigned from the service without pension or gratuity in 1976, and up to the latest convenient date in 1977, respectively, giving details of the number of years' service completed before resignation.

The figures, which include men and women, are as follows:

POLICE OFFICERS IN ENGLAND AND WALES RESIGNING WITHOUT PENSION OR GRATUITY
Length of service less than (years)	1976	1977 to 31st October
1	1,058	1,205
2	853	1,091
3	210	325
4	179	230
5	185	223
10	481	733
15	245	344
25	76	92
Total	3,287	4,243

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the current rates of rent allowance paid to federated ranks in (a) the Metropolitan Police Area, (b) the West Midlands Police Area, and (c) the Nottingham Police Area; and when these rates will next be increased.

The annual maximum limits of rent allowance payable in the forces concerned are, (a) £1,177 (b) £839 and (c) £643 respectively. The first is due for review from 1st April 1979 and the other two from 1st April 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects to receive the Boundary Commission's report for England and Wales.

It is not possible to say precisely when the Parliamentary Boundary Commissions for England and for Wales will submit their final recommendations. Reports containing these recommendations must be made by April 1984 and May 1984 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what date he received a communication from Mr. N. Brett; what was the nature of this communication regarding the firemen's strike; what was the nature of his reply; how many letters giving a similar view he has received; and what replies he has sent to the letters.

I received notification from Mr. N. Brett on 28th November of the motion passed on 23rd November by the National Union of Journalists chapel at the Stratford Express and East Ender Newspapers, expressing solidarity with the Fire Brigades Union in its official strike in support of its pay claim. An acknowledgment thanking Mr. Brett was sent to him on 30th November. Up to that date the Home Office has received 761 similar letters, which are being similarly acknowledged.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of the fact that data from the New Earnings Survey shows that in 1975 a fireman's pay was 7·8 per cent. above the average wage and is now 4·7 per cent. below the average, whether he will offer a 12·5 per cent. increase forthwith and on return to work order an investigation into the firemen's hours, wages and conditions of work.

No. Any increase with effect from 7th November 1977 must be within the Government's guidelines on pay.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what would be the cost (a) in London and (b) nationally of implementing a 42-hour week by August 1978 for the Fire Service both in initial training, recruitment and equipping and in wages and salaries for a full year.

The reduction in hours could not be implemented before the autumn of 1978. Costs in the interim period would depend upon the rate of progress towards full implementation. Costs in a full year, after the reduction, would depend on the manning levels and type of shift system adopted. To preserve existing standards of fire cover, including present manning standards, it has been estimated that the additional wage bill would be £15 million to £25 million in a full year, plus some additional expenditure on personal equipment etc. These figures are for the whole country, including London, for which separate figures are not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is intended to bring into force the provision raising the maximum sum to £1,000 for offences under Schedule 3 to the Criminal Law Act 1977, as prescribed in Section 28 of that Act.

Section 28(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 will be brought into force with Sections 14–26—which specify the new procedures relating to the mode of trial of offences triable either way—in the spring of next year when the necessary rules of court have been made.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is intended to bring into force the provision under Section 42 of the Criminal Law Act 1977 relating to the remand of an accused person already in custody.

In the spring of next year when the necessary rules of court have been made, specifying the procedure for obtaining the defendant's consent to the remand being dealt with in his absence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute an investigation into the total number of illegal immigrants from the Commonwealth and Pakistan who have been admitted into the United Kingdom since the last amnesty.

During the period from my predecessor's announcement on 11th April 1974 to 30th September 1977, the number of Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Pakistan given indefinite leave to remain as having entered illegally before 1st January 1973 was 1,658. During the same period, 1,053 Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Pakistan who entered illegally on or after 1st January 1973 were detected, of whom 86 were given leave to remain, exceptionally, principally on compassionate grounds, either for a limited or for an indefinite period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he had with the European Council of Ministers before granting any amnesty to those immigrants who entered the United Kingdom illegally before January 1973.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether every immigrant who entered the United Kingdom illegally before January 1973 and who will now be able to stay in the United Kingdom will be asked to state his mode of entry into the United Kingdom.

Yes. The Immigration Service, as part of the process of verifying applications made under the announcement of 11th April 1974, has closely questioned applicants about the circumstances of their entry. The same practice will be followed in respect of applications made under the announcement of 29th November 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements will be made to grant pass ports to those immigrants and their dependants who entered the United Kingdom illegally before January 1973 and who will now be able to stay in the United Kingdom.

The provision of passports to people given leave to remain in the United Kingdom under the terms of my announcement of 29th November will remain the responsibility of the Governments of the countries of which they are citizens.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will initiate an inquiry to ascertain what was the country of origin of those immigrants who entered the United Kingdom illegally before January 1973.

Of those who up to 31st October 1977 were found eligible to benefit under the terms of the announcement of 11th April 1974 affecting Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Pakistan who entered clandestinely before 1st January 1973, 698 were citizens of India, 930 were citizens of Pakistan and 35 were citizens of other countries. Information about the origin of people found eligible to benefit under the terms of my announcement of 29th November will be available in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he had with Mr. David Lane and the Commission for Racial Equality before declaring an amnesty for those immigrants who entered the United Kingdom illegally before 1973.

I informed Mr. Lane of the course of action I proposed in the light of the court judgments.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he had with local authorities before declaring an amnesty on all pre-January 1973 illegal immigrants.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of illegal immigrants who, having entered the United Kingdom before 1973, will now be allowed to stay.

It is not possible to make a reliable estimate of the number who may come forward and who may be found eligible. Up to 31st October 1977, 1,663 Commonwealth citizens and citizens of Pakistan had been given indefinite leave to remain under the terms of my predecessor's announcement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether Her Majesty's Government intend to recognise travel documents issued by the authorities of Transkei and Bophuthatswana for the purpose of admitting visitors to the United Kingdom.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which bodies he consults in making lists of persons eligible for public appointments.

The Home Office maintains no central list but has access to, and consults as necessary, a central list of people considered suitable for public appointments that is maintained by the Civil Service Department's Public Appointments Unit. Additionally, where it is appropriate to the appointment, or in some cases as a statutory requirement, there is consultation with bodies having a special interest in a particular field. Such bodies include local authority associations, the TUC, the CBI, individual trade unions, learned societies and trade and professional associations.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost to public funds of his Department's advertisement in the Morning Star on 23rd November 1977.

£500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in which newspapers and periodicals his Department's advertisement entitled "Fire—4 simple ways to reduce fire risk" appeared.

Following is the information:

• The Daily Express
• The Daily Mail
• The Daily Mirror
• The Daily Telegraph
• The Financial Times
• The Guardian
• The Morning Star
• The Sun
• The Times
• The News of the World
• The Observer
• The Sunday Express
• The Sunday Mirror
• The Sunday People
• The Sunday Telegraph
• The Sunday Times
• Y Cymro
• The Daily Lang
• The Daily Millat

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras, South may expect a final reply to her letter on 1st August 1977 about the position of Cypriot refugees from the Turkish invasion now in the United Kingdom.

I am afraid I am not in a position to reply finally to my hon. Friend's letter, and it may still be some time before I am able to do so. Her inquiry involves 36 individual cases, consideration of which is inevitably taking some time.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the declared amnesty of illegal immigrants who entered the United Kingdom before January 1973, his Department has had further consultations on the implications of the Hawley Report.

I keep these matters under continuing review in the light of all the information available to me.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons are currently in prison awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act; and how many of these are (a) white and (b) women;

Persons subject to deportation proceedings under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 are normally held in local prisons and remand centres.On 15th November 1977 there were 225 males and 13 females held in these establishments in England and Wales under powers of detention conferred by the 1971 Act. These figures include persons awaiting removal as illegal immigrants. No information is available about colour.Following are details of the numbers in each location:

PRISONS
	Males
Birmingham	28
Canterbury	3
Durham	3
Exeter	1
Leeds	10
Lincoln	2
Norwich	3
Pentonville	147
Winchester	2
	Females
Holloway	12

REMAND CENTRES
	Males
Ashford	3
Brockhill	2
Latchmere House	9
Risley	12
	Females
Risley	1

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many persons have so far been held in custody in 1977 while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act;(2) if he will list the nationality of those held in custody in 1977 while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act and indicate in each case the numbers held.

1,558 people have been held in prison in England and Wales between 1st January and 15th November 1977 as non-criminal prisoners under the Immigration Act 1971. No information is recorded centrally about the nationality of prisoners. However the table below summarises their countries of birth.

Persons held in prison 1st January–15th November, 1977, under the Immigration Act 1972: by country of birth
Indian subcontinent	669
Africa	269
Europe	135
Republic of Ireland	55
Asian-Commonwealth	33
America Commonwealth	26
Australian/Canada/New Zealand	20
United States of America	17
Other	294
Not known	40
	1,558

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what happens to the children, if any, of persons held in custody while awaiting deportation under the terms of the Immigration Act.

It is not the normal practice to detain a person subject to deportation proceedings if it is known that there are children solely dependent on him or her. There have occasionally been such cases where detention has been considered necessary and appropriate arrangements have then been made as required for the care of the children.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any children, and how many, are being held in Prison Department establishments while their parents are in custody awaiting deportation under the terms of the Immigration Act.

On 31st October 1977 there were no people aged under 17 being held in prison department establishments in England and Wales while their parents were in custody awaiting deportation under the Immigration Act, nor were any other people aged under 17 being held as non-criminal prisoners in connection with proceedings under the Immigration Act.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the longest time a woman has been held in custody while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act; where she was held; and where she was deported.

The longest time spent awaiting deportation in prison department establishments in England and Wales by any of the women deported between 1st January 1977 and 15th November was 161 days. The woman concerned was held in Holloway Prison and Pucklechurch Remand Centre, and was deported to Mauritius. The delay in this case, which was exceptional, was due to the lodging of an appeal, subsequently withdrawn, and to the need to consider parallel representations on her behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he considers it necessary to imprison persons awaiting deportation under the terms of the Immigration Act.

The most usual reason for a decision to detain a person who is subject to deportation proceedings are the risk that he or she may go to ground or be a danger to the public if left at liberty.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those held in custody so far in 1977 while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act were subsequently allowed to stay in the United Kingdom.

Up to 30th November, 62 people had been released after being held in custody under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 relating to deportation.Of these, eight had successfully appealed against conviction or a recommendation for deportation and 54 were released after my right hon. Friend had considered representations made on their behalf or had decided not to act on the recommendation of a court.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long, on average, persons were held in custody while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act in 1977 who were subsequently released and stayed in the United Kingdom.

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the longest period a person has been held in custody under the Immigration Act (a) before being deported, and (b) before being allowed to stay in the United Kingdom.

The longest time spent awaiting deportation in prison department establishments in England and Wales by any of the people deported between 1st January 1977 and 15th November 1977 was 347 days. The corresponding period for a person who was allowed to stay was 273 days. In the former case the person concerned had renounced his citizenship and the delay was due to difficulties seen by his national authorities over the issue of a travel document. It was not considered safe to release him meanwhile. The latter case is the one referred to in the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Basildon (Mr. Moonman) on 10th November.—[Vol. 938, c. 220–1.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department of those held in custody so far in 1977 while awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act, and subsequently allowed to stay in the United Kingdom, how many were white and how many black.

Statistics of those held in custody awaiting deportation under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 are not classified by colour.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will require the Commission for Racial Equality under Section 48 of the Race Relations Act 1976 to conduct an investigation into racial discrimination in students' unions in universities and polytechnics against Jewish students and others.

No, but I join my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science in welcoming the policy adopted by the National Union of Students towards student unions which denied democratic rights to their members.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students have, in the last 12 months, obtained permits to study accountancy for both the Association of Certified Accountants and the Institute of Cost and Management Accountants at (a) polytechnic and other State colleges, and (b) private sector colleges, differentiating between countries of origin.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the social criteria governing the sale of rented dwellings by development corporations to sitting tenants.

The principal requirement is an adequate supply of houses for rent; and the measure used to judge this is the current waiting period for the main category of people housed by the development corporation in question. When this period is less than three months, the corporation may apply to resume sales. Due regard is paid to the views of the relevant local authority in all cases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when the review of the working of the Mobile Homes Act will be completed.

The report of the mobile homes review was published on 24th August 1977. A copy was placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total living space in the average new four-apartment, three-apartment and two-apartment local authority house.

Information is not recorded in the precise form asked for: but I would refer the hon. Member to Table 26 of the Housing and Construction Statistics which sets out data on average areas of all dwellings together with breakdowns for houses, bungalows and flats.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, for rent and rate rebate purposes, the identity of foster children is revealed to other central or local government agencies.

This is primarily a matter for the local authority concerned, but the normal practice, in accordance with Departmental guidance, is for all information given on the rebate application form to be treated in confidence.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to ban the import for sale as pets of live animals which are in danger of extinction in their native habitats.

The import for the purpose of trade of endangered species included in Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is already virtually prohibited under the provisions of the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976. Licences are also required for the import of threatened species included in Appendix 2 of the convention.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in the development of land and properties in Bloomsbury not now needed for the National Library.

We are in close consultation with Camden Borough Council as to the future development of the vacant sites and the disposal of other properties on the previous National Library site.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the amount, per capita, of the needs element of the rate support grant for each of the shire counties, for the years 1975–76, 1976–77, 1977–78 and 1978–79; what has been the reduction, per capita, for each of these years.

The per capita payments of needs element made under the

GRANT AMOUNTS PER HEAD AND PERCENTAGE CHANGES
						Amounts per head 1975–76	Amounts per head 1976–77	Amounts per head 1977–78	Percentage change 1976–77 over 1977–78	Percentage change 1977–78 over 1976–77
						£	£	£	%	%
Avon	…	…	…	…	…	51	61	61	19·61	0·00
Bedfordshire		…	…	…	…	51	64	65	25·49	1·56
Berkshire	…	…	…	…	…	56	66	64	17·86	-3·03
Buckinghamshire		…	…	…	…	51	63	57	23·53	-9·52
Cambridgeshire		…	…	…	…	48	58	50	20·83	-13·79
Cheshire	…	…	…	…	…	52	63	62	21·15	-1·59
Cleveland	…	…	…	…	…	69	88	93	27·54	5·68
Cornwall	…	…	…	…	…	47	60	67	27·66	11·67
Cumbria	…	…	…	…	…	64	79	77	23·44	-2·53
Derbyshire	…	…	…	…	…	50	64	65	28·00	1·56
Devon	…	…	…	…	…	45	55	56	22·22	1·82
Dorset	…	…	…	…	…	43	52	51	20·93	-1·92
Durham	…	…	…	…	…	54	71	73	31·48	2·82
East Sussex		…	…	…	…	44	55	56	25·00	1·82
Essex	…	…	…	…	…	51	61	60	19·61	-1·64
Gloucestershire		…	…	…	…	51	62	62	21·57	0·00
Hampshire	…	…	…	…	…	49	59	64	20·41	8·47
Hereford and Worcester.			…	…	…	48	61	57	27·08	-6·56
Hertfordshire		…	…	…	…	60	72	69	20·00	-4·17
Humberside		…	…	…	…	58	73	81	25·86	10·96
Isle of Wight		…	…	…	…	42	56	56	33·33	0·00
Kent	…	…	…	…	…	51	62	63	21·57	1·61
Lancashire	…	…	…	…	…	54	70	75	29·63	7·14
Leicestershire		…	…	…	…	52	67	70	28·85	4·48
Lincolnshire		…	…	…	…	52	68	69	30·77	1·47
Norfolk	…	…	…	…	…	46	59	59	28·26	0·00
Northamptonshire			…	…	…	55	66	64	20·00	-3·03
Northumberland		…	…	…	…	50	79	79	58·00	0·00
North Yorkshire		…	…	…	…	63	70	68	11·11	-2·86
Nottinghamshire		…	…	…	…	54	71	80	31·48	12·68
Oxfordshire		…	…	…	…	47	56	49	19·15	-12·50
Salop	…	…	…	…	…	52	66	66	26·92	0·00
Somerset	…	…	…	…	…	46	59	57	28·26	-3·39
Staffordshire		…	…	…	…	50	63	60	26·00	-4·76
Suffolk	…	…	…	…	…	43	53	51	23·26	-3·77
Surrey	…	…	…	…	…	43	49	43	13·95	-12·24
Warwickshire		…	…	…	…	51	62	57	21·57	-8·06
West Sussex		…	…	…	…	46	55	50	19·57	-9·09
Wiltshire	…	…	…	…	…	53	63	58	18·87	-7·94
Clywd	…	…	…	…	…	53	66	70	24·53	6·06
Dyfed	…	…	…	…	…	65	83	84	27·69	1·20
Gwent	…	…	…	…	…	56	73	74	30·36	1·37
Gwynedd	…	…	…	…	…	66	84	86	27·27	2·38
Mid Glamorgan		…	…	…	…	54	70	74	29·63	5·71
Powys	…	…	…	…	…	106	137	148	29·25	8·03
South Glamorgan		…	…	…	…	57	71	78	24·56	9·86
West Glamorgan		…	…	…	…	53	68	67	28·30	-1·47

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, for each of the last four years, the cost of new works, alterations, repairs and maintenance, supply of furniture and operating expenses, fuel, gas, water, elec

The information is not available in the form requested because all the flats currently used by Ministers form part of larger Government properties and separate cost records for the flats alone have not been kept. However, approximate assessed costs for 1976–77

					Maintenance	Gas, Water and Electricity	Supplies Services
					£	£	£
11 Downing Street	…	…	…	…	1,500	2,150	3,100
Three Flats in Admiralty House			…	…	3,100	1,380	5,700
Flat in Palace of Westminster		…	…	…	1,300	140 (Water costs not available)	100

In future more accurate details of running costs will be maintained to enable the taxation provisions for residences in the 1977 Finance Act to be implemented. As previously stated in my answer of 26th October, any new works services undertaken normally relate to the whole buildings and separate attribution is not normally possible.—[Vol. 936, c. 863–4.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of proposals to build new mobility standard and wheelchair houses since the format of statistical return to his Department was modified to show these figures from (a) Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council, (b) housing

DWELLINGS: NEW MOBILITY STANDARD AND WHEELCHAIR: LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND HOUSING ASSOCIATIONS IN ROCHDALE MBC AND NORTH WEST REGION
Dwellings
			Mobility housing			Wheelchair housing
			Proposals	Starts	Completions	Proposals	Starts	Completions
Rochdale MBC:
Local authority	…	…	—	—	—	4	2	—
Housing associations		…	91	—	—	4	—	—
North West Region:
Local authorities	…	…	1,280	590	73	328	266	227
Housing associations		…	897	250	5	85	46	31

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Camden Council about the development of derelict land at Elm Village, Camden; and whether he will expedite commencement of work, in accordance with his policy of reviving inner city areas.

My right hon. Friend has received letters from the council about its construction package bid in respect of the infrastructure for the industrial development project at Elm Village. I am pleased to say that approval of the package has now been given.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been

Following is the available information based on returns by local authorities to my Department:taken by Her Majesty's Government to follow up the decisions of the United Nations Conference on the Environment in Stockholm.

Her Majesty's Government have developed their domestic and international environmental policies and commitments taking account, wherever practicable, of the action plan to safeguard and enhance the human environment agreed at the 1972 United Nations conference on the Human Environment. The United Kingdom participates actively in the United Nations institutions established by the General Assembly as recommended by the conference. In particular, the United Kingdom is a permanent member of the governing council for the United Nations environment programme which has, from the outset, been responsible for the development of a programme to implement the action plan and for stimulating activities by Governments and other international bodies to carry out this programme. The United Kingdom is a major donor to the Environment Fund, and actively supports relevant environmental programmes of other United Nations agencies, of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe and of other international bodies whose activities in this field are co-ordinated through the United Nations Environmental Coordination Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) which local authority services will receive a net increase in real terms in blocks of expenditure provided for in the 1978–79 rate support grant settlement, compared with the settlement for 1977–78;(2) which local authority services will receive a net decrease in real terms in blocks of expenditure provided for in the 1978–79 rate support grant settlement compared with the settlement for 1977–78.

It is for individual authorities to determine their own expenditure patterns in the light of local needs and priorities. Rate support grant is a block grant which is paid in aid of local authority expenditure generally.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what needs criteria were employed in (a) the calculation of regression alayses for 1976–77, 1977–78 grant for 1976–77, (b) the calculation of regression analysis for the rate support grant for 1977–78 and (c) the calculation of regression analysis for the rate support grant for 1978–79.

The factors selected in the regression analysis for 1976–77, 1977–78 and 1978–79 are listed in Appendix F to the report on the Rate Support Grant Order 1977 which was laid before the House on 30th November.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the basis of the calculation of the safety net for non-metropolitan counties which was introduced into the 1978–79 rate support grant settlement.

The comparison on which the calculation is based is between the needs element an authority would have received had the 1977–78 distribution arrangements been carried forward to 1978–79, and the authority's entitlements under the 1978–79 distribution arrangements. Where this difference represents a loss, any amount by which the loss exceeds the product of a 2p rate will be met by a specific safety net payment.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the rate support grant settlement for 1978–79 represents an increase or decrease in real terms over the anticipated outturn relevant expenditure of local authorities in 1977–78.

An increase, for both current and relevant expenditure.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of local authority balances; and what part that played in his negotiations with local authorities over the rate support grant for 1977–78.

The latest estimate of local government balances is £1,350 million The Government was aware of the figures when they decided upon a grant percentage of 61 per cent. and took the view that the average rate increase should be within single figures. But they did not assume that balances could be drawn down by any specific sum.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what changes in levels of local authority staffing during 1978–79 were assumed when the rate support grant settlement was being discussed.

It is for individual authorities to settle their own staffing levels in the light of their local needs and circumstances. Overall the effect of the settlement should be broadly that the present level of staffing will be unaffected although obviously there will be different effects in different services and arrears.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many and which district councils will receive a smaller cash sum in respect of resources element of rate support grant in 1978–79 than they did in either 1976–77 or 1977–78.

Since a local authority's entitlement to resources element for 1978–79 will depend on the rates which it decides to levy for that year, no comparison on this basis can be made until rates are fixed in March 1978. However, the fact that the national standard rateable value per head of population will be raised from £173 to £177 will ensure that all qualifying authorities are entitled to receive a higher proportion of their rate borne expenditure by way of grant in 1978–79 than in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which district councils will receive no resources element of rate support grant in 1978–79.

Only those districts whose rateable value per head of population exceeds the prescribed national standard of £177, after making an allowance for the relief they give to properties occupied by charities, will not qualify for grant. Until details of charitable rate relief have been received, these districts cannot be identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage growth in local government relevant expenditure in real terms between 1977–78 and 1978–79 allowed for in the current rate support grant settlement.

One per cent. But current expenditure is effectively at the same level as in the 1977–78 settlement.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what alteration he has made in the treatment of rating relief for charities in the distribution of rate support grant; and which authorities will suffer a reduction of resources element in the rate support grant as a result of this.

For 1978–79 local authorities will be compensated through the resources element of the rate support grant for the 50 per cent. mandatory rate relief they allow on properties occupied for charitable purposes. In calculating an authority's rateable value per head to determine its grant entitlement, a reduction will be made equal to one half of the rateable value of any property in respect of which this relief was granted for the whole of 1976–77. This small change in the distribution arrangements was taken into account in setting the national standard RV per head for 1978–79, and no authority should receive less than its entitlement to resources element as a consequence of this change.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what major wage and salary settlements in local government he expects during the period covered by the 1978–79 rate support grant.

The rate support grant settlement for 1978–79 is at November 1977 prices. The major local authority pay settlements to end March 1979 not included in the price base and their operative dates are:

• Manuals, craftsmen and fire—November 1977
• Teachers—April 1978
• APTC—July 1978
• Police—September 1978
• Manuals, craftsmen and fire—November 1978

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if the European baccalaureat is accepted by British universities as a qualification for entry without further examinations.

This is a matter for the universities themselves, but it is understood that the European baccalaureat is regarded as satisfying general entrance requirements for universities.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take steps to make available to all students in educational institutions over the age of 18 years kidney donor cards.

By the good offices of the National Union of Students information on the kidney donor card scheme will shortly be sent to each student union affiliated to that organisation.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her estimate in the last available full year of the percentage of school pupils, in each region of England and Wales, who went on to take full-time courses in colleges of further education and universities, respectively.

I regret that data is not available in precisely the form requested. However, the following table shows the number of school leavers by region in England and Wales in 1976 who intended to proceed directly to full-time degree and teacher training courses, and to all other types of full-time further education course expressed as percentages of all school leavers in that year:

	Percentage of School Leavers in 1976 going to full-time
	Degree and Teacher Training Courses	Other Further Education Courses
North	7·8	7·7
Yorkshire and Humberside	7·9	10·1
North West	8·8	12·2
East Midlands	7·4	13·6
West Midlands	7·9	14·8
East Anglia	7·1	16·8
South East	8·9	14·1
SouthWest	8·5	20·4
Wales	9·7	13·9
England and Wales	8·4	13·6

These statistics are likely to underestimate those going directly to full-time higher and further education, since for one in six leavers head teachers did not provide information about the pupils' destinations.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a further statement on her fee-remission policy for students in hardship in the light of the decision by the Inner London Education Authority to withdraw from polytechnic directors their discretion to remit fees, in cases of student hardship, out of a polytechnic's normal budget, which will cause self-supporting out-of-county United Kingdom students to be excluded from benefiting from her announced fee-remission policy.

My right hon. Friend's recommendation on this subject for the academic year 1977–78 remain as stated in Circular 1/77, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, namely, that sympathetic consideration should be given to exceptional cases of hardship particularly those involving home students not in receipt of awards. She is con sidering representations made to her on this issue, but it was for local authorities to determine in the light of these recommendations what particular arrangements should be made within the resources available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what financial aid has been given by her Department to the National Bureau for Handicapped Students during the financial year 1976–77; and how this compares with her Department's original financial commitment to the bureau for the same financial year;(2) what is the likely commitment of her Department's funds to the National Bureau for Handicapped Students over the next three years;(3) what has been the total allocation of funds by her Department to the National Bureau for Handicapped Students since its inception; and if she will make a statement.

Following the establishment of the National Bureau for Handicapped Students in November 1974, my Department agreed to provide an initial grant of £10,000 per year for up to three years from April 1975. Grant for the first two years was duly paid, and payments in respect of the current year will be made as soon as the bureau produces satisfactory evidence of need in accordance with Government accounting procedures.The bureau has not been able to raise funds from other sources as quickly as had been hoped and my right hon. Friend has therefore decided exceptionally to offer a further grant of £10,000 for the financial year 1978–79 provided that before then income from other sources shall have increased, and in the expectation that thereafter the bureau will be self-supporting.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science where she contemplates savings will be made in expenditure on the arts to match the grants towards the purchase of the George Stubbs pictures "The Haymakers" and "The Reapers".

Mainly from building schemes where delays have occurred.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will take action under Section 99 of the Education Act 1944 to postpone the reduction in the teaching staff by the Humberside County Education Authority at Epworth County Primary School until she has reviewed the upward trend in the young married population of the town of Epworth.

Local education authorities decide the specific staffing levels for their schools. The Secretary of State is able to take action under Section 99 only if she is satisfied that an LEA has failed to discharge any duty relating to the Act. The Act does not lay down specific criteria for staffing levels, although LEAs are required to employ suitable teachers in sufficient number to provide full-time education appropriate to the ages, abilities and aptitudes of their pupils.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which education authorities will receive additional resources to accommodate extra expenditure on nursery schools and provision for rising fives.

The expenditure forecasts underlying the 1978–79 rate support grant settlement are based on the expectation that the number of pupils in nursery schools and in nursery classes in primary schools will continue to rise nationally in line with the planned nursery building programme and as a result of the opening of nursery units which have already been built but are not yet in use. The fall in the size of the 3 and 4 year old age groups should make it possible for a number of local education authorities to admit a growing proportion of rising fives to infant classes, or to reintroduce the admission of rising fives where the practice has been discontinued. The rate support grant is a block grant in aid of local government expenditure as a whole, and it will be a matter for each local education authority to examine the implications of the settlement for its own plans and decisions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he is able to estimate the number of working people who in each separate region of the United Kingdom earn above the national average wage;(2) if he is able to estimate the number of working people who in each separate region of the United Kingdom earn below the national average wage.

The New Earnings Survey estimate for April 1977 of the average gross earnings of full-time non-manual and manual, male and female employees aged 18 and over on 1st January whose pay for the survey pay-period was not affected by absence was slightly under £70 per week.If £70 per week is taken as "the average national wage", the percentages of men aged 21 and over and women aged 18 and over within the various regions earning less than that average in April 1977 when working full-time and when absence did not affect their pay were:

Region	Men aged 21 and over	Women aged 18 and over
South East	40	82
East Anglia	56	90
South West	55	87
West Midlands	45	89
East Midlands	50	90
Yorkshire and Humberside	49	90
North West	48	89
North	45	88
Wales	47	87
Scotland	47	90
Great Britain	46	87

These estimates are subject to sampling errors.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the unemployment figures and rates in each region of EEC countries.

The latest regional unemployment figures are shown below, with regional rates where available. National figures for August are provided in all cases to assist comparability as far as possible; however, the figures are not directly comparable between countries

Country

Region

Month to which data refers

Numbers unemployed

Percentage rate

Belgium*

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

258,571

9·6

June 1977

…

246,660

9·2

Flamande

…

…

…

June 1977

…

130,541

9·2

Wallone

…

…

…

…

June 1977

…

88,986

12·0

Bruxelles

…

…

…

June 1977

…

27,133

9·4

Denmark†

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

143,300

6·8

France†

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

1,063,877

5·9

Region Parisienne

…

…

August 1977

…

230,801

Bassin Parisienne

…

…

August 1977

…

175,031

Nord

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

84,927

Est

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

81,784

Ouest

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

133,487

Sud-Ouest

…

…

…

August 1977

…

113,945

Centre-Est

…

…

…

August 1977

…

104,133

Mediterranee

…

…

…

August 1977

…

139,769

West Germany†

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

963,468

4·3

Schleswig-Holstein-Hamburg

…

August 1977

…

68,180

4·3

Niedersachsen-Bremen

…

August 1977

…

144,087

5·1

Nordrhein-Westfalen

…

…

August 1977

…

306,409

5·0

Hessen

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

78,147

3·8

Rheinland-Pfalz-Saarland

…

August 1977

…

83,786

5·0

Baden-Wurttemburg

…

…

August 1977

…

95,492

2·7

Nordbayern

…

…

…

August 1977

…

78,779

4·5

Sudbayern

…

…

…

August 1977

…

77,053

3·4

Berlin (West)

…

…

…

August 1977

…

31,535

4·0

Ireland*

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

80,916

11·7

Italy†

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

1,445,483

7·1

September 1977

1,484,264

7·3

Nord Ouest

…

…

…

September 1977

100,006

Lombardia

…

…

…

September 1977

103,471

Nord Est

…

…

…

September 1977

101,137

Emilia-Romagna

…

…

September 1977

71,010

Centro

…

…

…

…

September 1977

92,848

Lazio

…

…

…

…

September 1977

130,085

Campania

…

…

…

September 1977

327,351

Abruzzi-Molize.

…

…

…

September 1977

48,374

Sud

…

…

…

…

September 1977

229,550

Sicilia

…

…

…

…

September 1977

225,654

Sardegna

…

…

…

…

September 1977

54,778

Luxembourg*

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

825

0·6

Netherlands†

…

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

208,676

5·4

October 1977.

…

203,543

5·3

Noord-Nederland

…

…

October 1977

…

23,888

Oost-Nederland

…

…

October 1977

…

37,060

West-Nederland

…

…

October 1977

…

73,672

Zuidwest-Nederland

…

…

October 1977.

…

3,850

Zuid-Nederland

…

…

October 1977

…

65,073

United Kingdom†

…

…

…

…

…

…

August 1977

…

1,635,832

6·9

November 1977

1,499,094

6·4

South East

…

…

…

November 1977

339,782

4·5

East Anglia

…

…

…

November 1977

37,219

5·4

South West

…

…

…

November 1977

115,987

7·3

West Midlands.

…

…

…

November 1977

131,696

5·7

East Midlands

…

…

…

November 1977

79,235

5·2

Yorkshire and Humberside

…

November 1977

122,742

6·0

North West

…

…

…

November 1977

215,940

7·7

…

…

…

…

North

November 1977

119,023

8·9

Wales

…

…

…

…

November 1977

91,149

8·7

Scotland

…

…

…

…

November 1977

185,190

8·5

Northern Ireland

…

…

November 1977

61,131

11·5

* Insured unemployed. Rates are calculated as percentages of total insured population.

† Numbers registered at employment offices. Rates are calculated as percentages of total employees (employed and unemployed).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether

I will reply to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people aged between 16 and 19 years are benefiting from special employment measures provided by his Department or the Manpower Services Commission; and what percentage of the age group this represents.

It is estimated that over 100,000 young people aged between 16 and 19 years are currently benefiting from the special employment and measures provided by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission. This represents about 3 per cent. of the total age group.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the level of unemployment in the Torrington area of Devon; and if he will make a statement on the position.

No, I am not satisfied with the level of unemployment in the Torrington area. The November unemployment rate for the Bideford employment office area, which covers Torrington was 9·5 per cent. The Government have, since 1975, introduced a series of special measures to mitigate the worst effects of unemployment and so far over 340 people have benefited in the Bideford area. As part of the South-West Development Area, Torrington also stands to gain from the regional incentives available to firms expanding or moving there.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further steps he is taking to reduce unemployment in the Torrington area of Devon.

On 29th June my right hon. Friend announced further measures to reduce unemployment which will come into operation during 1978 and which should benefit unemployed people in the Torrington area, as in the country as a whole. These include a youth opportunities programme and a special temporary employment programme. In the meantime, the area should continue to benefit from the existing special employment measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the progress in helping to settle the lift maintenance engineers' strike.

Following the intervention of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service negotiations have taken place between the parties. As a result a revised pay offer is being put to area meetings of lift engineers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were unemployed in the Reading area during the months of June, July, August, September and October 1977.

The following table gives the numbers registered as unemployed in the area covered by the Reading employment offices:

	Total unemployed	School-leavers included in total
June 1977	5,199	449
July 1977	6,311	948
August 1977	6,079	1,016
September 1977	6,194	676
October 1977	5,985	417

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people under 19 years of age are currently studying draughtsmanship at Government skill-centres; and how many have done so in the past two years.

The Manpower Services Commission informs me that under the Training Opportunities Scheme skill-centre courses in draughtsmanship are open only to those aged 19 or over. Skill-centre facilities are also available for trainees sponsored by their employers but, although young people under the age of 19 are eligible under the sponsored training scheme, none has attended a skill-centre draughtsmanship class during the past two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff are employed by each of the industrial

Board										Total Staff	Field Staff*
Air Transport and Travel			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	78	14
Carpet	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	15	6
Ceramics, Glass and Mineral Products					…	…	…	…	…	121	30
Chemical and Allied Products				…	…	…	…	…	…	249	154
Clothing and Allied Products				…	…	…	…	…	…	72	24
Construction	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	544	321
Cotton and Allied Textiles			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	113	52
Distributive	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	456	201
Engineering	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	900	550
Food, Drink and Tobacco			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	197	100
Footwear, Leather and Fur Skin				…	…	…	…	…	…	47	22
Foundry	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	89	41
Furniture and Timber			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	124	36
Hotel and Catering		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	276	177
Iron and Steel		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	71	48
Knitting, Lace and Net			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	96	61
Man-made Fibres Producing				…	…	…	…	…	…	6	—
Paper and Paper Products			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	86	34
Petroleum	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	75	30
Printing and Publishing			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	182	84
Road Transport		…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	850	650
Rubber and Plastic Processing				…	…	…	…	…	…	93	32
Shipbuilding	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	82	55
Wool, Jute and Flax			…	…	…	…	…	…	…	56	39
* In a few cases the figures include a small number of staff at the regional or area offices of the Board.