asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the ratio of Members' salaries to the secretarial and office allowance as it stood in October of each year since 1971.

The information is as follows:

	Approximate ratio of Members' basic salaries to the secretarial and office allowance as it stood at
October 1971	6·5:1
October 1972	4·5:1
October 1973	4·5:1
October 1974	2·6:1
October 1975	1·8:1
October 1976	1·7:1
October 1977	1·7:1

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish a table in the Official Report showing the ratio of Members' salaries to national average earnings in October of each year since 1971.

The information is as follows:

APPROXIMATE RATIO OF MEMBERS' BASIC SALARIES TO NATIONAL AVERAGE EARNINGS AS IT STOOD AT
October 1971	1·8:1
October 1972	2·2:1
October 1973	1·9:1
October 1974	1·6:1
October 1975	1·6:1
October 1976	1·5:1
October 1977	1·5:1

For this purpose, the term "national average earnings" has been taken to mean the average gross earnings of full-time male employees aged 21 and over whose pay was not affected by absence. Approximate estimates for October have been derived from the New Earnings Survey April estimates by allowing for general movements in average earnings.

asked the Lord President of the Council why, in arranging for a sponsored or arranged parliamentary Question to be placed on the Order Paper, he will not in future declare it in his reply or use some other means of notifying the House that it is a sponsored Question.

In my view such an addition to Question Time procedures would be unnecessary; moreover, it would be difficult to define "sponsored Question" in any precise and generally acceptable way.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Bristol, North-East (Mr. Palmer) Official Report, 13th December 1977, column 186, by what authority the Manpower Services Commission is permitted to use job creation funds in order to finance cooperative workshops and other co-operative projects which will be in competition with private industry.

My right hon. Friend has authorised the Manpower Services Commission to operate the job creation programme on his behalf under Section 2(2)(a) of the Employment and Training Act 1973. He has agreed that up to 1 per cent. of the funds allocated to the programme may be used to provide financial assistance to workshop projects, including co-operatives, which, in addition to creating temporary employment opportunities, are intended to become self-financing by the end of the period of funding. Such projects may not be funded where there is likely to be any significant consequential loss of business to other employers or any loss of jobs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled workers were employed at the North Seaton, Ashington, Remploy factory at the latest convenient date; and what were the figures for each year since the factory was opened.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the figures were:

Date	Numbers of severely disabled people employed at Remploy, Ashington
December 1977	161
December 1976	163
December 1975	166
December 1974	166
December 1973	169
December 1972	156
December 1971	142
December 1970	140
December 1969	125

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when the recommendations of the report, "Manpower Services on Merseyside", for the establishment of integrated work force units, similar to those established in Northern Ireland, will be implemented on Merseyside.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that this recommendation is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations the Government have received from the European Commission about the future of the temporary employment subsidy scheme; what replies the Government propose to give; and whether he will make a statement on the compatibility of the scheme with European policy on competition and industrial subsidies.

I confirm that the Government have received a letter from the EEC Commission under Section 93(1) of the Treaty of Rome drawing attention to the need to give advance notification of any proposal to continue the TES scheme beyond 31st March 1978.The Commission has expressed doubts about the compatibility of the scheme in its present form with European policy on competition and has suggested various changes they would like to see in any future scheme. The Commission's letter is being taken into account in the Government's current review of the future of TES.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now indicate the frequencies on which he expects the forthcoming fourth television service to be broadcast in order that the independent broadcasting authority may, without prejudice to future decisions of Government or Parliament, undertake the preparatory engineering works needed for this new channel.

The existing network of UHF television stations has been planned from the outset on the basis that each transmitting station would be capable of radiating four programme services. The four frequency channels allocated to each station are published by the BBC and IBA in their annual reports.As to the undertaking of preparatory engineering work for the fourth channel, I would ask the hon. Member to await the Government's proposals for the future constitution, structure and organisation of broadcasting, which I hope to publish in the form of a White Paper.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will publish figures of the proportion of successful to unsuccessful immigration appeals before immigration appeal tribunals since 1968.

Statutory immigration appeal procedures were introduced on 1st July 1970 under the Immigration

					Allowed	Dismissed	Proportion	Percentage successful
1st July 1970 to 31st December
1971	…	…	…	…	523	2,055	1 to 3·9	20
1972	…	…	…	…	729	2,706	1 to 3·7	21
1973	…	…	…	…	763	3,745	1 to 4·9	17
1974	…	…	…	…	956	4,729	1 to 4·9	17
1975	…	…	…	…	1,316	6,420	1 to 4·9	17
1976	…	…	…	…	1,339	6,460	1 to 4·8	17
					5,626	26,115
Figures for 1977 are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an investigation into the marked fluctuations in the proportion of successful appeals of immigration cases before immigration appeal tribunals since 1968.

I do not know what fluctuations my hon. Friend has in mind. My right hon. Friend has no plans to set up an investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the estimated average cost of administering a community service order in the most recent year for which figures are available.

The relative newness and special characteristics of community service schemes complicate any calculations of this nature. I shall write to my hon. Friend with such information as is available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average annual cost to the Home Office of subsidising a place in an approved after-care hostel.

The average annual cost to the Home Office in 1977–78 of subsidising a place reserved for ex-offenders in an after-care hostel managed by a voluntary organisation is of the order of £470. This average is derived from individual grant allocations ranging from £50 to £1,400 per place—a reflection of the great

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the estimated average cost of probation supervision per probationer per year in the most recent year for which figures are available.

The latest year for which statistics of probation caseload are available is 1976. For that year the average annual cost of probation supervision—without special requirements—per probationer is estimated to have been between £150 and £160.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated per capita cost of a place in an approved probation hostel in the most recent year for which figures are available.

The estimated cost to central and local government funds in 1977–78 for each resident place in approved probation hostels is £2,488.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, in view of the number of Service personnel currently operating from the Territorial Army Volunteer Reserve Centre in Bromley, he will state the number of firemen attached to each of the civilian fire stations at Beckenham, Bromley, Orpington, Biggin Hill, Addington and Woodside immediately prior to the present dispute.

The average numbers of firemen on duty at any one time to man the 11 fire appliances at Beckenham, Bromley, Orpington, Biggin Hill, Addington and Woodside fire stations before the recent dispute were nine, 12, five, five, nine, and nine respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his reasons for the delay in implementing the Report of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England so far as it relates to the London borough of Harrow; when he proposes to lay the necessary order; and if he will make a statement.

I am at present considering the report of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England proposing new electoral arrangements for the London Borough of Harrow. I am also taking into account representations that have been made to me, including those of the borough council, and I hope to reach a decision shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number of occasions on which the Chief Adjudicator has recommended to him that an immigrant be allowed to reside permanently in the United Kingdom, outside the rules, and the number of occasions on which he has accepted that recommendation.

Figures are not readily available and could not be obtained without disproportionate expenditure. But whenever any adjudicator recommends the exercise of discretion outside the rules the merits of the case are carefully reconsidered and many such recommendations are accepted.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the number of occasions on which the Chief Adjudicator has recommended that an immi grant be allowed to reside permanently in the United Kingdom, within the rules, in 1976 and 1977, and the number of occasions on which he has accepted that recommendation.

Where he decides that an appellant qualifies for permanent residence within the rules, the Chief Adjudicator will allow the appeal. The question of making a recommendation to the Secretary of State does not arise.Persons who applied before 27th September 1976 while their current leave to enter or remain was still valid had no right of appeal if a decision on their application was made after that leave had expired. Such persons were therefore accorded a hearing by the appellate authorities on an extra-statutory basis. An advisory opinion that such an appeal would have been allowed, had it been made on a statutory basis is, subject to his right of appeal to the tribunal, invariably accepted by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been ordered to be deported in each of the years 1974 to 1977; and how many illegal entrants have been removed in each of these years.

Following is the information:

Year	Deportation Orders Made	Illegal Entrants Removed
1974	426	139
1975	545	154
1976	788	264
1977	1,163*	485*
* Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people, following his announcement on 29th November about illegal entrants. have applied to have their position regularised on the grounds that they entered the United Kingdom illegally by deception before 1973; and with what result

Between 29th November 1977 and 17th January 1978 25 people applied or otherwise came to notice in this connection; in addition, a number of cases which came to notice before the date of my announcement are being investigated. During this period 11 people have been found ineligible to benefit; six have had their position regularised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will bring to an end the present amnesty for certain illegal immigrants.

I informed the House on 29th November 1977—[Vol. 940, c. 125–8]—that the strictly limited suspension of the use of removal powers to avoid certain retrospective effects of the Immigration Act 1971 will end on 31st December 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection to what extent he estimates the 2 per cent. increase in prices as detailed in his written reply of 11th January 1978 was due to the imposition of the 10 per cent. guideline by the Government on private and public wage settlements.

In broad terms, it takes between a year and 18 months for the effects of an increase in average earnings to work through into retail prices. Thus, the small number of pay settlements which were made in the opening four months of the current pay round would have had a negligible direct effect on the Retail Price Index by November 1977. The 2 per cent. increase in the RPI between July and November 1977 is encouraging confirmation that

							Grants made 1977–78 (£)
Location					Staff*	Hours of opening per week	DPCP	Local Authority
Blyth Valley		…	…	…	2	15	2,050	1,250
Tynedale	…	…	…	…	1	10	650	1,800
Wansbeck	…	…	…	…	2	16	2,000	2,000
Total							4,700	5,050
* All part-time volunteers.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection, in view of the delays being experienced at the Assay Office in London, if he will take steps to set up a Welsh Assay Office as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what has been the rise in the retail price index taking 1970 as 100; and what has been the corresponding rise in the price of capital goods.

The latest information is as follows:

	November 1977 (1970=100)
Retail Price Index	256·3
Capital Goods*	282·7
*Price index for capital expenditure on plant and machinery by manufacturing industry. Other details are given in "Price Index Numbers for Current Cost Accounting" published by the Central Statistical Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many citizens' advice bureaux there are in the county of Northumberland; where they are located; which of them have full-time officers; and what was the amount of grant to each in 1977–78.

There are three citizens advice bureaux in Northumberland, none with full-time officers. The DPCP grants referred to in the table below are that part of the total Government grant to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux that the Association has itself allocated to these three bureaux.

No. The reasons for the unfortunate delays which occurred during the first half of 1977 have disappeared. I understand that the current turnround time is between two and four clays.Moreover, any further assay office facility would have to be self-financing in line with the existing assay offices and the number of items of precious metal originating in Wales is not sufficient to justify the cost of installing and staffing an additional office.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what representations he has received from the brewers concerning price increases in the near future.

The general question of beer price increases was among the matters that my right hon. Friend discussed with the Brewers Society at its meeting last month. However, as he pointed out then, it is for the Price Commission to examine individual proposed increases and decide whether or not they should be investigated.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will given an assurance that there will be no increase allowed in the price of beer until the application has been thoroughly investigated by the Price Commission and that full account will be taken of the profits made by the brewery industry in recent years.

It is for the Price Commission to decide which proposed price increases should be the subject of investigation, and it has already decided to investigate increases proposed by Allied Breweries. In any case selected for investigation following a pre-notification to the Commission the Commission has discretion to allow interim increases, and is required to grant such increases where the Prices and Charges (Safeguard for Basic Profits) Regulations 1977 apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will request the Price Commission to examine proposed charges for electricity in the area of the Eastern Electricity Board.

My right hon. Friend has at present no plans to direct the Price Commission to examine these charges under Section 10 of the Price Commission Act 1977. The Price Commission has discretion under Sections 4 and 5 of the Act to investigate the price increases, prices or margins of individual undertakings.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the level of artificial fertiliser prices compared to (a) six months ago and (b) 12 months ago.

Prices of artificial fertilisers in the output—home sales—sector of the wholesale price index rose by 14½ per cent. on provisional figures in the 12 months to December 1977 and by 6½ per cent. in the six months since June 1977.

asked the Prime Minister if he has plans to visit Nelson.

I have at present no plans to do so.

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

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

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the CBI.

asked the Prime Minister when he next plans to meet the TUC and CBI.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 10th November.

asked the Prime Minister whether he met with leaders of the TUC during the Christmas Recess.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Lord President of the Council gave on my behalf to my hon. Friend the Member for Aberdare (Mr. Evans) on 10th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will instruct his Ministers to plan the conversion of manpower, money, material and research and development at present used by Departments for the military to non-military programmes.

No.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Trade.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade is responsible for overseas trade policy, commercial relations and tariffs; the work of the Export Credits Guarantee Department and the British Overseas Trade Board; tourism, the hotel, film, newspaper, publishing and printing industries; the distributive and service trades; civil aviation, marine safety and shipping policy, companies affairs, including co-ordination of consultations on industrial democracy; insurance, the Insolvency Service and the Patent Office.

asked the Prime Minister what are his official engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Thursday 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 19th January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 19th January.

I refer my hon Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton.)

asked the Prime Minister when he next expects to take the chair at the National Economic Development Council.

On 1st February.

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

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he remains satisfied with progress towards the objectives set out in the Gracious Speech.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has plans to make an official visit to Collier Row.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the heads of nationalised industries.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Thornaby (Mr. Wrigglesworth) on 1st December.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, whether she intends to take into account the Govern

STUDENTS AT MAINTAINED, ASSISTED AND GRANT-AIDED MAJOR ESTABLISHMENTS OF FURTHER EDUCATION IN ENGLAND AND WALES
Numbers in thousands
	All establishments			Polytechnics only
	Full-time and Sandwich	Part-time (day and evening)	Total	Full-time and Sandwich	Part-time (day and evening)	Total
Advanced courses (including teacher training)
1971–72	203·7	107·3	311·0	66·5	44·8	111·3
1976–77 (provisional)	214·5	125·1	339·6	106·0	54·5	160·5
Non-advanced courses
1971–72	194·9	1,356·6	1,551·5	8·4	43·2	51·6
1976–77 (provisional)	286·8	1,295·7	1,582·5	5·5	24·7	30·2
All courses
1971–72	398·5	1,464·0	1,862·5	74·9	88·0	162·9
1976–77 (provisional)	501·3	1,420·8	1,922·1	111·5	79·2	190·7

STUDENTS ON FIRST DEGREE LEVEL COURSES AT UNIVERSITIES IN GREAT BRITAIN
Numbers in thousands
	Full-time and Sandwich	Part-time	Total
1971–72
Great Britain universities*	187·0	1·6	188·6
Open University†	—	19·6	19·6
Total	187·0	21·1	208·2
1976–77 (provisional)
Great Britain universities*	217·8	2·2	220·0
Open University†	—	50·9	50·9
Total	217·8	53·0	270·9
* Students on external degree courses at further education establishments in England and Wales are included in the first table.
† Calendar years 1971 and 1976.

My right hon. Friend takes into account all sources of finance for the arts, so far as these are known to her. She cannot, however, prejudge the decisions that will be taken by individual local authorities in supporting arts projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much of both advanced and non-advanced work in polytechnics, institutions of higher education and other further education colleges is part-time; how much university work at first degree level is part-time; and what is the latest estimate compared with five years earlier.

The information for the academic years 1971–72 and 1976–77, the latest available, is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers there are at present in schools for the deaf; how many have a special qualification in the education of deaf children; and how many are themselves deaf.

In January 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 886 full-time qualified teachers in special schools in England and Wales attended by deaf pupils, of whom 627 held a recognised additional qualification for teaching pupils with auditory handicaps. In addition there were 99 qualified part-time teachers in these schools, but it is not known how many of these had an additional qualification, or whether any of the total teaching force were themselves deaf.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether her Department has had any discussions with the corresponding departments in other countries about the employment of deaf teachers in deaf schools.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science which deaf schools have been visited by exchange teachers of the deaf; whether she is satisfied with the number of teachers of the deaf taking part in exchanges; and by what methods her Department publicises information about exchange visits for teachers of the deaf.

11 British teachers of the deaf have so far taken part in the official teacher exchange schemes with the Commonwealth and the USA. The schools concerned are:

• Elmfield, Bristol.
• Stannington, Northumberland.
• Beechwood, Aberdeen.
• Frank Barnes, London.
• Royal Residential Schools for the Deaf.
• Pendower, Newcastle.
• Hawkswood School for the Deaf, Waltham Forest.
• Telford School, Manchester.
• Beechdale School, Nottingham.
• Condover Hall School, Condover.
• Norfolk Park School, Sheffield.

Opportunities are limited by the difficulties of finding an appropriate overseas partner, but the Central Bureau for Educational Visits and Exchanges is exploring means of increasing the number of exchanges for teachers of handicapped children, including the deaf. My Department publicises teacher exchange schemes in an annual administrative memorandum which is widely distributed, and goes to every local education authority. I am sending a copy to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many deaf people had their application to teacher training college considered by the Secretary of State in each of the last five years; and how many of them were accepted.

Acceptance of an applicant for a course of initial teacher training is a matter for the training institution concerned which may, however, where there is doubt on medical grounds about a candidate's suitability for training. consult the medical advisers to the Department. In the four years for which records are available, the cases of 20 candidates with some degree of hearing impairment have been so referred, of whom 18 were considered by the advisers to be medically suitable for training.The annual figures were:

	Cases considered	Number of applicants advised to be medically suitable
1974	3	3
1975	3	3
1976	7	6
1977	7	6

The number of these applicants who were finally accepted by institutions for admission to courses of initial training is not known.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether a deaf British student who gained a Master's Degree from Gallaudet College, Washington, United States of America, and certification by the Council on Education of the Deaf, and was thus qualified to teach in the United States of America, would be allowed to teach in British schools.

The qualification would meet the statutory requirements for teaching in maintained primary and secondary schools and in special schools in England and Wales if the course leading to it was comparable with one which at the time the student would have had to undertake in the United Kingdom in order to teach in these schools. As, however, in the United States of America the nature of courses of study within the same establishment and leading to the same qualification can vary materially from student to student, the acceptability of a qualification gained in that country has to be decided individually for each student.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many British students there have been at Gallaudet College in the last decade.

My Department does not collect such information about colleges abroad.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action is being taken to co-ordinate special educational provisions for handicapped children in the European Community; and if she will make a statement.

A study of existing provision in member States is being prepared for the Commission but no proposals have so far been put forward. The Education Ministers' resolution of 13th December 1976 on the transition from school to work makes special mention of handicapped young people, and the programme of pilot projects now being arranged in response to the resolution is likely to include some projects concerned with provision for the handicapped. I will send my hon. Friend a copy of this resolution.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether her Department has reached a decision on the request by the College of St. Hild and St. Bede, University of Durham, for funding for a centre for support services for the deaf in higher education.

My Department has agreed to take account of this centre in deter mining grant for the college until the date of merger with the university.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the universities, the technical colleges and the colleges of further education which provide special classes or other special facilities for the deaf; and if she will detail the services provided by each.

Detailed information of this nature is not collected by my Department. However, a few colleges arrange special full-time courses for the hearing impaired, details of some of which have recently been publicised by the National Bureau for Handicapped Students. It is also known that the Open University and a large number of colleges offer special part-time courses and/or support for the hearing impaired, whilst still more provide ad hoc support to individual students attending other general or vocational courses. The Warnock Committee is including the needs of the hearing impaired in its review of educational provision for handicapped children and young people.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on the experimental schemes to improve culture opportunities carried out in Stoke-on-Trent, Sunderland, Dumbarton and Deeside and their effect on leisure and the quality of life in the four areas.

My right hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of the Environment, announced in reply to a Question from my hon. Friend the Member for Leicester, South (Mr. Marshall), on 4th November 1977—[Vol. 938, c. 7]—that a report on these experiments had been published on 27th September by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. Copies of the two volumes of the report, respectively describing and evaluating the experiments and containing detailed supporting papers, have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total amount at present covered by certificate of indemnity issued by national museums and galleries in the United Kingdom to the British Rail pension fund, or its representatives, in respect of long-term loans of works of art.

It is not the practice of the national museums and galleries with which my right hon. Friend is concerned to publish information about the total amount covered by certificates of indemnity in respect of works of art placed on loan by an individual lender, as this is confidential between the lender and the borrower.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will specify the sums paid under certificates of indemnity issued by the national museums and galleries in the United Kingdom in respect of claims for damage sustained by objects lent to them during the 10 years from 1967 to 1977 inclusive, broken down into the individual years, and divided in each year between (a) claims satisfied in respect of long-term loans to the permanent collections, and (b) claims satisfied in respect of loans to temporary exhibitions.

Payments under certificates of indemnity for damage to objects loaned to national museums and galleries in England in the 10 financial years 1967–68 to 1976–77 are listed below. Payments made by institutions in other parts of the

Percentage changes on 1976
				1977	Increase	Decrease
British Museum	…	…	…	4,123,710	4·0
Science Museum (including National Railway Museum)		…	…	4,801,034	10·7
Victoria and Albert Museum	…	…	…	2,339,593	50·8
Imperial War Museum	…	…	…	1,089,559	50·0
National Gallery	…	…	…	2,685,819	14·1
National Maritime Museum	…	…	…	1,250,000		26·5
National Portrait Gallery	…	…	…	534,653	65·1
Tate Gallery	…	…	…	1,005,525		19·5
Wallace Collection	…	…	…	158,280	4·8
British Museum (Natural History)	…	…	…	3,192,817	18·1
Geological Museum	…	…	…	510,342	2·9

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make a statement on her policy in view of the proposed establishment of Muslim denominational schools.

Any proposal to establish a voluntary school to be maintained by a local education author

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1977 at the national museums and galleries in the United Kingdom, broken down into the individual institutions but comprising their outstations, with figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1976.

Estimated attendance figures for 1977 reported by the national museums and galleries and their outstations in England are given, together with percentage changes on figures for 1976, in the following table. Attendances in other parts of the United Kingdom are matters for the Secretaries of State of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively.ity requires the Secretary of State's approval under the provisions of Section 13 of the Education Act 1944, as amended, and is subject to the procedures laid down in that section. It is for the Moslem community to decide whether they wish to make such a proposal, which would have to be the subject of consultation with the local authority concerned. The Secretary of State considers such proposals in relation to all the relevant circumstances, including the need for additional maintained provision in the area.The Secretary of State's consent or approval is not required for the establishment of independent schools, but, once established, all independent schools are subject to the registration and inspection provisions of the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will set up an inquiry into the need for a national conservation centre, in view of the growing and informed concern about the condition of a large and increasing number of museum objects in collections throughout the country.

The matter has been very carefully considered over recent years. I am satisfied that the needs of museums and galleries can more effectively be met by arrangements under which the training of conservators takes place in association with the national and local collections.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what latest estimate she has made of the number of unemployed teachers.

In England and Wales, 10,513 people were registered by the Department of Employment in December 1977 as unemployed and seeking work as school teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science at what level the United Kingdom is represented on the International Agency for Research on Cancer; when the last meeting was held; when a United Kingdom representative was last in the chair; what was the United Kingdom subscription in the year 1976–77; and in what publication the annual report of the work of the organisation is available.

Representation is by the secretary and a senior principal medical officer of the Medical Research Council. The last meeting of the General Council was on 28th and 29th April 1977. A United Kingdom representative chaired the 1973 meeting of the Council. The 1976–77 subscription was £261,000. The agency issues its own annual report which is available from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimates she has made of the effect of price increases to 30p and 35p, respectively, on the number of children taking school meals; and if she will make a statement.

If an estimate were to be called for, I understand that a reduction in the number of pupils paying for a school meal might be expected to lie in the range of 7½ per cent. to 10 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what estimates are available of the proportion of children eligible for free school meals who are taking them; what figures are available for the changes which have taken place in this proportion in recent months and years; and if she will make a statement.

The latest available estimate is that about 75 per cent. of the pupils eligible for free school meals in 1976–77 were taking them. Estimates based on later data are not yet available. The October 1977 census showed an increase of 19 per cent. in the number of children receiving free meals.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what forecasts she can make of the likely movements in the price of school meals; and if she will now subsidise these meals with the aim of reducing the cost to 15p.

The forecasts for expenditure on the school meals service as set out in the White Paper "The Government's Expenditure Plans, 1978–79 to 1981–82" (Cmnd. 7049) allow for the progressive reduction in the level of the subsidy on the meal. As regards any alteration in the charge for the school meal, I have nothing to add to what my hon. Friend said to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden) on 17th January—[Vol. 942, c. 224].

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what evidence was available to her of the identification of children receiving free school meals; and if she will give guidance to local authorities on methods of providing school meals to avoid such identification.

A number of cases of alleged identification have been brought to the attention of my right hon. Friend recently and all have been taken up when the school or authority concerned has been identified, Some of these cases proved to be unfounded; others led to the authorities concerned reviewing the system used by some of their schools for collecting dinner money. Guidance will be given to local authorities about practices to be avoided in a joint circular to be issued later this week.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations she has received from the Imperial War Museum about the future of HMS "Belfast".

At the request of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum I have agreed that HMS "Belfast" should be taken over by the museum when the necessary practical and legal arrangements have been made. I accept their view that HMS "Belfast" is a unique demonstration of an important phase of our history and technology. The ship will remain at her moorings near Tower Bridge and will be open to the public as hitherto. The Trustees of the Imperial War Museum have agreed to meet the net cost of running the ship from within the resources available to them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she is now able to make a further statement about Government assistance towards the acquisition by Temple Newsam House, Leeds, of one of the Mostyn Flagons.

The Government have now agreed that Parliament shall be asked to approve a special purchase Brant of £17,300 to that local col lection. The special grant will be found from savings already realised in other parts of the arts field and will not involve additional public expenditure. A Supplementary Estimate for the 7.300, to be made available by a special addition to the grant-in-aid to the Victoria and Albert Museum for assistance with local purchases, will be laid before Parliament in due course.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the science budget for 1978–79 will be divided between the recipient bodies; and what their future planning guidelines will be.

Subject to Parliamentary approval I intend to allocate £254·3 million—at 1977 prices—to the recipient bodies for 1978–79. I have accepted the advice of the ABRC that this should be divided as follows:

	£m
Agricultural Research Council	21·7
Medical Research Council	43·7
Natural Environment Research Council	28·6
Science Research Council	139·2
Social Science Research Council	14·6
British Museum (Natural History)	4·2
Royal Society	2·2
Total (rounded)	254·3

I have also accepted the Board's advice that the growth guidelines for planning by the recipient bodies up to 1981–82 should be:

	% p.a.
Agricultural Research Council	+ 1·9
Medical Research Council	+ 1·6
Natural Environment Research Council	+ 2·5
Science Research Council	-1·7
Social Science Research Council	+ 1·0
British Museum (Natural History)	+0·5
Royal Society	+ 1·0

The Board's advice on the guidelines followed its 1977 Forward Look and was based on the projections for the science budget in Cmnd 6721. The Board will be using the new higher projections recently announced in Cmnd 7049 as the basis for its 1978 review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied that there are adequate safeguards on the commercial secrecy of the operating committees of the oil companies, in view of the British National Oil Corporation's compulsory membership of all these committees; and if he will make a statement.

The British National Oil Corporation together with private sector participants in operating committees, is party to operating agreements which commonly provide for the safeguarding of commercial information. The adequacy of such safeguards is a matter for the committees themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement concerning the amount of money involved in the BNOC's 51 per cent. compulsory participation after the fifth round awards have been confirmed.

It is too early to estimate the amounts involved as a result of BNOC's participation in fifth round licences, since to a considerable extent these will depend on the number, size and character of discoveries.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the extent to which, following measures taken after the 1973 energy crisis, the use of outside illuminations, speed limits for vehicles, and broadcasting hours are currently subject to statutory regulations, as against a voluntary code; and if he will indicate how the position has changed since 1973.

None of these items is currently subject to statutory regulations for fuel conservation purposes. Changes in the position since 1973 are described below:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made with the hardware contract for the Drax B power station; and when he now expects manufacturing work to commence.

I am advised by the Central Electricity Generating Board that discussions of hardware contracts are expected to continue for some time. As I said on 8th November—[Vol. 938, c. 91]—it is not possible to give precise timings for the commencement of manufacturing work, but depending on the satisfactory completion of commercial negotiations and progress with the design phase contracts, the Board anticipate that manufacturing work could begin in the first part of this year. I understand that the design phase contracts for the boilers and turbines are in fact proceeding, and that some orders for materials have already been placed.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs why he agreed that the European Investment Bank be asked to make 20 muas available for the Lebanon for reconstruction after their internal civil war.

The Council's decision reflects the Community's desire to help the Lebanon to recover from the havoc of the civil war, and the Community's own interest in seeing stability and prosperity return to that country.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs at what level the United Kingdom is represented on the International Association for Research into Income and Wealth; when the last meeting was held; when a United Kingdom representative was last in the chair; what was the United Kingdom subscription in the year 1976–77; and in what publication the annual report of the work of the organisation is available.

I understand that membership of the International Association for Research into Income and Wealth is composed predominantly of individuals, each member participating in his or her personal capacity. There is therefore no question of national representation. The Central Statistical Office, along with similar offices in other countries, is an institutional member of the Association and makes an annual contribution which, in 1976–77, was £250. The Association holds an international conference once every two years, the most recent of which was in York in August 1977. Papers by members of the Association, including those presented at its conferences, are published in the quarterly journal "The Review of Income and Wealth".

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the number of representations made to him about the proposed sale of arms to El Salvador, to the latest available date.

Up to and including Tuesday, 17th January, 19 letters have been received from hon. Members and 165 from humanitarian organisations and members of the public concerning the supply of armoured vehicles to El Salvador.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service at what level the United Kingdom is represented on the Intergovernmental Council for Automatic Data Processing; when the last meeting was held; when a United Kingdom representative was last in the chair; what was the United Kingdom subscription in the year 1976–77; and in what publication the annual report of the work of the organisation is available.

The United Kingdom is represented on the International Council for Automatic Data Processing in Government Administration, formerly known as the Intergovernmental Council for Automatic Data Processing, by an assistant secretary, who is the council's current chairman. The last meeting of the full council was held in September 1977. The annual subscription to the council is $1,000 and has been paid each year by the United Kingdom. Details of the council's activities are to be found in its journal ICA Information, which may be obtained from the editor.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he had received from Ceredigion and from the county of Dyfed concerning low-flying aircraft during the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

During 1977 there were 11 low-flying complaints from Ceredigion and 33 from the county of Dyfed.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of goods that may currently be imported into the United Kingdom duty free from both EEC, and non-EEC countries, respectively; and if he will now review these values and the differentials between them to take account of the current rate of inflation.

The duty-free allowance for "other goods"—that is, for goods other than tobacco products, alcoholic drinks, perfume and toilet water—which a passenger has obtained duty and tax paid in an EEC country is £50. For goods obtained duty and tax free in the EEC or obtained, whether duty and tax free or not, outside the EEC the limit is £10.These limits are in accordance with our EEC obligations and the United King

				1970	1976
Australia	…	…	…	676 dollars (310)	4,697 dollars (3,200)
Austria	…	…	…	42,190 schillings (680)	92,760 schillings (2,850)
Belgium	…	…	…	84,080 francs (710)	137,040 francs (1,960)
Canada	…	…	…	2,738 dollars (1,090)	6,691 dollars (3,710)
Denmark	…	…	…	11,500 kroner (640)	23,600 kroner (2,170)
Finland	…	…	…	6,800 finmark (680)	27,500 finmark (3,990)
France	…	…	…	13,380 francs (1,010)	30,410 francs (3,520)
Germany	…	…	…	9,370 deutschmarks (1,070)	9,090 deutschmarks (2,000)
Greece	…	…	…	55,285 drachma (770)	112,900 drachma (1,710)
Iceland	…	…	…	Insufficient information available
Ireland	…	…	…	–940	£1,540
Italy	…	…	…	300,000 lira (200)	2,040,000 lira (1,360)
Japan	…	…	…	600,000 yen (950)	2,108,000 yen (3,950)
Japan (local)	…	…	…	400,000 yen (640)	1,500,000 yen (2,810)
Luxembourg	…	…	…	126,530 francs (1,060)	297,600 francs (3,970)
Netherlands	…	…	…	10,000 florins (1,150)	12,125 florins (2,540)
New Zealand	…	…	…	820 dollars (380)	1,587 dollars (890)
Norway	…	…	…	29,400 kroner (1,730)	35,600 kroner (3,720)
Norway (local)	…	…	…	9,000 kroner (530)	11,110 kroner (1,130)
Portugal	…	…	…	30,000 escudos (430)	50,000 escudos (920)
Spain	…	…	…	108,700 pesetas (650)	112,740 pesetas (935)
Sweden	…	…	…	9,600 kroner (770)	28,750 kroner (4,370)
Sweden (local)	…	…	…	5,000 kroner (400)	11,625 kroner (1,480)
Switzerland	…	…	…	13,685 francs (1,330)	15,430 francs (3,430)
Switzerland (local)	…	…	…	7,370 francs (720)	10,105 francs (2,250)
Turkey	…	…	…	4,780 lira (170)	4,780 lira (160)
United Kingdom	…	…	…	–695	–1,685
United States of America	…	…	…	3,600 dollars (1,500)	6,850 dollars (3,810)

asked the Chancellor of the Excheqeuer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for the United Kingdom the percentage of

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer at what level a married man with two children came into tax in 1945, 1950, 1955, 1960, 1965, 1970 and 1976 in the United Kingdom and each of the OECD countries.

Figures for the years prior to 1970 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The figures for 1970 and 1976 are as follows:income absorbed by income tax for a married man with two children under 11 years of age earning (

At the rates of tax for 1977, the figures are as follows:

	(a) Average UK weekly earnings	(b) twice average	(c) three times average
Australia	8·3	21·8	30·0
Belgium	7·8	17·5	24·8
	(8·3)	(18·5)	(26·2)
Denmark	6·1	14·2	20·5
	(16·4)	(31·4)	(40·1)
France	0·8	6·2	9·9
Germany	8·5	15·4	20·3
Ireland	17·5	27·1	37·9
Italy	10·0	17·4	21·6
Japan	0	3·5	6·6
	(0·6)	(6·3)	(11·4)
Luxembourg	0	7·5	14·4
Netherlands	5·4	14·0	22·5
UK	22·4	27·1	35·2
USA	1·9	10·4	15·4
	(1·9)	(12·3)	(18·8)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what compensation payments are still outstanding to the former owners of each of the nationalised industries.

There are still payments outstanding in respect of the nationalisation of British Aerospace and British Shipbuilders. Compensation has still to be negotiated for those securities in the companies nationalised under the terms of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977 which did not have a stock exchange listing during the relevant period.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the total number of permanent staff employed in the Inland Revenue for each year since 1945 and for the latest available date; and what was the total number of people paying direct taxes and the number of Revenue employees per direct taxpayer.

The figures are given in the following table:

	Staff in post at end of year*	Estimated number of taxpayers†('000s)	Number or staff per 10,000 taxpayers
1944–45	35,745	14,500	25
1945–46	43,848	15,250	29
1946–47	49,283	14,000	35
1947–48	49,266	14,600	34
1948–49	49,507	14,500	34
1949–50	49,759	15,050	33
1950–51	52,998	15,800	34
1951–52	53,260	16,150	33
1952–53	51,756	15,400	34
1953–54	51,653	15,900	32
1954–55	50,533	16,550	31
1955–56	51,493	16,300	32
1956–57	51,466	17,100	30
1957–58	52,214	17,350	30
1958–59	52,981	17,690	30
1959–60	55,672	18,370	30
1960–61	58,168	19,250	30
1961–62	57,253	19,850	29
1962–63	58,270	20,130	29
1963–64	58,022	17,810	33
1964–65	57,708	18,490	31
1965–66	59,518	19,330	31
1966–67	62,700	19,960	32
1967–68	65,714	20,010	33
1968–69	65,468	20,720	32
1969–70	68,632	20,570	33
1970–71	69,791	20,040	35
1971–72	71,954	19,680	37
1972–73	70,713	18,930	37
1973–74	69,802	19,810	35
1974–75	74,196	20,530	36
1975–76	80,285	20,950	38
1976–77	83,885	21,150‡	40
1977–78	84,963	20,400‡	42
*These are the numbers of permanent staff at 1st April in each year (3rd January for 1978). They do not include staff serving on short period engagements but do include staff, particularly in the valuation offices, who are not normally concerned with the assessment and collection of the direct taxes.
†These are the numbers paying income tax married couples being counted as one, but excluding companies. Most of those paying the other direct taxes, capital gains tax, estate duty etc., also pay income tax but the numbers who do not are not known. This therefore appears to be the best estimate that can be made of the number of people paying direct taxes. The figures do not reflect the substantial growth in the number liable to income tax at the higher rates and to the investment income surcharge, and in the number of working wives.
‡Provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements are to be made to give effect to the proposed programme for insulating public sector dwellings; and if he will make a statement.

In Scotland the programme is intended to bring some 40,000 public sector dwellings a year up to a basic minimum standard of thermal insulation at an estimated annual cost of £4 million. Local authorities and other interested bodies will be consulted on the arrangements for advising and monitoring the programme.