asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he intends to put forward to reduce unemployment in East Cheshire.

East Cheshire will continue to benefit from the special employment measures which the Government have introduced to alleviate the unemployment brought by the present economic recession. So far, an estimated 2,000 persons have been assisted in the Macclesfield and Congleton employment office areas. Further benefits, particularly for young people, should result in coming months from the youth opportunities programme and the special temporary

UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFIT FUND
Year		Investigated	Proceedings Considered	Authorised	Prosecutions completed by the Department
1975	…	11,583	5,939	1,947	1,659
1976	…	17,523	11,263	3,177	2,348
1977 (to 1st November)	…	17,497	11,331	3,504	Not available

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will initiate legal proceedings against any employer of physically or mentally disabled people who is breaking the law regarding the payment or conditions of physically or mentally disabled workers.

Statutory requirements on pay and conditions apply only to workers in scope of wages councils and boards. Where a worker is affected by infirmity or physical incapacity, the Wages Councils Act provides for payment of an individually fixed rate below the standard minimum, on the authority of the appropriate wages council. Normal enforcement and prosecution policy applies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many of the 166 disabled people reported to have participated in the job introduction scheme by the end of December 1977, Official Report, 17th January 1978, have been employment programme. I hope that all concerned—employers, trade unionists, local authorities, voluntary organisations and private individuals—will co-operate fully in coming forward with suitable proposals and projects.As an assisted area, East Cheshire will also stand to benefit, in the longer term, from the regional incentives available to firms expanding or moving there.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of fraud in claiming benefit were investigated by his Department; and how many were found to be fraudulent in each of the last three years.

The information presently available is as follows:—retained by their employers after the six-week trial period;(2) if he will list the numbers of disabled workers employed in (

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent the statement by the President of the European Commission that between the present and 1985 the current 6½ million unemployed in the Common Market will increase to 15½ million will affect Great Britain's employment situation.

I am not aware of any statement by the European Economic Commission that unemployment in the Community will rise to 15½ million in 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what advice he is able to give to a firm which is not allowed to increase its wages sufficiently to induce people to take up work rather than draw unemployment benefit.

I should advise any employer who believes he is having difficulties about recruiting employees to contact his local jobcentre or employment office.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of people employed in the construction industry at the present time; and what is the estimated projection over the next 12 months.

It is estimated that in December 1977 1,235,000 workers were employed in the construction industry in Great Britain.Private sector orders have been increasing and these, together with the additional funds allocated to the construction industry—which were announced by the Government during 1977—should lead to increased employment. It is not possible, however, to forecast how quickly and to what extent new jobs will arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has given advice to employers in the construction industry to use certain predictions of investment and employment in that industry as a bargaining factor in negotiations about flexibility with employees.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to present a Press charter to Parliament as he is committed to do under the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Amendment) Act.

I am currently engaged in consultations on this subject in accordance with the requirements of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Amendment) Act 1976. I cannot yet say when it will be possible to lay a draft charter before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the ban under the Public Order Act 1936 is intended to apply to peaceful picketing in the Metropolitan Police district.

The order that has been made by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, with my consent, under Section 3(3) of the Public Order Act 1936 prohibits all public processions other than those of a religious, educational, festive or ceremonial character customarily held within the Metropolitan Police district for the next two months. Processions in contemplation or furtherance of a trade dispute would contravene the order, but the right to attend for the purposes of peaceful picketing is not affected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report the best information or estimates available to him of (a) the number of persons in each parliamentary constituency eligible to register as Service voters, (b) the number of persons in each parliamentary constituency who have registered as Service voters and (c) the percentage in the case of each parliamentary constituency of those eligible to register as Service voters who have in fact done so.

Estimtates of (a) and (c) are not available for individual constituencies. The number of Service voters on the 1978 register in each parliamentary constituency will be published by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys later this year in an OPCS monitor on electoral statistics.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements he proposes to adopt to give effect to the next increases in television licence fees; and when he expects the increases will come into operation.

I have not yet made any decision about any possible increase in the television licence fees. When I announced the increases on 30th July 1977, I indicated that they were intended to last for at least a year. It may, therefore, be necessary to increase the fees before the end of this year and I take this opportunity of stating that any such increases will come into effect at midnight of the day on which they are announced, with the same procedure that I adopted last year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table to show the number of crimes of violence in the Metropolitan Police District for each of the past 15 years.

The area of the Metropolitan Police district has altered since 1962, the main changes being the absorption of the borough of Romford and Hornchurch urban district from 1st April 1965, and the taking over of the policing of Heathrow Airport from the British Airports Constabulary on 1st November 1974.The information is as follows:

INDICTABLE OFFENCES OF VIOLENCE AGAINST THE PERSON RECORDED BY THE METROPOLITAN POLICE
Year			Number
1962	…	…	3,299
1963	…	…	3,533
1964	…	…	4,002
1965	…	…	4,320
1966	…	…	4,841
1967	…	…	5,502
1968	…	…	5,654
1969	…	…	7,130
1970	…	…	7,356
1971	…	…	7,778
1972	…	…	8,261
1973	…	…	9,368
1974	…	…	9,585
1975	…	…	10,967
1976	…	…	12,245

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when an immigrant into the United Kingdom ceases to be classified as an immigrant for official purposes.

For immigration control purposes the term "immigrant" has no special meaning, and people are not officially classified as "immigrants" under the Immigration Act 1971 or the Immigration Rules.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he considers proceedings issued before the European Commission of Human Rights to be legal proceedings such as to entitle the prisoner to the privilege contained in Rule 37A(i) of the Prison Rules 1964 as amended; and, if not, why not.

I am advised that Prison Rule 37A(1) does not apply to correspondence between a prisoner and his legal adviser in connection with the consideration, examination and investigation of his petition by the European Commission of Human Rights under Articles 25 to 28 of the European Convention on Human Rights, on the grounds that the functions performed by the Commission under these Articles do not amount to legal proceedings as that expression is used in the rule.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning the instructions sent out by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to police stations that they should not in future provide information to insurance companies and loss adjusters with respect to the recovery of stolen property.

Four letters have been received about the decision of chief officers of police, whose responsibility this is, that routine information can no longer be supplied to insurance companies in connection with loss, theft or burglaries.

asked the Lord Advocate if there is an intention to prosecute certain bodies in respect of pollution of the River Ayr in the area near the former Kames colliery, Muirkirk.

The procurator fiscal at Ayr has investigated a case of pollution of the River Ayr near the former Kames Colliery, Muirkirk, and he has submitted a report to me. I have studied the report and I have decided there should be no criminal proceedings.

asked the Lord Advocate, of the 22 persons under the age of 17 years arrested at the premier league football match in Paisley on Saturday 14th January, how many have been found guilty, how many found innocent or the charges not proven, how many are still awaiting trial, and in how many cases proceedings have been abandoned.

Of the 22 persons arrested, 11 pled guilty and were dealt with by the sheriff. One pled guilty and was remitted by the sheriff to the children's panel for disposal. Five pled not guilty and are awaiting trial. The remaining five did not appear in court but were referred by the procurator fiscal to the reporter to the children's panel.

asked the Lord President of the Council what investigation has been made by the Government in connection with its devolution policies to find out which countries in the world have devolved legislation powers to a part, but only a part, of the country; and in which countries such an arrangement was found to exist.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to his intervention on this matter during the Third Reading of the Scotland Bill.—[Vol. 944, c. 1597–8.]

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will refer to the appropriate Select Committee the failures of the House internal communication system.

The Services Committee already gives considerable time to the study of proposals put before it for improvements in communications. If the hon. Member has a particular proposal in mind I shall be glad to hear from him.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will take action to ensure that British bacon instead of Danish bacon is served in the House restaurants and cafeteria.

I have been asked to reply.British bacon has been difficult to obtain, but a special supply will be available from the beginning of March.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what industrial expansion he expects to provide in Consett and Stanley, County Durham, in the next financial year.

Regional selective assistance has been offered to date under Section 7 of the Industry Act 1972 to 10 projects located in Consett and Stanley which are expected to provide 380 new jobs in the year ending March 1979. Fur-the industrial expansion in the area is being encouraged by the wide range of regional and other incentives available from my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what percentage of ancillary work on the Polish ship order is to be handled by British firms; and what percentage is going abroad.

The purchase of material and equipment for this order is a matter for the shipbuilders concerned. I understand that most of the orders have now been placed and British Shipbuilders does not expect the total placed outside the United Kingdom to exceed 14 per cent, of its total costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what conclusions he has drawn from the latest report from the Select Committee on Nationalised Industries on the relationship between the British Steel Corporation and his Department; and if he will make a statement.

The Government will give their views on the Select Committee's reports after urgent consideration and in the form of a White Paper, in line with the normal procedures.I shall also make a statement to Parliament about the prospects for BSC before the House rises for the Easter Recess.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he last met the Chairman of the British Aerospace Corporation.

My right hon. Friend last met the chairman on 8th February.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied with the impact of regional policy in the Northern Region.

But for the help given by the Government, unemployment in the North would be far higher.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many approaches he has received from trade unions requesting him to serve preliminary notices or orders under Part IV of the Industry Act 1975, requiring the disclosure of information from manufacturing companies; and how many notices or orders he has issued since the Act came into force.

None.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the Government intend to give any further financial assistance to the Meriden Workers' Co-operative.

Any application for assistance received from Meriden Motorcycles Ltd. will be considered against the established criteria and in the light of the circumstances at the time.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry in how many cases his Department has guaranteed with the joint stock banks overdrafts granted to the motor industry; and what were the sums issued and the number of years for which the guarantee holds.

In 1974 and 1975 guarantees were given for borrowing facilities of up to £100 million made available to British Leyland by the banks. These guarantees were extinguished in November 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to conclude another planning agreement in the private sector.

I share the concern implicit in my hon. Friend's Question. The lack of positive response from industry to this important aspect of Government industrial policy is deeply disappointing. However, we remain firmly committed to the planning agreement concept and exploratory discussions with a number of companies in a wide range of industries continue. Announcements about progress in individual cases will be made as circumstances permit.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will take steps to ensure that investment in the special steel section of industry is maintained.

Substantial investment is continuing to take place in both the public and private sectors of the special steels industry. The private sector benefits from the various forms of Government assistance available to encourage United Kingdom industrial investment generally.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to negotiate a planning agreement with the cutlery industry.

Planning agreements are not negotiated with sectors of industry, but with individual companies. However, as my hon. Friend is aware, there have already been discussions between the Government and both sides of the industry, and a study is now being undertaken which will provide further opportunities for tripartite consideration. If this consideration were to suggest that planning agreements with individual companies would help the industry to increase its efficiency and competitiveness, the Government would be anxious to engage in discussions to this end.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what schemes he has introduced to assist small businesses with regard specifically to working capital.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to him on 23rd February 1978.—[Vol. 944, c. 785.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will introduce an amendment to the Post Office Act 1969 which will compel the Post Office to operate a Sunday collection of the mail.

No. One of the purposes of the Post Office Act 1969 was to afford the Post Office a broad measure of autonomy in such operational matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will review regional policy, with particular reference to industrial development certificates, in relationship to its effect upon inner city area policy.

The Government's regional policy already takes full account of inner city policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what quantity of sperm whale oil imported in the first six months of 1977 originated in non-member States of the International Whaling Commission; and if, in view of that body's recent resolution deprecating such trade, he will now prohibit such imports.

Although monthly total quantities and values for sperm oil imports are published, country details are suppressed to prevent disclosure of confidential commercial information. But I understand that nearly all the sperm oil imported into the United Kingdom origin- ates in countries which are members of the International Whaling Commission (IWC), and that it is many years since the major importers here obtained supplies from non-member States.At the last meeting of the IWC the United States of America put forward a resolution calling for a ban on the importation of whale products from non-IWC countries, and the resolution was accepted by the Commission. The resolution represents an obligation to take action, and Commissioners are required to report at the next annual meeting on measures taken by their Governments to give effect to the resolution. Preliminary reports are due to be with the Commission by 14th April 1978.It may be that our international trade agreements will make the implementation of this resolution difficult, and this matter is being considered by the Government's legal advisers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what figures he has conveniently available to indicate the amount of Government grant to firms operating out of Sullom Voe, an account of their operation in Sullom Voe.

No regional development grants or other forms of regional assistance administered by my Department have so far been made available to any company which will operate at Sullom Voe.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list all the districts in England which have been given derelict land clearance area status, together with the derelict and despoiled acreage in each case.

The geographical units used for designating derelict land clearance areas—DLCAs—are the employment office areas—EOA. All the present DLCAs were designated in 1970 and adjoin the assisted areas in the West and East Midlands. The EOAs concerned are:

• Arnold
• Bakewell
• Basford and Bulwell
• Beeston
• Belper
• Biddulph
• Burslem
• Cheadle
• Derby
• Hanley
• Hucknall
• Ilkeston
• Kidsgrove
• Leek
• Long Eaton
• Longton
• Mansfield
• Matlock
• Netherfield
• Newark
• Newcastle-under-Lyme
• Nottingham
• Retford
• Stoke-on-Trent
• Stone

Details of derelict and despoiled land are given in the Survey of Derelict and Despoiled Land in England 1974 produced by the Department of the Environment. Figures about the extent of derelict land are available for individual local authority districts, although those for mineral workings, the largest category of despoiled land, are available only for counties. The amounts of derelict and despoiled land in the local authority areas which most nearly correspond to the EOAs listed above are:

DESPOILED LAND
(Figures at 1st April 1974)
					Hectares
County			Mineral workings where work is in progress	Abandoned mineral workings: restoration conditions unfulfilled	Area in use for refuse tipping
Derbyshire	…	…	2,292	43	259
Nottinghamshire	…	…	2,103	50	138
Staffordshire	…	…	2,562	13	462

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what consideration he has given to the effects on the viability and competiveness of small industrial undertakings of the price of gas required by them for the conduct of their operations; and if he will make a statement.

The price of gas is only one element in the cost structure of small companies. Gas is competitive with other fuels and I have no evidence to suggest that tariffs discriminate unfairly against the small industrial user.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if officials of his

Derelict Land
(Figures at 1st April 1974)
		Total Dereliction
District		Hectares
Amber Valley1	…	398
Bolsover1	…	181
Derby	…	96
Erewash	…	124
South Derbyshire2	…	59
West Derbyshire	…	325
Derbyshire (total)3	…	1797
Ashfield1	…	102
Bassetlaw1	…	208
Broxtowe1	…	59
Gedling	…	37
Mansfield	…	85
Newark2	…	184
Nottingham	…	101
Rushcliffe	…	71
Nottinghamshire (total)	…	847
Newcastle under Lyme2	…	273
Stafford2	…	173
Staffordshire Moorlands	…	195
Stoke-on-Trent	…	517
Staffordshire (total)3	…	1934

NOTES

No. The choice of equipment most suitable for a project's success, and hence to achieve the purposes for which assistance in any form is provided, lies with the applicant company. British suppliers have a full and fair opportunity to meet orders arising from assisted projects, and in general secure some 75 per cent, of such orders.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek to amend the Post Office Act so as to enable him to instruct the Post Office Staff Superannuation Fund to cease investing in foreign property speculative ventures.

No. The trustees of the fund must remain responsible for investment which they consider to be in the best interests of their members.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is aware that the undertaking to review the rules under which the regional development grants scheme is operated is causing uncertainty for those making investment decisions; and if he will make a statement.

In reply to the recommendation—H. of C. Paper 536—by the Committee of Public Accounts that the application and scope of the system of regional development grants should be reviewed, the Treasury Minute of 16th November 1977 undertook that the rules under which the scheme is operated would be reviewed bearing in mind the considerations to which the Committee had drawn attention and also the importance to the scheme of simple, objective criteria and continuity in the incentive offered. The review has been completed. I have now to inform the House of the outcome.Given the automatic and responsive character of the scheme as prescribed by Part I of the Industry Act 1972, it would not be practicable to introduce new rules which would reduce its scope further. Nor are the Government prepared to alter its application in ways which would put at risk important objectives of their industrial strategy. Accordingly, apart from some minor changes designed to prevent abuse of the qualifying premises concept on which the scheme is based, and to which the Public Accounts Committee drew attention, no alteration to the rules of the scheme as it is currently administered is envisaged. This statement will, I trust, remove any uncertainty caused by the undertaking to conduct the review.

asked the Attorney-General how many times during the year 1977 he exercised his powers of entering a nolle prosequi in relation to criminal trials; how many times he used his relator powers during the same year; and what were the corresponding figures for 1976.

In 1977 I directed the entry of a nolle prosequi in six cases and I authorised eight relator actions. The corresponding figure for 1976 was four in each case.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he is making to meet the cost of assistance by the Armed Services to agriculture in the South-West and Wales following the recent severe weather.

In the exceptional circumstances, my Ministry will meet the appropriate part of the cost in cases where assistance is justified and is sponsored by my officials on the spot. Parliamentary approval for this expenditure will be sought by means of a Supplementary Estimate in due course. In the meantime, any necessary expenditure will be met by drawings on the Contingencies Fund. The expenditure will be contained within planned control totals and will rest on the authority of the Estimate and the confirming Appropriation Act.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, in view of the loss of production to farmers and the nation resulting from the recent weather conditions in the South-West of England, he will, as soon as the extent of the damage is known, make some compensation available to assist farming production to restart again.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment made clear on 23rd February —[Vol. 944, c. 1708–24]—it is too early to assess fully the damage to farming in the South-West, but my officials have been asked to do so as a matter of urgency. I am considering the implications as more information becomes available.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what help is available from the EEC for persons employed in the fishing industry who lose their jobs through the operation of the common fisheries policy.

Assistance is available from the European Social Fund for schemes to retrain some categories of redundant workers, including fishermen.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for special redundancy payments to be made to those persons in the fishing industry who have lost their jobs due to the difficulties caused to the industry by the imposition of new fishing limits.

It would be inappropriate for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment, and Fisheries Ministers to make any such plans in isolation from discussions in the EEC about future fishing opportunities and a common policy for the structural development of the fishing industries of member States.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if, in view of the 7½ per cent. devaluation of the green pound, he will undertake to resist any upward revision of prices of agricultural produce that may be proposed at the current year's annual Common Market review of farm prices.

My right hon. Friend has always made clear that he will press for the maximum degree of price restraint.

asked the Attorney-General what discussions have already taken place in the EEC Council of Ministers concerning the reciprocal enforcement of court judgments, as proposed in Council Document R/2962/76; and when these proposals are likely to be considered again.

No discussions have taken place in the EEC Council of Ministers on the proposed arrangements for the accession of the new member States to the EEC Judgments Convention contained in Council Document R/2962/76. These proposals will next be considered by a working party of experts on 10th-14th April 1978.

asked the Attorney-General which, if any, of the organisations and bodies named in his Written Answer, Official Report, 25th January, column 607, have made objections to, or criticisms of, the terms contained in EEC Council Document R/2963/76 concerning reciprocal enforcement of court judgments in member States.

When the organisations and bodies to which my hon. Friend refers were asked for their views, it was expressly stated that the consultations should be treated as of a confidential nature, and I am not therefore at liberty to answer my hon. Friend's Question.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the present quantity of Portuguese timber imports into the United Kingdom compared with previous years; and what estimates he has of the effects of these and other imports on the home industry.

Following are the figures for imports of softwood, hardwood, woodbased panels, other timber and simply worked wood consigned from Portugal:

					Thousand tonnes
1974	…	…	…	…	305
1975	…	…	…	…	151
1976	…	…	…	…	290
1977	…	…	…	…	314

These imports are not at present having a significant effect on the home market although reduced demand has led to some overcapacity in many sectors of the European wood processing industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if he will apply the same sanctions against companies and firms engaged in (a) importing from and (b) exporting to Chile as are currently being applied to enforcement of the Government's incomes policy;

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to receive the Bank of England report on the proposed council for the securities industry.

At a meeting on 27th January at which we discussed the proposed council for the securities industry, the Governor of the Bank of England told my right hon. Friend that he hoped to announce details of the scheme in March.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will list in the Official Report the total value of United Kingdom imports from all sources in 1977, the total value of imports from Lomé countries in 1977 and the second figure as a percentage of the first.

Total United Kingdom imports in 1977 were valued at £36,493 million cif of which £1,454 million cif, or 4·0 per cent, by value, were consigned from the African, Caribbean and Pacific states which are currently parties to the Convention of Lomé.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if officials of his Department are authorised, when considering requests from manufacturers for loans from public funds, to make approval conditional upon the purchase of machine tools or other equipment of British origin, rather than from other EEC countries.

No, nor would such a condition be compatible with our international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is aware that arrangements are being made by the Israeli Minister of Finance, Mr. Simha Ehrlich, with the South African Govern- ment to provide access to the EEC for South African goods which would be finished in Israel and therefore exportable to the EEC by reason of the trade advantages available to Israel; and what is his policy with regard to this.

Exports from Israel to the EEC receive the tariff preferences set out in the 1975 EEC/Israel trade agreement only if the origin requirements set out in that agreement are satisfied.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how he accounts for the unreliability of his Department's recent statistics on mail order trading.

Statistics of mail order for the period April to December 1977 were incorrect because of reporting errors in the returns made to the Business Statistics Office in the monthly retail sales inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many bankruptcies occurred in each of the years 1974 to 1977.

The relevant information, which is for receiving orders made in England and Wales, was published in Trade and Industry for 3rd February 1978, page 249, a copy of which is in the library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what consultations are taking place which pertain to the implementation of the policy outlined in the White Paper on airports strategy.

I am visiting the principal airports in England and Wales to explain the Government's policy and to discuss with those concerned the decisions in the White Paper. Local authority associations, the Civil Aviation Authority and others concerned will be consulted shortly about future developments.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many limited companies (a) public (b) private, and (c) limited by guarantee, were newly registered within the latest convenient 12 months; and how many of such types of companies were struck off the register within the similar period.

					(c) Limited by guarantee
			(a) Public	(b) Private	Public	Private
England and Wales	…	…	188	52,579	188	391
Scotland	…	…	14	2,296	14	9
			202	54,875	202	400
The figures in column (a) do not include public companies formed during the year by conversion from private companies, which is the usual method. The figures in (c) are included in (a) and (b).

The numbers of limited companies struck off the register during 1977 were as follows:

		(a) Public	(b) Private
England and Wales	…	10	31,591
Scotland	…	5	1,178
		15	32,769
Separate information relating to companies limited by guarantee is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the present capital value of the Air Travel Reserve Fund; what is the annual income; what payments have been made from the fund over the past year, and how it is proposed to distribute the balance.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies which I gave to the hon. Members for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Dodsworth) and Ashfield (Mr. Smith) on 14th November and 5th December respectively. The annual report and accounts of the Air Travel Reserve Fund Agency were laid before the House on 26th January. The fund will continue to be available to meet claims arising from the financial failure of licensed air travel organisers.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how far the Heathrow air traffic control zone extends west of London Airport; and to what extent military aircraft are allowed to operate within the zone in peacetime.

I assume that the Question refers to the London control zone which extends 14 nautical miles to the west of Heathrow airport. Military aircraft are allowed to operate within the London control zone under the same con-

The number of limited companies newly registered during 1977 were as follows:ditions as apply to civil aircraft and normally follow the same procedures.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether it is his policy that operations at Liverpool Airport should be confined to third level services as defined in the White Paper on airports policy.

No. The White Paper explained that the definitions of airport categories should be interpreted flexibly since they would not necessarily be precisely relevant to all airports. It suggested that Liverpool airport might continue to provide broadly the same range of services as at present and forecast that traffic might increase to 1 million passengers a year in 1990 compared with 355,000 in 1976.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will provide a list of the salaries payable to the chairmen, vice-chairmen and members of boards of the various nationalised industries, with the comparable figures for the period immediately prior to 28th February 1974.

It is not possible within the time available to provide information for each board, but in general the full-time salaries of chairmen, deputy chairmen and board members were in February 1974 within the following ranges:

		£
British Steel Corporation
Chairman	…	28,100
Deputy Chairman	…	22,600–25,600
Board Member	…	16,600–21,600

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the vacancies which exist for chairmen, vice-chairmen and members of boards of nationalised industries and indicate in each case the length of time that the post has been unfilled.

Management responsibility for filling vacant posts in the nationalised industries lies with the board and the appropriate sponsoring departmental Minister. Information giving the details of vacancies, or about the length of time posts have been unfilled, is not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the anticipated effect of the current wage round on prices towards the end of 1978.

Income from employment accounts for about half of total final expenditure, and the effects of pay settlements on prices reflect this after a lag of up to a year. Eventually, a given increase in earnings is likely to produce an equal increase in prices. It is difficult to be exact about how much of the effect will have worked through by a particular point of time.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will refer to the Price Commission the price of domestic gas.

I see no reason to do so. The hon. Member will recall the announcement on 10th February that gas prices are not expected to increase before 1st April 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection to what extent he estimates the 10 per cent, rise in industrial coal prices on 1st March and the similar increases in domestic prices on 1st November will increase the cost of living.

Increases in industrial and domestic coal prices in March and November are estimated eventually to add about ¼ per cent, to the retail price index. By itself, the November increase to domestic consumers will add 0·1 per cent, to the all-items index.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will list the persons and organisations to whom he has sent for comment the proposed cosmetic products regulations he intends to make in implementation of the Council directive of the European Community; and if he will indicate the persons and organisations on that list who are qualified to give expert opinions on possible harmful effects of certain chemicals in cosmetics.

Some 270 interested bodies were consulted about the draft cosmetic regulations, including such bodies as the Medical Research Council and the Department of Cancer Research at Birmingham University. And my Department has been advised on the content of both the EEC directive and the implementing regulations by expert ad-

Name	Appointment expires	Salary/Fee £ per annum	Other Public Office known to the Department
Mr. Michael Shanks (Chairman)	16th October 1980	4,066	—
Mrs. Joan Macintosh (Deputy Chairman).	16th September 1979	3,912–8	Chairman, Scottish Consumer Council.*
Ms. Beata Lipman	30th April 1979	750	Chairwoman, Welsh Consumer Council.*
Councillor Richard Knowles	30th April 1979	750	—
Mr. Brendon Sewill	30th April 1979	750	—
Mr. Alexander Crawford	30th April 1979	750	Member, Southern Electricity Consultative Council.
Mrs. Patricia Lambert	30th April 1979	750	—
Mrs. Joan Young	30th April 1979	750	—
The Rt. Hon. Lord Peddie	30th April 1979	750	Chairman, Post Office Users National Council.
Baroness Phillips	30th April 1979	750	—
Mrs. Rachel Waterhouse	30th April 1980	750	Member, Price Commission, Potato Marketing Board, Home Office Working Party on Shoplifting, Advisory Committee on Asbestos.
Mr. Christopher Holmes	30th April 1980	750	—
Mrs. Dorette McAuslan	30th April 1980	750	Deputy Chairman, West Midlands Gas Consumers' Council.
Dr. Hylda Armstrong	30th April 1979	750	Chairman, Northern Ireland Consumer Council.
Mr. J. Maxwood	30th April 1980	750	Deputy Chairman, Metrication Board; Member, Policy Holders Protection Board, Food Hygiene Advisory Council, Consumers Committee of the Agricultural Marketing Acts.
Mr. Michael Barnes	30th April 1980	750	Chairman, Electricity Consumers' Council.
All members of the Council receive travelling and subsistence expenses at Civil Service rates.
* This appointment carries a salary of £750 per annum which is paid out of NCC funds.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what recommendations he has received from the Consumer Council since its inception; and what action he has taken.

I assume that in this and the three other Questions which the hon. Member has asked he is referring to the National Consumer Council and not to the Consumer Council, which the pre-

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will set out in the Official Report the names of the members of the Consumer Council, the remuneration they have received by way of salary, fees or expenses from public funds, what other public offices they hold and the date of expiry of their appointments.

The information is as follows:vious Administration, of which he was a member, so precipitately abandoned.It would be impracticable either to list the numerous recommendations which my right hon. Friend has received from the National Consumer Council since its inception or to detail his responses to them. I would attempt to provide a more helpful answer should the hon. Member have a specific area of consumer policy in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will set out in the Official Report details of the activities of the Consumer Council which are not covered by other consumer organisations.

In all its work, the National Consumer Council is concerned not to duplicate unnecessarily the work of other consumer organisations. Its objective is to fulfil its role, foreseen in the White Paper on the National Consumers Agency (Cmnd 5726), as an independent national consumer body able to provide a balanced and authoritative view when decisions affecting the consumer are taken. In this, I believe that it has been remarkably successful.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what is the cost to public funds of the Consumer Council since its formation to the latest convenient date.

The National Consumer Council has received £1,171,900

STABEX TRANSFERS TO ACP STATES IN 1976
Recipient ACP State				Product				Million units of account
Benin	…	…	…	Cotton	…	…	…	2·750
				Palm oil	…	…	…	·766
Cameroon	…	…	…	Cocoa butter	…	…	…	·464
Central African Empire	…	…	…	Sawn wood	…	…	…	·550
Comoros	…	…	…	Copra	…	…	…	·287
Fiji	…	…	…	Copra oil	…	…	…	1·450
Guinea Bissau	…	…	…	Groundnuts	…	…	…	4·442
				Palm nuts	…	…	…	·627
Madagascar	…	…	…	Sisal	…	…	…	1·763
				Cloves	…	…	…	1·140
Niger	…	…	…	Groundnut oil	…	…	…	6·756
				Groundnut oilcake	…	…	…	·153
Uganda	…	…	…	Tea	…	…	…	1·400
				Cotton	…	…	…	2·250
Western Samoa	…	…	…	Copra	…	…	…	1·332
				Timber	…	…	…	·350
Sierra Leone	…	…	…	Iron ore	…	…	…	3·977
Tanzania	…	…	…	Sisal	…	…	…	5·165
Tonga	…	…	…	Copra	…	…	…	·832
				Bananas	…	…	…	·720
				Total	…	…	…	37·174

STABEX TRANSFERS TO DEPENDENCIES IN 1976
Recipient Dependency					Product					Million units of account
Gilbert Islands	…	…	…	…	Copra	…	…	…	…	·286
New Hebrides	…	…	…	…	Copra	…	…	…	…	·327
Solomon Islands	…	…	…	…	Copra	…	…	…	…	1·274
Afars and Issas	…	…	…	…	Hides and skins	…	…	…	…	·265
					Total	…	…	…	…	2·152

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will list in the Official Report the most up-to-date figures available for 1977 of disbursements from the Stabex Fund, showing the recipient countries and the products concerned.

The deadline for submission by the ACP of requests for Stabex transfers for 1977 will be 31st March 1978. After that date the Commission will circulate details of all requests to member States of the Community.Details of Stabex transfers for 1975 were given to my hon. Friend on 13th October 1976.—[Vol. 917, c.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether she will take steps to ensure that, in view of the renewed agreement on co-operation announced on 20th January, the advisers to be sent to assist the Paraguayan beef industry will not be confined to multinational corporations such as Brooke Bond Liebig but will also benefit the peasant farmer.

There appears to be a misunderstanding here. Our technical co-operation programme with Paraguay operates under an agreement made in 1972, and no new agreement is envisaged. We are not sending out additional technical co-operation officers to assist the Paraguayan beef industry. Our present livestock programme there is as described in my reply on 14th February to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, Central (Mr. McNamara).—[Vol. 944, c. 163.]

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent her Department has offices, officers and staff employed wholly or mainly on matters connected with immigration; what are the numbers employed and the total wages and salaries payable to those staff; 1o what extent these figures have changed over the past 10 years; and, now that immigration has been reduced to a mere trickle, what plans she has for reducing these offices, staffs and related expenses.

There is none in my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress has been made with regard to the formal negotiations over the pay claim of university teachers, due for implementation on 1st October 1977; and when she expects to be able to make a statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will now make a statement on the progress of the formal negotiations over the pay claim of university teachers which was due for implementation on 1st October 1977.

Negotiations are still in progress on the pay of university teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students there are in full-time higher education establishments in Wales, including the university, teacher-training colleges, polytechnic and technical colleges and other vocational training colleges; and of these, how many it is estimated originate from Wales.

The number of full-time and sandwich students at the University of Wales and on teacher training and other courses of higher education at maintained further education establishments in Wales in the academic year 1976–77—the latest available—was 26,748, of whom about 12,000 were permanently resident in Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in view of the increasing problems of the National Library, she will expedite the construction of the new building in Somers Town.

My right hon. Friend is very conscious of the British Library's need for more suitable accommodation. She hopes to make an announcement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list in the Official Report the number of discretionary grant awards made by each education authority in England and Wales, the average amount of each award and the total amount spent by each local education authority on discretionary grant awards.

Comprehensive information on all discretionary awards is not collected by my Department, but the following table gives details of discretionary awards for further and higher education reported by the authorities as being designed to cover the full cost of fees and maintenance, subject to any deductions made in respect of the students' incomes and those of their parents and spouses. The latest available figures from annual statistical returns are given for each authority.In addition, local education authorities reported 37,500 "lesser value" awards

FULL VALUE DISCRETIONARY AWARDS MADE BY LOCAL EDUCATION AUTHORITIES IN THE ACADEMIC YEAR 1976–77*
Local Education Authority		Number of Awards Current	Expenditure by Local Authority	Average expenditure per award by Local Authority
			(£ thousand)	(£)
GREATER LONDON:
Inner London Education Authority	…	5,501	5,904·8	1,073
Barking	…	45	42·1	936
Barnet*	…	429	262·3	611
Bexley	…	197	118·5	601
Brent*	…	438	309·7	707
Bromley	…	333	244·5	734
Croydon	…	223	173·4	778
Ealing*	…	329	236·1	718
Enfield*	…	164	89·4	545
Haringey	…	369	349·2	946
Harrow	…	259	188·4	727
Havering*	…	166	129·4	780
Hillingdon	…	262	213·3	814
Hounslow	…	138	115·9	840
Kingston-upon-Thames	…	163	133·7	820
Merton	…	183	131·4	718
Newham	…	104	118·8	1,143
Redbridge	…	245	212·4	867
Richmond-upon-Thames	…	284	269·0	947
Sutton*	…	181	124·5	688
Waltham Forest	…	175	186·1	1,063
METROPOLITAN DISTRICTS:
West Midlands:
Birmingham	…	719	491·8	684
Coventry	…	317	259·7	819
Dudley	…	125	82·5	660
Sandwell	…	109	92·6	850
Solihull*	…	136	86·8	638
Walsall	…	161	132·9	825
Wolverhampton	…	131	98·9	755
Merseyside:
Knowsley	…	288	227·6	790
Liverpool	…	521	451·6	867
St Helens	…	110	94·8	862
Sefton"	…	166	143·7	866
Wirral	…	463	265·1	573
Greater Manchester:
Bolton	…	120	115·0	959
Bury	…	187	150·8	806
Manchester	…	328	253·4	773
Oldham	…	88	64·0	727
Rochdale	…	169	111·1	657
Salford	…	183	95·0	519
Stockport	…	327	241·2	738
Tameside	…	75	47·8	637
Trafford	…	252	184·9	734
Wigan	…	150	148·5	990
South Yorkshire:
Barnsley	…	173	122·9	710
Doncaster	…	240	188·0	783
Rotherham	…	119	100·2	842
Sheffield	…	473	373·4	790