asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he has received a report from the Director General of Fair Trading on the outcome of his discussions with the Law Society and the Law Society of Scotland on solicitors' advertising; and if he will make a statement.

The Director General of Fair Trading has now completed the discussions which he was asked to initiate with the solicitors' professional bodies by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State following the reports of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on advertising by solicitors in England and Wales, and in Scotland, published in July 1976. The Director General has discussed changes in the current rules of these bodies which place a general prohibition on advertising and soliciting business, in the light of the recommendations of the Commission that these rules should be terminated subject to certain safeguards. The Director General has reported the outcome of these discussions with the Law Society and the Law Society of Scotland to my right hon. Friend and I have myself discussed with the Law Society the changes to the rules which they are proposing.The Law Society has proposed a relaxation of its rules governing advertising by solicitors. At present local law societies are permitted to place corporate advertisements which make no mention of the names of individuals or practices. The proposed relaxation will take the form of a general waiver from rule 1 of the solicitors' practice rules to enable local law societies to publish in local newspapers information about individual firms of solicitors. Under these proposals the information may now include their names and addresses and the type of work undertaken or not undertaken. Such advertisements may not be placed more frequently than monthly, though the possibility of greater frequency is under consideration.The Law Society also proposes that new entrants and other solicitors opening new or branch offices will no longer be prohibited from announcing the fact in the non-legal Press; in future they will be able to advertise on two occasions in one or more national papers and in papers of the locality or region. The Law Society is giving consideration to increasing the number of advertisements to that to be allowed in Scotland.The success of these proposals will depend on the extent to which the waiver is used. The Law Society has said that it will announce the waiver in the Law Society Gazette, and that it will use its powers of persuasion to encourage local law societies to advertise on behalf of their members. The freedom of neighbourhood law centres to advertise will continue to be dealt with by individual waiver. The Law Society is also taking further steps to improve the usefulness of the legal aid solicitors lists which are intended to assist in referring to solicitors those eligible for legal aid; more than 80 per cent. of all firms in England and Wales were included in the 1978 edition of the lists, which are available in a number of public places such as citizens' advice bureaux, local authority offices, and public libraries.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when he expects to receive the report of the Price Commission on the pricing policy of the Thames Water Authority.

My right hon. Friend expects to receive the Commission's report by 23rd May.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many of the 132 trainees registered with the Hearing Aid Council have been on the trainee list for each of the last five years.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, Vol. 949, c. 271], gave the following information:

Date first registered with the Hearing Aid Council	No. of trainees
1971	3
1972	3
1973	13
1974	5
1975	23
1976	41
1977	44
	132

asked the Attorney-General if, in view of the judgment of the Court of the Community in the case of the Italian Revenue v. S.A. Monza, Italy, and other similar cases in that Court, purporting inter alia to limit the legislative competence of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, and all other Common Market Parliaments, he will now make a statement setting out the extent to which the powers of Parliament have been reduced since 31st December 1972.

The text of the judgment is not yet available in English, but from reports which I have seen it does not appear that the powers of Parliament as the supreme legislative authority in the United Kingdom have been reduced since 31st December 1972.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on whether the Germans operate any domestic law which prohibits the exports of British beer to Germany.

			1976		1977
			Number	Value	Number	Value
Destination			(£'000 fob)		(£'000 fob)
Irish Republic	…	…	93,754	1,679	153,106	3,227
Belgium-Luxembourg	…	…	118,126	2,154	116,774	2,782
Federal Republic of Germany	…	…	100,233	1,939	50,356	1,119
France	…	…	8,011	165	32,531	603
Netherlands	…	…	—	—	604	20
Sweden	…	…	—	—	217	7
Spain	…	…	—	—	4	less than 0·5
Total	…	…	320,124	5,937	353,592	7,758

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce at the earliest opportunity the necessary legislation on the lines of Early Day Motion No. 252 so that Members who retire voluntarily or retire through ill health or age and have served in a minimum number of two Parliaments receive three months' severance pay in the same way as defeated Members now do.

As I told my hon. Friend on 16th February [Official Report, Vol. 944, c. 297–8], the question of severance pay will be looked at in the next substantive review of Members' pay and allowances.

German Federal Republic legislation, the Reinheitsgebot, limits the raw materials in beer sold in Germany to barley malt, hops, yeast and water, with wheat malt, sugar and saccharin being allowed in certain cases. A wider range of raw materials, including cereal adjuncts and permitted additives, are often used in the brewing of British beer and consequently this severely restricts possible exports to Germany.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the destinations of United Kingdom live sheep exports for slaughter, showing numbers and values, from 1976 to 1977.

I have been asked to reply.The available information relating to export of live sheep, excluding those for breeding, is as follows. It is understood that most of these sheep would be destined for immediate slaughter.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much is spent per 1,000 population on culture and the arts in Walsall; and what is the average for the West Midlands districts, England and Wales, and the London boroughs, respectively.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total State contribution towards the work of museums in England in each of the past five years; and what is the planned allocation for the current financial year.

Following is the information:

	£ million
1973–74	14·8
1974–75	18·3
1975–76	24·8
1976–77	29·0
1977–78	33·5*
1978–79	39·3†
* Provisional total
† Estimated at November 1977 prices.

These figures do not include expenditure on local museums which is met by local authorities and taken into account in the rate support grant, or on university museums.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the organisations represented on the steering committee of the National Foundation for Educational Research project into integration of handicapped children into ordinary schools.

Apart from four civil servants, members of the steering committee sit as individuals and not as representatives. They are:—

• Professor Ronald Gulliford (Chairman)
• Dr. Elizabeth Anderson
• Sir Edward Britton, CBE
• Dr. Clare Burstall
• Mr. George Cooke, CBE
• Professor Peter Mittler

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers were employed at the beginning of the spring term 1978.

The total number of teachers employed in January 1978 in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools was 464,972—full-time and full-time equivalent. This compares with 462,321 in September 1977 and with 462,232 in January 1977.First appointments of trained teachers to teaching posts in the maintained sector between October 1977 and January 1978 were 3,460, including 2,815 who completed training in 1977. This figure is the highest for this period since 1973–74.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will publish, for each university in receipt of grant from the University Grants Committee, the amount of recurrent grant and of furniture and equipment grant for 1978–79.

The information is as follows:

University or College	Recurrent Grant	Furniture and Equipment Grant
	£ million	£ million
Aston	8·583	0·992
Bath	5·504	0·502
Birmingham	18·741	1·330
Bradford	8·970	0·736
Bristol	13·905	0·908
Brunel	5·770	0·412
Cambridge	18·822	1·463
City	6·198	0·456
Durham	6·451	0·389
East Anglia	6·151	0·449
Essex	4·393	0·314
Exeter	6·877	0·373
Hull	7·023	0·376
Keele	4·848	0·260
Kent	4·550	0·299
Lancaster	6·047	0·408
Leeds	19·873	1·475
Leicester	7·493	0·466
Liverpool	18·460	1·173
London Graduate School of Business Studies	0·530	0·012
London University	126·186	8·716
Loughborough	8·056	0·650
Manchester Business School	0·502	0·007
Manchester	23·333	1·415
University of Manchester Institute of Science and Technology	9·983	0·905
Newcastle	14·212	1·095
Nottingham	12·095	0·928
Oxford	19·377	1·441
Reading	9·244	0·591
Salford	9·376	0·807
Sheffield	14·603	1·076
Southampton	11·507	0·897
Surrey	7·124	0·665
Sussex	7·228	0·492
Warwick	7·362	0·437
York	4·311	0·251
University of Wales	34·014	2·252
Aberdeen	11·837	0·709
Dundee	7·851	0·462
Edinburgh	20·346	1·496
Glasgow	19·798	1·179
Heriot-Watt	4·965	0·514
St. Andrews	5·440	0·401
Stirling	4·120	0·180
Strathclyde	10·602	0·921
To be distributed	36·339	—
Total Great Britain	619·000	41·600

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will be replying to the letter he had from the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Malling on 19th January regarding Mr. R. H. Massie.

My hon. Friend the Under Secretary of State replied to the hon. Member on 15th May.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what basis access is granted to the records kept by the Metropolitan Police computer of individuals either arrested and not charged, or charged and not convicted; for what purposes such information is used; when it is destroyed; and whether he will publish the regulations or directives to the police which govern the

STAFFORDSHIRE POLICE
			Establishment		Strength		Vacancies		Per cent.
Year			Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Deficiency
31.12.1970*	…	…	1,715	86	1,727	84	—	2	0·11
31.12.1971*	…	…	1,812	94	1,794	95	18	—	0·94
31.12.1972*	…	…	1,952	94	1,820	94	132	—	6·45
31.12.1973*	…	…	2,016	109	1,860	101	156	8	7·72
31.12.1974†	…	…	1,959	107	1,824	102	135	5	6·78
31.12.1975	…	…	2,066		1,915	113	38		1·83
31.12.1976	…	…	2,066		1,884	123	59		2·85
31.12.1977	…	…	2,066		1,822	132	112		5·42
30.4.1978	…	…	2,066		1,803	139	124		6·00
* These figures relate to the former Staffordshire County and Stoke-on-Trent Constabulary.
† On 1st April, 1974 part of the force area was transferred to the West Midlands Police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of the sums made available by the Government to voluntary organisations for community and social work, specifying the amounts given by each Department involved, or planned to be given in the current financial year.

It is not possible to give figures at this stage since many applications for grants in the current financial year have yet to be decided. Each Department expects to make grants for community and social work in 1978–79 at a

No Metropolitan Police computer holds such records. The names and fingerprint references of people charged with recordable offences are added to an index on the police national computer. This information is available only to police. It is removed upon notification of acquittal, except where Section 6(3) of the Sexual Offences Act 1956 and Section 27(3)(a) of the Theft Act 1968 apply and unless the computer already contains the name and reference because the person had been convicted of other recordable offences.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen have been on establishment in Staffordshire in each year since 1970.

The figures for establishment, strength and vacancies are as follows:level not less than that provided in 1977–78.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what instructions he has given to the Registrar General for Marriages over the reporting to the Home Office of the alleged legal status of non-nationals applying to marry in the United Kingdom.

I have no authority to give instructions to the Registrar General, but there have been standing arrangements for over 50 years between the Home Office and the Registrar General's office whereby the Home Office is informed of cases in which a local superintendent registrar has good reason to suspect that a proposed marriage of a person from abroad has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading immigration controls.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate he has made of the cost effectiveness, in terms of the return on Government investment, of the operations of the National Enterprise Board.

The principal measure of the board's effectiveness in financial terms will be its success in meeting the financial duties which my right hon. Friend is required to set for it under Section 6 of the Industry Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the total value of offers made and payments under the accelerated projects scheme in England, Scotland, Wales and Great Britain, respectively.

The information is as follows:

	Offers £ million	Payments (Up to 31st March 1978) £ million
England	79·70	20·75
Scotland	2·15	1·11
Wales	2·25	0·77
Great Britain	84·10	22·63

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he has received British Aerospace's annual report and accounts for 1977.

I have today, in accordance with Sections 17(9) and 18(6) of the Aircraft and Shipbuilding Industries Act 1977, laid before each House copies of British Aerospace's annual report and accounts for 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the United Kingdom's deficit or surplus in trade in manufactures with each EEC country in 1977; and what are the comparable figures for 1978 at an annual rate.

Following is the information:

UNITED KINGDOM CRUDE TRADE BALANCES (EXPORT F.O.B. LESS IMPORTS C.I.F.) IN MANUFACTURES
£ million
	1977	January to April 1978 at an annual rate
Belgium/Luxembourg	+320	+397
Denmark	+262	+201
Federal Republic of Germany	-1,339	-1,675
France	-288	-437
Irish Republic	+512	+666
Italy	-380	-581
Netherlands	+288	+138

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether the admission of Spain, Portugal and Greece to the European Community will involve any renegotiation of the EEC's new Multi-Fibre Arrangement under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade.

New member States will, on accession, have to participate, with the rest of the Community, in the MFA or any successor arrangement. The Community's bilateral agreements with third countries would need to be revised to establish quotas for any new member State.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what agreement has been reached in negotiations between the EEC and Greece on the adoption by Greece of the Community's obligations in the field of external trade relations.

Greece has agreed in principle to the adoption of the Community's obligations in the field of external trade relations. Negotiations are currently in progress on the terms and timetable. The Greek Government have given an indication of those areas where they want transitional arrangements. Detailed negotiations on transitional arrangements for this sector are just beginning.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many drilling vessels, semi-submersible platforms and jack-up platforms are in the ownership of United Kingdom companies or have United Kingdom ports of registration respectively; and how many are active in the North Sea.

On the basis of information currently available to my Department, there are three United Kingdom-registered, United Kingdom-owned drilling ships and four United Kingdom-owned jack-up platforms, two of which are United Kingdom-registered; none of these are active in the North Sea. There are six United Kingdom-registered, United Kingdom-owned semi-submersible platforms, four of which are active in the North Sea. There are also seven other United Kingdom-owned and registered vessels designed for functions similar to those above; three are active in the North Sea.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied that there are tugs available for the North of Scotland waters capable of handling the size of tankers which will use Sullom Voe and Flotta should they get into difficulties on voyages from these terminals.

We are not yet satisfied that there are a sufficient number of tugs available at Sullom Voe and Flotta capable of handling these very large tankers. In the light of the "Amoco Cadiz" disaster and the collision involving the "Eleni V", and as part of our review of contingency arrangements for dealing with maritime casualties liable to cause oil pollution of our coasts, we are considering the situation in the North of Scotland waters.

asked the Prime Minister whether he has any changes to announce in the membership of the Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth.

Yes. The Queen has approved that Professor Anthony Barnes Atkinson and Mr. Anthony Martin Grosvenor Christopher be appointed members of the Royal Commission on the Distribution of Income and Wealth in succession to members whose term of office have expired.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the M85 motorway over the Friarton Bridge in Perth to be opened.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply to his Question on 15th May.—[Vol. 950, c. 81.]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, on completion of negotiations on the common fisheries policy, he will prepare a White Paper on the future structure of the Scottish fishing industry; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have a continuing dialogue with the fishing industry on all aspects of policy and I shall consider in due course whether a statement about the structure of the industry should be made and, if so, in what form.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he proposes to make to ensure that archives relating exclusively to Scotland and the history of Scotland are retained in Scotland; and whether he is satisfied with the present provisions.

Records of Government Departments and other public bodies, relating exclusively or mainly to Scotland, are dealt with under the Public Records Acts. Private archives are, of course, private property and, subject to the export regulations, may be disposed of as the owners wish. They do, however, form part of the national heritage and many private archives have been acquired by public collectors in Scotland by gift, deposit or purchase.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the centralisation of the functions of the Argyll and Clyde Health Board.

One.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many unemployed glassblowers, waitresses and cooks are on the register of unemployed in Perthshire.

On 9th March 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, there were no glassblowers, 39 waiters or waitresses and 32 cooks registered as unemployed in the employment office areas of Perth, Blairgowrie and Crieff.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if any investigation into the licensing of fishing boats has been undertaken by his Department and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend and I already operate licensing schemes controlling United Kingdom fishing for herring and mackerel. A licensing scheme for certain white fish stocks is among the possible control measures which have recently been discussed with the industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what reply he has sent to the Scottish Association for Public Transport regarding its representations about the low level of central and local government support for public transport in Scotland by comparison with England.

The association asked for a review of public transport fares in Scotland. I do not think a special review is necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what instructions govern the use made of salmon which comes into the hands of fishery protection vessels in the course of their duties.

Salmon acquired by fishery protection vessels in the course of their duties should be landed to the appropriate authority ashore.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what capital allocation for house building and improvements, for the current financial year, he has made to Cunninghame District Council and Kyle and Carrick District Council.

£62·1 million and £2·887 million respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take to discourage the carrying of offensive weapons and thereby reduce the number of crimes of violence.

The maximum fine which may be imposed on summary conviction of the offence of carrying an offensive weapon in a public place is being raised from £200 to £1,000 by a provision of the Criminal Law Act 1977 which we hope to bring into effect this summer. The sheriff court can impose up to three months' imprisonment as an alternative or additional penalty on summary conviction and, on conviction on indictment, a fine of any amount and/or up to two years' imprisonment.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has read the Bryden Report and the Justice Report, each of which expresses concern with regard to the case of Mr. David Anderson, VRD, QC; and what steps he proposes to take in view of the serious doubts cast by these reports upon the validity of the conviction of Mr. Anderson.

I have nothing to add to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind) on 2nd May.—[Vol. 949, c. 111]

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is now in a

	Argyll	Ayr	Dunbarton	Lanark	Renfrew	Glasgow	Strathclyde
Deaf	—	—	15	52	12	95	174
Partially deaf	—	51	—	34	12	90	187
Blind	—	—	—	—	—	22	22
Partially sighted	—	—	—	5	11	51	67
Mentally handicapped	81	725	607	1,005	639	2,616	5,673
Epileptic	—	—	—	—	30	—	30
Speech defect	—	—	—	—	20	—	20
Maladjusted	—	9	18	22	54	113	216
Physically handicapped	—	35	25	76	92	349	577
All handicaps	81	820	665	1,194	870	3,336	6,966

The figures are derived from the census return relating to September 1977 and are provisional pending completion of the statistical analysis. They include children in education authority special schools, in special classes in ordinary schools and in hospitals. Pupils suffering from more than one handicap are counted under the most severe handicap.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies or reports he has sponsored on traffic forecasting and appraisal of trunk road or motorway schemes in Scotland.

Studies of methods of forecasting are carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory, which has a branch in Scotland, and my right hon. Friend, in considering schemes, bears in mind the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Trunk Road Assessment in England, so far as they are relevant.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when last he specifically issued a White Paper on (a) transport position to give a starting date for the Partick (Glasgow) Health Centre.

No. Negotiations to acquire a suitable site are still continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of pupils in each category of handicap currently attending special schools in each division of the Strathclyde Region.

The information is as follows:policy and (

Transport and roads policy for Scotland were covered in the White Paper on transport policy (Cmnd. 6836) published in June last year. As that document made clear, further White Papers will be produced at about three-yearly intervals and there will be each year a statement on the road programme in Scotland. The first such statement will be included in the Scottish Development Department annual report which will be published shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish a breakdown, region by region, of the number of children taught in composite classes in primary schools in each year since the reorganisation of local government.

Information about composite classes was collected for the first time in September 1977 as part of the annual school census. I shall write to the hon. Member when analysis of the data has been completed.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will hold consultations with the appropriate authorities in the north and west of Scotland with a view to establishing a civilian helicopter emergency service for the Highlands and Islands.

I understand that, following a recent symposium on the use of helicopters in the Highlands and Islands,

TABLE 1
				With special qualification	Others	Total
Argyll	…	…	…	7·0	3·5	10·5
Ayr	…	…	…	32·9	47·5	80·4
Dunbarton	…	…	…	42·6	43·3	85·9
Lanark	…	…	…	70·6	55·4	126·0
Renfrew	…	…	…	43·0	51·6	94·6
Glasgow	…	…	…	178·8	152·3	331·1
Strathclyde (total)	…	…	…	374·9	353·6	728·5

The numbers given are full-time equivalents as at September 1977, comprising teachers in education authority special schools, in special classes in ordinary schools and in hospital schools, classified according to whether or not they hold the special qualification to teach handicapped pupils, in addition to their basic teaching qualification.

TABLE 2
Subject Qualifications of Teachers in Specia Education—Strathclyde
English	43
History	22
Geography	2
Modern Studies	3
Economics	1
French	9
German	1
Spanish	2
Other Modern Languages	1
Latin	2
Technical Education	21
Mathematics	14
General Science	3
Biology	1
Chemistry	2
Art	9
Business Studies	2
Home Economics	33
Physical Education	17
Music	6
Speech and Drama	2
Total	196

The table shows the subject qualifications of teachers holding the teaching qualification (secondary education) who were in September 1976 employed fulltime

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many teachers are currently employed in special schools in the Strathclyde Region (a) by division, (b) by qualification and (c) by subject.

The information is as follows:by the education authority and whose main responsibility lay in the special education field. As a teacher may hold one or more subject qualifications, the number of teachers involved is less than the total number of qualifications shown. Teachers of mentally handicapped pupils are largely excluded, since most hold a teaching qualification (primary education). Corresponding information is not available for 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what provision he intends to make for newly qualified teachers who are unable to find appropriate employment; and whether colleges of education will be allowed to run projects with an educational content under the special temporary employment project.

The existing scheme for the employment of 500 additional teachers in schools serving urban areas of deprivation will continue, as will the scheme under which teachers employed in special schools in Scotland who are seconded for further training are replaced, during the period of their secondment, either by serving teachers who are in turn replaced by teachers who are unemployed or directly by unemployed teachers. The youth opportunities programme and the special temporary employment programme will also provide opportunities for unemployed teachers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average class size in special schools in the Strathclyde Region.

Recommended class sizes differ substantially for different handicaps. An overall average class size would therefore have no value as an indicator and is not calculated. The overall teacher/pupil ratio in special education in Strathclyde as at September 1977 was 1:9·6.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what new proposals he has for assisting local housing authorities in solving problems of condensation.

A great deal of Government research into condensation has been carried out and the results have been made available to local authorities. It is a problem of great concern to me, and the Scottish Development Department will gladly advise authorities facing special difficulties. My right hon. Friend is also prepared to accept the capital cost of approved remedial works as eligible for housing subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects the Scottish Assembly to hold its first meeting in the Royal High School, Edinburgh.

This depends on the date of the Assembly elections, which in turn depend on the timing of the referendum.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring all workplaces, including those of the Crown, under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act.

All work activities, with the exception of domestic work in private households, are already subject to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and, as I explained in my answer to the hon. Member on 8th May—[Vol. 949, c. 380]—the Act is binding on the Crown.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends at any time in the foreseeable future to produce a regular calculation of the percentage of workers from the ethnic minority groups who are unemployed, as a percentage of the ethnic minority working population, in order the better to calculate the social effects of racial discrimination in the employment sphere.

I am considering the possibility of obtaining such data from the next EEC labour force survey to be held in May 1979. This is a voluntary inquiry carried out every two years to provide information on the labour force characteristics of the population. It will cover about 100,000 households in the United Kingdom.An additional question on ethnic origin would allow broad comparisons to be made of the labour force characteristics of the ethnic minorities, such as their unemployment rates, with those of the population as a whole. But identifying the social effects of any racial discrimination is too complex a matter to be calculated in terms of simple statistical ratios, useful though these are for some purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were trained by each industrial training board in 1977, or the most recent 12-month period for which his Department has records, broken down by regions.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the primary responsibility of industrial training boards is to ensure that adequate training is carried out within their industries, not to provide training themselves. The bulk of training is carried out by employers and, although this will often be with financial assistance from, and to standards recommended by, the appropriate industrial training board, it is not possible to put a figure to the number of people trained with ITB support.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total cost of each industrial training board of training in 1977, or the most recent 12-month period for which his Department has records, broken down by regions.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that in the financial year 1976–77, the latest for which information is available, the total cost of each industrial training board for training was as shown below. Each board's figures show the total expenditure for the whole of Great Britain, an analysis broken down by regions is not available.

Board	Figures in £000
Air Transport and Travel	1,787
Carpet	751
Ceramics, Glass & Mineral Products	3,995
Chemical and Allied Products	2,478
Clothing and Allied Products	3,348
Construction	24,974
Cotton and Allied Textiles	1,640
Distributive	20,397
Engineering	37,834
Food, Drink & Tobacco	4,400
Footwear, Leather & Fur Skin	702
Foundry (Industry Training Committee)	4,658
Furniture and Timber	5,225
Hotel and Catering	7,188
Iron and Steel	1,296
Knitting, Lace and Net	541
Man-made Fibres Producing	136
Paper and Paper Products	5,075
Petroleum	955
Printing and Publishing	3,810
Road Transport	29,607
Rubber and Plastics Processing	5,526
Shipbuilding	5,300
Wool, Jute and Flax	462
TOTAL	172,085

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in the United Kingdom have benefited from the Training Services Agency special courses for young people in the United Kingdom since their inception.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that separate training statistics for young people under 19 have been kept only since 1st January 1976. Between 1st January 1976 and 31st December 1977, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 32,435 young people under 19 completed courses in Great Britain designed to help unemployed young people. In addition, it is estimated that, in the same period, more than 6,000 young people started courses but did not complete them, some of these young people leaving to take up employment before the formal end of their course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in (a) West Gloucestershire and (b) Gloucestershire have benefited from the Training Services Agency special courses for young people.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that separate statistics for West Gloucestershire are not available but that 1,042 young people under 19 completed training courses in the area covered by their training services district office in Gloucester between 1st January 1976 and 31st December 1977. In addition, it is estimated that, in the same period, about 200 young people started courses but did not complete them, some of these young people leaving to take up employment before the formal end of their course.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have applied for early retirement under the job release programme, and what has been the cost.

Up to 9th May 1978, 25,505 applications have been approved under the job release scheme. The value of the allowances paid in the 1976–77 financial year was £1,638,000 and in the 1977–78 financial year £15,326,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have benefited from temporary employment subsidy in (a) Gloucestershire and (b) West Gloucestershire since the inception of the scheme.

As at 12th May 1978, 3,290 jobs have been covered by approved TES applications in Gloucestershire, of which 148 were in West Gloucestershire.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have benefited from the temporary employment subsidy scheme in the United Kingdom since the inception of the scheme.

As at 12th May 1978, 547,507 jobs had been covered by approved TES applications in Great Britain. A separate scheme operates in Northern Ireland and is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many people have benefited from the recruitment subsidy for school leavers in the United Kingdom;(2) how many people in (

During the life of the recruitment subsidy for school leavers from 13th October 1975 to 30th September 1976, 30,179 applications were approved in respect of young people entering employment in Great Britain—the scheme did not apply in Northern Ireland—of whom 36 were in West Gloucestereshire and 273 in Gloucestershire.During the life of the youth employment subsidy—which succeeded the recruitment subsidy for school leavers—from 1st October 1976 to 31st March 1978, 45,909 applications were approved in Great Britain—the scheme did not apply in Northern Ireland—of whom 68 were in West Gloucestershire and 574 in Gloucestershire.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if there is any appeal procedure following decisions of the Central Arbitration Committee on House of Commons Fair Wages Resolution disputes.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th May 1978; Vol. 950, c. 30], gave the following answer:No. other than appeal to the High Court.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in (a) West Gloucestershire and (b) Gloucestershire have benefited from the job creation programme since its inception.

The number of people who have benefited from the job creation programme—JCP—in any area is not readily obtainable. I understand from the Manpower Services Commission that 523 jobs in Gloucestershire have been approved for funding under JCP since October 1975, of which 50 were in the Gloucestershire, West constituency.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have benefited from the job creation scheme in the United Kingdom since the inception of the scheme.

The precise number of people who have benefited from the job creation programme is not readily available. However, I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that over 140,000 jobs in Great Britain have been approved for funding under the job creation programme since October 1975. Northern Ireland is not included in the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many vacant places there are currently in engineering skillcentres in the United Kingdom.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15th May 1978; Vol. 950,31], gave the following answer:I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the latest information available relates to 31st March 1978. At that date there were 1,883 vacant places in engineering courses in skillcentres in Great Britain. Skillcentres in Northern Ireland are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what date his Department received notification of the proposed redundancy of 130 employees at Deltaflow Limited, Harford Street, Birmingham.

On 8th May 1978, in compliance with the notification provisions of Section 100 of the Employment Protection Act 1975, Deltaflow Limited of Harford Street, Birmingham notified my Department of 112 proposed dismissals which are due to take effect on 5th August 1978.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why the forms issued under the Official Secrets Act for signature by civil servants and other public employees, which were criticised by the Franks Committee have not been amended or altered during the past six years.

Amendment of the Official Secrets Acts declaration form was not among the specific proposals made by the Franks Committee and set out in Part VI of Volume I of its report. No doubt, however, the committee assumed that the wording and use of the forms would be examined as one of the necessary consequences of its proposals. This will indeed be done when decisions have been taken about possible new legislation in this area.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he has received the pamphlet entitled "A Better Deal for Government Workers", stating the case by the Transport and General Workers' Union on behalf of its members; and what action he has taken or intends taking on this matter.

Yes. The Transport and General Workers Union has been told that this is a matter for negotiation in the Joint Co-ordinating Committee for Government Industrial Establishments, where the claim recently submitted by the trade union side, on which the TGWU is represented, will receive careful and sympathetic consideration, subject to the Government's pay policy.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether a pay settlement has now been agreed for the non-industrial Civil Service.

Pursuant to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Fife, Central (Mr. Hamilton) on 15th May [Vol. 950, c. 21], I can now confirm that all the Civil Service unions have accepted the Government's pay offer for non-industrial civil servants from 1st April 1978. As I explained to my hon. Friend, the main features of the settlement, which is within the Government's guidelines, provide for consolidation of the 1976 and 1977 pay supplements into basic rates with an across-the-board increase of 9½ per cent. on the new consolidated rates. The settlement also provides within the guidelines for making a start on dealing with some anomalies which have arisen in the past three years.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many members of the Armed Services have been subject to court martial proceedings since the Armed Forces Act 1977 was implemented; and how this compares with the corresponding period in 1976–77.

The main provisions of the Armed Forces Act 1976 relating to the trial and punishment of offences came into effect on 1st July 1977. Between 1st July 1977 and 31st March 1978 a total of 1,001 Service personnel were tried by court martial, as compared with 1,186 in the period 1st July 1976 to 31st March 1977.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many Army captains have resigned, signified their intention to resign or failed to re-engage since 1st January 1978.

The number of male Army captains who applied to terminate their active service prematurely between 1st January and 15 May was 126.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development (1) whether she is prepared to assist the Lucas Aerospace workers in the execution of the development of some of the corporate plan products which have direct relevance to Third World countries, such as guided transport systems and the so-called universal power pack;(2) whether she is prepared to meet representatives of the Lucas Aerospace combine shop stewards committee in respect of several products proposed in its corporate plan which have direct relevance to developing countries' needs.

My Department is always interested to discuss with any company new products which may be of value to developing countries. The aid programme can finance the purchase of such products on the request of an overseas Government, but direct assistance for the development of new products is a matter for other Departments.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development whether her criteria for the grant of aid allow it to be given to dictatorships of the Right as well of the Left.

I would refer the hon. Member to the White Paper, Cmnd 6270, which fully indicates my criteria.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what aid is being given by Her Majesty's Government to help the 900,000 Angolan refugees now in Zaire.

In response to an urgent request from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in March this year, my Ministry sent medical supplies and blankets. In addition, the Ministry met the transport costs of blankets sent by Oxfam and Save the Children Fund. The cost to Her Majesty's Government will be about £33,000.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate, cates to the London borough of Newham for the cleansing by the borough of the A13 within the borough boundary: and what representations have been made concerning this sum.

The Department's contribution to cleansing costs on the A13 trunk road in Newham is £3,350 in the current financial year. On 12th May 1978 a letter was received from the borough saying that this was not enough.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate for 1978–79 of taxation revenue from, and public road costs attributed to, fouraxled 30-cwt and 32-cwt goods vehicles; and how many vehicles fall into each category.

The information is as follows:

	30-ton vehicles	32-ton vehicles
Estimated numbers	11,000	71,000
Estimated Revenue	£2,700	£2,850
Estimated Costs	£2,990	£3,350

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate in the event of the Greenodd diversion on the A590 being completed, of the traffic flow through the main street of Greenodd if it remains open for through traffic in both directions, if it remains open for through traffic in a northerly direction only and if access-only traffic is allowed from north and south with no exit to the south.

If the diversion is built by 1982 and through traffic in both directions were to be permitted, there could be a flow of about 2,000 vehicles per day. If the main street were to remain open for through traffic in a northerly direction only, there could be a flow of about 1,000 vehicles per day. If an "access only" restriction were to be applied to the main street and could be enforced, there would be very little traffic in it.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport, for the last year for which figures are available, what estimates there are of the number of road accidents caused by stray dogs, how many people were injured as a result; and how many people were killed.

Information is not available in the precise form requested, but it is provisionally estimated that in 1977 there were 1,603 injury accidents in Great Britain, involving 13 deaths and 1,878 persons injured, where a dog was reported on the carriageway.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give an undertaking that, despite his Department's declared intention to de-trunk the A57, he will reinstate the Newton on Trent bypass as a project to be carried out in the next two years.

While the A57 remains a trunk road, schemes for improvements along it will be considered on their merits within the availability of funds. It is unlikely that a bypass of Newton on Trent could be started within two years.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make available to the right hon. Member for Blackburn a copy of the report now being compiled by his Department's engineer on the mechanical condition and safety of Blackburn's buses.

The report has net yet been completed. I shall get in touch with my right hon. Friend when I have had, an opportunity to study it.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received any tender for construction of the A3 Burpham-Ladymead diversion—Guildford bypass—which could involve significant use of the British Railways goods yard at Woking.

No tenders for this scheme have yet been received.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the closing date for the receipt of tenders for construction of the A3 Burpham-Ladymead diversion—Guildford bypass.

26th June 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been available to his Department in the preparatory work for the construction of the A3 Burpham-Ladymead diversion—Guildford bypass—of the effect of this on the flood plain of the River Wey, both above and below the proposed embankment; and if he is satisfied that these studies are adequate.

From the earliest design stage of this scheme, the Department has relied on the expert advice of the Thames Conservancy and its successor, the Thames Water Authority, which has statutory responsibility for land drainage matters connected with the River Wey and which has given its approval to the proposed works.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the results of the experimental schemes for public transport in rural areas and, in particular, on the use of postal buses.

It is too soon to assess the results of the Government programme of experiments. But postbuses have proved very successful in Scotland and we would hope to see further development in other areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with the National Ports Council concerning the present state of future prospects of the ports industry; and when he expects to bring forward proposals for ports nationalisation.

As I have previously made clear to the House, there can be no question of legislation on the ownership of the ports during the life of the present Parliament. However, whether the ports are in mixed ownership as now or under a single public authority, they must contribute fully towards the industrial strategy and the country's economic growth. The National Ports Council is fully aware of this and I recently asked it, in discussion with the port authorities, the British Ports Association and others concerned, to let me have recommendations on the way in which plans for the strategic future of the ports should be developed.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what action he proposes to take to meet the shortage of properly qualified nursing staff that has been reported in Liverpool, Newcastle and other areas.

AMBULANCE MEN/WOMEN EMPLOYED BY EACH AMBULANCE SERVICE
			1975		1976
Region	Ambulance Service		Whole-time equivalent	Whole-time equivalent per 100,000 population	Whole-time equivalent	Whole-time equivalent per 100,000 population
England Total	…	…	13,986·2	30·1	14,137·8	30·5
Northern	Regional Total	…	1,188·1	38·0	1,189·3	38·1
	Northumbria Ambulance Service	…	511·1	34·6	515·3	35·0
	Cleveland	…	228·0	40·3	229·0	40·3
	Cumbria	…	193·0	40·7	193·0	40·8
	Durham	…	256·0	42·1	252·0	41·3
Yorkshire	Regional Total	…	1,149·0	32·1	1,179·4	33·0
	Metropolitan Ambulance Service	…	694·0	32·6	691·0	32·6
	Humberside	…	276·0	32·4	282·0	33·2
	North Yorkshire	…	179·0	30·0	206·4	34·0
Trent	Regional Total	…	1,388·0	30·7	1,379·5	30·5
	Metropolitan Ambulance Service	…	344·0	26·1	331·0	25·1
	Derbyshire	…	314·0	36·5	309·0	36·0
	Leicestershire	…	223·0	26·7	234·0	27·9
	Lincolnshire	…	174·0	33·4	180·5	34·4
	Nottinghamshire	…	333·0	33·9	325·0	33·2
East Anglia	Regional Total	…	422·0	23·7	444·0	24·6
	Cambridgeshire	…	126·0	24·2	131·0	24·6
	Norfolk	…	195·0	25·4	196·0	25·4
	Suffolk	…	101·0	20·5	117·0	23·5
North West Thames	Bedfordshire	…	110·0	22·5	104·0	21·2
(Part covered by London Ambulance Service)	Herefordshire	…	260·0	31·0	262·0	31·3
North East Thames (Part covered by London Ambulance Service).	Essex	…	437·0	31·0	421·0	29·5
South East Thames	East Sussex	…	225·5	34·3	215·9	32·9
(Part covered by London Ambulance Service).	Kent	…	561·0	38·8	566·0	39·1

In both Liverpool and Newcastle the area health authorities are engaged in commissioning large new teaching hospitals. There is no marked shortage in Liverpool. An energetic recruitment campaign is being conducted in Newcastle. Where other areas are also short of qualified nursing staff either in particular specialties or particular hospitals I have no doubt they will also be actively seeking and training staff.

asked the secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the number of ambulancemen employed by each ambulance authority in England for each financial year since April 1974, and express each of these figures per capita of the population covered by the authority.

Following is the information requested: