asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has taken decisions on the numbers of students to be admitted to courses of teacher training in session 1978–79; and if he will make a statement.

I have carefully considered the latest available information on all the factors involved in determining levels of intake to teacher training courses in session 1978–79. I have also taken the views of the General Teaching Council for Scotland, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Joint Committee of Colleges of Education in Scotland on overall levels of intake for next session, the distribution of intake among the colleges and the priority to be given to individual subjects in the selection of students for secondary training.As a result, I have decided that the total intake to pre-service courses of teacher training should not exceed 700 students for the primary diploma course, 150 for the primary postgraduate course and 1,600 for secondary courses, including BEd courses. These figures take account of the provision which is made in the rate support grant settlement for 1978–79 and in the Government's expenditure plans for later years for the employment of more teachers than are required to meet the school staffing standards recommended in SED Circular No. 819 and the Red Book, and also of the extent to which staffing levels in the schools are already in excess of these standards.

		Primary Intake
		Diploma		Post-Graduate		Secondary Intake
		Quota	Proposed Quota	Quota	Proposed Quota	Quota	Proposed Quota
College		1977–78	1978–79	1977–78	1978–79	1977–78	1978–79
Aberdeen	…	75	100	20	20	170	210
Callendar Park	…	65	55	10	10	—	—
Craigie	…	55	50	10	10	—	—
Craiglockhart	…	50	50	10	10	35	60
Dundee	…	75	50	10	10	85	130
Dunfermline	…	—	—	—	—	110	100
Hamilton	…	85	60	10	15	30	25
Jordanhill	…	130	120	45	30	640	545
Moray House	…	115	125	30	25	380	350
Notre Dame	…	100	90	25	20	200	180
Total	…	750	700	170	150	1,650	1,600

The proposed total intake for the two Roman Catholic colleges is related broadly to the Roman Catholic school population, bearing in mind that courses of secondary training in certain subjects are not provided in these colleges. The share of that total apportioned to Craiglockhart College of Education has been calculated so as to ensure that the student population of that college remains at an educationally viable level. The proposed intake to Dunfermline College of Education takes account of the estimated national need for physical education teachers. The quotas for the other colleges are based on the latest available information about non-denominational primary and secondary school population in each education authority area, and about the colleges from which newly qualified primary and secondary teachers have been recruited by each authority in recent years.It is important, in my view, that the selection of students for admission to courses of secondary training should have regard to the likely future needs of the schools for teachers of individual subjects. I am therefore asking the colleges, in allocating places to applicants for admission to secondary training, to give

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the total number of people emigrating from Scotland in each of the last six years.

The information available does not provide accurate figures of total emigration from Scotland. There are, however, some sample figures available on emigration from Scotland to countries overseas derived from the international passenger survey. Grossed-up estimates based on these sample figures are shown in the table below, as are figures of the number of patients on doctors' lists moving from Scotland to the rest of the United Kingdom as recorded through the National Health Service central register.

	Emigration to overseas from Scotland International Passenger Survey	Patients on doctors' lists moving from Scotland to rest of United Kingdom
1971–72	22,800	69,400
1972–73	20,000	61,700
1973–74	20,400	52,800
1974–75	26,000	61,900
1975–76	19,000	57,000
1976–77	17,900	55,500

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Aberdeenshire, East on 11th May 1978, he will list in the Official Report the fishing organisations referred to and the steps that were taken to notify net manufacturers.

The fishing organisations referred to are the British Fishing Federation and the Scottish Fishermen's Federation, whose secretary also acts for the Herring Producers' Association and the Scottish White Fish Producers' Association. The Scottish Fishermen's Organisation Limited has also received a copy of the regulations from my Department. It is for the fishermen themselves to instruct their net manufacturers.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the average income per household at the latest available date on a regional basis throughout Scotland.

			Nursery	Primary	Secondary	Special	Total
Argyll and Bute		…	—	6	1	—	7
Ayr	…	…	—	26	5	—	31
Dunbarton	…	…	—	29	2	—	31
Glasgow	…	…	—	109	26	—	135
Lanark	…	…	—	68	20	—	88
Renfrew	…	…	6	54	24	4	88
Total	…	…	6	292	78	4	380

The regional council has also appointed 9 additional teachers—33 primary and 46 secondary—to schools in Maryhill and

The estimated average weekly income per household for Scotland in 1976, the latest year for which information is available, was £80·35. This information is not available for regions within Scotland, but average weekly earnings of full-time manual and non-manual workers for each region in Scotland in April 1977 were as follows:

	Full-time workers whose pay was not affected by absence
Local Government Region	Men (21 and over)	Women (18 and over)
	£	£
Borders	N.A.	N.A.
Central	81·7	45·9
Dumfries and Galloway	68·7	N.A.
Fife	75·9	49·5
Grampian	81·0	51·1
Highland	78·3	N.A.
Lothian	78·2	47·4
Strathclyde	79·4	49·3
Tayside	72·6	49·1
Islands	N.A.	N.A.
Scotland	78·3	48·9
Source: Department of Employment New Earnings Survey April 1977, as published in Scottish Economic Bulletin No. 14.
The estimates are subject to sampling errors.
N.A.=Not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many additional teachers have been employed in (a) nursery, (b) primary, (c) secondary and (d) special schools in areas of urban deprivation in each division of the Strathclyde Region since 13th September 1977.

The numbers of additional teachers appointed by Strathclyde Regional Council under the scheme which my right hon. Friend announced last July for the employment of additional teachers in schools serving urban areas of deprivation are set out in the following table:the East End of Glasgow with the assistance of grants under the urban programme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the extermination of badgers suspected of carrying bovine tuberculosis.

Efforts to clear up the disease in certain areas of South-West England are continuing. The results are encouraging: there has been a marked reduction in the incidence of bovine tuberculosis among cattle in these areas.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the present disparity between the green pound and the market rate of the £ sterling.

The current difference between the new rate for the green pound and the market rate used for MCA purposes is 30·8 per cent. This already applies to pigmeat when it gives an applied MCA percentage of 29·3. The new rate will be applied for the beef and milk sectors from 22nd May and for the other sectors from the start of the relevant marketing year.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current difference between the green pound and the £ sterling.

I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Bromsgrove and Redditch (Mr. Miller).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to help part-time farmers farming less than 30 acres; and if he will make a statement.

All farmers, irrespective of the area they farm, benefit from commodity support arrangements and can obtain assistance under the Ministry's grant schemes provided they satisfy the conditions.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he plans next to meet representatives of the National Farmers' Union.

I keep in close touch with the National Farmers' Union but have no specific plans for a meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet Commissioner Gundelach of the EEC Commission.

When it is necessary to do so.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he expects to discuss when he next meets EEC leaders and if he will make a statement.

I expect discussions in the coming weeks to deal with fisheries questions, the proposals for EEC sheep-meat and potatoes regimes, and further measures to meet the problems of agriculture in the Mediterranean area.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated cost to the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund of export subsidies for wheat.

There are currently no export subsidies for wheat and therefore no cost to the European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on potato supplies and the likely trends in retail prices over the next year.

Supplies of both old and new potatoes are sufficient to meet demand for the rest of the current season at reasonable prices. It is too early to forecast supplies and prices for the next crop.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied that the supply of potatoes on the market is adequate.

Yes. A significant proportion of remaining supplies from the 1977 potato crop is contracted to the Potato Marketing Board under the joint support buying programme. Increasing quantities of these potatoes are now being released back on to the market supplementing the reducing supplies still available from uncontracted stocks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the current arrangements for the marketing of potatoes.

Yes. The current arrangements have served the country well over a number of years, although we may need to make some changes in the future mainly as a result of our membership of the EEC. The Government are considering this whole question in consultation with the industry.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the Food Manufacturers' Federation.

I have accepted an invitation from the president of the Food Manufacturers' Federation to open the federation's new offices some time in the next few weeks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet the chairman of the British Meat Manufacturers Association.

I maintain regular contact with the chairman of the Bacon and Meat Manufacturers Association but I have no immediate plans for a meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arangements he has concluded for the future of the Milk Marketing Board.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what stage he has reached in his further discussions with the Commission on the proposals affecting the United Kingdom Milk Marketing Board arrangements.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he has concluded for the future of the Milk Marketing Board.

I would refer the hon. Members to the statement I made to the House on 12th May.—[Vol. 949, c. 1605–20.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much Irish beef has been imported into the United Kingdom during the past year compared with the previous two years.

United Kingdom imports of beef and veal from the Irish Republic in 1975, 1976 and 1977 were 96,000 tonnes, 80,000 tonnes and 129,000 tonnes respectively.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet his EEC colleagues.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends next to meet the EEC Agriculture Ministers.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply given earlier today to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about future plans for the Potato Marketing Board, following the meeting of the Council of Ministers (Agriculture) on 25th and 26th April.

There was no discussion on potatoes at the Council on 25th-26th April.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the average annual per capita consumption of milk in the Unied Kingdom and in the European Economic Community as a whole during the last five years.

		1976	1977	1978 January-March)
Live cattle including calves (thousand head)
Imports from the EEC	…	229·6	304·1	105·3
Exports to the EEC	…	293·1	506·7	106·2
Carcase beet and veal (thousand tonnes)
Imports from the EEC	…	165·9	215·1	48·6
Exports to the EEC	…	97·5	85·1	27·1
Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received from the New Zealand Prime Minister about the working of an EEC sheepmeat regime, regulating the import and sale of lamb and mutton.

The New Zealand Prime Minister on his recent visit expressed concern about the proposals for a common market organisation for sheepmeat, and my right hon. Friend and I share his views on the need to ensure that continued access for imported supplies to the United Kingdom is recognised in any EEC sheepmeat regime.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on recent movement towards an EEC sheepmeat regime.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on negotiations for an EEC sheepmeat regime.

The EEC Commission issued its proposals in April. Preliminary technical examination is in progress, but the proposals have not yet been discussed by the Council of Agriculture Ministers.

151 and 89 kgs per head respectively, including both liquid milk and fresh products.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what were the levels of imports and exports of live cattle to the EEC, and carcases from the EEC, in 1976, 1977 and 1978, respectively.

The information for the United Kingdom is as follows:

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current state of negotiations concerning the development of the internal fisheries regime of the EEC.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest situation in the renegotiation of the common fisheries policy.

I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Johnson) on 28th April and to the statement I made to the House on 12th May.—[Vol. 948, c. 710; Vol. 949, c. 1605–20.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in plans for the restructuring of the common agricultural policy along the lines indicated in the Prime Minister's letter to Mr. Ron Hayward.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Mr. Jenkins).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of agricultural land including rough pasture is lost to other uses; and how the annual losses compare with those of 30 years ago.

Thousand acres (thousand hectares)
	1969–70 to 1974–75*	1946–47 to 1950–51
Urban, industrial and recreational development, including mineral workings	34·6 (14·0)	36·6 (14·8)
Defence and other government departments	0·1 (0·1)†	30·7 (12·4)†
Forestry Commission and private woodlands	3·8 (1·6)	13·3 (5·4)
Land not previously recorded and other adjustments	23·4 (9·4)	23·7 (9·6)†
Total‡	61·6 (24·9)	4·5 (1·8)†
The estimates are based on returns by farmers in the agriculture census at June each year, adjusted to discount changes in the coverage.
* Six year period.
† Transfer to agriculture.
‡ Totals may not agree due to rounding.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to preserve good land so that it is used for agriculture, and only sparingly used for urban development.

Where applications for non-agricultural development do not accord with development plans, local planning authorities are required by Article 15(1)(i) of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1977 to refer to my Department all proposals which involve the development of 10 acres or more of agricultural land, or where the direct loss is less than 10 acres and further loss might follow that development.My Department's replies to such references are in accordance with Government policy for the protection of agricultural land. This is to ensure that, as far as possible, land of a higher agricultural quality is not taken for development where land of a lower quality is available and that the amount of land taken is no greater than is reasonably required for carrying out the development in accordance with proper standards. This applies equally to land acquisition under the Community Land Act.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many workers were employed

The annual average net transfer of land out of agriculture, including rough grazings, in England to other uses for the period 1969–70 to 1974–75, the latest information available, compared with those in the period 1946–47 to 1950–51 is estimated to be:in the United Kingdom agriculture industry in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

The number of workers employed in agriculture in the United Kingdom in each of the last five years was as follows:

1973	416,000
1974	398,000
1975	382,000
1976	377,000
1977	373,000

These figures, compiled from the June censuses are for regular whole-time, regular part-time, seasonal and casual workers; they cover family and hired workers.Figures for salaried managers, which are collected separately in Great Britain, are included in respect of Great Britain; such figures are not separately collected in Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has so far received against the export of live animals.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received any further representations regarding the export of live food animals; and if he will make a statement.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further representations he has received on the export of live animals.

I refer my hon. Friends to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bristol, North-West (Mr. Thomas).

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what he now expects to be the percentage growth in farm income for the year 1978–79.

As my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement to the House on 12th May—[Vol. 949, cc. 1605–20]—we expect farm income in 1978–79 to benefit from the green pound devaluation announced earlier this year and the CAP price settlement agreed last week. The change in farm income cannot be forecast as it will be affected by a number of unpredictable factors, including the weather.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is satisfied with the current state of the fishery protection service operating within 200 miles of the British coast; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member of Kingston upon Hull, West (Mr. Johnson) on 25th April 1978—[Vol. 948, c. 510.]

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current state in the negotiations concerning third country fishing agreements.

Reciprocal fishing agreements for 1978 have been worked out in the course of consultations between the EEC and Norway, Sweden and the Faroe Islands respectively. The arrangements have not yet been confirmed by the Council of Ministers and are meanwhile being implemented provisionally. Fishing rights have been accorded to Spanish vessels pending the negotiation of a framework fisheries agreement between the Community and Spain. Negotiations are continuing with Canada and a number of West African countries but these do not involve reciprocal access to waters under the jurisdiction of EEC member States.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he is satisfied with the operation of Her Majesty's Government's policy on imported footwear originating in South Korea, Portugal, Sweden, India, Malaysia and the Philippines; and if he will make a statement.

While imports from these countries have been higher so far this year than in the corresponding period last year, they cannot be considered in isolation from imports of footwear as a whole. Total imports of footwear in the first quarter of 1978 were in fact lower than those in the same period in 1977. Imports of footwear from South Korea, Malaysia and India are subject to surveillance licensing. In response to representations from a number of EEC member States, including the United Kingdom, the European Commission has embarked on discussions with three of the Community's main low cost suppliers—South Korea, India and Spain—about their future forecasts of sales to the Community.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade to what extent the practice of using detergents to break up the continuing oil slicks, as now being used off the Norfolk coast, has damaged or may damage the sea bed and marine life; and whether he has made or will make, urgently, a thorough investigation into such matters.

Our objective in dealing with oil spillages is to protect our coasts and important concentrations of sea birds without damaging sea bed and marine life.The dispersants used to combat oil pollution have to be approved by the Mininstry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to ensure that they are unlikely to increase significantly damage to the marine biota beyond that resulting from the untreated oil.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why the EEC import duties on Norwegian wetfish, roundfrozen fish and shellfish are only being reduced to 10 per cent.; why this reduction is only for six months in view of the inadequate supplies of such fish in the United Kingdom; what is the justification for any import duties at all; and if he will make a statement.

The recent decision by the EEC Council temporarily to reduce the duties on fresh, chilled, or frozen cod, haddock, hake and hake fillets imported for use by the processing industry to 10 per cent. for the last six months of 1978 was taken against the background of continuing discussions about the Community's internal and external fishery regimes. The agreement reached takes account of the interests of both the fish processing and fishing industries in the Community. In view of the uncertainties facing these sectors, the reductions were made for an initial period of six months only. The position for the first half of 1979 will be reviewed in the autumn, when it will be possible to reassess the demand and supply situation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is satisfied that the sums raised by the Eady levy on cinema tickets is being used for the purposes intended; and if he will make a statement.

The Eady levy is distributed, as was intended, to the makers of qualifying films and to certain bodies that support the British Film Industry. The Interim Action Committee on the future of the British Film Industry has its operation under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will set out in the Official Report his estimates of the revenue in foreign currency from foreign and overseas visitors and tourists, and the corresponding amount of expenditure by British visitors to other countries for each of the last 10 calendar years.

This information is given in Table 1A of "M6 Business Monitor, Overseas Travel and Tourism, Fourth Quarter 1977", a copy of which is in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will now take steps to introduce import controls over motor car imports in the light of British Leyland's recent decision to import Minis from Belgium; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) if the EEC Commission has negotiated a new provisional agreement with Portugal on global ceilings for cotton yarn and synthetic cloth; and, if so, if he will give full details of the agreement;(2) if he will take steps to oppose the provisional agreement between the EEC Commission and Portugal to increase the global ceilings for certain textile imports;(3) if the new provisional agreement with Portugal on textile imports is within the global ceilings given in his undertakings to the textile industry;(4) if the EEC Commission has negotiated a new provisional agreement with Portugal concerning all textile imports; and, if so, whether he will give full details of the agreement.

Following discussions with Portugal, the EEC Commission has submitted to the EEC Council proposals for an agreement with Portugal which would involve a number of increases in the quotas, including the global ceilings, agreed by the Council of Foreign Ministers on 20th December 1977. For the United Kingdom there would be increases in the quotas for cotton yarn, synthetic cloth, cordage and some clothing items. There would be decreases in the quotas for cotton cloth and jerseys. We and other member States are now considering these proposals and I expect the matter to be discussed at the next EEC Council of Ministers.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities employ dog wardens; and how many dog wardens in each case.

No information is kept centrally. Available evidence suggests that about 80 district councils in Great Britain employ dog wardens, of which the majority employ one full or part time warden.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy on the use of the national parks for sports activities, particularly water ski-ing.

I informed the House on 12th January 1976 of the conclusions of my right hon. Friend and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on national park policies following the Sandford Report and they are recorded in Circular DOE 4/76.—[Vol. 903, c. 9–10.] Future policies for the recreational use of the national parks should be related to the particular qualities and capacities of different types of area—paragraph 49 of the circular. They did not dissent from the Sandford Committee's view that noisy pursuits should only exceptionally be provided for in the national parks, and agreed that the national park authorities should include suitable proposals in their national park plans. They pointed out that they could study the suitability of various measures in particular instances and that they had the power to make byelaws prohibiting or restricting traffic on lakes in the parks—paragraph 51 of the circular. It is for the national park authorities to proceed accordingly in consultation with appropriate bodies including the regional councils for sport and recreation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has to ensure that the public utility services of the Ministry of Defence houses at Park Hall, Oswestry, have been fully restored prior to the houses being offered for public purchase; what is the estimated cost of such restoration; and if he will make a statement.

Restoration of public utility services to the surplus MOD houses at Park Hall, Oswestry is not required as all the houses are currently connected to electricity, gas, water and sewage mains.The gas and electricity services do not need modification. Some water mains and service pipes require replacing before the houses can be offered for sale individually. It is possible that some work will be required to bring the sewage mains to the adoption standards of the Severn Trent Water Authority. The roads, verges etc. and street lighting need improving to bring them to the highway authority's adoption standards.The PSA plans to arrange for all the necessary work to be done at an estimated cost of £75,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average cost of building a new town dwelling completed in 1977.

The average cost of a new town dwelling, including land, that was completed in England during 1977 was a bout £13,500.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will undertake discussions with local authority associations with a view to persuading local authorities to abandon the employment of private bailiffs in distraint actions over rent arrears;(2) if he will issue guidelines to local authorities relating to abuses perpetrated by private bailiffs, retained by local authorities in distraint cases concerning rent arrears, as outlined in "In Distress over Rent", recently published by Shelter;(3) if he will list those local authorities which are known to employ private bailiffs to distrain in instances of rent arrears; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend's views on the use of distraint generally have already been made clear to my hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend will consider whether advice is required on the whole complex subject of rent arrears when current research has been completed and account can be taken of experience in the new Housing Services Advisory Unit. He would certainly expect to discuss the content of any advice with the local authority associations beforehand. Particulars of which authorities employ private bailiffs in the exercise of their management responsibilities are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the salary bill of the Wessex Water Board in its first year following reorganisation; what was then the number of staff employed; and how these figures compare with those for the current year.

The Wessex Water Authority's first year of operation was 1974–75, but, as I explained in my reply to the hon. Member on 11th May, the effects of reorganisation were still being absorbed in that year.—[Vol. 949, c. 614–5.] The total cost of salaries and wages, excluding employers contributions for National insurance and superannuation for the following year 1975–76 was £7,365,000 and the estimated cost for 1978–79 is £9,148,000.Total staff was 2,210 at 31st March 1976 and 2,291 at 31st March 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied there is sufficient capacity of domestic production of fibreglass to avoid undue reliance on imports in any home insulation scheme.

The major manufacturers of insulation materials assure us that they have sufficient capacity to

DERBYSHIRE CONSTABULARY
		Establishment		Strength		Vacancies		Percentage
Date		Men	Women	Men	Women	Men	Women	Deficiency
1st January 1973*	…	1,446	67	1,280	68	166	—	10·97
1st January 1974*	…	1,454	102	1,292	85	162	17	11·50
1st January 1975	…	1,457	102	1,336	98	121	4	8·02
1st January 1976	…	1,559		1,434	127	—		—
1st January 1977	…	1,709		1,420	139	150		8·77
1st January 1978	…	1,709		1,339	150	220		12·87
* These figures relate to the former Derby County and Borough force.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many management by objectives schemes have been introduced by his Department; how many are still operating; and what was the date of introduction of the last.

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, as part of its dissemination of the principles of management by objectives, this Department helped to introduce over 40 systematic management by objective schemes covering over 100,000 managers and staff in 10 departments. The underlying concepts have now been absorbed as part of the management approach in these areas of work. They have also been applied more generally within the service informing a wide range of management services and training activities. In the light of experience gained, a national agreement between the official and staff sides of the National Whitley Council on procedures for improving management systems was concluded in 1976; further development work continues in the regional and local offices of the Department of Health and Social Security, Inland Revenue and the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage the Derbyshire Constabulary was below its establishment, excluding civilian employees, on 1st January 1973, 1st January 1974, 1st January 1975, 1st January 1976, 1st January 1977 and 1st January 1978.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why neither he nor his Department has replied to the letter sent by the hon. Member for Paddington on 24th April concerning the position on the London Borough of Havering Council following the death of one of tie candidates in the Gooshays Ward; and what steps are required in order to elicit a prompt reply from his Department.

My hon. Friend the Minister of State has now replied to my hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many juveniles have been birched in the Isle of Man in each of the last five years; and, of these, how many have previously received this punishment.

I am asking the Isle of Man Government to provide me with the information requested by the hon. Member, to whom I shall send it when I have their reply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many registered drug addicts there are in the United Kingdom; and what is the estimated number of non-registered addicts.

PERSONS FOUND GUILTY OF OFFENCES OF POSSESSION OF DRUGS CONTROLLED UNDER THE MISUSE OF DRUGS ACT 1971
UNITED KINGDOM
Number of persons
Offence and type of drug		1974	1975	1976
Unlawful possession—
Cannabis*	…	8,486	7,955	8,592
Controlled drugs other than cannabis	…	2,340	2,269	2,247
Possession with intent to supply unlawfully—
Cannabis*	…	199	276	330
Controlled drugs other than cannabis	…	112	170	165
* Cannabis, cannabis resin, cannabinol and controlled cannabinol derivatives, alone or with other controlled drugs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the prisoner to warder ratio at Her Majesty's Prison, Sudbury, Derbyshire; and what was the average prisoner to warder ratio for open prisons in England and Wales at 31st December 1977.

There is no system of registration of addicts in the United Kingdom. There is, however, an obligation imposed on every doctor by the Misuse of Drugs (Notification of and Supply to Addicts) Regulations 1973 to notify to the Chief Medical Officer at the Home Office details of persons whom he considers, or has reasonable grounds to suspect, to be addicted to any one, or more, of 14 specified narcotic drugs. The official statistics derived from these notifications show 1,879 addicts in the United Kingdom known to the Home Office to be receiving narcotic drugs as at 31st December 1976.Reliable estimates of other addicts are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for the possession of (a) cannabis resin and its derivatives and (b) other drugs have been made in United Kingdom courts during each of the last three years.

Information in the form requested is not available except at disproportionate cost. The information available is given in the following table. Some of the persons shown in the table may have been convicted both of unlawful possession of, and of possession with intent to supply unlawfully, a controlled drug. Figures for 1977 are not yet available.

The ratio of prison officers to inmates on 31st December 1977 was 1:5·97 at Her Majesty's Prison, Sudbury and 1:5·75 at all open prisons in England and Wales.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the numbers of shot-gun licences renewed and issued to new applicants, respectively, in 1977;(2) how many applications for shot-gun licences were refused in 1977 in England and Wales.

Records of applications for shot-gun certificates are not maintained centrally, and I regret that the information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

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

I have now myself carefully reviewed each of the 36 individual cases raised by my hon. Friend. A number of complicated and difficult issues were involved, but I expect to be able to send a final reply to her shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many community service orders were made in England and Wales in 1977.

1976 is the latest period for which figures are available from records of criminal court proceedings; those figures are given on page 58 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1976".

				Bus crews	Train crews	Station staff	Police
1976—
Assaults reported	…	…	…	972	19	163	56
Prosecutions	…	…	…	131		83
1977—
Assaults reported	…	…	…	1,026	31	166	90
Prosecutions	…	…	…	138		120

Details of the success of the prosecutions could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what information

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will end the situation whereby only some retirement pensioners receive TV licences at a reduced rate, whereas others in no better financial situation do not.

The Government are currently considering the question of television licence concessions in the light of the Annan Committee's recommendation that the concessionary licence available to residents in old people's homes should be phased out and that no further concessions should be introduced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many assaults on bus crews, train crews and station staff on London Transport were recorded in 1976 and 1977; and, in each case, how many prosecutions were successfully completed.

I have been asked to reply.British Transport Police statistics show the position to have been as follows:he has of the legal costs to the employers who have defended themselves against charges of wrongful dismissal under the Employment Protection Act, and of the cost of insuring against such costs and possible compensation payable.

I have no information on these matters other than that available in the Press.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many appeals against wrongful dismissal have been made under the Employment Protection Act in the past year; how many were successful; in how many cases compensation was paid by the employer to the employee; what the average amount of compensation paid; and if he will give this information for the United Kingdom and Cornwall, respectively.

The information requested is not available for the United Kingdom or Cornwall. Figures giving the outcomes of unfair dismissal applications in 1977 for Great Britain will be

						Scotland	England	Wales
March 1976	…	…	…	…	…	3,304	31,430	3,143
April 1976	…	…	…	…	…	8,920	41,932	4,548
May 1976	…	…	…	…	…	8,222	34,161	2,780
June 1976	…	…	…	…	…	5,942	42,505	2,855
July 1976	…	…	…	…	…	6,351	48,098	3,473
August 1976	…	…	…	…	…	4,189	39,937	1,655
September 1976		…	…	…	…	8,076	35,159	1,991
October 1976	…	…	…	…	…	7,243	45,300	4,540
November 1976		…	…	…	…	7,026	28,365*	2,781
December 1976	…	…	…	…	…	12,277	14,309*	2,758
January 1977	…	…	…	…	…	9,456	36,511	2,553
February 1977	…	…	…	…	…	5,353	41,262	3,529
March 1977	…	…	…	…	…	5,477	45,062	3,475
April 1977	…	…	…	…	…	10,483	37,068	3,300
May 1977	…	…	…	…	…	5,808	43,929	3,680
June 1977	…	…	…	…	…	10,601	46,380	5,919
July 1977	…	…	…	…	…	6,010	47,403	1,897
August 1977	…	…	…	…	…	6,577	33,646	1,750
September 1977		…	…	…	…	4,137	39,140	2,653
October 1977	…	…	…	…	…	7,202	34,785	3,020
November 1977		…	…	…	…	7,107	38,073	4,703
December 1977	…	…	…	…	…	6,223	38,569	2,786
January 1978	…	…	…	…	…	5,547	38,772	2,948
February 1978	…	…	…	…	…	4,657	47,176	2,458
March 1978	…	…	…	…	…	6,636	47,794	2,991
April 1978	…	…	…	…	…	4,577	40,435	2,759
Total	…	…	…	…	…	177,401	1,017,201*	80,945

During the same period the total number of proposed redundancies which have been formally withdrawn is as follows:

Scotland	55,655
England	323,765*
Wales	26,787
*Owing to industrial action complete figures are not available here and could be calculated only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average take-home pay of a semi-skilled worker in Her Majesty's Dockyards; and how this compares both with the wage of a

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies have been notified to him in Scotland, England and Wales, respectively, for each month since the appropriate provisions of the Employment Protection Act came into operation.

For each month from March 1976 to April 1978 proposed redundancies in all industries in Scotland, England and Wales have been notified to my Department as follows:semi-skilled worker in the motor industry, and with the national average wage.

I regret the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement about future prospects for the ferrous foundry industry.

There are no official forecasts of the output of the ferrous foundry industry. As the overall economic activity of the United Kingdom recovers, particularly in the engineering, construction and vehicle industries, so the overall demand for ferrous castings will increase, although the level of activity will vary between sectors of the industry and companies within sectors.The Government's ferrous foundry assistance scheme, which is contributing towards expenditure up to 31st August 1980 on approved capital projects, is helping to put the industry into a better position to meet such an increase in demand.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) how redundancy payments payable to British Steel Corporation workers at Ebbw Vale and East Moors compare with payments being made to Dupont steelworkers at Briton Ferry;(2) what representations he has received from representatives of redundant Dupont steelworkers from Briton Ferry; and whether he will make a statement.

I, with my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Employment, received a deputation of Dupont steelworkers recently.I understand that redundant BSC workers and redundant Briton Ferry workers receive from their employers a supplement of about 50 per cent. above the statutory lump sum payable under the Redundancy Payments Act 1965. In addition, both groups may be eligible for income support benefits—for periods of up to two and a half years depending on age—under the joint United Kingdom Government—ECSC readaptation scheme. Following an application by Her Majesty's Government, the European Commission has already allocated funds to readaptation benefits for Briton Ferry workers, and applications are being made for similar treatment for BSC workers at Ebbw Vale and East Moors. Thus redundant Dupont steelworkers will receive equivalent payments to those normally made to redundant BSC workers.Unlike the closure of the Briton Ferry works, the dates of the closure of East Moors and part of Ebbw Vale works have been brought forward from dates announced and agreed as part of the Beswick review. In order to compensate for the loss of expected employment thereby caused, BSC has agreed with the unions concerned to make ex gratia payments representing 26½ weeks' normal earnings at Ebbw Vale and 42 weeks' at East Moors.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he considers the steel-making facilities at Shotton to be a "high cost plant" within the terms of paragraph 9 of the recent White Paper on steel entitled "British Steel Corporation: the Road to Viability", Command Paper No. 7149.

The cost competitiveness of individual works is a matter for the British Steel Corporation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the firms in the North-West Region of England, excluding Merseyside, in which the National Enterprise Board has an investment.

The Board has investments in the North-West Region, excluding the Merseyside special development area, in the following companies:—

• British Leyland Ltd
• British Tanners Products Ltd
• Data Recording Instrument Co Ltd
• Fairey Engineering Holdings Ltd
• Ferranti Ltd
• Francis Shaw & Co Ltd
• Hird Brown Ltd
• ICL Ltd
• Twinlock Ltd.

I am sure that the NEB's regional board for the North-West would welcome and consider seriously, any further proposals from companies in the area for investment by the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the firms on Merseyside in which the National Enterprise Board has an investment.

The Board has investments in the Merseyside special development area in British Leyland Ltd. and in Hemmings Plastics Ltd.I am sure that the NEB's regional board for the North-West would welcome, and consider seriously, any further proposals from companies in the area for investment by the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many applications from firms in the North-West of England, excluding Merseyside, asking the National Enterprise Board to participate in the company's activities have been rejected by the National Enterprise Board.

This is a matter for the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many applications from firms in Merseyside asking the National Enterprise Board to participate in the company's activities have been rejected by the National Enterprise Board.

This is a matter for the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why he has raised the limits on investment without the approval of the Secretary of State by the National Research Development Corporation by such a substantial amount as from £20,000 to £250,000.

Following a request by the Corporation, based on their experience of investing successfully in the development or exploitation of inventions, it was agreed that an upper limit of £250,000 was now the appropriate figure.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether his Department is now attaching pay policy conditions to all offers of grants to industry under Sections 1, 7 and 8, respectively, of the Industry Act 1972; what is his authority in law for attaching such conditions to offers; and whether he will set out the precise terms of the undertakings that are being sought.

In accordance with the policy set out in paragraph 16 of the White Paper "The Attack on Inflation after 31 July 1977", and following the practice in earlier phases of pay policy, in considering applications for discretionary assistance under Sections 7 and 8 of the Industry Act 1972 account is taken of the company's pay settlements in deciding whether assistance should be provided. Offer letters reserve the right to refuse payment if at the time for payment pay policy has not been complied with. This procedure does not apply to the provision of regional development grants under Section 1 of the Act, since these do not normally involve the exercise of the Secretary of State's discretion. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been advised that such conditions are relevant to the purposes of the legislation and, consequently, it is proper for them to be included. The precise terms of individual offers are negotiated in each case with the applicant company and are not disclosed.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many statements he has issued on planning agreements under Section 21 of the Industry Act 1975.

My right hon. Friend has issued one, on 9th March 1977 in respect of Chrysler UK Ltd.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the loss to the Exchequer as a result of the recent amendments to the Finance Bill.

If the amendments passed in Committee on 8th and 10th May 1978 were to be enacted, the estimated loss of revenue would be about £445 million in 1978–79, and £520 million, at 1978–79 income levels, in a full year.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current membership of the National Economic Development Corporation's Committee on Finance for Industry.

The current membership of the committee on Finance for Industry which was recently reconstituted is as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the growth of the money suuply in the past financial year exceeded his estimates; what were the main causes of this excess; and what he estimates as its effects on the real economy in general and the rate of inflation in particular.

Over the 12 months to mid-April, sterling M3 grew by about 16¼ per cent., 3¼ percentage points above the upper end of the Government's 9 per cent. to 13 per cent. preferred growth range. The growth over the past financial year reflects in substantial measure the inflow of external funds to the non-bank private sector. This inflow corresponded to about 40 per cent. of the total increase in £M3; together with non-resident purchases of sterling assets, it may also have had an effect through its impact in reducing domestic interest rates. The linkages between short-term movements in

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide a table showing the annual rates of growth of both M1 and £ sterling M3, on a seasonally adjusted basis, over the three months and six months to mid-April 1978, and similarly over the three months and six months to end-February 1974.

Money supply figures for end-February 1974 are not available. On a mid-monthly basis, the information is as follows—all figures seasonally adjusted:the monetary aggregates and the development of output and prices are not well established, and it is therefore not possible to make any precise deduction about the specific effects of the increase in sterling M3 last year. The inflows were, however, associated with a large increase in the bank deposits of industrial and commercial companies, particularly in the last quarter of 1977, which seem to have reflected in part a change at that time in portfolio preferences in favour of sterling and away from other currencies. Personal sector deposits grew much more slowly. It seems unlikely that the increase in company sector bank deposits will have any significant effect on companies' United Kingdom expenditure; but to a much greater degree than financial institutions and private individuals, companies are likely to keep their funds in liquid form against future commitments, rather than invest in longer-term financial assets such as gilts. The excess of monetary growth above my right hon. Friend's preferred range may, therefore, have relatively little direct effect on the real economy or on inflation. For the future, the Government intend to maintain firm control over the growth of the money supply; the increases in interest rates since mid-March, particularly short-term rates, reflect the Government's determination to keep sterling M3 within the 8 per cent. to 12 per cent. target for the year to mid-April 1979.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will ask the Inland Revenue to write off income tax debts caused by errors made by the Inland Revenue, in the case of retirement pensioners earning £3,000 or less per annum.