asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her policy regarding supply of tractors and harvesters to underdeveloped countries; and if she will make any new proposals about this.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 14th June. I have no new proposals to make but, as the House has already been informed, part of our bilateral programme can be used to give higher priority to the commercial and industrial importance of developmentally sound projects. These could include the supply of agricultural machinery.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will list those countries in which bilateral aid is now declining and those in which it is now beginning or increasing.

I refer the hon. Gentleman to "British Aid Statistics 1972–1976" for the detailed information that he requests. The figures should be taken over a two-to-three-year period, since spending can fluctuate.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what estimate she has of the employment of British experts and technicians involved in serving overseas as a result of the United Kingdom's aid programme.

Some 6,100 people are directly employed overseas under the aid programme. There are about 1,060 volunteers and numerous consultants engaged in a variety of studies. There is no estimate of the number of people employed on projects financed from capital aid.

aked the Minister of Overseas Development what aid funds to India have been tied to the purchase of equipment from British power-plant manufacturers.

Two power sector grants to India, both tied to United Kingdom procurement, have been signed, one of £10 million in 1975, which has been fully allocated, and one of £50 million earlier this year.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development to what extent current and future EEC aid programmes for non-associates are directed towards stabilising and controlling population increases; and whether she will make a statement.

The main purpose of the limited financial aid programme to non-associates is to improve the living standards of the most needy sections of the population, and particularly to develop the rural environment and improve food production. Direct aid for family planning projects is not ruled out but so far no such schemes have been brought forward. The process of economic and social development is, of course, essential to change in family systems.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will make a statement on the outcome of the Caribbean Group for Co-operation in Economic Development which met in Washington last week.

The meeting agreed on the establishment of a Caribbean development facility, which will total at least $125 million over the next 12 months and will represent additional financial and development assistance to the countries of the Caribbean. Among those who propose to contribute to it are the United States, Venezuela, the OPEC Special Fund, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Norway, and, of course, ourselves.Special attention has been given to the immediate problems of Jamaica, Guyana and Barbados, arising from their dependence on imported oil and the fall in the prices of their exports. It was agreed that some $52 million will be made available to Jamaica under the facility in the next 12 months, including $10 million—£5·5 million—from the United Kingdom. The World Bank is also mobilising help for Guyana and Barbados, while the needs of the smaller islands are also seriously to be considered.I am very happy with the outcome, and believe that the United Kingdom has played an important and constructive role in the success which has so far been achieved.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she is planning to give any scientific aid to Vietnam; and, if so, what form it will take.

There are no plans at present for giving scientific aid to Vietnam.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she has offered Vietnam long-term credit at a not unreasonable rate of interest to enable the country to purchase technology from the United Kingdom.

Since 1977 aid offered to Vietnam has been technical co-operation, which is on grant terms. The aid offered under the aid/trade contingency provision would assist the Government of Vietnam to purchase turbines and ships from the United Kingdom. In addition, a limited amount of medium-term credit has been made available by ECGD at the internationally agreed interest rate.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what are the latest figures available for the aid given to Vietnam broken down into individual projects; what plans she has for increasing this aid; and if she will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. and learned Member for Kinross and Perthshire (Mr. Nicholas Fairbairn) on 25th April.—[Vol. 948, c. 538–40.].In the current financial year we are continuing to provide technical cooperation, mainly in the form of English language training in the United Kingdom for about 50 Vietnamese students, at a cost of about £200,000. We have offered the Government of Vietnam assistance from the aid-trade contingency provision in meeting part of the cost of five British-built cargo vessels and part of the cost of British-built gas turbines for a power station at Haiphong.We have offered 4,750 tons of flour to Vietnam, to be distributed through UNHCR.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by her which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if she will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

There are one full-time and 324 part-time appointments to various bodies and committees. The total annual expenditure on salaries—including flat-rate annual payments—and fees is approximately £42,000. I regret that the sum paid as expenses is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. I will of course continue to keep the number of these appointments under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy by what date those oil companies currently prospecting in the English Channel are required to stake their claim; and if he is satisfied that they have all observed the rules concerning consultation with fishing interests prior to commencing sonar drags.

No decision has yet been taken about when further production licences in the English Channel may be available. I am satisfied that the procedures described in my right hon. Friend the Minister of State's written reply to the hon. Member on 19th June are being observed.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what movements in real fuel prices his Department anticipates in the medium term.

It is difficult to predict the course of energy prices in the medium term because of uncertainties about movements in international oil prices. However, it has been forecast that the real price of oil might rise to perhaps more than double its present level by the end of the century, and other energy prices are likely to follow it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what rules are stipulated in the terms of appointment of senior personnel of industries where he appoints, regarding involvement in party political activity.

Members of public boards are, when first appointed, given guidance on the need for discretion in party political matters. In particular, full-time members are asked to abstain from controversial political activity.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with security precautions taken on oil rigs.

Security precautions on oil rigs are the responsibility of the operators, who have all had detailed advice from the police, the Armed Forces and the Department of Energy.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate his Department has made of the aggregate number of scientists and engineers involved in research and development on wind, wave, solar and tidal power, as compared with the numbers involved in research and development on nuclear power.

The Department's R & D programmes on wave, wind, solar, geothermal and tidal energies are in the main conducted by contracts placed with industrial companies, research associations, universities and polytechnics, and the Department has no data on the numbers of qualified staff employed by them or on the numbers employed on work financed and conducted by private industry. Some 24 qualified scientists and engineers are employed in my Department and in its energy technology support unit in the planning and management of its programmes. In the field of R & D on nuclear power, there are about 2,000 qualified scientists and engineers employed on such work in the UKAEA, about 400 in the electricity supply industry and an unknown but small number in the nuclear industry.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he will announce his proposals for another fuel rebate scheme for next winter; and whether he will extend it to a wider range of categories.

No final decisions have yet been made, but any proposals for another scheme for assistance with fuel bills would be announced in good time before next winter.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will discuss with the chairman of the Supplementary Benefits Commission any proposals he may have to assist people with low incomes to meet their fuel bills next winter.

The chairman of the Supplementary Benefits Commission has given me a full account of the Commission's views on these matters.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received any representations on the adequacy of the proposals in the White Paper "The Development of Alternative Sources of Energy".

I have received no representations on the adequacy of the proposals in the White Paper on "The Development of Alternative Sources of Energy".

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what encouragement Government policies have given to British independent oil companies working on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf.

Our offshore policies provide continuing opportunities for British companies to become licencees within their capabilities. A considerable number have done so.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the proportion of the total of crude oil currently imported into Great Britain that is supplied by each of the following countries: Russia, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq and Kuwait; how many barrels of crude oil are imported from Russia each year; and to what use it is put.

The following table gives the full statistical details. In each of the years 1976 and 1977, about 20 million barrels of crude oil were imported from Russia. As a relatively homogenous raw material, crude oil is subsequently processed and blended into many products and it is not possible to identify the use made of particular imports.

PROPORTION OF TOTAL CRUDE OIL CURRENTLY IMPORTED
	1977	January to April 1978
From	per cent.	per cent.
Russia	4·1	3·5
Saudi Arabia	26·9	21·4
Iran	18·8	14·9
Iraq	8·0	10·3
Kuwait	13·4	18·7

IMPORTS OF CRUDE OIL FROM RUSSIA
	Thousand barrels
1974	738
1975	5,078
1976	20,276
1977	20,423
January to April 1978	5,755

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report on the recent failure of the EEC Council of Ministers to reach agreement on intra-Community trade in coal.

The proposal for the coal scheme was not accepted by the Italian delegation. I intend to press it at further Councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to chair a meeting of the Energy Commission.

The next meeting of the Energy Commission, which I shall chair, has been arranged for 26th September 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what profit the British Gas Corporation has made in 1977–78.

The British Gas Corporation's profit for 1977–78 will be published in the annual report and accounts next month. I shall, as usual, lay a copy before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now take steps to ensure that North Sea oil is exported only when surplus to United Kingdom requirements.

The object of our refinery and disposal policy is to maximise the economic benefits to the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what support he is giving to the development of the chemical fuel cell; and what progress has so far been made.

The Department is not at present supporting any development work on the chemical fuel cell.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the contract entered into by the Central Electricity Generating Board with Techsnabexport of the USSR for the supply of enriched uranium fuel for use in the advanced gas-cooled reactors of the Board.

The contract between the generating boards and Techsnabexport which was announced on 25th February 1975 is for the provision of 1,000 tonnes of separative work over the period 1980 to 1989 to provide low enriched uranium. The contract is subject to normal safeguards arrangements. It is not normal practice to disclose the commercial terms of such a contract.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what quantities of coal have been imported into the United Kingdom over the last 12 months, specifiying the type of coal and country of origin; and what supplies are contracted for importation for the future.

The following table gives details of imports, taken from Customs and Excise returns for the financial year ending March 1978. The CEGB has a

Thousand tonnes
Country of consignment*					Anthracite	Coking coal	Steam coal	Total
France	…	…	…	…	23	—	—	23
Belgium	…	…	…	…	8	—	174	182
Netherlands	…	…	…	…	1	55	248	304
Germany	…	…	…	…	72	180	4	256
Ireland	…	…	…	…	—	—	41	41
U.S.S.R.	…	…	…	…	146	—	—	146
Morocco	…	…	…	…	19	—	—
South Africa	…	…	…	…	9	—	—
U.S.A.	…	…	…	…	—	333	9	342
Poland	…	…	…	…	—	180	37	217
Australia	…	…	…	…	—	361	721	1,082
East Germany	…	…	…	…	1	—	—	1
Sweden	…	…	…	…	—	—	3	3
Total	…	…	…	…	279	1,109	1,237	2,625
* This is not necessarily the country of origin.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated volume and value—at current prices—of the gas which will be separated from North Sea oil.

Currently some 500 million cubic feet per day of gas is being separated from North Sea oil from the United Kingdom Continental Shelf. This figure will increase as oil production increases. The value of the gas will vary according to where it is made available and the uses to which it might be put.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many former hon. Members are not eligible for a parliamentary pension; how many former Members and widows are receiving grants from the House of Commons Members' Fund; and what is the annual cost of such grants.

The number of former hon. Members who served in the House from 1954 and who are not eligible for a parliamentary pension is 272.This excludes 28 former hon. Members who served in the House prior to 1954

asked the Lord President of the Council how many former hon. Members or widows, not eligible for a parliamentary pension, are aged 80 years or more.

No detailed record is kept but it is estimated that of the hon. Members who served in the House of Commons between 1954 and 1964 and who have not since been returned, at least 31 are aged 80 years or more. There is no record of former hon. Members' widows.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether it is permissible to make 20 copies of Labour Party Press releases on the photocopying machines below the Chamber.

No. Copying machines are intended for use by Members in connection with their parliamentary duties, and not for work in connection with their party political or non-parliamentary work outside Parliament.

asked the Prime Minister if he is satisfied that there is sufficient co-ordination between Government Departments in relation to Section 11 of the Countryside Act 1968, in regard to the desirability of conserving the natural beauty and amenity of the countryside.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister whether the public speech on selective import controls by the Secretary of State for Trade to the Consumers Association in London on 21st June represents Government policy.

Yes.

asked the Prime Minister how many full-time and part-

	Number	Remuneration	Annual cost
		£	£
Scottish Law Commission
Chairman*	1	16,884	16,884
Commissioners:
Full-time	2	11,925	23,850
Part-time	2	5,235	10,470
The Scottish Committee of the Council on Tribunals
Chairman (part-time)	1	2,963	2,963
Members (part-time)	6	—	—
Advocates Depute	10	9,000	90,000

In addition I have a joint responsibility with my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor in appointing the chair-

	Number	Remuneration	Annual cost
		£	£
Chairman (part-time)	1	5,795	5,795
Members (part-time)	14	750	6,000†
Details of expenses paid are not readily available.
* The chairman (Lord Hunter), being the holder of high judicial office, is not remunerated under The Law Commissions Act 1965. He continues to receive his judicial salary, which is paid out of the Consolidated Fund.
† One of the 14 members of the Council is the chairman of the Scottish Committee: he receives no remuneration as a member of the Council. Some other members of the Council do not take the amount of remuneration to which they are entitled.

Although, as a matter of policy, I keep under review the numbers and costs of the appointments I make, the Law Com-

Three full-time and some 170 part-time. The current annual total cost of salaries is £27,985. Information about expenses and fees is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. Most of these appointments are statutory, and I have no plans to reduce the present number.

asked the Lord Advocate how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.The Lord Advocate: The information requested by my hon. Friend is as follows:man and members of the Council on Tribunals:missions Act 1965 regulates the membership of the Scottish Law Commission, and the Tribunals and Inquiries Act 1971 regulates the number of members to be appointed to the Council on Tribunals and its Scottish Committee. So far as the advocates depute are concerned, the increase in crime makes it impossible to reduce their number.

asked the Lord President of the Council how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to him on 24th May 1977.—[Vol. 932, cc. 406–7.] The position has not changed since then.

asked the Paymaster General how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by her which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Comission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if she will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I make no such appointments.

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

There are no paid public appointments in my gift.

asked the Attorney-General how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him and by his noble Friend, respectively, which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

So far as England and Wales are concerned, I appoint standing counsel to the Treasury and Government Departments, of whom two, Mr. H. K. Woolf and Mr. P. L. Gibson, receive as part of their emoluments annual retainers of £4,000 and £2,000 per annum respectively; subject to that, counsel are remunerated on a piecework basis. Details of expenses paid, which rarely arise, are not readily available.As at 1st June, some 775 full-time office-holders appointed by, or on the advice of, my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor were in post, at an annual cost to central Government funds of approximately £8·6 million for salaries and £537,000 for expenses; and there were about 33,000 in part-time appointments, costing approximately £1·4 million for fees or salary and £439,000 for expenses.The number of full-time appointments includes 440 members of the judiciary appointed by the Crown on the advice of my noble Friend and paid out of the Consolidated Fund: the salary cost is included in the above figure. The number of part-time appointments includes 927 ad hoc appointments as deputy-judges. It also includes 22,080 justices of the peace in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 4,535 general commissioners of income tax. The annual cost stated excludes that falling on the funds of authorities and Departments other than that of my noble Friend in respect of (

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

About 2,900, of which all but four are part-time. 121 of the appointments are paid and the cost of these to public funds in 1977–78 was about £310,000. Travelling and subsistence expenses are paid where appropriate, but the total sum is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. I keep the number of appointments under review to ensure that there are no more than are needed for the work to be done.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under Immigration Act powers at 30th April 1978 as (a) alleged overstayers, (b) alleged illegal immigrants, (c) recommendations for deportation by the courts, (d) awaiting deportation for breach of conditions of leave to enter, and (e) awaiting deportation as non-conducive to the public good.

I am arranging for the data to be analysed and published in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under Immigration Act powers at 30th April 1978 at (a) Her Majesty's Prison, Pentonville, (b) Her Majesty's Prison, Winson Green, (c) Risley Remand Centre, (d) other prisons by name, and (e) prison department detention centres by name.

I am arranging for the data to be analysed and published in the Official Report as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the first three months of 1978 he has exercised his power to detain people against whom a decision to make a deportation order under Section 2(2) of Schedule 3 to the Immigration Act; and on how many such occasions (a) bail has been granted by the appellate authorities and (b) the decision to detain them has been reversed.

Twenty-eight detention orders were made in the first three months of this year under paragraph 2(2) of Schedule 3 to the Immigration Act 1971.I regret that the other information requested is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained in prisons under Immigration Act powers at the Hammersmith and Gatwick Detention Centres run by Securicor Limited at 30th April 1978.

On 30th April 1978, 60 people were detained at the immigration service detention centre at Harmondsworth; in addition, three patrial children were accommodated there in order to remain with their parents. No one was detained at the centre at Gatwick.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained under Immigration Act powers who committed, or attempted to commit, suicide while in Prison Department establishments during the first three months of 1978.

None committed suicide. Information on attempted suicide among particular categories of inmates is not centrally recorded.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been detained in prisons under Immigration Act powers who are compelled to share a cell with, respectively, one or two other people as at 30th April 1978 at (a) Her Majesty's Prison, Pentonville, (b) Her Majesty's Prison, Winson Green and (c) Risley Remand Centre.

The information is as follows:

DETAINEES IN SHARED ACCOMMODATION ON 30TH APRIL 1978
	Two in a cell	Three in a cell	Dormitory
Pentonville	150	—	—
Birmingham	—	3	21
Risley	12	—	—

Sympathetic consideration is given wherever possible to requests for single accommodation or for particular detainees to share accommodation with others of the same nationality.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take about the arrangements for legal advisers or other authorised representatives to visit clients detained under Immigration Act powers at Her Majesty's Prison, Winson Green, in view of the delays caused by the present inadequate accommodation.

I regret that because accommodation for visits by legal advisers is limited, they cannot always see clients immediately. The possibility of improving the accommodation is being kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the longest periods spent in prison by people detained under Immigration Act powers at the present time.

On 31st May 1978 two people had been detained in Prison Department establishments under the Immigration Act 1971 for 11 months or more. The longest period for which either of them had been detained was 354 days.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the first three months of 1978 he has exercised his powers under Section 2(1) of Schedule 3 to the Immigration Act to direct release, pending further consideration of the cases of people detained following recommendations for deportations made by the court.

I regret that this information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions during the first three months of 1978 he has exercised his powers to order temporary release of people detained in prisons as alleged illegal entrants pending consideration of representations made on their behalf.

Between 1st January and 31st March 1978, 30 persons detained as illegal entrants solely on the authority of an immigration officer were released from detention and granted temporary admission pending consideration of their cases and any representations made on their behalf.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) whether, in the light of the failure of the Medical Research Council's working party on retinitis pigmentosa either to study or call evidence on the methods used by the Opos Eye Clinic, St. Gallen, Switzerland, or to evaluate the success or failure of those methods, she will invite it to undertake a further investigation of this treatment;(2) whether the evaluation by the Medical Research Council of the success rate of the Opos Eye Clinic, St. Gallen, Switzerland, in the answer to the hon. Member for Grimsby on 17th May, is accurate, in the light of the fact that a combination of methods is used there rather than the one method specified in the answer; and if she will make a statement.

The working party's conclusion of the retinitis pigmentosa therapy practised at the Opos Eye Clinic was based on full knowledge of what the treatment involves. The question of any further investigation is a matter for the Medical Research Council. Its scientific judgment, which I accept, is that there is insufficient basis to warrant support of clinical trials of this method of treatment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether, in the light of the three priorities for clinical research identified by the ad hoc working party on retinitis pigmentosa in September 1977, namely (a) a clinical survey in several centres, (b) a better definition of the functional defects of the disease by physiological and psychological techniques, and (c) a search for genetic markers, she will detail the progress made in each of these directions.

The Medical Research Council has awarded two grants for a study of abnormal retinal physiology in patients with retinitis pigmentosa and research into the genetic and clinical aspects of the disease. These projects are in line with the first two priorities for clinical research identified by the working party. Work in the third priority area, a search for genetic markers for retinitis pigmentosa is in progress at the Council's clinical and population cytogenetics unit in Edinburgh.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will make the forthcoming report of the working party on the Appleton and Rutherford Laboratories available as soon as published to the hon. Members for Beaconsfield, Eton and Slough (Miss Lestor), Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls) and Windsor and Maidenhead (Dr. Glyn), so that they may be able to consider the impact upon their constituents of any proposals contained in it.

This working party was appointed by the Science Research Council. Its report will not be published but after its next meeting on 19th July the Council will send copies for comment to interested parties including the Staff and Trade Union sides. I have arranged with the chairman for copies then to be made available to the hon. Members. The substantive discussion of the report by the Council is not expected to take place before October.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by her which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if she will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

Six full-time and 116 part-time. The total annual cost is about £185,000. These appointments are kept under review to ensure that no more are made than are necessary.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in view of the fact that a sub-committee of the Cumbria Education Committee is recom- mending not to take advantage of the free school milk in September for junior children in the county, what action she proposes to take to encourage local authorities to provide free milk.

Following the Budget Statement my right hon. Friend expressed her hope that local education authorities would recognise the exceptionally good value represented by the milk scheme and decide to provide free milk to junior pupils. A circular letter was sent to every local education authority in May explaining that free milk could be provided to junior schoolchildren in 1978–79 at no cost to the authority, and that thereafter the EEC subsidy would reduce by more than one-third the cost to the authority of providing free milk. It is now for each authority to decide whether to take advantage of these arrangements.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service why he has declined to allow the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs research office to have information on the relationship in a job comparison with assistant secretaries of the Civil Service and those in private industry; and if he will now make this information available.

I have received no such request, nor have my officials found any record of a request for this information. If my hon. Friend will let me have further details I shall see that the matter is considered.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

The position remains as I explained to my hon. Friend on 24th May 1977. I make no paid appointments outside the Civil Service. Within the Civil Service the only appointments which are not subject to certification by the Civil Service Commission are casual appointments and limited period appointments.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether a retired civil servant, including a retired permanent secretary, who accepts paid employment in the public sector has to forgo, in the same way that is required of a retired officer of the Armed Forces, the whole or part of his pension in a manner related to his level of remuneration from his post-retirement public sector job.

A retired civil servant would normally be subject to abatement of pension in the event of reemployment in the Civil Service. Where a Civil Service pensioner is appointed by or on the advice of a Minister to a public board or similar offce, his total remuneration by way of pension and salary is restricted in the same way as for a retired officer of the Armed Forces. I explained the reason for this in my reply to the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, South-West (Mr. Dodsworth) on 16th November 1977.—[Vol. 939; c. 216.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits to employ overseas workers have been issued and refused for Garners Steak Houses since his Department was informed of a trade dispute at the firm's establishments.

None. The work permit scheme includes a condition that no suitable resident labour is available to fill the post offered and that the employer has made adequate efforts to find such a worker; my Department must be positively satisfied that this condition has been met before a work permit is issued or approval of a change of job given. My Department cannot be satisfied that the condition is met when there is a trade dispute involving employees in the occupational grade concerned at the establishment of the employer making the application; in these circumstances the labour market is distorted and the true position cannot be assessed. This condition applies not only in the hotel and catering industry but in like circumstances in any industry. It is my Department's practice not to issue work permits for or approve employment in an establishment where industrial action is known to be current.An overseas worker is not restricted to the job for which the permit was issued either within the orginal period or subsequently, but he is expected to remain in the same kind of employment, and any change of job is subject to the same conditions as a work permit. Approval must be applied for by the new employer and this should be done before the job is taken up. Since 26th January 1978, when industrial action started, two applications for changes of employment to Garners Steak Houses for overseas workers already here on work permits, submitted before the dispute began, have been approved. Three other applications for changes of employment submitted after 26th January have been refused.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage increase since February 1974 in the index of average earnings for all employees to the latest convenient date.

The best available estimate of the increase between February 1974 and April 1978 is about 99 per cent. This is based on seasonally adjusted index numbers in the older series of average earnings, which covers production industries and a few service industries; it includes an adjustment to the February 1974 figures to allow for the temporary reduction in earnings during the three-day working week and other restrictions then in operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the proportion of people employed in (a) agriculture, (b) fishing, (c) construction, (d) mines and quarries and (e) tourism in the area covered by the Berwick, Alnwick and Amble employment offices.

The following table gives the latest information available for local areas. My Department's figures are analysed according to the Minimum List Headings of the Standard Industrial Classification which does not identify tourism separately.

PERCENTAGE OF EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN VARIOUS INDUSTRIES IN THE AREA OF THE BERWICK, ALNWICK AND AMBLE EMPLOYMENT OFFICES—JUNE 1976
Agriculture and horticulture (MLH 001)	9·6
Fishing (MLH 003)	0·7
Construction (MLH 500)	11·8
Mining and quarrying (MLHs 101–109)	7·9

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

EMPLOYEES IN EMPLOYMENT IN THE UNITED KINGDOM, SEASONALLY ADJUSTED
		Number ('000s)	Percentage change over previous year
1970	March	22,567	-0·3
	June	22,458	-0·7
	September	22,430	-0·7
	December	22,392	-0·7
1971	March	22,120	-2·0
	June	22,113	-1·5
	September	21,942	-2·2
	December	21,929	-2·1
1972	March	22,098	-0·1
	June	22,114	—
	September	22,211	+1·2
	December	22,363	+2·0
1973	March	22,657	+2·5
	June	22,661	+2·5
	September	22,703	+2·2
	December	22,739	+1·7
1974	March	22,704	+0·2
	June	22,791	+0·6
	September	22,879	+0·8
	December	22,828	+0·4
1975	March	22,733	+0·1
	June	22,709	-0·4
	September	22,652	-1·0
	December	22,595	-1·0
1976	March	22,536	-0·9
	June	22,539	-0·7
	September*	22,550	-0·5
	December*	22,606	—
1977	March*	22,634	+0·4
	June*	22,661	+0·5
	September*	22,650	+0·4
	December*	22,644	+0·2
Notes:
— Nil or less than half of 0·1 per cent.
* Figures after June 1976 are provisional. Her Majesty's Forces are excluded.

The total number of full and part-time appointments is 12 and 206 respectively. The estimated total annual cost for the year 1977–78 is £306,102. No useful estimate of expenses is possible without incurring disproportionate costs. In reply to the last part of the Question, my right hon. Friend keeps under review the number of appointments to be made and ensures that there are no more than are needed for the work to be done.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each quarter since 1970 the seasonally adjusted total of employees in employment in the United Kingdom and show for each quarter the percentage increase or decrease on the corresponding quarter in the previous year.

The information requested is shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest comparable percentage figures for unemployment in each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries for which adjusted unemployment rates are available from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development sources.

The OECD publish comparable seasonally adjusted rates of unemployment for 12 of the 24 member countries. The latest information, for the third quarter of 1977 is as follows:

United States	6·9
Japan	2·2*
Germany	3·6*
France	5·7*
United Kingdom	8·1*
Canada	8·2
Italy	7·9*
Australia	5·5
Finland	6·2
Norway	1·9†
Spain	5·2†
Sweden	1·9
*Adjusted to international definitions by the OECD.
†Provisional.

The rate for the United Kingdom is under review by the OECD.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment on what criteria the Government judge projects submitted for funding under the European Community's Social Fund; and if he will give a short list of examples where money from this fund has helped various communities or organisations within the United Kingdom.

The Government send forward applications in respect of any scheme which satisfies the conditions of eligibility set out in the regulations governing the Fund and which also stands a reasonable chance of earning a high priority under the guidelines for the management of the Fund.Those helped by Social Fund assistance have included workers in Scotland in the area covered by the Highlands and Islands Development Board, former agricultural workers in Northern Ireland, young handicapped people in South Wales, unemployed young people under the various special programmes of the Manpower Services Commission and immigrant workers and their families in areas of high immigrant population.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many employers in each of the last five years, respectively, have been refused permission by the Overseas Labour Section of his Department for foreign employees, who already possess work permits but are elsewhere employed, to change their employment to that of the relevant employer on account of an industrial action known to be current at one or more of the employer's establishments;(2) how many employers in each of the last five years, respectively, have been refused work permits for foreign employees seeking permits for the first time from the Overseas Labour Section of his Department on account of an industrial action known to be current at one or more of the employer's establishments.

No records are maintained by my Department of work permits for overseas workers, or permission to change employment, refused because of industrial action known to be current at an applicant employer's establishment.In this connection I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today to my hon. Friend the Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the percentage of total job vacancies notified by employers to jobcentres and employment offices.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that its staff conducted a special national survey of engagements and vacancies during 1977. The survey asked for details of total engagements made by employers over the period 7th April-8th July 1977, and also for all vacancies unfilled on 6th May 1977.The results show that over the period of the survey about 34 per cent. of all vacancies were notified to employment offices and jobcentres taken together, and also that on the vacancy date about 34 per cent. of unfilled vacancies outstanding were held by them. The proportion held in areas served by jobcentres was about 42 per cent., and in areas served by other employment offices was about 30 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will redraft the provisions of the sixth round licensing proposals in order to conform with the provisions of Article 85 (1e) of the Rome Treaties.

No. All our oil policies are prepared in accordance with our international obligations.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will compare the total United Kingdom reserves of coal with those of plutonium and depleted uranium expressed in terms of coal equivalent, assuming the ultimate use of the fast reactor.

Total known resources of coal are put at about 190,000 million tonnes, of which up to perhaps 45,000 million tonnes may be technically recoverable. The present stock of depleted uranium, together with plutonium from thermal reactors, is equivalent to approximately 40,000 million tonnes of coal equivalent if used in fast reactors.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the current rate of inflation that is affecting the manufacture and installation of production platforms and equipment in the North Sea; and what percentage increment in costs is likely to accrue through compliance with the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 and the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

It has not proved possible to separate the impact of inflation from the real design changes and other factors affecting the cost of production platforms and equipment in the rapidly changing North Sea sector. For forecasting purposes it is assumed that the fixed investment goods price index applies: in the last quarter of 1977 this index was 10·7 per cent. above a year earlier.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what manpower restrictions are placed on private mines operating under National Coal Board licence; what are the reasons for these restrictions; and when they were last reviewed.

Section 36 of the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 empowers the National Coal Board to grant licences for coal mines in which the number of persons employeed below ground does not exceed or greatly exceed 30. Subject to this statutory limit the terms on which licences are granted are the responsibility of the Board.The purpose of the limit was no doubt to permit the continued operation of mines too small to be appropriate for central control whilst ensuring that the industry as a whole was substantially under public ownership. No formal review of the limit has been carried out in recent times, but as far as I am aware there is no widespread dissatisfaction with it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many private mines now operate in each coalfield in the United Kingdom; and what is the total manpower.

Details of the licensed deep mines operating at the end of March 1978 are as follows:

Area	Number of Mines	Total manpower
Scottish	17	283
North East	15	190
Barnsley	1	18
North Derbyshire	4	73
Western	18	253
South Wales	84	601
Total	139	1,418

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many full-time and part-time- appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I am at present responsible for 53 full-time and 99 part-time appointments to the boards of nationalised industries which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission. Annual salaries paid total about £911,000; expenses incurred on the business of the boards are reimbursed. The numbers of posts filled within the statutory complement reflects the needs of individual boards which are kept under regular review.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will name the offshore oil fields round the British coast he expects to see explored and developed, respectively, during the next five years.

The discovery of fields results from exploration; fields cannot therefore be identified before exploration begins. The names or, where appropriate, block numbers of significant United Kingdom offshore oil discoveries announced by the end of 1977 were set out in Appendix 2 of the Department of Energy publication "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom 1978", known as the Brown Book, which was presented to Parliament in April 1978. Any or all of these discoveries could begin to be developed in the next five years.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what background qualification secured the appointment of Mr. H. E. Osborn to the Advisory Committee on Energy Conservation;(2) what background qualification secured the appointment of Dr. L. Rotherham to the Advisory Committee on Energy Conservation.

Mr. H. E. Osborn was formerly vice-chairman of the executive board of the National Freight Corporation and is now part-time adviser to its chairman.

was formerly vice-chancellor of the University of Bath and was for many years prior to this member for research of the CEGB.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the role of the British National Oil Corporation in promoting the construction of oil rigs and offshore equipment for the exploration of oil and gas in the North Sea and on progress made in this field relative to future licensing of blocks.

BNOC recognises the importance of promoting the interests of the British offshore industry on a competitive basis and, in discharging its commercial responsibility as a North Sea operator, affords British suppliers full and fair opportunity to compete for orders of goods and services. The Corporation has also entered sponsorship of oil-related research and development projects. By both means the Corporation has a positive role in relation to the development of British offshore technology, and to the construction or manufacture of particular items of equipment. The importance of this role should increase as the Corporation assumes further operating responsibilities under future licences.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether imports from Japan are monitored as they enter the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

Yes, through our overseas trade statistics. My Department keeps a close watch on imports of sensitive products and their shipments from Japan.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade why a Norwegian cod faces an import duty of 15 per cent. whilst an Icelandic cod faces a duty of 3·7 per cent.

Because in the special circumstances of the EEC—Iceland Agreement, a concession for cod was permitted at the reduced rate of 3·7 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what has been the total cost of running the Disciplinary Inquiry, including all main constituent costs of any sort whatsoever, such as expenditure on its own programmes, wages, rent, heating, lighting and maintenance, &c., in the latest 12 months for which figures are available; and what are the projected costs for 1978–79.

I assume that the Question relates to inquiries held under

Trade description	Code No.	Number imported
Works trucks and tractors, fitted with self-actuated lifting equipment with a lifting height of 1 metre or more (other than side loaders for top lifting freight containers and straddle carriers):
With electric motors	8707 2199	1,327
With other motors	8707 2399 (ex SITC(R2)744.11)	1,321
Integrated tractor digger combinations (that is rear diggers, tractor mounted)	8423 1140 (ex SITC(R2)723.42)	388

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will publish a table indicating the volume and value of imports from EEC countries for 1977–78 of butter, cheese, pigmeat and beef.

In the period June 1977 to May 1978 imports from EEC countries were as follows:

	Quantity (tonnes)	Value (£'000 cif)
Butter	205,985	261,392
Cheese and curd	116,371	126,783
Beef and veal	207,799	197,561
Meat of domestic swine, fresh, chilled or frozen	15,933	12,384

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many fork-lift trucks, high-lift trucks and digger loaders have been imported for the last convenient period; and under which tariff code.

Following is the available information for the period January to May 1978:Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I have made 15 full-time appointments, all salaried and 254 part-time appointments, of which 41 are salaried, to the public bodies for which I am responsible. The annual salaries total £345,264. Comprehensive information on expenses is not readily available. The number of appointments is kept continually under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what was the value of exports of fluorspar from the United Kingdom in 1975, 1976 and 1977.

In accordance with normal procedure to refer hon. Members to information where this is readily available elsewhere, this information is available under SITC(R) item 276.54 in Table VII of the December 1975 and 1977 editions of the Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom and of the annual edition for 1976. The relevant code numbers are 2531 0099 (for 1975) and (for 1976 and 1977) 2531 1169 and 2531 1557. Copies of the Overseas Trade Statistics are in the House of Commons Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider providing export credit guarantees for trade with Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

Export credit guarantees are available for trade with Vietnam. The Export Credits Guarantee Department is prepared to cover, subject to normal underwriting criteria, trade credits of up to six months and small orders of plant and machinery on commercial terms. A limited volume of cover is also available for larger orders of capital goods under Section 2 of the Export Guarantees Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade whether he is yet in a position to give an indication of the rate of aviation security levy for 1979–80.

It is difficult to make firm forecasts of aviation security expenditure and of traffic at this range. The rate will be fixed towards the end of the year when draft regulations are laid before Parliament. But unless there are very exceptional developments I hope that the rate of levy will not exceed 90p per arriving passenger.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I assume that my hon. Friend refers to the appointments to the various public bodies for which my right hon. Friend is responsible. There are 31 full-time appointments, all salaried, and 455 part-time appointments, of which 46 are salaried. The total sum paid annually in salaries is £727,102. Comprehensive information on expenses is not readily available. The number of appointments is kept under review. Moreover, in certain cases, for example the Committee of Inquiry into the Engineering Profession, the appointments end with the completion of the assigned task.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry on what date the negotiations commenced with Vosper Thornycroft Ltd. for completion of the payment of compensation for nationalisation of its shipbuilding interests; and on what date he expects the negotiations to be concluded.

In accordance with the usual practice of the parties to commercial negotiations, the Government intend, for their part, to treat the negotiations on compensation as confidential to the parties, until an announcement can be made about the outcome.The general position at present is that substantive negotiations have already begun in respect of some companies and arrangements have been made for the opening of negotiations by the end of July in all other cases where the stockholders' representative is, or will be, ready to participate in them.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry on what date the negotiations commenced with Vickers Ltd. for completion of the payment of compensation for nationalisation of its shipbuilding and aircraft building interests; and on what date he expects the negotiations to be concluded.

pursuant to the reply [Official Report, 23rd June 1978], gave the following information:In accordance with the usual practice of the parties to commercial negotiations, the Government intend, for their part, to treat the negotiations on compensation as confidential to the parties, until an announcement can be made about the outcome.The general position at present is that substantive negotiations have already begun in respect of some companies and arrangements have been made for the opening of negotiations by the end of July in all other cases where the stockholders' representative is, or will be, ready to participate in them.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if it is now his intention to discuss with trade associations and industries the definition of Section 36(2)(a) of the Trade Descriptions Act 1968 in those instances where basic materials and components are purchased from overseas, but the final product is considered to be made in Great Britain, in order to clarify what is meant by "substantial change", particularly in as far as it affects the cutlery industry.

What may or may not constitute a substantial change for the purposes of Section 36 of the Act is a matter for the courts to decide. My right hon. Friend is not aware that any difficulties of interpretation by the courts have yet arisen which might necessitate an order under Section 36(2)(a).

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I am responsible for making three full-time appointments, all salaried, and 1,201 part-time appointments, of which 109 are salaried. The annual salaries total £292,890. Comprehensive information on expenses is not readily available. The number of appointments is kept under review.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he is satisfied with the protection afforded to individuals who may be misled, pres- surised or bullied into acting as a guarantor without appreciating the full implication of so doing; and if he will consider tightening the legislation which protects citizens in such matters.

The Consumer Credit Act 1974, when fully operative, will give adequate protection to guarantors. In particular, I expect regulations to be made under that Act to require security instruments to contain a warning of their implications at the place for the guarantor's signature.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

My Departments already has in hand a review, as at 1st July 1978, of the appointments for which I am responsible, either solely or jointly with other Ministers. I shall write to my hon. Friend when the results of this up-to-date information are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if charitable status has been extended to the sect known as the Unification Church; and if he will make a statement.

I have no locus in relation to charitable status, and any question arising over the charitable status of a particular body in Scotland would fall to be resolved by the courts. While I am aware that concern has been expressed in England and Wales, and recently in Scotland, about the activities of the Unification Church, I have received no representations on the subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to base the future assessment of river quality in Scotland on the concept of river quality objectives as outlined by the National Water Council for England and Wales, rather than on the Royal Commission standard of 1912.

The views of local authorities, river purification boards and other bodies concerned have been invited on the possibility that a system of river quality objectives might be established as a frame of reference for consideration of discharges of trade or sewage effluent.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average weekly rebated and unrebated rent paid by a local authority or new town tenant expressed as a percentage of the average household income of local authority tenants in (a) 1976 and (b) 1977.

The average rebated and unrebated rents paid by local authority or new town tenants in 1976 were about 6·1 per cent. and 7·0 per cent. respectively of average household income of such tenants. Figures for 1977 are not yet available.The rents of tenants receiving supplementary benefit are unrebated as the full rent is taken into account for the purposes of calculating entitlement to supplementary benefit.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider commissioning a national survey of the East Anglian coastline, in order to arrive at a comprehensive policy for coast protection and recreation management.

It is my intention to have a survey carried out of the whole coastline of England, including of course East Anglia, as soon as the economic and financial situation permits.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many full-time and part-time appointments, respectively, are made by him which are not subject to regulation by the Civil Service Commission; what is the total sum paid annually as salary and expenses for such appointments; and if he will take steps to reduce the number of posts.

I am currently responsible for making four full-time and 1,905 part-time public appointments. Some 61 per cent. of these are unpaid and the total cost in salaries and fees of the remainder is about £830,000. Figures for travel and subsistence costs are not readily available.Since my hon. Friend asked a similar Question in May last year the number of appointments has decreased by 157.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total to date of his Department's contribution to last January's East Coast flood damage; and whether he remains satisfied that the formula for payment announced in February was the most effective means of alleviating hardship.