asked the Prime Minister when he will next meet the leaders of the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he intends next to meet TUC leaders.

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

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

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

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

I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friends to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

asked the Prime Minister when he last met representatives of the TUC and CBI.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Test (Mr. Gould).

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

I meet representatives of the CBI from time to time, at NEDC and on other occasions. Further meetings will be arranged as necessary.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Merseyside.

I have at present no plans to do so.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what is the policy of the Government towards the appointment of homosexuals to Civil Service posts handling documents and information of a high security classification.

Homosexuality is not in itself a bar to employment in the Civil Service on work involving access to classified information. There are no hard and fast rules relating to the employment of homosexuals on work of this nature; each case is considered on its merits.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science when she last met representatives of the Bromley local education authority.

There are regular contacts at official level between my Department and the Bromley local education authority. Members of the authority have not asked to see my right hon. Friend, and she has not had any occasion to ask to see them.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if there will be an improvement in staffing ratios of schools in 1979–80; and if reasonable central support will be available to secure this.

Forward expenditure plans, as published in Cmnd. 7049, allow for a continued improvement in overall pupil-teacher ratios in the school year 1979–80. Details will be announced after the rate support grant settlement for 1979–80—financial year—is announced on 24th November.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the 18 education authorities with the worst record of educational provision for children under five.

The latest available statistics show that the percentage of the 3 and 4-year-old population receiving education—that is either in nursery schools and classes, or in primary schools—was lowest in the following 18 local education authorities:

• Bexley
• Bromley
• Buckinghamshire
• Devon
• Dorset
• Essex
• Gloucestershire
• Hampshire
• Hereford and Worcester
• Kent
• Oxfordshire
• Redbridge
• Salop
• Surrey
• Sutton
• Trafford
• West Sussex
• Wiltshire

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the conditions printed on a firearms certificate and a shot-gun certificate are explicit and adequate to guide the owner of a firearm or shot-gun concerning the requirements specified in the Firearms Act 1968.

Yes. The conditions printed on a shot-gun certificate and a firearm certificate, prescribed in rules 2 and 11 of the Firearms Rules 1969, are not intended to be a guide to the full provisions of the Firearms Act 1968.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any prisoners convicted of sex offences are currently serving sentences at High Point prison in Suffolk; whether any of these have been regraded during the past 12 months; and whether he has changed his policy that High Point will be used for category C and D prisoners only.

On 3rd November 1978 four prisoners convicted of sexual offences were serving sentences of imprisonment at High Point. All were allocated to security category C in 1978. There has been no change of current policy as regards the use of this establishment for category C and category D prisoners only.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained under the provisions of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been subsequently charged with offences; and with what offences they have been charged.

3,555 people have been detained in Great Britain under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974 and 1976. An extension of detention under section 7 of the 1974 Act or section 12 of the 1976 Act has been approved in 288 cases; a further 721 people were detained for 48 hours or less. 2,546 people have been detained pending further examination at ports under the supplemental orders made under the Acts.147 people detained under the Acts have been charged with offences in Great Britain. Twenty of them have been charged with offences under the Acts. Four of the remainder have been charged with murder; three with attempted murder; one with conspiracy to murder 18 with conspiracy to cause explosions; 12 with unlawful possession of explosives; one with conspiracy to possess or procure explosives with intent to endanger life; 12 with offences under the Firearms Act 1968; one with causing an explosion; five with conspiracy to defraud the Inland Revenue; 22 with theft; eight with burglary; one with causing criminal damage; one with threatening to cause criminal damage; one with attempting criminal deception; one with taking a motor vehicle; one with unlawful wounding; two with possession of drugs; three with wasting police time; one with harbouring a person known to have committed an arrestable offence; four with assault on police; one with being found on enclosed premises; one with possessing an offensive weapon; four with offences under the Road Traffic Act 1972; five with criminal deception; one with obtaining a passport by deception; one with arson; and six with non-payment of fines. In addition, five people have been removed to the Irish Republic, and there charged, three with burglary; one with robbery; and one with theft.Thirty-five people have been returned to Northern Ireland, and there charged, eight with murder; four with robbery; five with firearms offences; four with unlawful possession of explosives; five with causing an explosion; one with the unlawful taking of a motor vehicle; five with burglary; two with arson; and one with riotous behaviour.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; and under which sections of the Act the charges have been brought.

Twenty-four people have been charged in Great Britain with offences under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1976: three under sections 10(1)(a); two under sections 10(1)(a)and 10(2); two under section 10(1); eight under section 10(1)(b); three under section 1(1)(b); two under section 9(1); two under section 9(2)(a); and two under section 11(1). Four people were charged in Great Britain under section 1(1)(b) of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1974. Not all these people were initially detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been served with exclusion orders under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; how many have been deported (a) to Northern Ireland and (b) the Republic of Ireland; how many have appealed against exclusion orders; and how many appeals have been successful.

156 exclusion orders have been made under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976. Notice of the making of an exclusion order has been served on 148 people, 141 of whom have been removed, 116 to Northern Ireland and 25 to the Republic of Ireland. Twenty-four of the 148 made representations objecting to the order. The order was revoked in seven of these cases. One case is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has refused an extension of five days to the police for the holding of a suspect under the Prevention of Terrorism Act; and, if so, on how many occasions.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department of the charges brought against suspects initially held under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, whether any have been dropped before the case was heard; if so, which charges; whether any charges have led to an unsuccessful prosecution; if so, which charges; whether any charges have led to a successful prosecution; and if so, what was the sentence imposed in each case.

Details of the outcome of the more serious charges made in Great Britain are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will publish in the Official Report the number of arrests and detentions by each regional police force of persons within their area under the terms of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act; in how many cases applications were made for detention to be extended by a further five days; and in how many cases it was refused.

The total numbers of persons detained in England and Wales under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 for each police force are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, and if so, to what extent, the

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what statutory provision the position of civil prisoners is defined; in what way their treatment differs from that of prisoners serving sentences of imprisonment; and if he will make a statement.

The position at 30th September 1978 was as follows:

The term "civil prisoner" is used for administrative convenience within the prison service to denote prisoners committed or attached for contempt of court, or for failing to do something required by the court. Under prison rule 63(1) certain privileges enjoyed by unconvicted prisoners are extended to them. These privileges relate to clothing, letters and visits and are defined in rules 20(1) and 34(1).

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in view of the growing practice of sheikhs and other high ranking Arabs travelling with guards carrying unlicensed firearms, what action he intends to take.

None. The unauthorised possession of firearms is an offence against the law, the enforcement if which is a matter for the police.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what annual increases in the rates of pay of the chairman, deputy chairman and commissioners of the Equal Opportunities Commission have been introduced since April 1976; and what were the expenses claimed by each during the last year for which figures were available.

Details of the salaries paid to the full-time chairman and deputy chairman of the Equal Opportunities Commission are available in the directory of paid public appointments. Part-time commissioners receive a fee for each day's attendance. On 1st April 1976, the fee payable was £16 per day. This has been increased to ££17 per day from 1st July 1976. £18 per day from 1st July 1977 and £19.50 from 1st July 1978.The expenses claimed during the 1977–78 financial year by the chairman, deputy chairman and commissioners totalled £25,574. Individual figures cannot be provided without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what annual increases in the rates of pay of the chairman, deputy chairman and members of the Commission for Racial Equality have been introduced since 1976; and what were the expenses claimed by each during the last year for which figures are available.

The Commission for Racial Equality was established on 13th June 1977. At that time, the salaries paid to the full-time chairman and deputy chairman were £12,000 per annum and £8,000 per annum—excluding pay supplements—respectively. These were increased to £13,430 and £9,375 from 1st January 1978.The part-time commissioners, who include two part-time deputy chairmen, receive a fee for each day's attendance. On 13th June 1977, the fee payable was £17 per day. This has been increased to £18 per day from 1st July 1977 and to £1950 per day from 1st July 1978.The expenses claimed during the 1977–78 financial year by the chairman, deputy chairman and commissioners totalled £7,595. Individual figures cannot be provided without disproportionate effort.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce the establishment of a local radio station to cover the areas of the Thamesdown borough council and the Kennet district council.

I announced my approval in principle for the locations of 18 new stations in the first phase of local radio expansion on 24th October.—[Vol. 955, c. 861–2.] The Home Office local radio working party is continuing its consideration of the future development of local radio to fulfil the Government's intention that local radio should be brought to as much of the population of the United Kingdom as possible as soon as possible. The working party will publish reports on the possibilities from time to time and I will reach decisions on the working party's proposals in the light of comments from the public and after such further consultation with the BBC and the IBA as may be necessary.I hope to be in a position to announce the locations of further new local radio stations in the course of 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for the granting of a licence to deal in arms; and what assessment is made of the applicant's character before such a licence is granted.

Any person who applies to the chief officer of police for the area in which his business is situated is entitled to be registered as a firearms dealer unless (a) he is prohibited under the Firearms Act 1968 from being registered; or (b) the chief officer is satisfied that he cannot be permitted to carry on business as a dealer in firearms without danger to the public or to the peace.In considering an application the chief officer of police would have regard to the character and background of the applicant, his experience and knowledge of firearms, and the security of his premises.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library a copy of the article in the Prison Medical Journal referred to The Sunday Times of 22nd October 1978.

Yes. I am arranging for the last issue and future issues of the Prison Medical Journal to be placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the absolute and percentage increases in crimes involving violence in each year since 1970 in the Royal borough of Kingston upon Thames.

I shall reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with the progress of discussions with programme authorities on the inner cities policy.

All 15 programme authorities have now submitted their first inner area programmes, putting together the views of all the agencies involved and presenting a co-ordinated strategy for action in the areas where the problems are most severe. The programmes are currently being considered and authorities will be informed of the outcome soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had on extending the idea of the co-ownership of blocks of flats; and if he will make a statement.

I am still considering the whole range of problems facing tenants and leaseholders of blocks of flats. My Department is in touch with organisations representing residents in such blocks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will bring forward proposals to ensure that the importance of the area as wildlife habitat is one of the criteria taken into account when considering applications for major development and reclamation.

This has been done. The importance of nature conservation and concern that it should be fully taken into account when planning decisions are taken were expressed in circular 108/77. My right hon. Friend looks to local authorities to take full account of nature conservation factors both in formulating structure and local plans and in the consideration of individual planning applications.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet received any proposals for the redevelopment of Liverpool Street station; and whether he will make a statement.

I called in proposals submitted by the British Railways board in 1976 to demolish and redevelop Liverpool Street and Broad Street stations with improved underground and bus interchanges, offices, shops and community facilities. A public inquiry was held and the Inspector reported in October 1977. These are major and complex proposals, and their full consideration is necessarily taking rather longer than usual. I will make a statement when I announce the decision on the scheme, which I hope to do soon.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the information necessary to up-date Tables VIII 2, 5, 25 and 26 in Technical

The revised tables are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the recent increase in the grant to the Sports Council applies solely for the remainder of the current financial year; and if the grants for 1979–80 and 1980–81 will be increased at the same rate.

The increase that I announced recently is for the current financial year. The level of grant-in-aid for 1979–80 has yet to be decided.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress the Waste Management Advisory Council has made on its deliberation on the public benefits of returnable containers;

The working party which is examining the environmental and economic implications of different container systems expects to report early next year. I hope that this study will provide the basis for a decision on whether restrictions on non-returnable containers are needed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the amount of rate support grant payable to the Kent county council in each of the years 1968–69 to 1978–79; what was the value of the grant in real terms related to 1968–69 prices; and what proportion of the county's total expenditure this represented in each year.

The amount paid in rate support grant to the Kent county council for each of the years 1968–69 to

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the value of rate support grant per head of population paid to local authorities in Hertfordshire, the inner London area, and the outer London area in 1978–79; what was the average rate income per head of population in each of these areas; and what are the corresponding figures for each of the last five years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses are being erected or are being completed in England on land provided under the Community Land Act.

Comprehensive information is not available, but land for at least 1,600–1,700 houses has been made available to private developers under the community land scheme and we estimate that at least a half of the houses have

The amounts paid in rate support grant per head of population to local authorities in Hertfordshire, the inner London area, and the outer London area, for each of the years from 1973—74 to 1977—78, and the latest estimates for 1978–79, together with the average rate income per head of population in each of these areas over the corresponding period, are set out below:been completed or started. Many other houses are being built on land owned by authorities before 6th April 1976 and subsequently released to private house-builders.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average percentage for districts designated in London under the Inner Urban Areas Act for each of the following categories, together with the equivalent percentage in respect of the London borough of Camden (a) population loss, (b) over-crowded households, (c) single parent families, (d) pensioners, (e) unemployed, and (f) lack of basic amenities.

The decision to designate particular districts took into account the scale and intensity of social and economic

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the housing investment programme, submitted to him by the Greater London Council, includes details of the proportion of the work on its construction branch contracts that is carried out by private sub-contractors; and if he will publish this information.

The council did not include this information in its submission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his consideration of the future of the British urban development services unit.

Yes. In view of the limited success which the unit has achieved since it was established I have decided that it should be wound up. I am, however, satisfied that a number of overseas governments remain interested in drawing on the experience and skills of our new towns. My Department has taken over responsibility for the unit's outstanding commitments and will serve as a focal point to deal with any further inquiries for British new town development expertise. These requests will be channelled to the new town development corporations which has set up an overseas engage-

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how much will be saved in administrative expenses by the ending of the current scheme for vehicle licensing.

It is estimated that abolition of vehicle excise duty on petrol-driven vehicles would save about £20 million annually in staff and general administrative costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the law relating to the use of dipped lights; and whether the research concluded by his Department in January 1978 will produce any alteration in policy.

My right hon. Friend has no proposals at present for changing the law on the use of dipped headlamps. But he is prepared to consider any representations on the matter.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given by his Department to the introduction of traffic management schemes now operating in other countries, notably the United States of America, which in the United Kingdom would permit traffic to turn left against a red traffic light at all junctions.

We regard the North American practice as unacceptable for this country. In the United Kingdom a red light has always meant "stop" for all drivers, whether they propose to turn or go ahead, unless a green arrow signal points to a permitted direction of travel. To allow a left turn against a red signal would devalue the message and lessen road safety.The United Kingdom rule about the red light applies also on the Continent, and indeed the Vienna convention on traffic signs and signals, to which we conform, does not permit turns against red signals in the absence of positive arrows.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the latest traffic statistics taken at measurement points on the A2 between the Blackwall tunnel and the Greater London Council boundary together with comparative statistics available for dates five years, 10 years, 20 years and 40 years ago and forecasts of future levels of traffic.

The following data are available for 16-hour traffic flows on the trunk road section of the A2 recorded at sites in the London borough of Bexley either side of Danson Road:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to monitor the equal opportunity policies of firms carrying out contracts for the Government, as proposed in the White Paper on racial discrimination.

In the White Paper "Racial Discrimination" the Government proposed to take a more active role in eliminating racial discrimination in employment by making it a standard condition of Government contracts that contractors should provide on request to the Department of Employment such information about their employment policies and practices as the Department might reasonably require. Proposals for procedures to implement this undertaking have now been prepared and will shortly be the subject of consultations with the CBI, the TUC and the Commission for Racial Equality.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many liquid petroleum gas storage sites, containing 15 tons or more, there are in (a) England and (b) Wales; and what percentage of them, in each case, is sited in urban areas;(2) whether there has been a reduction from 100 tons to 15 tons in the definition of liquid petroleum gas storage sites regarded as major hazard sites; and if he will give the date of the change.

I understand from the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that there has been no change in the quantity of liquefied petroleum gas currently specified in guidance to planning authorities as the criteria for identifying major hazard sites. Information about the number of LPG sites containing 15 tons or more is not, therefore, readily available centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost of administrative and inspectoral resources.The Health and Safety Commission has recently published a consultative document containing its proposals for hazardous installations (notification and survey) regulations. Such regulations would make the kind of information sought more readily available in future.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he proposes, in the interests of public safety, to end the anomaly whereby the storage of liquefied petroleum gas is in the majority of cases free from licensing control whereas that of liquefied natural gas is controlled.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that although, in contrast to liquefied natural gas, the storage of liquefied petroleum gas is not subject to the licensing controls of the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928, there are, in premises subject to the Factories Act 1961, requirements for the siting, storage and marking of containers for such gases under regulation 7 of the Highly Flammable Liquids and Liquefied Petroleum Gases Regulations 1972. In addition, the Health and Safety Commission has agreed to a review and updating of the legislation governing highly flammable liquids and gases. Preliminary work has already commenced on the preparation of a code of regulations for fuel gases which will include controls on the storage of both liquefied petroleum gas and liquid natural gas. A consultative document setting out proposals for the regulations is to be published.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he proposes to take in the light of the TUC's intention to give increases in pay to its staff beyond the Government's pay limit.

I have nothing to add to my reply of 24th October 1978 to my hon. Friend the Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Lewis)—[Vol. 955, c. 818.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in setting up a scheme to involve private sector companies in projects for building and landscaping work under the Manpower Services Commission's special temporary employment programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that arrangements have now been agreed with trade unions and employers' organisations in the building and landscape industries which will allow schemes funded under the special temporary employment programme—STEP—to be linked with local authority contracts for building and landscape work in inner city areas.The arrangements will run initially for one year and will apply in those inner city areas which the Government have designated as being in need of special help. They will enable STEP funds to be used to provide temporary jobs for the long-term unemployed on building and landscape work put out to contract by local authorities. The main features of the scheme are:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many separate installations are located on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf for the purpose of providing hydrocarbons, including auxiliary function in connection therewith.

There are at present some 74 offshore installations on the United Kingdom Continental Shelf engaged in the development of the nation's oil and gas resources. This figure includes oil production platforms, gas production platforms and mobile rigs whether employed on drilling work or as accommodation units, but excludes unmanned offshore loading buoys and support vessels—for example, diving ships, barges, safety ships, etc. The number fluctuates with the movement of mobile units, and the installations greatly vary in size.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will issue a direction to the British National Oil Corporation to give a second order for the construction of a drilling rig by Marathon at Clydebank, in view of the critical order position at the yard; and, if not, whether he will make a statement on the future of the yard and the contribution it will make to Scotland's exports of oil industry equipment.

Urgent discussions are in progress involving a number of potential part users of a jack-up rig, and in which my Department is also engaged, with a view to an order being placed with the Marathon yard at Clydebank. However, this is a complex issue and I cannot at this stage anticipate the outcome. Meanwhile, the question of directing BNOC to acquire such a rig does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what are the detailed arrangements for the United Kingdom energy conservation demonstration projects programme.

The Department of Energy is today publishing Energy Paper No. 32—"Energy Conservation Research, Development and Demonstration—an initial strategy for industry". This sets out the criteria and detailed arrangements for the Government's programme to demonstrate to industry the benefits of novel applications of existing or improved technology.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) whether any small-arms are included in the shipment of arms to Zambia; and, if so, of what type and quantity;(2) whether he will publish a full list of types and quantities of armaments being supplied to Zambia as outlined in his statement of 2nd November.

My right hon. Friend has nothing to add to his statement in the House on 2nd November—[Vol. 957, c. 186–7.]

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the cost of British arms so far despatched or promised to Zambia; approximately how many persons are required to man the anti-aircraft equipment included; what proportion of these crews is British subjects; and if any charge to public funds will arise in the event of any of them being killed or injured.

On the cost and other details of the equipment, my right hon. Friend has nothing to add to his statement in the House on 2nd November—[Vol. 957, c. 186–7.] No British Service personnel will be stationed in Zambia. The manning of the equipment is a matter for the Zambian Government, and no British financial or other responsibility is involved.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he is prepared to undertake an investigation into the activities of the Space Research Corporation in the British protectorate of Antigua; and if he will make a statement.