asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the Government's plans are for increasing staff in the prison service; what would be the cost in salaries and related expenditure; and what is the current ratio of staff to offenders.

The White Paper"The Government's Expenditure Plans 1978–79 to 1981–82 "—Cmnd. 7049—includes the following provision for increases in the total average number of non-industrial staff in the prison service in England and Wales by comparison with the figures for 1977–78:

		Staff numbers	Financial provision (£ million)
1977–78		20,130	115·2
1978–79		21,241	118·2
1979–80		21,827	119·5

The current ratio of non-industrial staff to inmates in England and Wales is 1:2·1.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to substitute the word"paternity"on all occasions in legislation and reports of the work of the prison department, for example, for"bastardy"as in"bastardy arrears ".

So far as legislation is concerned, I shall be pleased to consider any specific proposals that my hon. Friend may wish to put to me. I will arrange for the amendment of references to"bastardy"and"bastardy arrears"in future prison department reports where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department why he will not publish the report on the riot at Gartree prison.

The reports on the riot at Gartree by the governor and the regional director contain detailed commentaries, disclosure of which would be prejudicial to the maintenance of security at the establishment in the future and to the control of any future disturbance or incipient disturbance. It is not the practice to publish such reports and I see no reason to do so in this case.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has appointed a chairman for the Horserace Betting Levy Board for the coming year; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. I have reappointed Sir Desmond Plummer as chairman for a further period of two years up to 31st January 1981. I appreciate the good work which Sir Desmond has done over the past five years and am grateful to him for having agreed to serve for a further period.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what prison each of the 11 suicides by men occurred in 1977.

Canterbury, Cardiff, Gartree, Leeds, Parkhurst, Pucklechurch, Shrewsbury, Stafford, Swansea, Wakefield and Wormwood Scrubs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in prison.

In 1976–77, the last financial year for which full figures are available, the average weekly cost of keeping a person in custody in England and Wales was £85. This average cost covers all expenditure required to operate the Prison Service, and to maintain the prison system. It is estimated that this figures will be about £112 per week in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cause of death of the woman prisoner who died in custody in 1977; what was her age; what was her offence; and why she was not released.

The information requested is as follows:Natural causes (cardio-respiratory failure due to asthma attack); age 30; theft; although the prisoner was under treatment for asthma, her death was sudden and unexpected.

	Age	Offence					Place of death		Cause of death
1.	25	Robbery	…	…	…	…	HMP Albany	…	Epileptiform convulsions.
2.	34	Theft and burglary			…	…	NHS hospital	…	Cardio-respiratory failure; myocardial, splenic and renal infarcts.
3.	37	Fraud	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Intracerebral, intraventricular and subarachnoid haemorrhage.
4.	61	Fraud	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Coronary thrombosis.
5.	50	Violence against the person				…	HMP Brixton	…	Coronary thrombosis.
6.	56	Fraud	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Coronary thrombosis.
7.	51	Arson	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Coronary thrombosis.
8.	48	Fine default (drunkenness)				…	HMP Dorchester	…	Tuberculous bronchopneumonia.
9.	44	Burglary	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Heart failure due to alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
10.	47	Theft	…	…	…	…	HMP Durham	…	Heart failure due to mycocardial degeneration.
11.	63	Burglary	…	…	…	…	HMP Ford	…	Coronary thrombosis.
12.	46	Theft	…	…	…	…	HMP Leeds	…	Pneumonia resulting from fracture of ribs sustained before reception.
13.	47	Wandering abroad			…	…	NHS hospital	…	Chronic bronchitis and emphysema.
14.	54	Criminal damage			…	…	NHS hospital	…	Bronchopneumonia.
15.	22	Burglary	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Chronic renal failure due to sarcoidosis.
16.	56	Wounding		…	…	…	HMP Parkhurst	…	Coronary thrombosis.
17.	74	Violence against the person				…	HMP Parkhurst	…	Coronary thrombosis.
18.	55	Theft	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Coronary thrombosis.
19.	47	Conspiracy to rob			…	…	NHS hospital	…	Coronary artery occlusion.
20.	55	Handling stolen goods				…	HMP Rudgate	…	Carcinoma of the bronchus.
21.	36	Burglary and theft			…	…	HMP Rudgate	…	Myocardial infarction due to coronary occlusion.
22.	47	Indecent assault		…	…	…	HMP Wakefield	…	Myocardial fibrosis.
23.	73	Fraud	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Abdominal neurofibrosarcomatosis.
24.	62	Fraud	…	…	…	…	NHS hospital	…	Carcinoma of the bronchus
	Most of these deaths were sudden and unexpected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, what was the cause of death of each of the five men who died while in custody in 1977; and where they died.

I assume that my hon. Friend has in mind the five deaths due to non-natural causes which occurred in 1977. One remand prisoner died by gunshot wounds sustained while resisting arrest following his escape during the course of a journey under escort from Leicester prison. One inmate died of head injuries inflicted by another inmate at Chelmsford prison; one died as a result of self-administration of drugs at Brixton prison; and two inmates—one at Stafford prison and one at Wakefield

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cause of death of each of the 24 men who died from natural causes while in custody in 1977; what were their ages; what were their offences; and where each died and why they were not released.

Following is the infomation requested:prison—died as a result of cardiac inhibition and asphyxia caused by hanging.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many, and what proportion of, prisoners in prisons for which he is responsible are confined to their cells for periods exceeding 18 hours per day; and whether such confinement is conducive to their rehabilitation.

The information is not available in the form requested. Conditions vary widely from prison to prison, and from time to time in the same prison.Prison regimes aim to enable prisoners to have as much activity in association with others as circumstances allow.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people were remanded in custody by the courts in the following cities during each of the last three complete years for which figures are available and what proportion of the total number of people charged this represents: Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds. Leicester. Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield;(2) how many people remanded in custody in the following cities during the latest 12-month period for which this information is available were subsequently acquitted of the charges brought against them or given prison sentences of shorter duration than the time they had already spent in custody; and what proportion of the total number of custodial remand prisoners tried during that year in each of these cities, respectively, this represents: Birmingham, Bristol, Coventry, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield;(3) if he will publish in the

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

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now allow the Parole Board to give reasons for refusing parole.

Before reaching a decision on the desirability of giving reasons, about which we shall need to enter into various consultations, we are awaiting the results of a feasibility experiment by a number of local review committees. This is necessary because the majority of parole refusals result from recommendations of local review committees, not from those of the Parole Board.

asked the Attorney-General how many members of the courts' administration staff of the Wales and Chester Circuit arc Welsh speaking and how many of such Welsh sneakers serve (a) the Crown courts and (b) the county courts in North Wales.

Eighty-four of the staff referred to speak Welsh. Of these, three arc employed in the Crown court and 24 in county courts in North Wales.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service what were the average weekly earnings of a skilled printer engaged in the printing of the Official Reporton 23rd November; what was the comparable figures six months ago; and if the dispute is now settled and on what terms.

The average weekly earnings of printing machine managers employed at St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press on the night shift—when the Official Reportis produced—on the dates shown were as follows:

Week ending 19th May 1978	£160·00
Week ending 24th November 1978	£155·27

The fluctuations is due to the effect of overtime.There has been no very recent dispute at St. Stephen's Parliamentary Press affecting production of the

asked the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish the findings of the Tavistock Institute report on equal opportunities in the field of race relations.

The report by the Tavistock Institute of Human Relations,"Application of race relations policy in the Civil Service ", was published on 1st November 1978 and a copy was placed in the Library on that date. Consultations with staff and other interests are now proceeding in the light of the report.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he intends to publish the Pay Research Unit findings for 1979.

The Pay Research Unit's survey reports, the first of which have now been received, are confidential to the negotiating parties, but the independent Pay Research Unit Board will publish in due course its annual report to the Prime Minister on the work of the unit.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the percentage increases in employment and unemployment between 1974 and the latest available date in (a) the United Kingdom, (b) the EEC excluding the United Kingdom, (c) Norway, (d) Sweden, and (e) Switzerland.

Information to the latest available dates is given in the following tables:

Percentage change in civilian employment between 1974 and 1977
United Kingdom	-0·7
EEC excluding the United Kingdom	-10·4
Norway	+90·9
Sweden	+30·5
Switzerland	-90·0

Sources: Statistical Office of the European Communities OECD—Labour Force Statistics, The Swiss Embassy.

Percentage increases in the numbers of unemployed—based on national definitions—between October 1974 and October 1978
United Kingdom	123
EEC excluding the United Kingdom	67
Norway (a)	130
Sweden	17
Switzerland (a), (b)	7,700
(a) Change between August 1974 and August 1978.
(b) In August 1974 there were about 100 unemployed and in August 1978 about 7,800.

Sources: Statistical Office of the European Communities, OECD Main Economic Indicators, Labour Attaches Reports.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received concerning the desirability of legislation to remove the Crown's immunity from enforcement and prosecution under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act; and if he will make a statement about his intentions on this matter.

Apart from representations from the Health and Safety Commission, the Government have received representations on Crown immunity from the TUC, some individual trade unions, and a number of hon. Friends and hon. Members. As far as the Government's intentions on this matter are concerned I have nothing further to add to what I said in reply to my hon. and learned friend the Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) on 24th October [Vol. 955, c. 841] and 28th November [Vol. 959, c. 209.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that payments of unemployment benefit are in future sent through the post without identifying the contents as unemployment benefit.

pursuant to his reply[Official Report,27th November 1978; Vol. 959, c. 39], gave the following reply:We do use some envelopes which relate the correspondence to an unemployment benefit office, but these are being phased out.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in rank order from lowest to highest, all wages council awards which currently apply; and if he will also list all other categories of workers whose basic rate is less than the highest wages council awards.

It is not possible to list all current rates laid down for the large number of categories or workers covered by wages councils without disproportionate cost. However, for typical adult grades—for example, shop assistant in retail trades,"other workers"in other trades—the current weekly rates are shown in the following table. Where area rates are set, the rates shown are for large towns outside London.

Council and Current statutory minimum
	£
Fur	27·50
*Hairdressing undertakings other worker)	27·85
Coffin furniture etc.	31·20
*Licensed non-residential establishment (bar staff)	32·30
*Hairdressing undertakings (operative hairdresser)	32·50
Made-up textiles	33·00
Rubber proofed garment making	33·19
*Retail bread and flour etc. (England and Wales)	33·20
*Licensed residential establishment etc	34·00
Laundry	34·00
Cotton waste reclamation	34·00
Toy manufacturing	34·10
Retail news agency, tobacco etc.(Scotland)	34·15
Dressmaking and women's light clothing (Scotland)	34·36
Hat, cap and millinery	34·39
Lace finishing	34·40
Shirtmaking	34·40
Aerated waters (England and Wales)	34·50
Dressmaking and women's light clothing (E & W)	34·60
Corset	34·60
Retail food etc. (Scotland)	34·60
*Retail food etc. (England and Wales)	34·60
Wholesale mantle and costume	34·62
Unlicensed place of refreshment	34·92
Linen and cotton handkerchief etc.	35·20
Retail bespoke tailoring	35·46
Sack and bag	35·75
*Licensed non-residential establishment (club stewards)	35·80
Rope, twine and net	35·90
*Retail furnishing and allied trades	36·00
Boot and shoe repairing	36·50
Retail news agency, tobacco etc.(England and Wales)	36·70
General waste materials reclamation	37·20
*Pin, hook and eye etc	37·40
Ostrich and fancy feather etc.	†38·00
Button manufacturing	†38·00
Retail bread and flour confectionery(Scotland)	†38·20
Retail drapery outfitting and footwear trades	38·50
Perambulator and invalid carriage	40·50
Flax and hemp	41·01
Aerated waters (Scotland)	†41·60
Retail bookselling and stationery trades	†42·50
*These councils have issued proposals for increased rates, mostly from the anniversary date.
†These rates include the settlement in the 1978–79 pay round.

Comprehensive information upon which to base the second list is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many do-it-yourself blood pressure machines have been imported from the United States of America.

This information is not available. Machines for testing blood pressure are not separately distinguished in the Overseas Trade Statistics. Electro-diagnostic apparatus of all kinds—other than electro-cardiographs—fall within a single heading of the Standard International Trade Classification. Documents submitted to Her Majesty's Customs by individual traders may be insufficiently detailed to enable goods imported under this heading to be identified more precisely, an undue cost would be incurred in such an investigation.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what part has been played by his Department in proposals to provide cheaper air travel between Great Britain and Northern Ireland; and whether he will make a statement.

Air fares between Great Britain and Northern Ireland are a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority. In reaching its decisions, the Authority has a duty under the Civil Aviation Act 1977 to see that services are provided at the lowest charges consistent with a high standard of safety and an economic return to efficient operators.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will refer to the Monopolies Commission the supply and distribution of cement in Northern Ireland.

There are no plans to do so at present. Monopoly references are normally made by the Director General of Fair Trading, and if the right hon. Member has any views on the desirability of such a reference, perhaps he would care to write to the Director General direct.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection if he will consider introducing legislation to protect caravan owners against excessive increases in plot rental charges.

I am still considering possible legislation to protect the owners of holiday caravans. I have also invited the industry to deal with abuses itself. To this end my Department has been in touch with the National Federation of Site Operators and the National Caravan Council, which will now I hope take speedy and effective action. In the meantime, I welcome the willingness of these bodies to investigate and endeavour to resolve complaints against their members.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total cost to public funds of the Beira patrol.

The Beira patrol was one of many tasks undertaken by Royal Navy ships east of Suez between the years 1966 and 1975. It is therefore not possible to isolate the total cost to public funds of the patrol.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what invitations have been made to Third world countries to inquire whether or not any of them wish to receive any of the intervention surplus butter now being offered to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics at preferential prices; and what replies if any, have been received.

All exports of butter from the European Community, except those to the United States, would qualify for the same export subsidy as butter sold to the USSR. I understand that the butter currently being sold to the USSR comes from the market rather than from intervention stocks.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has made of the quantity and value of fish lying in United Kingdom waters within (a) the 12-mile limit; (b) 12–50 miles; and (c) 50–200 miles.

I regret that the information is not available in the form requested. Estimates of the quantity of fish taken in various zones under United Kingdom sovereignty or jurisdiction are as follows:

Zone	Total Catch
(Nautical miles)	('000 tonnes fresh weight)
0–12	488·7(1)(2)
0–50	l,928–9(3)
50–200	701–7(3)

NOTES

(

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there has been an increase in complaints about crop spraying affecting private gardens in the last two years; and what action he is taking.

Any complaints of this kind which reach my Department are referred to the Health and Safety Executive. I am informed that the Executive received a total of 29 such complaints in 1976, 24 in 1977 and 40 up to 24th November of this year. My Departmnet is kept informed of spraying incidents generally, so that cases can be referred to the Advisory Committee on Pesticides if there are any grounds for reviewing the fact or conditions of the clearance of a particular product. We also sponsor research, development and advisory work aimed at imparting greater precision to spray equipment, techniques and practice.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the United Kingdom will propose a resolution at the December meeting of the International Whaling Commission calling for the quotas for areas 5 and 7 of the Southern Hemisphere not to be taken following evidence from the scientific committee and the Australian inquiry which show them to be in need of immediate protection.

The scientific committee of the International Whaling Commission is considering the available data on Southern Hemisphere sperm whale stocks and will submit its report to the special meeting of the Commission in December. At the United Kingdom's suggestion, an item has been included on the agenda to enable these stocks to be reviewed again in the light of the scientific committee's assessment.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the total cost of salaries of all staff in all sections of education, excluding salaries of her Department for the last two years for which statistics are available; and what proportion of this total was paid as salaries to academic and academic related staff in universities.

The following table gives the information:

ENGLAND AND WALFS
	Total cost (salaries of all specified staff in education)£ million at outturn prices	Proportion(salaries of academic staff etc. in universities)Per cent.
1975–76	3,896	5·5
1976–77	4,411	5·6

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is her view concerning individual arrangements made between schools in the independent and maintained sectors in the same locality, for exchanges of pupils or staff on a temporary basis, to facilitate better understandings between the two sectors.

Co-operative arrangements between maintained and independent schools must be viewed individually. They require my right hon. Friend's approval only if they fall within the terms of section 9(1) of the Education Act 1944, section 6(1) of the Education Act 1953, or regulations made under section 81(b) of the Education Act 1944.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the 16 to 18-year-old age groups is currently continuing in full-time education, at school or elsewhere; and how this figure compares with the figures for each of the other EEC member States. Sweden and Norway.

In the United Kingdom in 1976–77, the latest year for which data are available, 37–4 per cent, of the 16 to 18-year-old age group were in full-time education in schools, universities and public sector further education establishments. For the other countries, following is the latest information available for this age group derived from the OECD"Educational Statistics Yearbook ":

		Percentage
Belgium	1966–67	42·2
Denmark	1970–71	40·6
France	1970–71	45·6
Federal Republic of Germany*	1969–70	22·3
Ireland	1971–72	38·4
Italy	1966–67	27·1
Luxembourg	1970–71	31·0
Netherlands	1970–71	43·5
Norway	1970–71	60·3
Sweden	1972–73	58·3
*Excluding vocational training schools.

Because of wide variations between countries in educational structure and policies and of differences in definition which underlie these figures, they should not be regarded as fully comparable indicators.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the purpose of the Experimental Projects Group;(2) if she will outline the criteria to be used when applying for grants from the fund administered by the Experimental Projects Group; what has been the budget of this fund for the last complete financial year; and how much has been spent in each year;(3) if she will list each and every project financed out of the Experimental Projects Fund in the last three years, specifying the amount awarded to each;(4) if she will name the members of the Experimental Projects Fund committee and detail their experience in youth work,(5) with regard to grants awarded by the Experimental Projects Group, how many of the projects financed over the last three years were visited by officials of her Department to assess the degree of experimentation and innovation.

The Experimental Projects Group is a small informal committee set up by my Department to advise us on the award of grant to experimental projects likely to be of value to the youth service.The membership of the group varies. At present it comprises one representative of each of the following:The National Council for Voluntary Youth ServicesThe Council for Wales of Voluntary Youth Services

Sponsor			Description	Grant awarded (£)
National Federation of Young Farmers' Clubs.			" Countryside projects ": local initiatives to improve the environment.	1975–76	8,000
				1976–77	4,300
				1977–78	700
Young Men's Christian Association.			The Perry Common Project: to provide accommodation and help for homeless young people.	1975–76	2,300
National Youth Bureau		…	A study of current provision and future need for the training of part-time youth and community workers.	1975–76	10,800
				1976–77	12,900
				1977–78	4,300
Young Women's Christian Association.			" Avenues unlimited ": the effectiveness of a team approach to neighbourhood problems.	1975–76	7,200
				1976–77	9,400
Albany Trust	…	…	The appointment of a youth officer to advise Youth Service training agencies on the counselling of young people with sexual problems.	1976–77	5,700
				1977–78	7,800
National Association of Youth Clubs.			An inner city action project to help girls and young women at risk.	1977–78	5,500
Church of England Board of Education.			A follow-up study of young people who have stayed at the Boot night shelter for the homeless.	1975–76	2,800
				1976–77	4,200
				1977–78	500

This list does not represent the sum total of the Department's support for innovation in youth work, since grants towards the headquarters expenditure of national voluntary youth organisations may be especially supplemented in recognition of planned work of a developmental nature.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has yet reached a decision on the recommendations of the Cockcroft committee on rural planing in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

The Government's response to the report of the committee to review rural planing policy is being published today, and copies of this statement and a new rural planning policy document have been placed in the Library.The new policy will meet many of the recommendations made by the committee and in future it wil be easier to obtain planning permission for a single house in most areas of Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on setting up in Northern Ireland an independent grant-making charitable trust, referred to in the consultative document"The Government and the Voluntary Sector"; to what

			Single person		Married couple		Married couple with two children under II
Gross income before allowances and reliefs			Tax as a proportion of gross income Per cent.	Marginal tax rate Per cent.	Tax as a proportion of gross income Per cent.	Marginal tax rate Per cent.	Tax as a proportion of gross income Per cent.	Marginal tax rate Per cent.
£1,000	…	…	—	—	—	—	—	—
£2,000	…	…	3·4	25	—	—	—	—
£3,000	…	…	8·1	33	2·9	25	1·3	25
£4,000	…	…	11·4	33	6·8	33	5·2	33
£5,000	…	…	13·3	33	9·7	33	8·4	33
£6,000	…	…	14·6	33	11·6	33	10·5	33
£7,000	…	…	15·5	33	12·9	33	12·0	33
£8,000	…	…	16·1	33	13·9	33	13·0	33
£9,000	…	…	17·4	33	15·3	33	14·6	33
£10,000	…	…	18·6	33	16·8	33	16·1	33
£15,000	…	…	24·8	50	22·9	50	22·3	45
£20,000	…	…	32·5	65	30·7	65	30·0	65

National insurance contributions are not included in the figures. Mortgage interest relief is calculated on the assumption that the interest is payable on a loan for the full amount specified subject to the restriction to £25,000. To obtain an interest rate for 1978–79 it has been assumed that the rate recently announced will be unchanged to the end of the financial year. It is assumed that no investment income surcharge is payable.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Reportthe average and marginal tax rates for (a) a single person, (b) a married couple and (c) a married couple with two children, under 11 years, on incomes of £1,000 to £10,000 at £1,000 intervals, £15,000 and £20,000 and assuming that they are receiving the following personal allowances: mortgage tax relief on a mortgage of three times annual salary, superannuation at 5 per cent, of annual salary and average life assurance; and if this can be on the same basis as the Answer to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Perry Barr, Official Report,3rd August, column 625.

The figures at 1978–79 rates of tax and on the basis of the specified allowances and reliefs are as follows:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the rate of inflation, over the latest available 12-month period, as defined by the general gross domestic product price deflator;(2) if he will provide a table showing, for each quarter since the first quarter of 1974, the annual rate of inflation as

defined by (

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the Council of Ministers (Finance) has

pursuant to his replies [Official Report,27th and 28th November 1978], gave the following answer:The information is given in the table below.met in the last 12 months; and on how many occasions Treasury Ministers have made oral statements to the House to report specifically on those meetings.

pursuant to his reply[Official Report,28th November 1978], gave the following reply:Since 28th November 1977 there have been 10 meetings of the Finance Council. Treasury Ministers have made written statements on Finance Councils which have taken place when the House was in Session and have made one oral statement.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prisoners were admitted to Scottish prisons on remand awaiting trial for the latest year for which figures were available; what percentage this represented of the total number of admissions; what percentage of the average daily prison population consisted of this category; and for how long they were held on average in prison prior to trial.

In 1977, 12,988 persons were received in custody on remand awaiting trial in Scottish penal establishments. The total figure for remand receptions—that is, those first received to await trial and those first received to await sentence—was 16,296. The number of receptions of persons under sentence was 17,540. As the figure for receptions under sentence includes some of the persons previously received on remand, it is not possible to express remand receptions as a proportion of total admissions.The average daily population of penal establishments was 4,871 in 1977. On average 10·3 per cent, of this number were persons on remand awaiting trial. It is estimated that in 1977 the average period on remand awaiting trial was approximately 14 days.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make an estimate of the average sum set for bail in the sheriff courts in Scotland as a whole and in each of the individual sheriffdoms in Scotland together with the number of accused refused bail in each sheriffdom and the number who were granted bail in both summary and indictment cases;(2) what was the total amount of money lodged for bail in the sheriffdom of Glasgow and North Argyll, the sheriffdom of North Strathclyde, Dumfries and Galloway and in Scotland as a whole for the latest convenient year; and, in each case, what percentage of these amounts were forfeited as a result of the non-attendance of the accused.

I regret that up-to-date information is not readily available and cannot be supplied except at undue cost. However, the Scottish Office"Social Research Study Pre-trial Bail and Custody in the Scottish Sheriff Courts", published in 1976, which provides certain figures on this matter, estimates the total amount of money lodged for bail in Scottish sheriff courts between 1st February 1972 and 31st January 1973 at slightly more than £100,000; the average sum set for bail in sheriff courts in that period was £13·80.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been spent on the section of the A92 Aberdeen-Fraserburgh road in each of the last five years.

Expenditure on improvements to the A92/A952 Aberdeen-Fraserburgh trunk road in each of the last five years was as follows:

Financial Year	Expenditure
	£
1973–74	40,000
1974–75	130,000
1975–76	340,000
1976–77	320,000
1977–78	440,000

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans are (a) proposed and (b) approved for improvements to the A92 Aberdeen-Fraserburgh road.

In the following list of improvement schemes, those marked with an asterisk have been approved for a start in the next five years: The others are under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many abnormal loads have required police escort on the A92 Aberdeen-Fraserburgh road in each of the last 10 years.

The information requested by the hon. Member is available only for the current year and for 1977, and is as follows:

1977	58
1978	34
	(up to 24th November)

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Irish beef has been imported into Scotland during the current year to the most recent convenient date; and how much was imported for the same period in each of the last 10 years.

I regret that separate figures for imports into Scotland are not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has taken to encourage the teaching of the Scots language in schools.

A report on"Scottish Literature in the Secondary School" which was published in 1976 includes advice to teachers on the use of the Scots language in the secondary school curriculum; discussions have been initiated in primary schools on the questions of accent, dialect and local speech; and a three-year project for the development of Scottish resources in primary, secondary and special schools has recently been established. These initiatives have all been taken by the consultative committee on the curriculum which is the Secretary of State's main advisory body on the school curriculum, but it is for education authorities and head teachers to decide what place the Scots language should be given in the curriculum.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of Government assistance to the Scottish Youth Hostel Association in each of the last five years.

The information is as follows:

	£
1973–74	8,400
1974–75	8,400
1975–76	7,000
1976–77	9,045
1977–78	9,350

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many people remanded in custody in the city of Glasgow during the latest 12-month period for which this information is available were subsequently acquitted of the charges brought.against them or given prison sentences of shorter duration than the time they had already spent in custody; and what proportion of the total number of custodial remand prisoners tried during that year in Glasgow this represents;(2) if he will publish in the

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Reportdetails concerning financial asistance given by the European Investment Bank to water authorities in Scotland.

The following loans have been made by the European Investment Bank to local authorities in Scotland for water supply projects or groups of projects including water supply schemes:

	£ million
	Lothian regional council
November 1977	25
April 1978	8·5
Grampian regional council
April 1978	5
November 1978	5

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report(a) all four-year secondary schools in each Scottish regional authority, (b) all four-year secondary schools in each Scottish regional authority which have been upgraded to six-year status in the last five years; and if he will state what plans he has to upgrade all four-year secondary schools to full six-year status.

I shall send the information to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many representations he has received from individuals and organisations in connection with the future of the department of history at Dundee college of education;(2) what discussions he has had with representatives of Dundee college of education on the future of the department of history at that institution; and if he will make a statement on proposed plans.

My Department has suggested to the governing body of Dundee college of education that the history department—four members—and the geography department—two members— should be combined into a new social studies department. I consider that this development, which is paralleled in other colleges of education, would be educationally and managerially sound. No final decision, however, has yet been taken and I have asked my officials to discuss the matter further with the governing body.My right hon. Friend has had representations from 18 individuals, including 10 hon. Members, and five organisations.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the amount of money allocated by the EEC Commission for general information services in the United Kingdom concerning direct elections; what terms of reference have been given to those administering this expenditure; and what is the budget authority for it.

The sums available to the United Kingdom Office of the Commission are 600,000 EUA from the 1978 budget and 100,000 EUA from the 1979 budget, which has yet to be finally adopted, making 700,000 EUA in all, or some £469,000. The London offices of the Commission and the Assembly have stated that they will be joining in a common programme of factual information about the Assembly and the direct elections, which will end before the election campaign itself begins. Funds contributed to the programme by the Assembly Information Office are expected to bring the total to a little over £1 million.The rubric to article 2729 of the general budget of the European Communities, which gives the authority for the expenditure of the sums allocated to the Commission, reads:

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will make a further statement concerning the refusal of the British Government to supply arms to Somalia;(2) why the British Government are refusing to supply arms to Somalia;(3) what request he has received from the Government of Somalia for arms.

We do not supply arms to Somalia or Ethiopia as we favour a peaceful negotiated settlement to their dispute. We have, however, undertaken a new aid programme to Somalia initially for £2 million, and we are considering with the Somali Government further ways we can help their civil development programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the negotiations with Guatemala about Belize.

As I informed the House on 8th November, my right hon. Friend put forward in September proposals designed to speed up negotiations and end the controversy. A British statement on these proposals was made at the United Nations yesterday. The text is as follows: —In accordance with the wishes of the people of Belize, the recommendations of the Commonwealth and of the United Nations, Britain is determined to bring Belize to secure independence as soon as possible. We believe that the best way of achieving this is by a settlement of the present dispute with Guatemala.Over the past three years we have been engaged in negotiations with the Government of Guatemala in an attempt to find a settlement. The Guatemalans wanted territory to be included in a settlement and, while we were prepared without commitment to look at this possibility it proved to be unacceptable, not only to the representatives of the people of Belize, whose wishes we are bound to respect, but also to other States in the region including some of the Latin American members of the Organisation of American States. They were concerned at the implications of any redrawing of any Latin American boundaries. After consultation with the Belizean parties, and in conformity with the Memorandum of Understanding which they had signed on 5 June 1978, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Dr. David Owen, discussed the situation with the Guatemalan Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senor Castillo Valdez, over four days in New York in September. Dr. Owen suggested that a new approach should be adopted, aimed at eliminating the original cause of the dispute.The present Guatemalan claim to the territory of Belize was first formulated in 1939 on the grounds that Article VII of the 1859 Treaty, by which Guatemala recognised the already existing boundaries of Belize, had not been fulfilled. Article VII of the Treaty called on Britain and Guatemala jointly to use their best efforts to build a road from Guatemala City to improve Guatemalan communications with the Atlantic (i.e. Caribbean) coast. That road was never built jointly and this fact led to Guatemala's present claim.A road to the Caribbean coast has subsequently been built by the Guatemalans alone. Successive Guatemalan Governments have stressed the need for better access to the Guatemalan province of Peten which is adjacent to Belize.We therefore proposed to the Guatemalan Government in September that we should help with a major road project. Such a project would be a modem equivalent of the provision in Article VII of the 1859 Treaty and would be of considerable economic benefit in helping to develop the Peten. We also proposed that Guatemala should enjoy free port facilities in the Belize City port and access by road to the port. The free port facilities (such as several maritime states provide to other countries) would enable Guatemala to import and export goods from its department of the Peten by the most direct route free of customs formalities.The Guatemalan Government have also stressed their need for secure, permanent and guaranteed access to the sea from their Caribbean ports. At present they enjoy such access but believe they may be deprived of it after Belize becomes independent. We have therefore proposed that a seaward boundary should be agreed by treaty as part of a settlement which would guarantee Guatemala permanent secure access from her ports to the high seas through her own territorial sea. Such an agreement would eliminate all doubts and problems for the future.We have further suggested a separate Treaty of Amity and Mutual Security between Belize and Guatemala, with provisions covering non-aggression and subversion, to ensure the security of the area. These would include limitations on the stationing of foreign, but not British, armed forces.We believe these proposals are constructive and fair to both sides. Guatemala's complaint that the road envisaged under the 1859 Treaty was never built would be satisfied. In addition she would gain greatly improved communications to assist the development of the Peten and permanent access to her Caribbean ports through her own territorial sea guaranteed by the Treaty. Belize would gain security once the Guatemalan claim had been withdrawn following a settlement of the problem. She would have an agreed seaward boundary which would eliminate future disputes. (No seaward boundary has previously been agreed). The settlement of the problem would enable Belize to go to secure independence, and to concentrate on the development of the country which has been inhibited by the present uncertainty caused by the dispute.We hope therefore that Guatemala will accept these proposals and that an early settlement can be reached, so establishing a basis of friendship between Belize and Guatemala, to the benefit of stability in the whole area.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money has been invested by the National Enterprise Board in United Medical Enterprises Limited, either by shares or loans; when these shares were acquired; and when the loan is due for repayment.

I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the NEB's interim statement, of which copies have been laid before the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much money has been spent by his Department in each of the past three years on investigating the likely impact of silicon-chip microelectronics on manufacturing industry; and what resources he is currently applying to this field.

In recent years the likely impact of silicon chip microelectronics on manufacturing industry has increasingly featured both in studies directly carried out by my Department and in other programmes of work in which it has participated. However, these activities form part of the Department's on-going programme and are not separately identified in the expenditure records.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why it was necessary to depute senior civil servants to visit the headquarters in the United States of America of the Ford Motor Co. to discuss the current industrial dispute rather than discuss the matter with the British management; and what was the cost of the visit.

I would refer my hon. Friend to my reply of 27th November to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton). The civil servant concerned did not visit Ford's in Detroit in connection with the company's British pay settlement, which has been entirely a matter for discussion with the management in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the shipbuilding intervention fund has been used for the order received by British Shipbuilders from the Bank and Savill Line; how this compared with the intervention fund payment proposed in the British Shipbuilders tender for the European Ferries Limited order: and if he is satisfied that the financing of both these proposed orders are within the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development rules.

British Shipbuilders are seeking assistance from the intervention fund to obtain the order from Bank Line and Shaw Savill Line. The amount of assistance sought is similar to that sought by British Shipbuilders in their unsuccessful tender for the European Ferries order. All assistance given under the intervention fund is fully in accordance with our international obligations.

asked the Secretary or State for Wales whether he will now consider a further devaluation of the green pound.

The level of the green pound is always kept under review. We look for a change only when the needs of the agriculture industry and the national interest as a whole call for it, as was the case earlier this year when the Government secured a phased devaluation.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has given to local education authorities in Wales about the closure of small rural schools; and if he will make a statement

Guidance on this matter is contained in Welsh Office circulars 3/69, 39/78 and 72/78 and Welsh Office design study 2. Copies have been placed in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the latest negotiations for an EEC fishing policy as they affect Wales.

The current negotiations of a common fishery policy reflect the interests of the whole of the United Kingdom industry. I can add nothing to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Hooley) on 2nd November.—[Vol 957, c. 2.]

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what was the

			Population		Total Rate Support Grant
Financial year			000's(1)	Annual percentage change	£000's (at 1968 prices) (2)	Annual percentage change
1968–69	…	…	317·0	—	14,548	—
1969–70	…	…	316·3	-0·22	15,471	+6·3
1970–71	…	…	316·1	-0·06	16,	+3·8
1971–72	…	…	313·8	-0·72	16,430	+2·3
1972–73	…	…	314·9	+0·35	17,352	+5·6
1973–74	…	…	317·6	+0·85	19,486	+12·3
1974–75	…	…	320·7	+0·97	22,412	+15·0
1975–76	…	…	323·3	+0·81	22,911	+2·2
1976–77	…	…	324·2	+0·27	21,187	-7·5
1977–78	…	…	324·8	+0·18	19,539	-7·8
Notes:
(1)Mid-year estimates by Office of Popula tion Census and Surveys. Figures for 1978 are not yet available.
(2) The figures of grant are shown on a common 1968 price level, derived by using the gross domestic product deflator. Final grant totals for 1978–79 are not yet available.
(3) Data prior to 1974–75 are those for the pre reorganisation Counties of Cardiganshire, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire.

The amount of rate support grant to Dyfed increased by about 34 per cent, in real terms between the grant years 1968–69 and 1977–78. During the same period, the population of Dyfed increased by 2·4 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current number of registered unemployed qualified teachers in (a) the primary and (b) the secondary school sector in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

The latest available information is 504 and 616 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the anticipated capital cost and date of completion of the Welsh national outdoor sports centre currently being built near Caernarfon.

£1¼ million: 1980.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of lime sales in Wales for the five years prior to the withdrawal of the lime subsidy, and in each subsequent year; and if he will make a statement. population of Dyfed in the years 1968 to 1978; how these changes compare in real terms with the level of rate support grant in each of those years; and if he will make a statement.

The following is the information:

No figures for total lime sales are available. The amount of lime subsidised under the agricultural lime scheme in Wales in the five years prior to the withdrawal of the subsidy was as follows:

Calendar year	Thousand tons
1972	267
1973	286
1974	233
1975	222
1976	298

No figures are available for subsequent years.The importance of lime and fertilisers in maintaining soil fertility is fully recognised and officers of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service are always ready to advise farmers. Grant aid is available for the use of lime under the farm capital grant scheme and the farm and horticultural development scheme.

asked the Secretary of State of Wales who will be the Welsh Office's representative sitting on the Education Committee of the EEC which is to meet on 27th November to discuss a programme on modern languages.

The meeting of EEC Education Ministers which was to have taken place on 27th November was postponed.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek to amend the Severn Bridge Tolls Act 1965 with a view to suspending the collection of tolls on the bridge.

No. Suspension of tolling would worsen the finances of the bridge without improving the flow of traffic during the present repairs.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what staff savings at the Swansea Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre he estimates will result from his proposed abolition of vehicle excise duty.

About 800.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce the abolition of vehicle excise duty.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to announce the abolition of vehicle excise duty.

I refer the hon. Members to my Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Mr. Sever) on 21st November.—[Vol. 958, c. 525.]

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what staff savings at the Swansea Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre he estimates will result from his proposed abolition of vehicle excise duty.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Carshalton (Mr. Forman).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many section 8 grants, amounting to what total sum of money, have been made in the past 12 months; and if he is satisfied with progress made under this provision of the Railways Act 1974.

Since 1st December 1977, 23 schemes affecting 3·5 million tons of freight traffic, and involving grant of £6·1 million have been agreed. The scheme is working well.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest figures for road accident rates per 100 million vehicle km. in Great Britain on motorways and A(M) roads, and on all roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what are the latest figures for road accident rates per 100 million vehicle km. in Great Britain on motorways and A(M) roads, and on all roads.

In 1977, there were 16 accidents per 100 million kilometres on motorways and A(M) roads, compared with 99 on all roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the financial support provided from central Government funds for commuter rail services in the Home Counties and outer London area.

The Government support British Rail's commuter services in this area as part of the national rail passenger network.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the notices to complete the compulsory purchase orders in order to acquire all the land for the extension of the M63 in Stockport.

Notice of the making of these orders should be published next month.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish, and make a statement on, the report of drivers' overnight accommodation.

We are not aware of any such report, but the matter is under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in his proposals to reduce car registration charges and increase petrol prices, he has considered the position of those who are already obliged to pay an average of 10p per gallon more for petrol than the price which prevails generally; and if he will make a statement.

Variation in the existing price of petrol will not affect the impact on individual motorists of phasing out vehicle excise duty. The net result in terms of costs and benefits will be the same.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to construct a relief motorway to the M6.

No, but a number of planned road schemes should provide some relief for the M6 in the West Midlands.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will outline his policy for the promotion of diesel-powered passenger vehicles, in the interests of energy conservation.

Diesel engines are already widely in use in heavier vehicles. The scope for their economic use in lighter ones depends on whether the mileage likely to be done is great enough to justify the additional capital cost involved. Discussions on their possible advantages are continuing.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends next to meet the chairman of the National Bus Company.

When we have appropriate matters to discuss.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet the chairman of the National Bus Company.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Northampton, South (Mr. Morris).

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with local authorities about increased support for the bus services in shire counties.

In all our contacts with county councils we stress the importance of their considering public transport needs and providing adequate revenue support. This year's transport policy and programmes show that revenue support for buses in the English shire counties will be £41½ million in 1979–80, an increase of £8 million or nearly 25 per cent, on expenditure this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of the proposed increase in rail fares, he will now institute an independent in quiry into methods of improving productivity at British Railways.

Not at the moment.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his last meeting with the chairman of British Railways.