asked the Lord Pre-dent of the Council to what extent hon. Members' salaries would have to be increased to enable them to have the same purchasing power after allowing for inflation as when their salaries were raised in 1964; and, on the same basis what salaries would be necessary to give them the same incomes relative to the national average wage level in 1964 as compared with October 1978

I refer my hon. Friend to the Answer given to him by the Minister of State, Civil Service Department on 30th November—[Vol. 359, c. 339.]—and the Answer which I gave on 15th December—[Vol. 960, c. 399]—which provides the latest information available.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether, in view of the changed circumstances of the Government's incomes policy and the fact that hon. Members are the only section of the population who are now worse off financially than they were in 1964, he will implement fully the Boyle committee report on hon. Members' salaries.

asked the Lord President of the Council how any former hon. Members are now drawing pensions; how many of these are also in the House of Lords; which of these also draw payments in salaries and or expenses with full or part-time Government appointments; what the actual or average pensions of these former hon. Members were for each of the past four years; how much these have risen in percentage terms since the

The Government have no plans to increase Members' salaries in advance of the current review by the Review Body on Top Salaries.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will publish in theOfficial Reporta detailed list showing the pensions receivable by hon. Members of Parliament after 25 to 30 years' service on an annual incremental basis on 1st September 1978 and 1st September 1979, on a comparative basis as requested in the letter sent to him on 8th December by the hon. Member for Newham, North-West.

The table below shows the gross pension (a) that would be awarded to hon. Members with different periods of reckonable service whose pensions began on the dates indicated and the lump sum that would be obtained by the maximum commutation permitted under section 11 of the Parliamentary and Other Pensions Act 1972. Comparable information for Metropolitan Police officers was supplied by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretarry in his answer of 7th December 1978.—[Vol. 959, c. 720–22.].indexing of pensions; and how these increases compare with the salary increases paid to hon. Members during the same period.

137 former hon. Members are in receipt of pensions from the Parliarmentary contributory pension scheme, and 51 of these are now Members of the House of Lords. It would be contrary to normal practice to give individual details of the financial position of former hon. Members. However a pension in payment on 1st December 1974 would have increased by 81·4 per cent. over the last four years. The salary in payment to hon. Members has increased by 53·3 per cent. over the same period.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether he will state the additional costs to the Exchequer of allowing hon. Members the same pensions entitlement as civil servants.

There are only minor differences between the parliamentary pensions scheme and the principal Civil Service pension scheme, and in some respects, for example in its provision for widowers' and children's pensions, the parliamentary scheme is more favourable. Verry detailed actuarial calculations, requiring a disproportionate time and effort, would therefore be needed to determine whether the application of Civil Service arrangements to hon. Members would increase or decrease Excheqeuer expenditure.

asked the Lord President of the Council if he will list all Orders in Council made during the Christmas Recess.

Orders in Council with the following titles were made on 20th December 1978:Appropriation (No. 4) (Northern Ireland) Order 1978;Shops (Northern Ireland) Order 1978;Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1978;Rehabilitation of Offenders (Northern Ireland) Order 1978;Scotland Act 1978 (Referendum) Order 1978;Wales Act 1978 (Referendum) Order 1978;European Assembly Constituencies (England) Order 1978;European Assembly Constituencies (Wales) Order 1978;European Assembly Constituencies (Scotland) Order 1978;European Communities (Services of Lawyers) Order 1978;Extradition (Genocide) (Amendment No. 2) Order 1978;Extradition (Hijacking) (Amendment) Order 1978;Extradition (Protection of Aircraft) (Amendment) Order 1978;Extradition (Tokyo Convention) (Amendment) Order 1978;

asked the Lord President of the Council, in the light of the fact that in the Members' self-service cafeteria a charge of 28p for 1½ounces of cheese is made, what is the actual cost which is paid to the suppliers for cheese.

I have been asked to reply.The displayed cafeteria price for pre-packed 1½ounce cheese is 21p, including VAT. If the hon. Member has at any time been overcharged perhaps he would write to me.The Catering Sub-Committee does not think it appropriate to disclose its purchase prices.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development when the various land settlement schemes in Kenya will be completed; and if she will summarise the results so far.

United Kingdom funding of the various schemes for land transfer in Kenya will cease on 31st March 1979. To date, about 1,400 farms with a total acreage of about 3·5 million acres have been transferred at a total cost of around £31 million to aid funds; only 34 of the farms eligible for transfer to Kenyan ownership under United Kingdom aid remain unsold.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many political refugees from Chile admitted since 1973 had ties with the United Kingdom and responsible sponsorship when granted entry permits in numerical and percentage terms of those admitted.

I regret that the information requested could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present position with regard to the review of ward boundaries within the area of the city of Birmingham district council; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Local Government Boundary Commission for England held a local meeting in January 1978 as part of its review of the electoral arrangements for Birmingham. It is not at present possible to say when we shall receive the Commission's final proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether memoranda for the guidance of the police issued from his office have any standing at law; and whether it is proper for such memoranda to suggest or indicate that the police should or may vary legislation passed by both Houses of Parliament without such variations being sanctioned by both Houses of Parliament.

Circulars or memorandum issued by my Department for the guidance of chief officers of police do not have the force of law. They do not, and could not, convey authority for chief officers of police to vary legislation but may, where appropriate, contain advice on the exercise of discretionary powers conferred by Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will detail the matters on which a chief officer of police has either the power or discretion to vary legislation passed by both Houses of Parliament.

A chief officer of police has no power to vary legislation, although it may confer a discretion on him.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will place in the Library all proposals made for tighter laws on firearms in Europe; and if he will report on the present position of any relevant negotiations.

I have arranged for a copy of the European Convention on the Control of the Acquisition and Possession of Firearms by Individuals to be placed in the Library of the House. The aim of the convention is to prevent the avoidance of national firearms controls by persons purchasing weapons in participating countries other than their own. The United Kingdom has signed the convention but reserved the right not to apply the "double authorisation" procedure—Chapter III—and not to apply the notification procedure—Chapter II—in respect of shot guns, air weapons, ammunition and telescopic sights. Some amendments will be needed

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list in theOfficial Reportthe additional duties, statutory and other wise, which have been placed upon pro- to the Firearms Act 1968 to enable the United Kingdom to ratify and implement the convention, but the controls applicable in the United Kingdom will be substantially unaffected.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people work in the probation service and at what grades; and what are the salary levels for each grade.

The following table shows the number of professional staff in the probation and after-care service by grade as at 30th November 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, and the present salary scale for each grade.officers. The numbers of these staff on 30th June 1978, the latest date for which figures are available, were as follows:bation officers since their last pay increase.

No additional duties have been placed upon probation officers since their last pay increase on 1st July 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in view of the fact that a police constable on entry at 18 years now receives £4,000 per annum and a probation officer with post-graduate teaching and two years work experience receives less than that amount, he will seek to introduce a substantial improvement in rates of pay in the probation service.

I refer my hon. Friend the answer I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rotherham (Mr. Crowther) on 6th December.—[Vol. 959, c. 660].

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has received a request for funds for the children's legal centre from the United Kingdom Association for the International Year of the Child; and, if so, what reply he has sent.

Yes; the Association has been informed that this is a matter for other Departments to which the request has been referred.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has received the proposals of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs regarding the classification and penalties for controlled drugs; and if he will make a statement;(2) whether the report of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs on the classification and penalties of controlled drugs will be published.

I have received a report, under cover of a letter from the chairman, Sir Robert Bradlaw, the terms of which are reproduced below. The Council's recommendations, which are summarised in the annex to the chairman's letter, are being considered by the Government. Arrangements are being made for the report to be published, but in the meantime a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make it an offence for any person to offer an inducement, whether financial or otherwise, to a defendant in return for making an application to lift reporting restrictions at a committal hearing under the terms of section 3(2) of the Criminal Justice Act.

I have no present plans to introduce legislation of this nature.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied with the current measures which prevent the sale of alcoholic drinks to children under age; and if he will make a statement.

The penalties for offences against the Licensing Act 1964 connected with under-age drinking were greatly increased by the Criminal Law Act 1977. In the same year the licensing law was amended to allow the police to resume routine visits to licensed premises. We shall continue to keep this problem under review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what grounds the Metropolitan Police refused to give detailed information to the Committee on Data Protection.

In January 1977 the Metropolitan Police submitted 19 typed pages of evidence to the committee. In March 1977 three officers gave oral evidence to the committee for almost two hours. They gave detailed answers to questions except where to have done so would have divulged classified information. Such matters were dealt with subsequently in a letter to the committee secretary written in response to an invitation to comment on a newspaper article about a computer project. Requests for additional information were received from the committee in July and September 1977. Both were responded to in detail. The Commissioner takes the view that the Metropolitan Police have given the fullest co-operation to the committee while exercising proper care in the handling of classified information.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the subjects on which professional consultants' reports were commissioned by his Department, and the total cost to the Department of such reports, in each of the years 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978.

Following is a list of reports commissioned by my Department since 1974 from professional consultants.1974

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek to make it an offence for journalists and others to attempt to secure copy, in return for payment or reward, from persons accused or convicted of serious crimes.

I do not consider that it is appropriate or practicable to deal with this matter by legislation. It it better to rely on voluntary restraint and the influence of the Press Council.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the legal rights of Greek citizens who would wish to work in the United Kingdom under the terms proposed for Greek accession to the EEC before and after any transitional period.

In the EEC's accession negotiations with Greece it has been agreed that the provisions of the Treaty of Rome relating to the free movement of workers should be subject to a seven-year transitional period. The details of the transitional arrangements have not yet been finalised.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the functions of the Metropolitan Police computer which by 1985 will store criminal records and items of comment about criminals and suspected crimnials; and what controls he proposes to exercise on this computer.

The computer enables records to be stored and retrieved more efficiently and therefore assists the prevention and detection of crime. Access to the computer is strictly controlled; and no links with other computer installations are contemplated.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to announce the start of the scheme to allow women prisoners at Styal Prison to receive extended visits from their children; and, if not, what difficulties remain to be overcome, and when he expects these to be resolved.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to his Question on 10th November.—[Vol. 957, c. 368–9.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the useful purpose served by the Immigration (Hotel Records) Order 1972 in respect of British citizens.

Experience has shown that the requirements of the order relating to aliens may be evaded unless all travellers are required to provide some basic information about themselves.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now able to announce his decision upon the request for a tariff increase for the London taxi trade; and if he will make a statement.

Representatives of the London taxi trade are discussing with my Department an increase in London taxi fares which takes account of the recommendations of the Price Commission, and is based on the increase in cab operating costs, with an allowance for increased earnings consistent with the Government's earnings guidelines.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he is satisfied with the work being done by the National Enterprise Board.

Yes.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state the total borrowing of the National Enterprise Board, including all the borrowings of subsidiaries of the Board and including borrowings of the subsidiaries prior to their acquisition by the National Enterprise Board as at 31st December 1978.

At 31st December 1978 the charges against the Board's financial limit were £660 million. The borrowings of the Board's non-wholly-owned subsidiaries are published in the accounts of these companies. The borrowings of the Board's wholly-owned subsidiaries prior to their acquisition by the Board are not published; they are a matter for the companies and the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total amount of grants paid out in the current year under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972.

The latest figures available for the current financial year are for the period 1st April to 31st October 1978. They show that £53 million was paid out in grants under section 7 of the Industry Act 1972. This figure includes payments for regional selective financial assistance in England, Scotland and Wales and, secondly, payments for the shipbuilding intervention fund.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what was the level of industrial investment during the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

Total investment by manufacturing industry in the 12 months ending September 1978 is estimated at £3,780 million at 1975 prices, an increase of 8 per cent, on the previous 12 months.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why a decision was taken to move the laboratory of the Government Chemist from London to Cumbria without details of specific costs being available.

The decision to move the laboratory of the Government Chemist was just one element in the Government's broad dispersal programme announced in July 1974. Broad costs were available and showed an overall benefit. Detailed planning and costing could only be undertaken after the decision in principle was announced.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if, in considering the need for the Government strategy on the development of integrated circuits, he will ensure the widest possible cross-application of civil and military specifications, particularly in the use of common design and production facilities.

Close collaboration already exists between the Ministry of Defence and the Department of Industry in the allocation of resources to support the Government's strategy for the integrated circuit industry. This includes development of common specifications, designs and production facilities and the application of defence developments and specifications to civil use.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the total planned expenditure by his Department on the sponsorship of the computer industry in 1979.

For projects already approved or under discussion, direct expenditure by the Department of Industry with companies for developments within the computer hardware and software sectors could reach some £3½ million in 1979–80. This is mainly for product development and work on supporting technology. The final spend will of course depend on the number of proposals put forward by industry in the coming months.This figure does not include funds available or committed under the microelectronics industry support scheme—£70 million—and the microprocessor application project—£55 million—some of which will have an impact in the computer industry as will the recent decision by the NEB to set up its semi-conductor operation INMOS at a cost of some £50 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will give the figure of commitments entered into by his Department in respect of the shipbuilding intervention fund for the financial year 1978–79 so far; and if he will state how much has been paid out so far from the fund in the financial year 1978–79.

During the first nine months of the 1978–79 financial year, offers of assistance from the shipbuilding intervention fund amounted to approximately £1 million. The total amount paid from the fund during the same period was £8·6 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if it is his assessment that the most competitive sections of the engineering industry are actually those where the investment rate is lowest.

A recent report by Sussex European Research Centre, which my Department is studying, has drawn attention to a statistical relationship of this sort. The report concludes tentatively that it is the less capital-intensive branches of the engineering industry which show the strongest relative trade performance. It remains my assessment, which is quite consistent with these findings, that a high level of investment properly directed can contribute significantly to international competitiveness.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) what specific action his Department is taking to help Great Britain's engineering industry to win back a larger share of its home market;(2) what specific action his Department is taken to arrest the decline in competitiveness of Great Britain's engineering industry.

The aim of the industrial strategy, which was launched by the National Economic Development Council in 1975, is to reverse the long-term decline in the performance of manufacturing industry and to create an efficient, profitable and internationally competitive industrial base. Effort is being concentrated on 40 key sectors for which sector working parties have been set up under the aegis of the NEDC. The engineering industry is at the heart of this effort. Most sectors of mechanical and electrical engineering are covered by SWPs. The Government have acted positively in response to the recommendations in SWP reports.Furthermore, a range of incentives designed to encourage greater efficiency and competitiveness in British industry is provided by the Government through various schemes of selective financial assistance under section 8 of the Industry Act 1972. Several industry schemes relate to specific sectors of the engineering industry. In addition, companies within the sector are eligible for support under the product and process development scheme. Sector working parties have also identified the need for improved customer-supplier links as the key to effecting import substitution. Many SWPs are now in contact with other SWPs representing their customers and suppliers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will seek powers to make payments by way of compensation to firms which had grants cancelled under section 7 or 8 of the Industry Act 1972 as a consequence of the Government's pay sanctions policy.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement on the sanctions which he has asked the nationalised industries under his sponsorship to apply to Ford Motor Company.

As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced in the House on 14th December, the Government are no longer using discretionary powers in the private sector as a measure to counter inflation.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list what provisions are available for the development areas which are not available to help the regeneration of the London dock areas.

Whereas the provision of regional development grants, regional selective assistance and Government factories is statutorily confined to the assisted areas, the Inner Urban Areas Act 1978 enables local authorities in London's docklands to give financial assistance to commerce as well as industry. In addition, local authorities may build factories for industry which in the docklands may qualify for assistance from the Government's urban programme.The European Regional Development Fund at present can contribute to the cost of projects in assisted areas only, although this limitation may be ended if the proposed non-quota section is available outside the assisted areas. The Government contracts preference schemes are available only in special development and development areas.In the steering of mobile industrial projects, the Government give priority to the docklands and the other inner city partnership areas of London before the rest of the South-East but after the assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will publish the guidelines by which his Department operates when considering the allocation of finance from the European Investment Bank for projects in special development areas, development areas and intermediate areas.

The general guidance under which my Department operates the exchange risk guarantee scheme on loans from the European Investment Bank has been published and I am sending my hon. Friend separately a copy of this guidance. The detailed administrative guidance for officials in my Department is not published. As my hon. Friend will be aware, the exchange risk guarantee scheme applies essentially to projects in manufacturing industry which create additional employment in development and special development areas. We are prepared, exceptionally, to consider employment-creating projects in intermediate areas and projects which preserve employment throughout the assisted areas.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what action he proposes to take on the proposal of the recent conference on the United Kingdom statistical system that an authoritative national body should be established to oversee general statistical policy, development and integration.

I assume that the hon. Member is referring to a proposal contained in one of the papers discussed at the recent annual statistics users' conference. We are considering ways of improving our arrangements for consulting providers and users of official statistics, and the views expressed at the conference will be borne in mind.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will place in the Library a copy of British Shipbuilders' corporate plan at present being considered by his Department.

British Shipbuilders' corporate plan contains commercially confidential material and cannot as such be made public. My right hon. Friend will, however, be considering, as part of his review of the plan, what information can be made available to the House.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement about future Government financial assistance to the Kirkby workers' co-operative.

As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State informed the House on 12th December last—[Vol. 960, cc. 405–6.]—the Government will consider any meaningful applications for assistance from KME in performance of their obligations under the Industry Act 1972. All such applications are judged on their merits under the criteria for Industry Act assistance which were laid before the House in January 1976.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is his estimate of the cost to the Exchequer of a Government-backed loan guarantee scheme based on a ceiling of an individual £½ million per annum for small businesses.

There are no plans to introduce a Government-backed loan guarantee scheme at the present time, and therefore it is not possible to give estimates of possible cost. The Government are, however, urgently examining with the banks the possibility of a commercial loan guarantee scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he is satisfied that the sale overseas of British cars is not being hampered by the tardy conversion from manually operated to automatic gear change in models destined for overseas sale.

I am sure that British car manufacturers are aware of the relative merits of automatic and manual gear change transmission systems, but if my hon. Friend has a particular point of concern perhaps he would write to me.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what representations he has received from the Common Market on the subject of the Anglo-Polish agreement for the building of six new shallow-draft bulk carriers; if he will undertake not to allow any representations to influence any agreements to build these ships or any terms included in any such agreement; and if he will make a statement.

It would not be helpful to the industry to disclose the substance of discussions with the Commission on any case for support under the intervention fund, but I can assure my hon. Friend that the Government continue to make every effort to assist the industry to secure orders on terms acceptable to all the parties concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, in order to assist industry, particularly the mining industry, the steel industry and the motor manufacturing industry, he will consider increasing the subsidy to the National Coal Board on coking coal.

The level of coking coal subsidy will be one aspect of the Government's consideration of the overall level of future grant support for the National Coal Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what amount of subsidy per ton is received by the West German mining industry on coking coal.

The West German mining industry is estimated to receive on all coal produced in 1978 an average of £3·35/tonne of aid under various heads. In addition, 864 million DM—approximately £233 million—coking coal production aid was to be paid in respect of the first three quarters of the year. I have no information on what tonnage this covers.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy whether, when appointing members to committees of inquiries into matters of public controversy, etc., he will publish the applications and biographical details of those concerned, if any, and what connections they have had with industries or other issues likely to be raised during the inquiries.

On setting up such committees I arrange for the issue of press notices giving all relevant biographical details of the members appointed. I should be glad to furnish other information about such persons to the House if it wishes it.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy how many breakdowns of energy supplies occurred during the exceptional weather conditions experienced from Christmas day onwards; and if he will make a statement on how the United Kingdom's energy supplies functioned during this period.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing the percentage change in the sterling price of oil, in real terms, (a) between June 1970 and March 1974 and (b) between March 1974 and the latest available date.

A table is given below. The oil price index is based on the sterling price, fob, of Arab light oil, the present OPEC marker crude. This index is converted into real terms by dividing it by the implicit deflator for United Kingdom gross domestic product —GDP. While it is possible to show the

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will list those factors in the cost of living index for pensioner households which have been most responsible for that index increasing at a faster rate than the general index of retail prices since the second quarter of 1974.

A full comparison of the effect of rising prices on pensioner households compared with households in general cannot be made because housing costs are not included in the pensioner indices on account of the difficulty in collecting the information in this area where special provisions often apply. Over the period from the second quarter 1974 to the third quarter 1978, the indices for one and two-person pensioner households increased faster than the general index exclusive of housing at an annual rate of 0·9 per cent. and 0·6 per cent., respectively. The reasons for these differences are, firstly, items which occupy a greater proportion of pensioner expenditure, and which went up faster in price than prices in general, include butter, milk, tea, coffee, sugar, coal, electricity, newspapers and periodicals, postage and soda, polishes, etc.; secondly, items which occupy a smaller proportion of pensioner expenditure, and which increased in price more slowly than prices in general, include wines and spirits, furniture, radio and television, etc., men's outer clothing, women's outer clothing and children's outer clothing.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the basic rate of pay for bakery workers change in the sterling price following the first stage of the Abu Dhabi announced OPEC price rise, which takes effect from 1st January, no GDP deflator is as yet available to enable a real figure to be computed for that date.before the recent award: what were the average earnings of bakery workers for the latest date for which figures are available; and what increase in net weekly spending power a bakery worker earning average bakery worker earnings will receive as a result of the recent 14 per cent. award, assuming that he has a wife and two children and that all other assumptions and circumstances are the same as the assumptions in the answer to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North in the

Before the recent revision, the nationally agreed basic rates, including a supplement of £7·85, for a 40-hour week not involving night shift work ranged from £41·52 to £48·44, according to grade. The new earnings survey indicated that average gross earnings were about £76·80 per week in April 1978. This esimate, which is subject to a relatively high sampling error, relates to all full-time manual men aged 21 and over whose pay for the reference week was not affected by absence and who were affected by the Baking Industry National Joint Committee agreement for England and Wales. It includes the effect of night shift working.Corresponding estimates for later dates either before or after the recent wage settlement are not available. However, each £10 increase in gross weekly earnings results in an increase after tax and national insurance of £6·05, at levels of earnings at which the 33 per cent. and 6½ per cent. rates respectively currently apply.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the 1978 full-time work force in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, the Republic of Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Spain, Portugal and the United States of America were women

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the unemployed in the month of December in each of the last eight years was women.

Following is the available information for Great Britain:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of current job vacancies are with small businesses; and how many jobs filled during the past 12 months have been with small businesses.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the available statistics concern the number of job vacancies notified to local offices of the public employment service, and the number filled by them. These statistics do not distinguish small businesses from others

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy with regard to the position of public employees who by the nature of their work are unable to negotiate productivity agreements and who are therefore limited to a maximum pay increase of 5 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

The provision in the pay policy for self-financing productivity schemes is not restricted to particular groups

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many women were in full-time employment in each of the last eight years;(2) how many women were in part-time employment in each of the last eight years.

Following is the available information

asked the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many visits have been made by the factory inspectors to industrial premises in the Rochdale county district in each of the years 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978, respectively;(2) how many visits have been made by the factory inspectors to industrial premises in the Bury county district in each of the years 1975, 1976, 1977 and 1978, respectively.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that information on visits paid by factory inspectors is no longer kept in relation to individual local authority areas. The Greater Manchester area of Her Majesty's Factory Inspectorate comprises the metropolitan county of Greater Manchester and includes the district councils of the city of Manchester, city of Salford, Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside and Wigan. The total of visits by inspectors to premises under the Factories Act, the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act and the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act was 12,477 in 1975, 9,097 in 1976 and 9,668 in 1977. There were changes in boundaries of the HMFI area between 1975 and 1976 which affect comparability of the figures. The figures for 1978 are not yet available

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the subjects on which professional consultants' reports were commissioned by his Department, and the total cost to the Department of such reports, in each of the years 1974, 1975, 1976 1977 and 1978.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many official and unofficial disputes took place in Hull docks during each of the past six years; and what was the tonnage cleared through the port during each of those years.

The number of stoppages in Hull and Goole docks which came to the notice of my Department is shown below. The figures exclude stoppages involving fewer than 10 workers or lasting less than one day, except where the aggregate of working days lost exceeded 100. The distinction between official and unofficial disputes is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what discretionary payments for education work were paid to the National Union of Mineworkers in the last 12 months.

I have been asked to replyGrant towards the costs of trade union education and training incurred by the TUC and affiliated independent unions is paid jointly by my Department and by the Department of Employment. That grant is administered by the TUC in accordance with an agreed memorandum of arrangements. In the financial year 1977–78, £15,198·73 was paid to NUMW under those arrangements; no payment has been made to date in the current financial year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table for all regions on male earnings and unemployment on the same basis as that for the West Midlands,Official Report,5th December 1978, columns 601–2.

Comprehensive regional estimates of average earnings are available only for April, from the new earnings survey. The following index numbers are based on the estimated average gross weekly earnings of full-time men aged 21 and over whose pay for the survey reference pay period was not affected by absence. They are subject to sampling errors.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what safeguards exist to protect patients offered operations on hire purchase by private clinics; and what recourse there is for a patient who is led to believe that he or she needs an operation and can afford it when the cost is spread over a year or more.

Private medical treatment is a matter between the patient, his medical advisors and the private clinic. Private clinics providing credit facilities to individuals have to obtain a licence under the Consumer Credit Act 1974 which places on the Director General of Fair Trading the duty of administering the licensing system

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures similar to those given in

The information requested is set out in the tables below. The assumptions made about the ages of the children and housing expenses are shown at the head of each table. Other assumptions are as in my reply to the hon. Member of 30th November 1978.A further assumption is that, for unemployment benefit purposes, class 1 contributions in the relevant tax year have been paid on earnings, or credited, sufficient to give entitlement to flat-rate benefit only but that, for the purpose of calculating entitlement to family income supplement, earnings immediately prior to unemployment have been in the range of £30 to £105. The tables therefore relate only to the particular illustrative situa

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish figures showing the net weekly spending power for families with each of two children aged 16 and 14 years, three children aged 16, 14 and 12 years, and four children aged 16, 14, 12 and 10 years, assuming that the parents are dependent on supplementary benefits plus disregards bringing their total income up to 120 per cent. of their supplementary benefit entitlement levels, and also taking into account the value of free school meals.

120 per cent. of supplementary benefit entitlement, apart from rent, plus the value of free school meals for the families specified is £53·80, £62·91 and £70·52.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what increase in net weekly spending power a man with a wife and two children would receive if his gross wage was increased by 5 per cent. if his previous earnings were £50, £60, £70, £80, £90 or £100 per week, making the same assumptions as in the Answer to the Question of the hon. Member for North Norfolk,Official Report,30th November, c. 298; and if also he will state the percentage increase in each case.