asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many alleged shoplifting offences were reported to the police during the month prior to 25 December; how many led to prosecutions by the police; and how many by shopkeepers.

I regret that this information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current expenditure on research into the causes of crime; and what proportion of total Government research expenditure this represents.

The Department carries out a varied programme of research into crime, including its causes. Estimated expenditure in the current financial year amounts to about £1 million. Figures for total Government research expenditure incorporate a considerable element for development work and it would not be meaningful therefore to express expenditure on crime research alone as a proportion of this total.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received in respect of the increase in television licence fees.

107 letters have been received about the television licence fee increases announced on 24 November; most oppose the increases.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis on the arrangements involving the Metropolitan Police for the Thames flood warning system in Twickenham and Teddington.

Present plans are currently under review by the Greater Lon- don Council, the borough councils and the police and it would not be appropriate for us to intervene.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions he has had concerning the organisation of the traffic warden service.

None, except in relation to London.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the traffic wardens' dispute in London.

I am keeping in close touch with developments, but for the moment I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave to Questions by my hon. Friends the Members for Ealing, North (Mr. Molloy) and Brent, South (Mr. Pavitt) on 24 November and 7 December respectively.—[Vol. 958, c. 762; Vol. 959, c. 723.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to ensure that the Parole Board takes into consideration the state of health of all prisoners, and not only of those in the restricted categories referred to in paragraphs 11 and 12 of the report of the Parole Board for 1975.

Medical reports on prisoners are automatically included in the case papers submitted to the Parole Board. What weight to attach to medical factors in relation to other factors is a matter for the Board.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will institute a review of the parole system.

We have already instituted a review within the Home Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present prison population in England and Wales.

On 30 November 1978 the total population in prison department establishments in England and Wales was 42,326.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce a Bill to allocate the fourth television channel.

I have nothing to add at this stage to the reply I gave to a Question by my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, North (Mr. Whitehead) on 30 November.—[Vol. 939, c. 350.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify his main reasons for objecting to the introduction of a citizens' band radio; and if he will reconsider this decision.

There are strong arguments on regulatory, administrative and social grounds against the introduction of citizens' band radio. In particular, we are not satisfied that an effective means could be found of overcoming the problems of control and interference to other services commonly associated with its use in other countries.The arguments for and against citizens' band radio are kept continually under review: but we remain, on balance, opposed to its introduction in this country.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the local authorities which have indicated their ability or inability to undertake the care of young girls of an unruly character for report on behalf of his Department, or the courts, pending a case brought before the court for a hearing; and if he will make a statement.

I have received letters from the local authorities in St. Helens, Sefton, Dudley, Devon, and Leicestershire on this subject. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Services and I are satisfied that sufficient secure accommodation is available throughout the country to enable a suitable place to be found for any unruly girl if proper use is made of the arrangements for inter-regional co-operation.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many members of the police force have been suspended for alleged breaches of the Official Secrets Act involving the possible misuse of the police national computer; what action was taken; and how many members of the police force have access to the national computer.

The information requested in the first and second parts of the Question is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Any police officer may request information from the police national computer if so justified during the course of his duty. He makes his inquiry to one of a number of terminal points in his police force. There are 580 terminals in forces in Great Britain.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the 27 areas of interest under which the Special Branch's computer system will eventually store information.

In general, they relate to aspects of the protection of the security of the State, which it would not be in the public interest to specify. I remind my hon. Friend that the recently published report of the data protection committee recognises that special consideration must apply to computer data involving national security.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if any final decision has been reached regarding the possible closure of some police stations in the Hillingdon area of the Metropolitan Police district; and if he will make a statement.

The Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis is studying local policing arrangements in the Metropolis, including the future of existing police stations. It is for him to take decisions about the future of stations, as operational matters are primarily involved. I understand, however, that no firm decisions have yet been taken, and the Commissioner has given an assurance that before any changes are made he will give those concerned, including the local authorities in the Metropolitan Police district an opportunity to express their views.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new recruits have been taken on by the Metropolitan Police in each month since 1 September 1978, giving separate figures for men and women.

The figures are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total arrears of fines outstanding at 31 December 1978 in each of the inner London magistrates' courts, stating (a) what percentage of the fines in each court has been outstanding for more than 12 months and (b) what percentage of fines was only recovered as a result of enforcement action.

I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many offenders in inner London served custodial sentences as a result of non-payment of fines;(2) what percentage of offenders on suspended committals for non-payment of fines serve custodial sentences; and what percentage pay their fine.

I regret that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many money payment supervising officers there are for the inner London magistrates' courts; and for how many offenders each, on average, is responsible.

Five: and 240.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give a breakdown of how the proposed public expenditure for community services, on pages 114 and 115 of Command Paper No. 7439, will be divided between the various items under that heading including the revised version of section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966.

The breakdown is broadly between grants in aid to statutory commissions, grants and grants in aid to voluntary bodies and the proposed new grant for ethnic minorities. The provision within this programme for the new ethnic grant rises, in 1978 survey prices, from £5 million in 1980–81 to £8 million in 1981–82 and £12 million in 1982–83. This, together with allocations included in programmes 10—education and libraries, science and arts—and 11—Health and personal social services—represents an increase of £10 million in 1980–81 rising to £25 million in 1982–83 over expenditure previously planned for section 11 grants.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state, in pursuance to his answer on 18 January, where the expected expenditure in 1979–80 under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 appears in Command Paper No. 7439.

The expected expenditure is mainly included in the provision made for programmes 10—education and libraries, science and arts—and 11—health and personal social services—and is not separately identified.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state the definition of emergency services; and whether ambulance services are covered by this definition which will enable them to receive the same status as fire and police services in the performance of their duties.

There is no formal definition of the term emergency services. Police, fire and ambulance services normally provide the initial response to an accident or disaster, and would be accorded priority for the allocation of resources necessary for the performance of their functions if usual arrangements for supplies became disrupted.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service how much was spent by Her Majesty's Government in 1978 on printing and binding in England and Wales, respectively.

I regret that information for the calendar year is not available. For the financial year ended 31 March 1978 expenditure by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on printing and binding in England and Wales respectively was:

asked the Prime Minister when last he informed the Prime Ministers of the Common Market that he is opposed to its development into a federal state.

Other EEC Heads of Government are well aware of the policy of the Government on this matter, through discussions on many occasions.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his official engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his public engagements on 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January 1979.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Thursday 25 January 1979.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his public engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister whether he will list his engagements for 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his engagements for Thursday 25 January.

asked the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 25 January.

This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet. In addition to my duties in this House, I shall be holding further meetings with ministerial colleagues and others.

asked the Prime Minister if he will pay an official visit to Leeds.

I have at present no plans to visit Leeds.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the TUC.

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

asked the Prime Minister when he last met the CBI.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to the hon. Member for Melton (Mr. Latham) on 23 January.

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

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hemel Hempstead (Mr. Corbett) on 7 December.

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his talks at Guadeloupe.

I refer my hon. Friend to the statement which I made to the House on 16 January.

asked the Prime Minister what are his current criteria for making a ministerial broadcast.

The criteria for broadcasts of this kind, which were agreed between the broadcasting authorities and the main political parties, remain unchanged. They are:

"To provide information or explanation of events of prime national or international importance or to seek the co-operation of the public in connection with such events."

asked the Prime Minister if he will take steps to reintroduce a prices and incomes board to deal with exceptional cases in relation to the pay policy.

I have no plans to do so.

asked the Prime Minister if he will discontinue making recommendations for the Honours List.

No.

asked the Lord President of the Council whether it is intended to dismantle and remove the new inspection box at the St. Stephen's end of Westminster Hall when ceremonial occasions are held in Westminster Hall; and, if so, what is the anticipated cost of the operation of dismantling and rebuilding it.

The design of the new inspection box allows it to be dismantled for certain ceremonial occasions: these are very infrequent and the cost of dismantling and rebuilding is estimated at £100.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy 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, respectively.

The following is a list of reports commissioned by my Department since 1974 from professional management consultants. The list excludes any reports commissioned in connection with research and development contracts.SUBJECT

asked the Secretary of State for Trade when he expects to announce the list of possible sites, including military air bases, which are under consideraton for conversion into a civil airport, in accordance with the airports policy.

I hope to publish in the autumn an evaluation of specific sites for additional airport capacity for the South-East, as a basis for consultation with all those concerned.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what is the total value in £ sterling of exports delayed as a result of the present industrial disputes in United Kingdom ports, stating what percentage of United Kingdom exports this represents; and what steps he is taking to enable these exports to move freely.

The delays to exports are serious, but it is not possible to put a figure on the proportion affected. I am making every effort to get them moving as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will consider modifying the export credits guarantee scheme to support the issue of performance bonds to help smaller exporters.

In the light of a further year's experience of operating the scheme, and following consultation with the banks, I have decided to reduce the £500,000 qualifying limit for eligible contracts. In future ECGD bond-issue support will be available for export contracts on cash or near-cash terms with a value of £250,000 or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade, in the light of the suitability of the Hovercraft for transportation purposes in China, what steps he is pursuing to encourage that nation to take an active interest in this product of British technology.

We are seeking an invitation for our hovercraft interests to visit China to explain what they can offer.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade what other British products are being offered to the Chinese Government as part of the package deal connected with the sale of the Harrier jump jet.

A number of United Kingdom companies are currently negotiating, with the support of Her Majesty's Government, for contracts in China in a very wide range of industrial sectors including steel manufacturing plant, coal and coalmining equipment, power generating plant, mineral development, shipbuilding, railways and computers. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Industry will be actively pursuing these negotiations during his forthcoming visit to China.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade (1) what active steps his Department is taking to interest the Chinese Government in the purchase of British designed light aircraft and, in particular, the Britten/Norman Islander;(2) in the proposed package deal with the Chinese over the purchase of the Harrier jump jet, what consideration has been given to the inclusion of hovercraft and light aircraft.

Discussions with the Chinese about the possible expansion of our trade with them have covered a wide range of industries primarily in response to the interest expressed by the Chinese. If appropriate, I shall certainly take the opportunity in any renewed discussions to continue to stress the capabilities of the whole United Kingdom aircraft industry, including light aircraft and hovercraft.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many tons of butter were imported into the United Kingdom in August, Sepember, October, November and December 1978.

Following is the information:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much per head of the population was expended annually by the Government on goods and services, including direct contracts, in England and Wales, respectively.

Identifiable public expenditure on goods and services in 1977–78, the latest year for which figures are available, was £476 per head in England and £486 per head in Wales. The figures, which are provisional estimates at current prices, include expenditure on staff costs, procurement and direct capital expenditure on physical assets. The term "identifiable expenditure" was explained in an answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Gravesend (Mr. Ovenden) on 17 January 1979—[Vol. 960, cols. 781–793.] Public expenditure includes expenditure by central Government, local authorities and certain public corporations.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of the average annual family income was spent on local authority and water rates including drainage, in the following years, 1938, 1958, 1968 and 1978.

The information is not available in the precise form requested. The percentage of total household income—as defined in the national accounts—spent on rates, water charges, etc., was 2·3 per cent. in 1968 and 2·2 per cent. in 1977, the latest year for which information is available. Exactly comparable figures for 1958 are not available; but it is estimated that the corresponding figure in that year was about

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will list the tax-free income of (a) a single person, (b) a married couple without children, (c) a married couple with one child under 11 years, (d) a married couple with two children under 11 years, (e) a married couple with three children, two under 11 years, (f) a married couple with four children, two under 11 years, for each year since 1945; and if he will also list the value of each of these totals in real terms in 1945 prices;(2) if he will update the table given to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher on tax thresholds.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 22 January 1979; Vol. 961, col. 27–31], gave the following information:It is convenient to answer these two questions together. The actual thresholds and the thresholds at 1945–46 prices are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will list in the OfficialReport the names of organisations from which his Department regularly invites the submission of nominations of persons for consideration for appointment to consumer councils of the nationalised industries.

In the case of certain consumer councils there is a statutory requirement that a proportion of the members should be nominees of local authority associations. In filling the remaining places on these councils and in making appointments to the councils which do not have statutory local authority representation, I receive nominations from a very wide variety of sources, including individuals and consumers' and other organisations. My Department welcomes the nomination of anyone wishing to make a contribution to the work of the nationalised industry consumer councils.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether, in the light of the Government's counter-inflation guidelines, he will refer to the Price Commission for investigation the increase in the rental of individual agricultural water meters by the Welsh water board.

Such increases must be notified automatically to the Price Commission for scrutiny, and it is for the Price Commission to select increases for

asked the Secretary of State for Employment from which bodies he has received representations on the working of the Employment Protection Act.

I have received representations from a number of employers'

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what was the annual cost per head of the consumption of tobacco.

In 1977, the latest full year for which figures are available, average annual expenditure per head of the population on tobacco was £65·03.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions, to date, have been secured under the Asbestos Regulations 1969 in each year since their introduction; what total fines were awarded in each year; and how many improvement and prohibition notices have been issued in each year since the appropriate legislation was enacted.

I am advised by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the numbers of prosecutions taken under the Asbestos Regulations 1969 and the totals of fines imposed were not separately recorded before 1971 and 1975 respectively. Subject to these limitations, the figures are as follows:organisations, trade unions and other bodies.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service has been invited to assist the parties in the current dispute at the Co-operative Wholesale Society processing plant at Lowestoft; and if he will make a statement.

I understand that the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service arranged joint meetings with the parties on 11 December 1978 and 3 January 1979 but no settlement has so far been reached. ACAS remains in touch with the parties and is ready to assist further if invited to do so.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if, in view of the fact that the recently opened employment rehabilitation centre for the disabled in Preston cannot be used by those profoundly deaf persons who are dependent upon manual methods of communication, because there is no interpreter on the staff of the centre, he will take steps to remedy this situation.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that Preston, in common with the majority of employment rehabilitation centres, is able to offer courses for the profoundly deaf. The first such person started a rehabilitation course there three weeks ago and others will be starting shortly. Eight members of the staff at Preston ERC have received basic training in manual communication skills of whom two have also undertaken advanced training.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the names of all the companies on Merseyside which have closed over the past two years and those which have given notice of their intention to close in the near future.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 23 January 1979; Vol. 961, c. 77], gave the following information:A comprehensive list of all companies on Merseyside which have closed during the past two years is not available. The following list, however, shows the establishments employing 10 or more workers in the Merseyside special development area whose closure has been notified to the Department of Employment during 1977 and 1978 whose closure has been notified as due to take place during 1979.In some of the cases, closure affected only a branch of the firm concerned.(1)

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is now in a position to announce whether the job release scheme will be extended beyond 31 March 1979; and, if so, to what date.

The job release scheme is being reviewed along with other special employment measures and the question of its extension beyond 31 March 1979 is being considered. A decision on its future will be announced shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment by what percentage the salaries of managerial staff who in February 1974 were earning £5,000 per year and above have increased; and how this compares with the rate of inflation during this period.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 24 January 1979; Vol. 961, c. 168], gave the following answer:I regret that this information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will spend part of her Department's increased expenditure allowance in the current year on installing as many microcomputers in as many schools as possible so as to prepare the younger generation for the future society in which they will live, as the French Education Ministry is doing.

My Department is planning a national programme to help schools and colleges to become fully aware of microelectronics and to make the best use of the new opportunities it offers. Such a programme would deal not only with the provision of equipment but also with curriculum development and teacher training.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information she has concerning the schools and other educational establishments in Derbyshire which were closed on Monday 22 January; and for what reasons the establishments were closed.

All maintained day schools and colleges in Derbyshire were closed on 22 January. Three of the nine residential special schools were also closed. Special arrangements were made to keep open the other six and also the boarding houses attached to schools in Buxton, Bakewell and Ashbourne. The Derbyshire education authority took the decision to close the schools because of strike action by members of the National Union of Public Employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage proportion of the £2 million announced

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the total amounts at 1 January 1979 covered by certificates of indemnity issued by the national museums, galleries and libraries in Scotland, in respect of objects lent to their permanent collections on a long-term basis, broken down to the individual institutions, and recording the comprehensive total for all the institutions together.

The information is as follows:

The allocation of this money is still under consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1978 reported by the national museums and galleries in Scotland, broken down to the individual institutions but comprising their outstations, with figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1977.

The information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage proportion of the £2 million announced in January 1978 in Command Paper No. 7049, volume 2, page 80, paragraph 20, to enable English, Scottish and Welsh public museums to acquire during 1979–80 additional objects and works of art to assist in the preservation of the national heritage will be available for such institutions in Scotland.