Written Answers

Written Answers To Questions

Wednesday 7 February 1979

Glasgow Sheriff Court

33.

asked the Lord Advocate when he plans to visit the Glasgow sheriff court.

A date has not yet been arranged for my next visit to Glasgow sheriff court.

Small Claims Arbitration

34.

asked the Lord Advocate what plans he has to introduce a system of small claims arbitration in Scotland.

On 1 January 1979 I introduced an experimental voluntary small claims pilot scheme in Dundee sheriff court, in which the sheriff will act as adjudicator. I have no immediate plans to extend the scheme.

Church Commissioners (Investment Policy)

asked the hon. Member for Kingswood (Mr. Walker), as representing the Church Commissioners, what is the policy of the Church Commissioners in regard to investing in companies which make donations to political parties.

Whilst the Commissioners take an active interest in the ethical and social as well as the financial aspects of their investments, donations to political parties do not normally influence their policy in choosing or managing their investments.Of the United Kingdom companies in which the Commissioners currently hold shares, only one quarter make contributions to political parties, and the amounts involved are

de minimis when compared with the size of the companies. Virtually all of the companies make contributions to charitable organisations, the total amount given being some 27 times the total given to political parties.

Education And Science

Nursery Education

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science to what extent the Lancashire county council has taken up the funds made available by her Department for the provision of nursery education.

Details of the allocations made to the Lancashire county council and their take-up under my Department's nursery building programme are as follows:

(£000s)
		Allocation	Take-up
1974–75	…	357·5	Nil
1975–76	…	364–9	357·0
1976–77	…	170·0	Nil
1977–78	…	Nil bid	Nil
1978–79	…	81·6	Not yet known
1979–80	…	Bid for 200·0	Not yet known

Works Of Art And Museum Objects

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will specify the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the calendar years 1977 and 1978, on the recommendation of the Standing Commission on Museums and Galleries, of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted by the Treasury in satisfaction of capital transfer tax, together with information, where applicable, as to wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators and executors; and whether she will list works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation, with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of capital transfer tax.

The table below sets out the allocation of works of art made by my noble Friend and by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland after receiving the advice of the Standing Commission.

WORKS OF ART ALLOCATED IN THE CALENDAR YEAR 1977 AND 1978
Work of Art	Calendar year allocated	Museum of Gallery to which allocated	Executors' wishes
A Gold and Enamel City of London Freedom Box (1794) and a Presentation Sword (1796–97) by John Morisset	1977	National Maritime Museum	National Maritime Museum
A Drawing by Carpaccio entitled "Head of a Woman"	1977	Ashmolean Museum, Oxford	Ashmolean Museum, Oxford
A 12th Century English Ivory Liturgical Comb	1977	Victoria and Albert Museum	Victoria and Albert Museum
Seafield Collection of Arms and Armour	1977	National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland and Scottish United Services Museum (which is apart of the Royal Scottish Museum)	A public collection in Scotland
A Sheet of Studies in Pen and Ink Wash for "The Finding of Moses" by Paolo Veronese	1977	Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge	Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge
A Portrait of The Hon. William Lamb (afterwards 2nd Viscount Melbourne) by Sir Thomas Lawrence	1978	National Portrait Gallery	None
An Augustus Rex Cabinet and a Marie de Medici Cabinet	1978	Victoria and Albert Museum	None
2 Drawings by Rembrandt Van Rijn entitled "Tobias and Sara" and "The Sacrifice of Manoah"	1978	National Galleries of Scotland	None
A Drawing by Rembrandt Van Rijn entitled "A Group ofMusicians Listening to a Flute Player"	1978	Norfolk Museums Service for Castle Museum, Norwich	None
A Sketchbook of Adriaen Van de Venne	1978	British Museum	Althorp Park(1)
A Portrait of Rachel de Ruvigny. Countess of Southampton by Sir Antony Van Dyck	1978	Fitzwilliam, Museum Cambridge	Althorp Park(1)
A George III Mahogany Commode	1978	Temple Newsam House, Leeds	Victoria and Albert Museum(2)
A Collection of Mediaeval Ivories and Caskets	1978	British Museum	British Museum
A Group of Sculptures by Dame Barbara Hepworth entitled "Conversation with Magic Stones"	1978	National Galleries of Scotland for the Gallery of Modern Art	(3)
2 Limoges Enamel Tazzas	1978	Doncaster Museum and Art Gallery	Althorp Park(1)
A Venice (Vezzi) Circular Bowl	1978	British Museum	Althorp Park(1)
A Pair of Early Derby White Figures	1978	Derby Museum and Art Gallery	Althorp Park(1)
A Pair of Yellow-Ground Vases	1978	The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle	Althorp Park(1)
A Pair of Meissen Figures of Starlings	1978	The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle	Althorp Park(1)
A Capodimonte Group	1978	The Bowes Museum, Barnard Castle	Althorp Park(1)
A Vienna Circular Bowl	1978	Ashmolean Museum, Oxford	Althorp Park(1)
An Early Tea Service in the Style of J. G. Herold and a Castel Durante Dish	1978	Glasgow Museum and Art Gallery	Althorp Park(1)

Work of Art	Calendar year allocated	Museum or Gallery to which allocated	Executors' wishes
A Painting by Thomas Gainsborough entitled "Greyhounds Cousing a Fox"	1978	Iveagh Bequest, Kenwood House	None
A Chelsea Hexagonal Vase	1978	City Museum and Art Gallery, Stoke-on-Trent	Althorp Park(1)
A Portrait of Albert de Ligne, Prince of Barbancon and Arenberg by Sir Antony Van Dyck	1978	City of York Art Gallery	Althorp Park(1)
The Elton Collection of Scientific and Technological Material relating to the Industrial Revolution	1978	Telford Development Corporation for Exhibition at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum	(4)
A Pair of Large Cylindrical Tankards	1978	Royal Scottish Museum, Edinburgh	Althorp Park(1)
"View of the Piazza San Marco" by Francesco Guardi	1978	National Galleries of Scotland	National Galleries of Scotland
(1) It is Government policy that objects accepted in lieu of tax can only be allocated to private institutions when they are on loan from National Collections; when the private institution concerned has been the subject of a "gift for the public benefit" approved by the Treasury under Schedule 6, paragraph 13 of the 1975 Finance Act; and where the family is no longer in beneficial ownership.
(2) Originally a pair of commodes were on offer: the Victoria and Albert Museum purchased one at Private Treaty Stage.
(3) The Executors' wishes were that the sculptures should remain at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, where they were on loan from the Gallery of Modern Art: this has been done.
(4) The Executors' wishes were that the Collection "should go to a single destination which could most appropriately benefit from it, and where it can be contained and designated as the Elton Collection, and maintained by adequate museum and library standards as a Collection".

ITEMS ACCEPTED IN LIEU OF TAX BUT NOT YET ALLOCATED
Work of Art			Date of acceptance in lieu of Estate Duty or Capital Transfer Tax
Ships Figureheads, Contents of Valhalla Maritime Museum (Tresco)	…	…	22 March 1977
A Haida Oil Bowl and a Brazilian Wood Carving, probably a Snuff Tray	…	…	12 June 1978
A Pastel by Degas entitled "Two Dancers in a Field"	…	…	12 June 1978
A Painting by Turner entitled "A View of the Thames from Richmond Hill"	…	…	12 June 1978
A Collection of Paintings by Charles Towne	…	…	3 October 1978
A Painting entitled "The Death of Hippolytus" by Sir Paul Rubens and Jan Breughel	…	…	3 October 1978
A Painting by Aert Van Der Neer of a Winter Landscape at Sunset	…	…	27 November 1978
A Painting by Luca Giordano entitled "The Visit of The Virgin Mary to Her Cousin Elizabeth"	…	…	30 November 1978

O-Level Subjects

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science if she will list the numbers of entrants in England for GEC O-level in the 12 most popular subjects for each of the last two years, and the number and percentage of these who obtained A, B and C passes in each of those subjects.

The information requested is not available. However,

ENGLISH GCE O-LEVEL EXAMINATION BOARDS—SUMMER 1976 AND 1977
			Numbers of entrants		Numbers with grades A, B, C		Percentages with grades A, B, C
			1977	1976	1977	1976	1977	1976
English Language	…	…	451,411	431,357	263,267	255,986	58·3	59·3
Mathematics	…	…	271,114	255,181	157,744	149,681	58·2	58·7
English Literature	…	…	239,229	233,968	145,361	137,240	60·8	58·7
Biology	…	…	207,673	196,767	115,241	111,324	55·5	56·6
Geography	…	…	186,505	179,708	102,422	98,174	54·9	54·6
French	…	…	148,739	146,687	90,670	87,461	61·0	59·6
Physics	…	…	139,162	131,540	84,338	77,729	60·6	59·1
History	…	…	133,809	139,852	76,920	79,886	57·5	57·1
Chemistry	…	…	114,900	107,147	69,040	65,342	60·1	61·0
Art	…	…	108,420	105,606	69,816	69,434	64·4	65·7
Religious knowledge	…	…	61,544	59,873	37,493	34,615	60·9	57·8
Technical drawing	…	…	51,336	47,324	26,229	26,328	51·1	55·6

Classes (Thanet)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average number of children in infant school classes, in junior school classes and in secondary school classes for each of the schools in the Thanet area; and how this compares with the national average.

Information on class sizes in schools is obtained by

	Kent	England
Maintained schools:
Infant (including first schools)	26·8	26·3
Junior (including junior with infants, first and middle, and middle deemed primary schools)	28·3	27·1
Secondary
classes with pupils mainly under 14 years^*	25·4	25·3
classes with pupils mainly 14 and 15 years	22·3	21·7
classes with pupils mainly 16 years and over	11·0	9·8
all classes in secondary schools ^*	72·5	22·1
^* Including middle deemed secondary schools.

Works Of Art (Loan)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether she will publish in the Official Report verified and, where necessary, corrected figures for the amounts relating to individual institutions and the comprehensive total covered by certificates of indemnity in respect of long-term loans to

the number of entrants to the English GCE examining boards summer 1976 and 1977 O-level examinations in the 12 most popular subjects, and the number and percentage of those who obtained A, B or C grades in each of those subjects are listed below. The numbers of entrants include candidates from schools, further education establishments, privately entered candidates and overseas candidates.

sampling methods and due to sample error would not be reliable for individual schools. The information requested is not compiled by my Department on a district basis. In January 1978, the latest date for which information is available, the average sizes of classes as taught on the day of the Department's annual census of schools for Kent and England were as follows:

national museums, galleries and libraries in England on 1st January 1979; and, in particular, whether she will correct the figure of £10,200 for the National Gallery given in her written answer, Official Report, 24 January, c. 123, to the hon. Member for Warley, East, in the light of the fact that the relative figure on 1 January 1978 was given as £8,900,000, Official Report, 6 February 1978. c. 375.

I thank my hon. Friend for bringing this error to my attention, and I apologise for it. The amount in respect of the National Gallery should have been shown as £10,200,000. The amounts stated in respect of the other institutions are correct and the total should be £32,712,647.

Disabled Students (Walsall)

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many disabled students in the town of Walsall whose disability leads to additional expenses in connection with their studies are receiving the discretionary allowance of up to £180; and what is the average award made to each disabled student in Walsall.

In 1977–78, the latest year for which information is available, the Walsall local education authority received no applications under this head and was making no such payments. I understand, however, that the authority was making additional payments to one disabled student under the provision of the regulations relating to the reimbursement of travel expenses.

The Arts

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what, in total, was spent on the encouragement of the arts in the West Midlands in 1978; and what she expects will be spent, in total, in 1979.

The value of grants and services provided by the Arts Council, the British Film Institute and the Crafts Advisory Committee to the West Midlands is expected to be about £2·4 million in the current year. This total excludes Arts Council support of touring productions visiting the areas—which is not separately calculated by regions—and local authority expenditure. No allocations have as yet been made for 1979–80.

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Central Treaty Organisation

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what estimate he has made of the effect of recent events in Iran on the Central Treaty Organisation.

It is too early to say what the effect will be upon CENTO, but we have noted the recent statements to the press by the Iranian Foreign Minister that the Iranian Government will be considering the future of its membership of CENTO.

Ocean Island Phosphate

asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the total benefits received by the Crown in respect of taxation on Ocean Island phosphate for the following financial years, respectively: 1920 to 1929, 1930 to 1939, 1940 to 1949, 1950 to 1959, 1960 to 1969, 1969 to 1975 and for the period from 1975 to 31st December 1978; and what is his estimate of the value of these sums at current prices.

The figures are as follows:

		Phosphate taxation ('000)	Estimated value at current prices ('000)
1964–69	…	A$9,205	A$22,746
1970–75	…	A$43,930	A$70,155
1976–77	…	A$17,867	A$20,751
		(£11,167)	(£12,969)

During 1920–63 annual receipts were considerably smaller, but it is not possible to provide precise details.

Trade

Company Directors (Legal Obligations)

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if, in the light of the Peachey report, he proposes to introduce legislation to subject directors and company consultants to stricter legal obligations.

The conduct of company directors is already governed by statute and common law. Proposals to strengthen the law were published in the White Paper "The Conduct of Company Directors", Cmnd. 7037, and form part of the Companies Bill which is currently under consideration in Standing Committee F. I am considering whether these provisions should be strengthened, but I should point out that the conduct described by the inspectors in their report on Peachey Property Corporation Ltd. would appear to have been unlawful under the existing law. To prevent a recurrence of situations of that kind, the first essential is that directors of companies should examine whether they are meeting all their responsibilities within the existing legal framework, and in particular take steps to ensure that internal financial control systems are adequate.I do not consider that it would be appropriate to legislate on the contractual relationship between companies and consultants. It is for the directors to determine whether particular expenditure is in the interests of the company.

asked the Secretary of State for Trade if he will introduce legislation to limit gifts to and from company directors to a maximum of £30.

No.

Market Entry Guarantee Scheme

asked the Secretary of State for Trade how many offers have been made, and how many have been accepted. under the market entry guarantee scheme; and how much public money has been paid out so far under the scheme.

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

Overseas Development

Crown Agents

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what use has been made by the Crown Agents of the

NOTIFIED UNFILLED VACANCIES
1973
					January		July
					Employment Offices	Careers Offices	Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	273	70	393	98
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	41	—	73	—
Crewe	…	…	…	…	148	75	310	98
Ellesmere Pori	…	…	…	…	74	47	266	92
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	208	94	205	211
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	24	—	65	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	30	—	49	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	9	—	36	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	55	68	130	196
Runcorn†	…	…	…	…	175	—	186	—
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	35	—	86	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	591	62	875	129
Widnes	…	…	…	…	71	11	141	23
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	99	98	140	184
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	60	—	113	—

Bank of England standby facilities which she announced to the House in her statement on 18 December 1974.

The £50 million standby was intended primarily as a cover against possible short term liquidity problems. I am pleased to say that it did not prove necessary for the Crown Agents to draw upon the standby, which was accordingly allowed to lapse at the end of 1978.

Employment

Cheshire

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average number of vacancies for employment in each district in Cheshire in the last 12 months for which figures are available; and what were the comparable figures for the previous five years.

Annual average numbers of notified unfilled vacancies are not available for local areas and could be produced only at disproportionate cost. The following table gives information for January and July each year, starting in January 1973. The figures relate only to vacancies notified to employment offices and careers offices; vacancies notified to employment offices are estimated to be about one-third of all vacancies in the country as a whole. Because of possible duplication, the figures for employment offices and careers offices should not be added together.Because of industrial action by some staff in the Department of Employment group, figures for January 1975 and January 1977 are not available.

1974
					January		July
					Employment Offices	Careers Offices	Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	394	131	477	135
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	59	—	94	157
Crewe	…	…	…	…	325	100	236	97
Ellesmere Port	…	…	…	…	188	101	221	62
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	303	275	295	197
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	30	—	29	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	62	—	53	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	41	—	62	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	91	154	139	119
Runcorn†	…	…	…	…	125	—	197	—
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	35	—	144	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	855	131	957	55
Widnes	…	…	…	…	102	25	130	65
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	96	183	113	119
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	118	—	153	—

1975
									July
									Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	215	21
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	59	60
Crewe	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	202	49
Ellesmere Port	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	75	22
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	111	100
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	24	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	60	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	25	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	56	48
Runcornt†	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	102	16
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	49	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	380	31
Widnes	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	50	5
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	135	65
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	99	—

1976
					January		July
					Employment Offices	Careers Offices	Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	85	14	184	20
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	17	17	24	11
Crewe	…	…	…	…	102	44	106	19
Ellesmere Port	…	…	…	…	32	6	116	15
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	62	55	102	23
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	22	—	18	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	25	—	41	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	21	—	21	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	36	35	32	12
Runcornt†	…	…	…	…	137	8	139	6
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	43	—	50	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	493	34	566	29
Widnes	…	…	…	…	37	10	76	5
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	125	55	116	33
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	85	—	82	—

1977
									July
									Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	178	9
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	52	11
Crewe	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	219	14
Ellesmere Pori	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	162	5
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	130	18
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	18	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	46	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	24	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	70	7
Runcornt†	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	195	12
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	30	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	397	41
Widnes	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	131	11
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	144	34
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	60	—

1978
					January		July
					Employment Offices	Careers Offices	Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	208	8	310	14
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	34	20	75	30
Crewe	…	…	…	…	165	30	186	29
Ellesmere Port	…	…	…	…	134	7	225	5
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	121	27	201	18
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	12	—	33	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	33	—	48	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	31	—	48	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	70	8	107	6
Runcornt	…	…	…	…	148	7	203	2
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	25	—	44	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	426	24	353	17
Widnes	…	…	…	…	83	7	141	14
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	173	41	201	32
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	94	—	74	—

1979
									January
									Employment Offices	Careers Offices
Chester	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	385	23
Congleton†	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	48	15
Crewe…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	281	30
Ellesmere Port	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	177	3
Macclesfield	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	212	76
Middlewich^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	26	—
Nantwich^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	55	—
Neston^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	24	—
Northwich	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	108	19
Runcornt	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	196	7
Sandbach^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	46	—
Warrington	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	367	23
Widnes	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	77	16
Wilmslow	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	195	38
Winsford^*	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	…	105	—
^* Areas for which no separate vacancy statistics are available for careers offices because the careers service is administered from another area.
† The careers office at Congleton opened in May 1974 and at Runcorn in November 1974.

"Actions: Doing Something About Unemployment"

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the distribution, and what is the cost to public funds, of the publication "Actions: doing something about un- employment", for which funds are provided by the Manpower Services Commission; and what is the purpose of inviting advertising for this publication.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the distribution of "Actions" is currently 16,000. The distribution includes employers involved in running work experience schemes, local authorities, colleges of further education and a number of voluntary organisations and youth groups involved in helping young people through the MSC's youth opportunities programme. It is also sent to the careers services and to MSC staff who are involved in programmes to help the young unemployed.The cost of producing "Actions", including postage, is on average £8,275 per issue.No advertising has been sought for this publication.

Walsall

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of registered disabled who are unemployed in the Walsall area; and what measures are being taken to reduce that number.

I am advised by the Manpower Services Commission that on 11 January 1979, the latest date for which information is available, 204 registered disabled people were unemployed in the employment area covered by the Walsall job centre.The MSC is very concerned to reduce unemployment amongst disabled people. Efforts to persuade employers to adopt positive policies on the employment of disabled people will continue and will be boosted by a major promotional campaign this coming autumn. It is also hoped to hold a seminar for employers in Walsall before the end of the summer with the object of encouraging them to employ more disabled people. In addition recent measures such as the capital grants, job introduction and the revised fares to work scheme should help improve employment prospects for disabled people.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of employers in the Walsall area are meeting his Department's quota scheme for disabled people; and what steps his Department is taking to enforce the quota scheme in the Walsall area more strictly.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that at 1 June 1978, the latest date for which information is available, 223 or 87·4 per cent. of employers subject to quota in the employment area covered by the Walsall jobcentre were complying with the law, either by satisfying quota—47·4 per cent.—or by obtaining permits before engaging able-bodied people while below quota—40 per cent. The remaining 12·6 per cent. of employers who were below quota and without permit had not necessarily broken the law unless they had employed able-bodied people without permit.The MSC recognises the difficulties facing employers in satisfying quota, particularly as only disabled people who voluntarily register counts towards quota, and is aware of the need to reflect the true extent to which employment is being provided for disabled people. Since 1977 the MSC, with the support of the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Disabled People, has conducted a campaign with the emphasis on persuasion rather than compulsion in the interests of helping disabled people get and keep worthwhile jobs. The campaign is based on the booklet "Positive Policies", a guide to the employment of disabled people, which has been issued to over 55,000 employers. The booklet urges the adoption of an enlightened approach to the training and career development of disabled people as well as to their recruitment. Its message is being emphasised to employers through a programme of visits by disablement resettlement officers.The MSC is currently reviewing the quota scheme and assessing the impact of the approach outlined in "Positive Policies". The aim of the review is to help the Commission to make recommendations about the best way of helping disabled workers. The Commission will issue a discussion paper in the near future to give interested organisations a chance to give their views.

Mr.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, how many employers in the town of Walsall have participated in the job introduction scheme, in which financial assistance is granted to enable certain disabled people to undertake a trial period of employment, where there is reasonable doubt that the disabled person can perform the job; and how many employers in the town of Walsall have been granted funds towards the cost of adaptations to premises or equipment made to enable disabled individuals to obtain, or retain, employment.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, by the end of January, 1979, 12 employers in the area covered by Walsall jobcentre had employed disabled people under the job introduction scheme since it commenced on 4 July 1977. I am also informed that no employers in the area covered by Walsall jobcentre have applied for or been given grants to make essential adaptations to their premises or equipment to enable them to engage or retain specific disabled employees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many disabled people in the Walsall area have received allowances to go on employment rehabilitation courses; and what is the average allowance paid to each person.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that, between June and December 1978, a total of 20 people from the Walsall jobcentre area attended employment rehabilitation courses. The amounts of rehabilitation

		Typical current minimum	Cash increase proposed	Percentage increase	Proposed minimum
	…	£	£		£
Licensed Residential etc.^*	…	34·00	6·40	18·8	40·40
Retail Bread etc. (Scotland)^*	…	31·45	6·75	21·4	38·20
Licensed Non-Residential—Barstaff	…	32·30	8·70	26·9	41·00
Club stewards^*	…	35·80	7·30	20·4	43·10
Button Manufacturing	…	30·00	8·00	26·7	38·00
Aerated Waters (Scotland)	…	37·60	4·00	10·6	41·60
Ostrich and Fancy Feather	…	32·40	5·60	17·3	38·00
Retail Bookselling etc.^*	…	35·00	7·50	21·4	42·50
Hairdressing Undertakings^*—Operative Hairdresser	…	32·50	4·50	13·8	37·00
" Other Worker "	…	27·85	3·50	12·6	31·35
Retail Furnishing etc.^*	…	36·00	6·50	18·1	42·50
Retail Bread etc. (England and Wales)^*	…	33·20	8·80	26·5	42·00
Pin, Hook and Eye etc.	…	37·40	7·10	19·0	44·50
Coffin Furniture etc.	…	31·20	13·60	43·6	44·80
Ready-made Tailoring	…	34·62	5·38	15·5	40·00†
Retail Food Trades (England and Wales)^*	…	34·60	7·40	21·4	42·00†
Retail Food Trades (Scotland)^*	…	34·60	7·40	21·4	42·00†
Laundry	…	34·00	7·00	20·6	41·00†
Wholesale Mantle and Costume	…	34·62	5·38	15·5	40·00†
Shirtmaking	…	34·40	5·60	16·3	40·00†
Retail Bespoke Tailoring^*	…	35·46	5·54	15·6	41·00†
Made-up Textiles	…	33·00	5·00	15·4	38·00†
Corset	…	34·60	5·40	15·6	40·00†
Boot and Shoe Repairing	…	36·50	7·00	19·2	43·50†
^* These wages councils have awarded f44·50 or more to higher grades of workers.
† At proposals stage—wages order not yet made.

alowances paid very considerably according to the personal circumstances and age of the rehabilitees, but I am informed that the average allowance paid to the 20 rehabilitees was £29·18 per week.

Wages Councils

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the numbers of workers covered by wages council statements made in the current pay round, stating the numbers of (a) adult male workers, (b) adult female workers and (c) juvenile workers.

1·8 million altogether. No reliable breakdown by age or sex is available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report details of each wages council settlement reached in the current pay round, indicating in each case where a settlement has reached the Government's minimum pay target of £44·50 per week.

Typical adult rates for large towns outside London are:

Energy

Coal Mining

asked the Secretary of State for Energy, under modern mining methods, what is the percentage of coal in place that is extracted in deep coal mining (a) by room and pillar working and (b) by retreat longwall mining.

This is a matter for the National Coal Board and I am asking the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

Electricity (Cost)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the latest figures available indicating the cost of electricity produced from coal, oil or uranium.

The following table sets out the costs of generation from CEGB power stations in 1977–78.

			p/kwh
Nuclear (Magnox)	…	…	0·76
Coal-fired	…	…	1·23
Oil-fired	…	…	1·42

The figures are for stations commissioned in the previous 12 years and include:

(i) capital charges based on historic cost depreciation with interest at the average rate payable in the year of account by the CEGB applied to the written down capital expenditure.

(ii) fuel including nuclear reprocessing costs.

(iii) other operating costs, including provision for decommissioning costs.

The generation costs for AGR stations are not included as these have not yet been in operation for a full year.

Electricity generation in Scotland and Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland respectively.

								Sq. ft.
Dyfed	…	…	Ceredigion	…	…	Aberystwyth	…	1 x 5,000
								4 x 3,000
								6 x 750
Gwynedd	…	…	Meirionydd	…	…	Bala	…	2 x 3,000
						Dolgellau	…	2 x 3,000
						Tywyn	…	2 x 3,000
Powys	…	…	Brecknock	…	…	Brecon	…	2 x 5,000
						Builth Wells	…	2 x 3,000
			Radnor	…	…	Llandrindod Wells	…	2 x 5,000
						Llandrindod Wells (extension)	…	1 x 10,000
						Rhayader	…	2 x 3,000
			Montgomery	…	…	Montgomery	…	1 x 13,000

Alternative Sources (Europe)

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what information is available to him of the amount of money spent or authorised by the Government of France and the Federal Republic of Germany on research into alternative energy sources in each of the past four years.

The latest available information is contained in a publication of the Commission of the European Communities (EUR 5911) on Science and Technology entitled "The comparison and co-ordination of national policies and programmes in the energy research and development sector ".This was published in 1978 and gives figures for 1974, 1975 and 1976. Research and development expenditures for new energy sources, including thermonuclear fusion, converted into national currencies are:

			FRG million DM	FRANCE million Ff
1974	…	…	80·7	80·3
1975	…	…	93·0	127·3
1976	…	…	105·9	168·2

A copy of the publication has been laid in the Library of the House.

Wales

Newtown (Advance Factories)

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what will be the level of the Development Board for Rural Wales advance factory programme outside Newtown in 1979–80.

I am giving approval for a programme totalling 110,500 sq ft, and firm allocations have already been made for all but 16,000 sq ft, as follows:

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Oak Wilt

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the incidence of wilting oak disease; and what precautions his Department are taking against the disease spreading in the United Kingdom.

Oak wilt is not present in this country. The Importation of Wood and Bark (Prohibition) (Great Britain) Order 1977—SI 1977/901—imposes stringent conditions on the landing in this country of oak from North America, where the disease has been present since 1942.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of oak wilt have been reported to his Department over the last four years.

No cases of oak wilt have ever been reported in this country.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has recently received about the possibility of oak wilt being introduced into the United Kingdom.

The Forestry Commission is receiving views from many trade organisations and forestry interests in connection with the intensive study it is currently conducting into the trade in oak from North America.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultations he has had with his opposite number in France about the danger of oak wilt becoming established in the United Kingdom since the French Government are proposing to ban the import of all oak wood from North America, where this disease is prevalent.

Forestry Commission scientists have had consultations with their French colleagues directly and through the EEC plant health working group. The group is considering a French proposal that the stringent controls on oak wood in the round contained in the EEC plant health directive should be extended to sawn wood. French representatives have mentioned that a total ban on import of oak from North America into France was under consideration, but it has recently been learnt that no final decision has been made.

European Community Agriculture Ministers Meeting

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Council of Minister's (Agriculture) meeting in Brussels on 5–6 February.

There was a preliminary discussion of Commission proposals for CAP prices for 1979–80. I argued for a reduction in prices of surplus products such as milk, sugar and wheat and I strongly supported a general standstill on other prices. I said that the proposal for a more severe co-responsibility levy was a poor substitute for direct action on prices and would discriminate against efficient producers.The Council resumed discussion on the implications of a European monetary system for the CAP, on the basis of Commission suggestions for phasing-out MCAs. There were lengthy discussions, but no agreement was reached. I argued that the real problem was that CAP prices were generally too high and so gave rise to expensive and wasteful surpluses. I made it clear that the United Kingdom Government would not be able to accept any automatic mechanism for the elimination of MCAs unless there were first a price policy eliminating surpluses.The Council agreed a directive providing for a co-ordinated programme of arterial drainage in catchment areas straddling the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic. The programme, which will benefit some 6,000 hectares in Northern Ireland, will cost in total over 15 million units of account and will attract 50 per cent. aid from the EEC.I urged the earliest implementation of the Commission's proposed revisions in the co-efficients used for calculating MCAs on pigmeat products and I shall continue to press for this.

Scotland

Industrial Disputes (Illegal Practices)

14.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence he has received from hon. Members of intimidation or any other illegal practices witnessed in the course of recent industrial disputes.

Several hon. Members have raised with me aspects of picketing in the road haulage dispute. As I have already made clear, the proper course for anyone who has evidence of a suspected breach of the law is to report the matter to the police.

Electoral Registers

18.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has now completed his investigation into the double registration of students and nurses on the electoral register; and if he will now give the final figure on which the 40 per cent. will be calculated in terms of section 85 of the Scotland Act 1978.

The investigation into the multiple registration of students and nurses is not yet complete. The figure on which the 40 per cent. might be calculated cannot be established until all the 1979 electoral registers have been published. The electoral registers are not required to be published until 15 February.

22.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward legislation to extend the statutory period for appeals to the electoral registration office against incorrect entries in Scottish electoral registers.

No. Extension of the last day for the lodging of claims and objections would seriously jeopardise the practicability of publishing the register by the statutory date of 15 February.

Microelectronics

20.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what efforts he is making to develop the microelectronics industry in Scotland.

As well as encouraging the use of microprocessors in industry, my Department is making companies in Scotland fully aware of the Government's microelectronics industry support programme, under which £70 million will be available over five years to stimulate the growth of the industry in the United Kingdom. Since last April we have made offers of selective financial assistance in support of Scottish projects representing a total investment of £11 million and providing about 800 new jobs.

Scottish Trades Union Congress

21.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to meet the Scottish Trade Union Congress.

25.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when next he expects to meet the Scottish Trades Union Congress.

I have accepted an invitation to address the STUC's annual conference on 27 April.

Council Houses (Cunninghame)

23.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland what representation he has received from Cunninghame district council on rent increases in council houses; and if he will make a statement.

The council informed my right hon. Friend in December about a revised rent scheme which was expected to increase council house rents on average by £63·79 a year from 1 April. My right hon. Friend told the council that he would invoke his powers under the Housing Financial Provisions (Scotland) Act 1978 to restrict that increase. It has since indicated that the average rent increase arising from its proposals will be somewhat less, and my right hon. Friend has told it that, provided that the average increase is £58 or less and that no further increase is made before 1 July 1980, he will not make a restriction order. The district council has assured my right hon. Friend that these conditions will be met.

Manual Workers (Dispute)

24.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effects of the local authority manual workers strikes in Scotland.

Following the one-day strike on Monday 22 January, selective strikes are continuing, with varying effects, in different areas.

Health Centre, Partick

26.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is yet in a position to confirm the location and starting date for the Partick health centre.

I regret to say that negotiations to acquire a suitable site have not yet proved successful, but the health board is continuing its search.

Fishing Industry

27.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the fishing industry.

Provisional figures indicate that landings in Scotland by British vessels in 1978 increased by 3½ per cent. from the previous year, while earnings were up by about 4½ per cent. The success of our present efforts to achieve a satisfactory revision of the common fisheries policy will be a major factor in determining the industry's future prospects.

Oil Pollution (Clearance Equipment)

28.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland where the Scottish depots for the storage of oil pollution clearance equipment will be located in Scotland; when they will be established; and whether they will contain equipment for clearing bunker and crude oil from seaweed and beaches difficult of access.

Substantial stocks are held by local authorities for first-line defence. A decision on the location and content of the Scottish element of the central stockpile will be taken when current consultations between the Scottish Development Department and the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities have been completed.

Sports Facilities

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will advise local authorities to consult the facilities planning department of the Scottish Sports Council in all matters of sports and leisure centre design, and, where appropriate, national governing bodies of sport.

Local authorities are responsible for ensuring that recreational facilities are adequate for their purpose and for deciding what advice they need about their design. I am satisfied that they are well aware of the role of the Scottish Sports Council in promoting the development of sport in Scotland and of the expert advisory service provided by the Council's facilities planning division.

Industry

Burntisland

29.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will hold discussions to ensure the continuing operation of the yard at Burntisland when the present contract is completed.

British Shipbuilders has discussed the position at Burntisland with my Department. Although there are no further orders in prospect for the yard, British Shipbuiders is using its best endeavours to sell the yard as a going concern, thereby preserving employment.

Plastic Goods

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when and whether it is anticipated that the cost of finished plastic goods will be permitted to reflect the cost of basic feedstuffs.

Any increase in the price of finished plastic goods would be subject to prices legislation which permits the Price Commission to investigate price increases by individual companies or by industry sectors. If it were to undertake such an investigation into finished plastic goods, the Price Commission would apply its normal criteria in judging whether price increases were justifield.

Road Haulage Industrial Dispute (Delay Of Surface Mail)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry how much inward and outward surface mail has been and is being delayed at the docks during the road haulage strike; what attempts were made to move it; what special regulations apply to the movement of Her Majesty's mail during industrial disputes: and what notice of delay was given to the public.

A substantial amount of surface mail to and from countries outside Europe was severely delayed mainly because of industrial action affecting private hauliers who carry the majority of this mail to and from the docks. After some initial difficulty, these services provided by Post Office vehicles to and from the docks operated. No special regulations apply in these circumstances, and it is for the Post Office to decide the best practicable means to keep mail moving. However, congestion in the docks and limited shipping movements, leading to a shortage of empty containers, severely hampered the Post Office's efforts. The Post Office issued a statement about the delays on 17 January to the press, displayed notices at all Post Offices, and made a further announcement on 29 January. Most of the surface mail affected is now moving again although there is still a backlog.

Specialised Organics

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he accepts the specialised organics sector working party's recommendation on the need to set up a market information service; and what action he intends to take.

I am advised that further work on the details and costs of the scheme is being undertaken by the sector working party. When this has been completed and a formal request for Government assistance has been received, it will be considered carefully.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he accepts the specialised organics sector working party's recommendation that export missions be sent to South Korea, Taiwan and Comecon countries; and what action he intends to take in this regard.

Yes. My Department's representative on the SWP, in association with the Department of Trade, is prepared to advise and assist wherever possible.

Telecommunications (System X)

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why the company set up to sell the System X telecommunications system world-wide is not all British; and if he is satisfied that there is not a conflict of interest for the subsidiary of a major American manufacturer selling a rival system participating in the British venture.

The decision to set up this company was taken by the Post Office and the three largest manufacturers of telecommunications equipment in the United Kingdom which agreed that this represented the most effective way to promote System X overseas. I understand that arrangements for safeguarding information, acceptable to the parties, have been agreed.

British Leyland

asked the Secretary of State for Industry when he expects to place in the Library the report from the National Enterprise Board on British Leyland.

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

Defence

Hms "Walrus"

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if the coming refit of HMS "Walrus" will be carried out at Rosyth.

The refitting of conventional submarines at Rosyth has fallen behind programme. Consequently, whilst it had been intended that HMS "Walrus" should be refitted there, consideration is now being given to having this work done in another Royal dockyard. This would enable Rosyth to devote more effort to other work in its heavily loaded programme.

Iran (Arms Supplies)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the latest date on which arms were supplied to Iran.

The latest shipment of arms to Iran through MOD channels was made in December 1978. Subsequent deliveries may have been made by the several firms to which arms export licences have been issued during the last year.

Service Personnel (Clearance Of Refuse)

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make troops available to clear the streets of rubbish and refuse, where this will otherwise become a danger to health.

Clearance of rubbish and refuse is a matter for the local authorities, but the Government would consider a request for Services help should a health hazard develop.

Atomic Weapons Research Establishment

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the resumption of work in the plutonium areas of the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment, Aldermaston.

Following acceptance of the report and recommendations by Sir Edward Pochin, planning for the remedial measures necessary for a resumption of work in the plutonium areas at AWRE has now been completed. The staff associations and trade unions concerned have been fully involved in discussions of the detailed aspects of what will be involved in a return to work, and there is agreement on the overall framework of safety conditions appropriate to the active area. Work can accordingly be resumed on a zone-by-zone basis starting on Monday 12 February. Training standards for personnel in active areas are being revised, and as I announced in my answer to the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Mitchell) on 21 November 1978—[Vol. 958, c. 528–30.]—the Health and Safety Executive will in future inspect all AWRE buildings.

Environment

Water Charges

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward legislation to provide for prior review by his Department of applications from the regional water authorities to the Price Commission to increase water charges.

I do not consider any useful purpose would be served by duplicating the present arrangement whereby the Price Commission is statutorily empowered to examine proposed increases in water authority charges.

Disabled Persons (Walsall)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what special housing provisions have been made for disabled people in the town of Walsall.

There are 26 wheelchair dwellings at present and nine more are proposed. The council owns several hundred "mobility" dwellings and it and the housing associations have some 240 more under construction. Works to aid disabled people were carried out in about 130 dwellings during 1977–78 and the figure for this year should be substantially greater.

Housebuilding (Cheshire)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of housing starts and housing completions by (a) the private sector and (b) the public sector in Cheshire for each of the years since 1970.

Following are the provisional results for the year 1978:

Dwellings started and completed in the County of Cheshire Public and Private Sectors: 1978
		Started	Completed
Public sector	…	1,800	2,600
Private sector	…	4,400	3,100

Corresponding figures for the years 1970 to 1977 appear in Local Housing Statistics England and Wales issues 17, 21, 25, 29, 33, 37, 41 and 45, copies of which are available in the Library.

Local Government (Organic Change)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to introduce legislation to implement the proposals contained in the White Paper on organic change in local government.

I hope to conclude consultations by the end of March. The necessary legislation will be introduced as soon as possible thereafter.

Housing Allocations

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent underspending of housing allocations is caused by the requirement that local authorities may only carry forward 10 per cent. of their allocation; and if he intends to review this policy.

I do not consider that the present arrangements for carry forward cause underspend. Indeed, a larger percentage might reduce the incentive for authorities to be active in utilising the resources available to them in any one year. We are, however, introducing new arrangements for the coming financial year for authorities with small allocations since acceleration or slippage on one large project might cause them difficulties in programming their annual cash allocation. The details were given in Annex D to the letter notifying authorities of their 1979–80 allocations, issued 29 November 1978. I have arranged for a copy to be sent to the hon. Member.

Ordnance Survey

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any evidence that the Ordnance Survey is either undertaking commercial survey work or advertising for commercial survey work; if he has had any representations from surveyors on this matter; and if he will make a statement on the Government's attitude to the Ordnance Survey undertaking commercial work.

The Ordnance Survey is advertising and is carrying out a limited amount of surveying work on repayment, especially for public authorities. This is consistent with the interim financial objectives, which may of course be subject to change in the light of recommendations of the review committee now sitting.Some representations have been received from professional surveyors.

Refuse Collection Services (Merton)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with present provision of refuse collection services in the London borough of Merton.

I am informed that refuse collection services in the borough are operating normally.

Local Authority Services (Hammersmith)

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is satisfied with local authority services in the London borough of Hammersmith.

Some of the services provided by the London borough of Hammersmith have been affected by the present industrial dispute, but I am not aware that the borough faces exceptional difficulties.

London Dockland

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment to whom applications should be made for assistance in respect of the additional £20 million for guarantees and loans for London dockland which he announced on 2nd February last; what criteria that body will apply to both types of applications; and if such sums may be expended in respect of sections 5 and 6 of the Inner Urban Areas Act.

I shall be discussing with the appropriate authorities the types of project which might benefit and the procedures for dealing with applications. The normal criteria for Government financial assistance will apply. The basis of these are set out in the document "Criteria for Assistance to Industry" which was laid before Parliament in January 1976. I am writing to my hon. Friend sending him a copy.

Transport

Trunk Road Schemes (Value-To-Cost Ratios)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the net present value-to-cost ratios for all those trunk road schemes at present under construction or in preparation for which figures are available; and if he will list the net present value to cost ratios for all current British Railways investment projects subject to his approval.

As regards trunk road schemes, I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Cook) on 1 December.—[Vol. 959, c. 406–7.] For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not the practice to publish the Railways Board's evaluations of its investment projects.

Bypasses

asked the Secretary of State for Transport how many bypasses of towns and villages for which his Department has responsibility are under construction; how many are due to start, having completed the statutory procedures; how many have yet to start the statutory procedures; and when he envisages that all towns and villages through which a trunk road passes with significant traffic problems will be bypassed.

All schemes in the trunk road programme will help to relieve towns and villages of through traffic. Of those whose main purpose is to solve particular local problems, nine are under construction; five are due to start, having completed the statutory procedures; and 103

£million at outturn prices
			1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78
Maintenance	…	…	46	34	49	57	61
Construction	…	…	259	284	375	362	280

It is estimated that the proportion of maintenance work carried out by private contractors was as follows

65 per cent., 30 per cent., 28 per cent., 18 per cent., 21 per cent.

A large amount of structural repair work was carried out in 1973–74. Detailed figures for new construction work could not be provided without undue time and expense, but over 95 per cent. is carried out by private contractors.

Driving Tests (Greater London)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied with the present allocation of driving test examiners to the Greater London area; and if he will make a statement.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Consett (Mr. Watkins) on 14 November.—[Vol. 958, c. 144.] We are seeking to recruit 72 driving examiners for duty in the Metropolitan traffic area.

Vehicle Excise Duty

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will advise motorists to take out vehicle licences for four months rather than 12 are well advanced but have not yet reached the stage where draft orders can be published. All towns and villages on trunk roads which now have serious traffic problems should be bypassed by about 1990. Further schemes will be prepared as necessary.

Major Roads (Maintenance And Construction)

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the total value of (a) motorway and trunk road maintenance work and (b) motorway and trunk road construction for each of the past five financial years; and for each year, what is the proportion of work going to private contractors and to direct labour organisations.

The information for England is as followsmonths, in view of the decision, which he announced on 21 November, to abolish vehicle excise duty.

No. No one will gain by switching to four-monthly licences. We shall give good notice before the rundown in vehicle excise duty begins and we shall so arrange matters that anyone who takes out a 12-month licence gets the benefit of any reduction in the rate during the period covered. To take an example, if it was decided to reduce the annual rate of vehicle excise by £12 from a certain date, then a licence issued eleven months before that date would cost £1 less, a licence 10 months before that date £2 less, and so on. People who take out four-monthly licences will have to pay the full rate until shortly before the changeover. So three four-monthly licences one after the other will be no cheaper than one 12-month licence. Indeed, they will be more expensive because of the 10 per cent. surcharge which they carry.

Oxford-Birmingham Road

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he will be able to decide whether the remaining sections of the Oxford to Birmingham route will be built as a motorway or all-purpose dual carriageway.

When my right hon. Friend announced the preferred route for the new road from Oxford to Birmingham, he said that the actual carriageway capacity would be left open until a further estimate of future traffic flows could be obtained. The decision on the standard of the new road will be made as soon as this work has been completed and the results have been studied—probably later this year.

Home Department

Pensioners (Television Licences)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what would be the cost of giving pensioners free television licences; and what percentage of the BBC's licence revenue this would represent;(2) if he will publish a table showing which EEC countries grant free or partly free television licences to pensioners; and what is the cost of the licence in each case.

It is estimated that the cost of providing free television licences to all households containing one or more retirement pensioners would be between £100 million and £110 million in lost revenue in a full year. This represents about one-third of the estimated licence revenue for 1979–80. I regret that information about concessionary television licences for pensioners in other EEC countries is not readily available.

Children (Citizenship)

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he now proposes to take to help mothers born in the United Kingdom who cannot transmit citizenship to their children born overseas in the way that men can; and if he will make a statement.

The registration of minor children as citizens of the United Kingdom and Colonies under section 7(1) of the British Nationality Act 1948 is at my discretion. I have decided to make some alterations to the general policy in dealing with applications by women who were born in the United Kingdom and whose children born overseas are still minors. The practice hitherto has been to refuse registration if it appeared that the child was likely to live overseas or if, when the child was living in this country, the father had taken no steps to seek our citizenship for himself.In future, registration will not be refused on those grounds and a woman born in the United Kingdom will normally be able to have her child registered, subject to there being no well founded objection by the father—as there could be, for example, if registration would deprive the child of his or her existing citizenship. The notes for the guidance of intending applicants will be suitably amended.The whole question of transmission of citizenship in the female line will be a matter to be dealt with in future nationality legislation.

Trials (Delays)

asked the Attorney-General how many defendants awaiting trial on indictments have been waiting for a period of more than 12 months at the latest available date; how many cases involve defendants held in custody; how many involve those on bail; and what were the corresponding figures one year and two years ago, respectively.

I regret this information is not available in the form sought. However, Table B4(d) of Judicial Statistics 1977 (Cmnd. 7254) gives a breakdown of the time spent awaiting trial, in custody and on bail, during 1976 and 1977. For example, in 1977, 76 per cent. of defendants in custody waited eight weeks or less, and 92 per cent. waited 20 weeks or less. If my hon. Friend seeks information about defendants currently awaiting trial at any particular Crown court centre, and will write to my noble Friend, he will obtain it for him.

National Finance

Public Sector Debt Interest

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing in current prices and in constant prices, for each year since 1945 (a) the total amount of public sector debt interest paid and (b) the amount of public sector debt interest paid per head of population.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 19 January to the hon. Member for Croydon, Central (Mr. Moore)—[Vol. 960, c. 965–66.]

Taxation (Eec Comparisons)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in the Official Report those member States of the European Community in which (a) there are local or central Government taxes equivalent to the United Kingdom's local rates, or (b) such local or central Government taxes that are allowable as deductions against income for the purposes of income tax.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

European Community (Budget)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will express the payments made by the United Kingdom in 1978 for the overall financing of the European Community's budget as a percentage of the sum which would have been paid if financing had been on the basis of gross national product; and if he will give his estimate of the comparable figure for 1979.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Government Expenditure

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average annual rate of growth, in demand terms, in total public expenditure, total indirect public expenditure, and total public expenditure, is implied by the expenditure plans in Command Paper No. 7439.

I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 February 1978 to the hon. Member for City of London and Westminster, South (Mr. Brooke)—[Vol. 943, c. 421–2]—when I pointed out the severely limited nature of conventional calculations of growth rates of public expenditure in demand terms. I am far from persuaded that any useful purpose would be served in continuing to attempt to provide such information.

Value Added Tax

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to paragraph 2 of Her Majesty's Government's explanatory memorandum on the European Community's document COM(78)531, what would be the yield from the United Kingdom of a 1 per cent. rate of value added tax, taking the latest year for which estimated figures are available (a) directly on the basis of taxpayers' information on the taxable base as returned to the United Kingdom tax administration and (b) on the basis of the total actual value added tax revenue and an estimated average value added tax rate from which is calculated an estimated taxable basis.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

European Community (Duties And Levies)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, in millions of European units of account, the total EEC yield of customs duties in 1978 and the amount within that total contributed by the United Kingdom, and the total EEC yield of agricultural levies, including sugar contributions, in 1978 and the amount within that total contributed by the United Kingdom, and his estimates of the likely comparable figures for 1979.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Gross National Product (Eec Comparisons)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table giving estimates of gross national product for both the United Kingdom and the EEC in 1978 and forecasts of the comparable figures for 1979, in terms of European units of account in each case.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

National Income

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report figures showing for each EEC country, the United States of America, Canada and Japan, for the latest available year, the proportions of national income represented by (a) direct public expenditure, and (b) total public expenditure.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6 February 1979], gave the following information:Figures for general government expenditure are given below for 1976, the latest year for which information is available.

GENERAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE AS A PROPORTION OF NATIONAL INCOME AT MARKET PRICES
	Expenditure on goods and services	Per cent. Total general government expenditure^*
United Kingdom	9·3	51·2
Belgium	21·8	49·0
Denmark	31·9	52·6
France	20·7	49·0
West Germany	26·9	50·1
Ireland†	26·2	51·8
Italy	19·7	50·8
Luxembourg†	26·0	56·5
Netherlands	24·6	62·0
United States Of America	23·3	39·5
Canada	26·9	45·6
Japan	18·5	30·3
^* Excluding capital transfers, lending and expenditure on the acquisition of company securities.
† 1975.

Source: National Accounts for OECD countries 1976.

Expenditure Programmes

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each financial year since 1973–74 for each of the main programmes listed in Command Paper No. 7439 the amount of shortfall or overrun in terms of 1978 survey prices.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6 February 1979], gave the following information:

A comparison of planned expenditure and estimated outturn in 1977–78 by main programme at 1978 survey prices is given in table 5.4 of Cmnd. 7439. I regret that comparisons in this form for earlier years cannot be provided without a disproportionate expenditure of time and resources.

The hon. Member will appreciate that each White Paper is internally consistent as regards classification—that is to say, the revalued plans from the previous White Paper noted in it are adjusted to the classification of the new White Paper. The revaluation of planned expenditure over a long time span is vulnerable to the many classification changes made in successive White Papers.

For the earlier years I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 13 February 1978 to the hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson)—[Vol. 944, c. 64–5]. I also refer him to tables A and B of Appendix 17 of the Second Report from the Expenditure Committee, 1977–78 (HC 257) which bring together the figures published in successive White Papers for the difference in volume terms between the outturn, as estimated about nine months after the end of the financial year, and the latest published plan in the previous White Paper.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what average annual rate of growth in expenditure on goods and services and public transfer payments is implied by the expenditure plans in Command Paper No. 7439.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6 February 1979], gave the following information:Over the period 1979–80 to 1982–83, public expenditure on goods and services is planned in Command Paper No. 7439 to grow in volume terms at an average of 0·9 per cent. per annum and transfer payments, excluding debt interest, by an average of 1·1 per cent. per annum. These figures do not take account of any allocation of the contingency reserve or the general allowance for shortfall shown in table 1 of Cmnd. 7439.

Nationalised Industries (Financial Targets)

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the financial targets set for the nationalised industries since the publication of Command Paper No. 7131.

The financial targets which have been set since the publication in April 1978 of Cmnd. 7131 are as follows:

British Gas Corporation

6½ per cent. on turnover (after interest and tax) in 1979–80

Electricity Supply Industry (England and Wales) 10 per cent. on average net assets (before interest in 1979–80

BNOC

To make a profit (on a historic cost accounting basis) in 1979

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PROGRAMMES AS PERCENTAGE OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AT MARKET PRICES.
per cent.
	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78
Defence	4¾	4¾	5	4¾	4½
Overseas aid and other overseas services	¾	¾	¾	¾	1
Agriculture, fisheries, food and forestry	¾	1½	1¼	¾	½
Trade, industry, energy and employment	3	3¼	2¾	2½	1¼
Government lending to nationalised industries	¼	¾	1	¼	−¼
Roads and transport	2	2½	2½	2¼	1¾
Housing	3½	5	4	3¾	3¼
Other environmental services	2¼	2¼	2½	2¼	2
Law, order and protective services	1¼	1¼	1½	1½	1¼
Education and libraries, science and arts	6	6½	6¾	6½	5¾
Health and personal social services	4¾	5½	5¾	5½	5½
Social security	7½	8	8¾	9	9
Other public services	½	½	¾	½	½
Common services	½	½	¾	½	¾
Northern Ireland	1	1¼	1¼	1¼	1¼
Total expenditure on programmes^*†	39¼	44½	45	42¼	38½
^* Differs from total public expenditure ratios shown in Table 3 of Cmnd. 7439 by the exclusion of debt interest and non-trading capital consumption. Details of the latter at programme level are no, available.
† Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each financial year from 1973–74 to 1977–78 the proportion of gross domestic product at outturn prices devoted to (a) central Government, (b) local authorities, (c) certain public corporations and (d) debt

PUBLIC EXPENDITURE^* AS A PROPORTION OF GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT AT MARKET PRICES
per cent
			1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78
Central Government	…	…	26½	29½	30½	29	27
Local authorities	…	…	12½	14½	14	13	12
Certain public corporations	…	…	1	1	1	1	½
Debt interest	…	…	1	½	1	1	1½
Total public expenditure†	…	…	40½	46	46½	44	40½
^* Consistent with Table 3 of Cmnd. Paper No. 7439, i.e. based on the expenditure figures in Table 5.3 adjusted by the inclusion of non-trading capital consumption to make them comparable with gross domestic product.
† Figures may not sum to total due to rounding.

British Rail ( Sealink)

5 per cent. on average net assets (before interest and tax) by 1982

Gross Domestic Product

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each financial year from 1973–74 to 1977–78 the proportion of gross domestic product devoted to each of the main spending programmes detailed in the latest public expenditure White Paper, at out-turn prices.

The figures requested are shown in the table below:interest, using definitions consistent with table 5·3 of Command Paper No. 7439.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6 February 1979], gave the following information:The figures requested are shown in the table below:

Historic Buildings

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has studied the United States Tax Reform Act 1976; and whether he has considered introducing similar measures in the United Kingdom to stimulate renovation and discourage the destruction of historic buildings.

I have noted the hon. Member's suggestion.

Taxation

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost of cutting the basic rate of tax to 30 per cent., restoring the main personal allowances to their real equivalent value of April 1973 and restoring the higher rate tax bands to their real equivalent values of April 1973, showing the 1973 figures and the present equivalents; and if he will indicate the cost of introducing all three changes simultaneously.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 29 January 1979; Vol. 961, c. 355], gave the following reply:The information is as follows:

	Cost
	£ million
Reduce basic rate to 30 per cent.	1,200
Restore main personal allowances to real equivalent of 1973–74 levels	1,950
Restore higher rate tax bands to real equivalent of 1973–74 widths	350

The cost of introducing all three changes simultaneously would be about £3,350 million.The figures used in the calculations are as follows:

Personal allowances	1973–74	Real equivalent value
	£	£
Single person's and wife's earned income allowance	595	1,319
Married person's allowance	775	1,718
Additional personal allowance	130	288
Age exemption income limit:
Single	700	1,552
Married	1,000	2,217
Marginal age exemption income limit:
Single	1,040	2,305
Married	1,340	2,970

Personal allowances	1973–74	Real equivalent value
	£	£
Higher rate tax hands:
Width of 40 per cent. band	1,000	2,217
Width of 45 per cent. band	1,000	2,217
Width of 50 per cent. band	1,000	2,217
Width of 55 per cent. band	2,000	4,433
Width of 60 per cent. band	2,000	4,433
Width of 65 per cent. band	3,000	6,650
Width of 70 per cent. band	5,000	11,084
Width of 75 per cent. band	Balance
In 1973–74 there was no 83 per cent. band.

In the calculations the revalued age exemption limits have been treated as age allowances under the current system with appropriate adjustments of the income limit.

The real equivalent value is determined by comparison of the Retail Prices Index (all items) between April 1973 and December 1978 (the latest month available).

The calculations assume that the lower rate band remains and that the higher rates apply above the present £8,000 threshold.

Social Services

Mental Illness

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give details of the ways in which he is seeking to improve the situation of mentally disordered offenders.

Much of the improvement which we would like to see in the position of mentally disordered offenders will stem from our overall strategy for improving services for all mentally disordered people. Regional health authorities are also aware of the importance and high priority which I attach to the planning and construction of regional secure psychiatric units and to the making of suitable interim arrangements—for both of which special allocations of funds have been made. As these are developed, they will improve the NHS's capacity to deal with difficult patients.As my hon. Friend is aware, we are to commission research, jointly with the Home Department, which will help identify more precisely the characteristics and security of treatment needs of those offenders who meet the criteria of the Mental Health Act for detention in hospital. We are also seeking, in all ways possible, to improve understanding and co-operation between the various organisations, such as NHS hospitals, special hospitals and prisons, which will continue to share responsibility for the care of the wide range of people whose problems are included in the description "mentally disordered offenders". Perhaps the most important factors are the attitudes of staff and the public in general; influencing these will take time and progress will be gradual.

Merseyside Regional Health Council (Cost)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the total cost of the Merseyside regional health council excluding disbursements to subordinate authorities for the last financial year for which statistics are available.

In 1977–78 the revenue expenditure of the Mersey regional health authority totalled £6,645,425; services provided directly by the authority accounted for £4,952,919 and administration £1,692,506. Expenditure on capital projects was £17,527,553.

Hospital Car Service (Suffolk)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services, in the light of the decision of the Suffolk area health authority to ban the volunteer Suffolk hospital car service in the face of union threats that otherwise even emergency ambulance services will be withdrawn, if he will hold discussions with the authority and any other authorities affected to ensure that the service is resumed; and if he will confirm that the work of such car services is concerned with persons not normally dealt with by ambulances.

The problem to which the hon. Member refers has been overtaken by events. The ambulance service in Suffolk, with the exception of the New-market ambulance section, resumed full, normal working from midnight on Tuesday 30 January. The hospital car service throughout the county resumed normal service at the same time.

The hospital car service normally functions as an integral part of the ambulance service, conveying patients requiring transport but not a fully equipped ambulance or trained crew.

Pensioners' Radios (Vhf Reception)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what consideration he has given to the proposal by Age Concern Wales that retirement pensioners in Wales should be eligible for a single payment towards the cost of converting their radios to receive vhf in view of the recent wavelengths changes in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

I have written to the secretary, Age Concern Wales, to explain that the Supplementary Benefits Commission does not consider radio sets an essential need for which it should provide under its discretionary powers.

Hospitals (Financing)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if it is normal practice for new town development corporations to finance the building of hospitals.

No. It is for the appropriate health authorities to provide hospitals in new towns, and the allocation of health capital resources takes account of anticipated changes in the size of regional populations. Exceptionally, funds amounting to £0·5 million a year are being transferred from the new towns' programme to the area health authorities of Northampton, Milton Keynes and Peterborough for the years 1978–79 to 1981–82 for the additional provision of health service facilities as agreed by the three new town development corporations, which have accepted a cut in their capital allocations to make this possible.

Personal Activities (Prohibition)

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what would be the saving to the National Health Service if the consumption of alcohol were to be prohibited by law;(2) what would be the saving to the National Health Service if hazardous sports involving injury risks were to be prohibited by law;

(3) what would be the saving to the National Health Service if the smoking of cigarettes were to be prohibited by law.

It is not possible to estimate the consequences for the National Health Service of any of these hypothetical situations.

Walsall

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many foster parents of handicapped children in the town of Walsall are now receiving attendance allowance payments since the benefit was extended to include foster children in August 1977.

I regret the information is not available, as separate figures for foster children are not held.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many disabled children between the ages of 5 and 14 years are receiving the mobility allowance for handicapped children in the Walsall area.

I regret that the information is not available for the Walsall area. On 29 January 1979, the latest date for which figures are available, a total of 83,949 people in Great Britain were receiving mobility allowance under the principal legislation, of which 15,124 were children aged 5 to 14. A total of 7,847 disabled people aged 5 to 59 were receiving the allowance in the West Midlands social security region.

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many war pensioners in the Walsall area are presently receiving a private car maintenance allowance.

I regret that this information is not available for particular towns. At 31 January 1979, there were 1,537 private car maintenance allowances in payment to war pensioners in England.

Perinatal And Infant Mortality

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he has now received the reports from the 33 area health authorities to which he wrote concerning their perinatal or infant mortality rates; if he is satisfied with the action that they are taking; and if he will make a statement.

I have now received replies covering all the areas concerned and these are being studied by my officials, who are preparing a summary for me and for the Expenditure Sub-Committee which is currently looking into perinatal and neonatal mortality. I shall be glad to send my hon. Friend a copy of this summary when it is available.

Hospital Waiting Lists

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the number of in-patients waiting for admission to hospitals at 31 December 1978.

Figures for 31 December 1978 are not available. At 30 June 1978, the latest date for which we have information, the provisional figure for patients awaiting admission to National Health Service hospitals for in-patient treatment in England was 609,300.

Special Hospitals

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the total number of patient places for which each of the special hospitals was designed, their present capacities and the current percentage of utilisation of each.

I would refer the right hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Ormskirk (Mr. Kilroy-Silk) on 20 November 1978.—[Vol. 958, c. 494.]The numbers of patients resident on 1 January 1979 were 707 at Broadmoor, 883 at Rampton, 369 at Moss Side and 69 at Park Lane.

Death Grant

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what was the value of the death grant when it was first introduced; and what its value today would be if it was upgraded, taking into consideration inflation since it was first introduced.

The rate of the death grant when it was introduced in July 1949 was £20. Based on the movement of the General Index of Retail Prices up to December 1978, the latest month for which a figure is available, the grant would need to be increased to about £125 to restore the value it had in July 1949.

Middlesex Hospital

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) what assessment he has made of the extra nurses that may be needed at the Middlesex hospital following the introduction of the EEC directive on nurses' education;(2) what reduction will have to be made by the Middlesex hospital over the next few years to conform with the Government's reallocation of resources under the resource allocation working party procedure.

I will let the hon. Member have a reply as soon as possible.

Births

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services when he expects the projections foreshadowed in his reply, Official Report, 19 June 1978, column 6, to be published.

I cannot yet give a date.

Stoke Mandeville Hospital

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what funds he is making available to Stoke Mandeville Hospital so that it can meet the extensive demand for its specialised services arising outside the health region in which it is situated.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 62], gave the following information:In calculating the revenue allocations made to regional health authorities, the Department takes into account the extent to which patients from outside a particular region make use of specialist facilities located within that region. The allocation of revenue within a regional health authority is, however, a matter for that authority to determine. I understand that Oxford regional health authority has taken account of the movement of patients across health authority boundaries in determining the revenue allocations to its area health authorities. The Oxford region has not yet determined the revenue allocations to its areas for 1979–80.

Northern Ireland

Hospital Service (Northern Health Board)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money has been set aside for the reorganisation of the hospital service in the Northern health board area.

A major part of the reorganisation of these services is the provision of a new hospital at Antrim. Since negotiations with the nominated contractor for this development have just started, it is not yet possible to indicate the precise development costs.My noble Friend the Minister of State, together with the chairman of the Northern board, hope to be in a position to make an announcement about the development and its cost shortly.

Housing Executive

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will name the person responsible for the acquisition and supervision of office accommodation on behalf of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

This is a matter for the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many contracts have been awarded without tender by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for the refurbishing or building of office accommodation in Northern Ireland.

These are matters for the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what amount has been spent on the proposed new headquarters of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive at Belmont House, Belfast; and how many contracts have been given out in this respect without tender.

The Government have approved the purchase by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive of Belmont House at a cost of £3,375,000. The letting of contracts for fitting out and furnishing the building is a matter for the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what rent has been paid to date for the proposed new premises of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive district 4 offices situated at Royal Avenue, Belfast; and what has been the cost of refurbishing the said offices.

These are matters for the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he expects the district 4 office of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, presently situated at Antrim Road in Belfast, to be transferred to the proposed new premises at Royal Avenue, Belfast.

This is a matter for the Housing Executive.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if, as a remedy for the failure of the Housing Executive to implement building regulations by not insulating water pipes in addition to attic floors, he will now make available a redecoration grant for tenants whose homes had to be repaired, because of damage by flooding.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6 February 1979], gave the following information:No. It is for the Housing Executive to determine whether a payment should be made to a tenant towards the cost of redecoration following damage caused by a burst in water fittings.

Tenants (Access To Rent Tribunals)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will take action to amend the rights of tenants of properties in Northern Ireland built since 1956 by giving them access to a rent tribunal.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 5 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 81], gave the following information:The situation of tenants of houses whose rents are not subject to the main provisions of the Rent (NI) Order 1978 is being kept under review. The need for extending control to such houses will be considered if there is evidence of serious abuse.

Electricity (Disconnections)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many customers the Northern Ireland Electricity Service cut off during the last 12 months in the West Bank of Londonderry City, West Belfast, South Armagh area, Coleraine, Ballymena and Bangor;(2) if he will list in the

Official Report the number of customers cut off by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service in each of the last 12 months and show how many were cut off in each council area in Northern Ireland, indicating in each case how many were industrial and domestic supplies.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report 5 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 78], gave the following information:The total number of disconnections in Northern Ireland in the 12 months ending 31 December 1978 was 2,627. It would not be possible to supply the detailed breakdown requested except at disproportionate cost, but a total figure is available for each of the Services seven operational areas as follows:

Area		Disconnections	Percentage of total consumers in the Area
Ballymena	…	258	0·4
Bangor	…	360	0·5
Belfast	…	1,052	0·7
Coleraine	…	58	0·2
Craigavon	…	626	0·6
Londonderry	…	218	0·7
Omagh	…	55	0·1

Electricity Payments (Overdue Bills)

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the rate of interest applied by the Northern Ireland Electricity Service to overdue sums for current consumed;(2) what is now the total interest due of overdue bills for electricity in Northern Ireland whether the interest due is added to the overdue bills or divided over all bills issued and, if divided over all bills, what is the basis of the charge applied to each bill.

, pursuant to his replies [Official Report 5 February 1979; Vol. 962, c. 81], gave the following information:

The Northern Ireland electricity service is not empowered to charge interest on overdue accounts and questions relating to the computation of such interest do not arise. The extra costs to the service imposed by arrears in payment of accounts have so far been borne by the Service, with assistance from public funds, and have not been reflected in its tariffs.

Volume 962: debated on Wednesday 7 February 1979

Written Answers To Questions

Glasgow Sheriff Court

Small Claims Arbitration

Church Commissioners (Investment Policy)

Education And Science

Nursery Education

Works Of Art And Museum Objects

O-Level Subjects

Classes (Thanet)

Works Of Art (Loan)

Disabled Students (Walsall)

The Arts

Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs

Central Treaty Organisation

Ocean Island Phosphate

Trade

Company Directors (Legal Obligations)

Market Entry Guarantee Scheme

Overseas Development

Crown Agents

Employment

Cheshire

"Actions: Doing Something About Unemployment"

Walsall

Wages Councils

Energy

Coal Mining

Electricity (Cost)

Alternative Sources (Europe)

Wales

Newtown (Advance Factories)

Agriculture, Fisheries And Food

Oak Wilt

European Community Agriculture Ministers Meeting

Scotland

Industrial Disputes (Illegal Practices)

Electoral Registers

Microelectronics

Scottish Trades Union Congress

Council Houses (Cunninghame)

Manual Workers (Dispute)

Health Centre, Partick

Fishing Industry

Oil Pollution (Clearance Equipment)

Sports Facilities

Industry

Burntisland

Plastic Goods

Road Haulage Industrial Dispute (Delay Of Surface Mail)

Specialised Organics

Telecommunications (System X)

British Leyland

Defence

Hms "Walrus"

Iran (Arms Supplies)

Service Personnel (Clearance Of Refuse)

Atomic Weapons Research Establishment

Environment

Water Charges

Disabled Persons (Walsall)

Housebuilding (Cheshire)

Local Government (Organic Change)

Housing Allocations

Ordnance Survey

Refuse Collection Services (Merton)

Local Authority Services (Hammersmith)

London Dockland

Transport

Trunk Road Schemes (Value-To-Cost Ratios)

Bypasses

Driving Tests (Greater London)

Vehicle Excise Duty

Major Roads (Maintenance And Construction)

Oxford-Birmingham Road

Home Department

Pensioners (Television Licences)

Children (Citizenship)

Trials (Delays)