asked the Lord President of the Council if he will publish in the Official Report a list showing the extent to which hon. Members' salaries would have to be increased to achieve, the same increases as obtained since 1974 by miners, dockers, road haulage workers, print workers, engineers and any other stated groups for which information is readily available.

I have been asked to reply.New earnings survey estimates of percentage increases in average weekly earnings are given below for men in selected occupational groups. They relate to the period from April 1974 to April 1978. The basic parliamentary salary increased by 53 per cent. in this period.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in the light of the deep concern felt by university technicians concerning their low pay, and further to the letter from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West dated 26 February, what action she has taken or intends taking to prevent industrial confrontation in the universities; and whether she will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend recently met my hon. Friend the Member for Barking (Miss Richardson) together with representatives of the Association of Scientific, Technical and Managerial Staffs and agreed to look again at the problem of university technicians' pay. Official of my Department have also held a joint meeting with representatives of the university authorities and of the unions concerned. I hope to be in a position to make a statement soon.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the intensity of the radioactive emissions in the immediate vicinity of a live human body.

The radiation dose to an individual which derives from naturally occurring radionuclides within his or her own body is due primarily to the radioisotope potassium 40. In an average adult the annual absorbed dose is 17m rads to the whole body and the same to the gonads.In areas of "normal" background radiation the absorbed dose to the whole body and gonads from external sources, that is, cosmic rays and radiation from radioactive materials in soil and rocks, etc. amounts to some 60m rads per year.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current pupil-teacher ratio in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in the West Midlands area; and what she estimates these ratios will be by 1983.

In January 1978, the latest date for which information is available, the pupil-teacher ratios in maintained schools in the West Midlands metropolitan county were 24·5 in primary schools and 16·5 in secondary schools.The Government's expenditure plans provide for improvement in the national pupil-teacher ratio; but it is not possible to forecast how this will be reflected in pupil-teacher ratios in the schools of particular areas since it is for individual authorities to determine how many teachers to employ in the light of their own needs and circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the proportion of nursery school places to children under five years in the Lambeth partnership area; and how this will be improved by current plans.

I understand from the ILEA that there are at present 1,030 full-time equivalent places in nursery schools and classes in the Lambeth partnership area. This compares with a 3- and 4-year-old population of approximately 5,400. This figure is based on the 1976 census figures, which are the latest available.There are plans for starts to be made on nine new nursery class projects in the building years 1978–82. These will provide a total of 260 additional full-time equivalent places. Eight of the projects are programmed under the inner cities partnership scheme. The final project is programmed under my Department's nursery education building programme.A further bid for resources for additional nursery provision has been submitted under the partnership programme for the building year 1982–83.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the present situation of prisons in Northern Ireland.

The protest against the ending of special category status continues amongst a minority of prisoners in Maze and Armagh prisons. The situation is under control and all prisoners are being treated in accordance with prison rules. As I have said on many previous occasions, there will be no going back on the policy of phasing out special treatment for persons convicted and sentenced to imprisonment by the courts, and there will be no amnesty.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has made any representations in recent weeks to the Government of the Republic of Ireland concerning the activities of the Irish Republican Army.

I discussed our common approach to the threat from the IRA with the Foreign Minister on 14 February. We agreed on the need for close co-operation at all levels.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will outline the measures that have been taken by the Southern Education and Library Board to avoid abuses of the education system by citizens of the Irish Republic using accommodation addresses in Northern Ireland.

The Southern Education and Library Board has made arrangements for the addresses stated on application forms by persons either holding or applying for awards to be checked. I am satisfied that these arrangements will provide a satisfactory safeguard against abuses by persons not entitled to benefit from the education system in Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied with the school transfer procedures presently operating in Northern Ireland.

The Government do not regard as satisfactory any method of transfer to secondary education which involves selection by perceived ability at 11-plus, but consider that the revised transfer procedure in operation this year has some advantages over the former 11-plus examination.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland under what circumstances the security forces may open fire on a crowd in Northern Ireland.

In general terms, the security forces may open fire only in self-defence, or to protect the lives of others, when the threat cannot be dealt with by other means.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the circumstances surrounding the death of James Taylor, near Coagh, in September 1978.

Mr. James Taylor was shot dead near Coagh, Co. Tyrone on 30 September 1978. A full police report on the incident has been furnished to the Director of Public Prosecutions. In due course an inquest will be held in public. It would not be right for me to comment further at this stage.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many houses were built by the Northern Ireland Housing Trust and city and borough councils in the two financial years 1967–68 and also the number of houses built by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in the two financial years 1976 to 1978.

In 1966–67 and 1967–68 the Northern Ireland Housing Trust and the county borough and borough councils completed 4,699 and 5,281 houses respectively. In 1976–77 and 1977–78 the Northern Ireland Housing Executive completed 7,224 and 6,715 houses respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what study he has made of rent increases in the public and private sectors which have occurred in the past six months.

I am currently examining what changes might be made in public sector rents and am monitoring changes in private sector rents following the enactment of the Rent Order (Northern Ireland) 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about his recent meeting with the Foreign Minister of the Irish Republic.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Eastbourne (Mr. Gow).

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the meeting of the governing board of the International Energy Agency on 1 and 2 March.

At its meeting on 1 and 2 March the governing board of the International Energy Agency agreed on the programme of action to deal with the present difficult situation in the world's oil markets. It provides for firm, prompt and co-ordinated action by the participating countries to reduce demand for oil on the world market by the order of 2 million barrels per day which would correspond to about 5 per cent. of IEA consumption.The Government strongly endorse this programme of action and particularly welcome the fact that all member countries of the International Energy Agency were able to support it. On this basis we shall be preparing, as soon as possible, specific measures for the United Kingdom's contribution to the common effort. They will include a substantial reduction in the use of oil in power stations.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current annual remuneration of a non-executive member of the board of London Electricity; what expenses are currently claimable by such a member in the exercise of his functions; and at what rate.

The current annual remuneration payable is £1,100. Reasonable travelling and subsistance expenses are reimbursed within the discretion of the chairman of the board.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish a table showing the cost in wages and salaries of all employees of the National Coal Board in each of the last 10 years and the number of employees in each of those years; and if he will show the proportionate increase in earnings per head, and the quantity of coal produced.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what action he proposes to take to delay the proposed 10 per cent. rise in the price of average domestic gas tariffs, in view of the substantial surplus shown in the accounts of the British Gas Corporation.

I understand that the British Gas Corporation has now made application to increase domestic tariffs from 1 April by about 8 per cent. Otherwise I have nothing to add to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Derby, South (Mr. Johnson) on 20 February.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is the cost of rebates which are being given by area electricity boards to senior citizens who are in receipt of rate rebates; and whether a similar system of relief is proposed for people whose home is heated by gas.

This assistance is given by the Government under the electricity discount scheme to which £45 million has been allocated to cover both the costs of discounts and the £5 payment to recipients of supplementary benefit and family income supplement. Actual costs of the discount will depend on the number claiming it but over 2 million retirement pensioners may be eligible to do so. The scheme runs from 1 January to 30 June—the last date for claiming discount vouchers at post offices—and it is not intended to extend it to gas consumers.

asked the Secertay of State for Energy what percentage of United Kingdom oil needs he expects will be supplied by coal converted oil by 1985.

No commercial quantities of synthetic crude oil from coal are expected to be supplied in the United Kingdom by 1985.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what was the aggregate tonnage of coal produced during 1977–78 at those National Coal Board collieries which showed an operating profit.

I am asking the chairman of the National Coal Board to write to my hon. Friend with the information.

asked the Secretary of State for Energy what is his reaction to the second report of the Advisory Council on Energy Conservation, Energy Paper No. 31.

I have written to the chairman of the council, Sir William Hawthorne, expressing my gratitude for the efforts of the council, many of whose recommendations have been incorporated in Government policy. I have placed a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether all authority for expenditure from central Government funds on the provision of buildings, accommodation, fittings and equipment for (a) the Scottish and (b) the Welsh Assemblies has been terminated since Friday 2 March; and whether notice has been given since that date terminating all incompleted contracts.

In Scotland work under existing contracts at the Royal high school and St. Andrew's House is continuing pending decisions on the future of the devolution proposals but no further work will be commissioned until a decision is made. The Cardiff Exchange is held on a 20-year lease, with a break clause after 10; rental payments remain a firm commitment. Work on the conversion of the Exchange was suspended

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment which county structure plans he has approved; which are being considered by his Department; and which have yet to be submitted to his Department.

The list of county structure plans in England is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total gross expenditure in England and Wales on rate fund services for each year since 1970–71, including an estimate for 1978–79; and what was the total expenditure on wages and salaries expressed as a percentage of gross expenditure on rate fund services for each year.

The available information is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the restrictions on the use of Ministers' cars for private purposes by Ministers is also imposed upon former Prime Ministers who have official cars; and how this operates.

No; wider use is permitted for security reasons.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total cost to the rate fund in England and Wales of local government pension funds for each year since 1974–75.

The total costs to the rate fund in England and Wales of employers' contributions to local government pension funds and provision for pension increases were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, what proportions of local authority (a) staff and (b) manual workers in England and Wales are members of index-linked pension schemes.

The percentages of local government employees—excluding teachers, firemen and police—in the index-linked local government superannuation scheme are: non-manual staff 85 per cent.; manual employees 60 per cent. Employees who are members of the scheme are contracted out of the earnings-related part of the State scheme. Other employees—part-timers and manual employees who opted to remain outside the local government scheme—are subject to the earnings-related part of the State scheme under which pensions are also index-linked.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the running costs of the National Water Council and regional water authorities was consumed in staff costs in each year since 1974–75, including 1978–79.

Employee costs, expressed as a percentage of total revenue expenditure, of the National Water Council and the regional water authorities for the years 1974–75 to 1977–78, were:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of relevant expenditure in each English non-metropolitan county, metropolitan district, London borough and Welsh county was paid in rate support grant in each year since 1974–75, including an estimate for 1979–80.

I shall send details of local authorities' net revenue expenditure outturn in the years 1974–75 to 1977–78, and of its financing from rate support grant, to the hon. Member as soon as possible. Outturn information for 1978–79 is not yet available. However, local authorities' budget estimates of new revenue expenditure and income from rate support grant in 1978–79 have been published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in "Financial, General and Rating Statistics 1978–79", a copy of which is in the Library. For 1979–80, expenditure and grant estimates for individual authorities are not yet available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what share of total rate support grant in 1979–80 is allocated to (a) English non-metropoiitan counties, including districts, (b) English metropolitan districts, (c) London boroughs and (d) Welsh counties, including districts.

At this stage it is not possible to calculate the distribution of resources and domestic element grants for 1979–80.For needs element, which at main order is 61 per cent. of the estimated aggregate of rate support grants, the allocation is:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each local authority in England and Wales for the latest date for which information is available (a) the total outstanding debt of that authority and (b) the outstanding debt of the authority per head of its population.

Details for each authority in England and Wales of outstanding debt and population are published by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy in "Return of Outstanding Debt as at 31 March 1978"—statistical information service, November 1978—a copy of which is in the Library.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the taxpayers' total contribution to the cost of local government in the Greater London area in 1977–78 and 1978–79; and what he estimates it will be in the next financial year.

Central Government grant and subsidy contributions to all local authorities in the Greater London area in 1977–78 amounted to about £1,609 million. Comprehensive estimates for later years are not yet readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make arrangements whereby 1 per cent. of the cost of new public buildings is spent on works of art within those buildings.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total cost to date of the acquisition and conversion of the building in Cardiff for the proposed Welsh Assembly; what would be the cost of completing the conversion work; and whether he will now give instructions for the building to be sold as quickly as possible.

The estimated cost of converting the Exchange building for use by the Welsh Assembly is £3,500,000 of which some £42,000 has been spent on preparatory work. The building is held on a 20-year lease with a break after 10 years. The future use of the building will be a matter for further consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken to prevent any further expenditure from central Government funds on the provision of buildings, accommodation, fittings and equipment intended for the Welsh Assembly since the result of the referendum became known on Friday 2 March; and what action he is taking to reimburse such expenditure by selling such items or otherwise disposing of them.

Work on the conversion of the Exchange for use by the Welsh Assembly was suspended following the statement by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales on 7 April 1977.—[Vol. 929, c. 604.] The Exchange is held on a 20-year lease with a break after 10 years. The future use of the building will be a matter for further consideration.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will give, for the longest most convenient stated period of time, the total number of persons who have been arrested or apprehended on suspicion of stealing and/or shoplifting where no action was taken because these people claimed that they were covered by diplomatic privilege; and what action was taken in each instance.

The number of offences against the Theft Act 1968, including shoplifting offences, alleged to have been committed in England and Wales in the years 1972 to 1978 by persons entitled to diplomatic immunity where the possibility of criminal proceedings was not pursued in consequence of that entitlement is as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on telephone tapping, in the light of the recent judgment by Sir Robert Megarry.

I understand that in his judgment in Malone v. Commissioner of Police the Vice-Chancellor found that the interception of a telephone at the request of the police under warrant of a Secretary of State was not illegal under English law. He made it clear that it was not for the English courts to rule on the question whether such interception, as carried out in this country, did or did not comply with the European Convention on Human Rights: only the European Commission and Court of Human Rights could pronounce on that. The Vice-Chancellor drew attention, however, to the fact that the restrictions and safeguards under which interception is conducted are in this country matters of administrative practice only, and not, as in some other countries, of statute; and he expressed the view that this was a matter which cried out for legislation.As regards the European Convention, I am in the same position as the Vice-Chancellor: it is not for me to say what does or does not comply with it. All I can say is that neither the Commission nor the Court has had occasion to consider our practice in this matter. I understand that the plaintiff in the recent action may be considering taking a case to the European Commission: if he decides to do so, we shall see what it says.Legislation is not required to legalise telephone interception. If it is required at all, it would be for the purpose of entrenching in statute the appropriate restrictions and safeguards under which interception is practised. The restrictions and safeguards applicable in this country were scrutinised and commended in 1957 by the Birkett Committee. Its report (Cmnd. 283) has ever since then provided the basis on which interception is carried out, and I can assure the House that it continues to do so today.I recognise the importance of adequate and effective safeguards for the liberty of the subject. I believe that our safeguards are adequate and effective for this purpose. The Vice-Chancellor clearly thought that safeguards should be entrenched in legislation. When the full text of his judgment is available, I shall study it with the greatest care and respect. In carrying out the study and arriving at conclusions of which I will in due course inform the House, I shall have regard not only to the need for safeguards which protect the liberty of the subject but also to the need not to damage the efficacy of a tool of investigation which can be invaluable to the police and the other agencies concerned, when other methods have been tried and have failed, or are unlikely to succeed. As the Birkett Committee said, such damage, so far from strengthening the liberty of the ordinary citizen, might very well have the opposite effect.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with the state of television reception in the area of Pentredwr, Llangollen, Clwyd; and, if not, what steps he proposes to take, in conjunction with or by way of advice to, the British Broadcasting Corporation to improve it.

The provision of UHF 625-line television services is primarily the responsibility of the broadcasting authorities. The BBC tells us that because of the small and scattered population it has no plans in the foreseeable future for supplementing the available television coverage in the Pentredwr area. It would, however, be prepared to send representatives to the area to give technical advice on possible alternative means of making a UHF television service available to the community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Parliamentary Boundary Commission to publish its provisional recommendations for constituencies in the county of Kent; and if he will set out its timetable for the submission of representations and the hearing of local inquiries.

I understand that the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England is likely to publish its provisional recommendations for constituencies in Kent later this year. The Commission's procedure thereafter will follow that described in my reply to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Tottenham (Mr. Atkinson) on 15 February.—[Vol. 962, c. 589.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department which organisations he is consulting about the Lindop report on data protection.

Consultations on the report of the Data Protection Committee (Cmnd. 7341) are being conducted through several Departments.Table A below lists the organisations being consulted by the Home Office and other London-based Departments. Table B lists the organisations being consulted by the Scottish Office. Table C lists the organisations being consulted by Northern Ireland Departments. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will write to the hon. Gentleman about the consultations being conducted by the Welsh Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will specify the categories and numbers in each category of prisoners at present serving sentences in Lewes prison, Sussex.

On 31 January 1979, 143 of the 392 people detained in Lewes prison were serving sentences. Their security categories were as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the working party examining the pay structure of the probation and after-care service.

The working party is reporting not to my right hon. Friend but to the Joint Negotiating Committee for the Probation Service on which my right hon. Friend is represented. I understand that the report will be tabled for consideration at the next meeting of the Committee on 9 April.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details of unruly certificates issued in England and Wales in January and February in respect of girls, showing the courts at which the certificates were issued and on whose application they were granted.

Nine such certificates were issued in January and seven in February; two girls in January received two certificates. The courts concerned were:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of recent disclosures by the Assistant Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, details of which have been sent to him by the hon. Member for Barking, if he will now give a further reply to the questions from several hon. Members relating to the Metropolitan Police computer.

Replies to previous questions have described the categories of information to be kept in the computer: that is crime; criminals; their associates; and matters connected with national security. I can confirm that, as was stated by an Assistant Commissioner in a recent television programme, to meet the operational needs of the specialist branches of the Metropolitan Police that will contribute data hitherto held in paper records, the information will be grouped as follows fraud, drug offences, other serious crimes, illegal immigration and Special Branch matters.I believe that there should be full discussion of the principles involved in such matters, within, as I have already made clear, the limits set by national security considerations and the need not to impair police effectiveness in preventing and detecting crime. Chief police officers are making effective contributions to these discussions, and I was aware of the invitation to the Assistant Commissioner to participate in the programme and welcome the fact that he did so.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, for the last 10 years, the amount of property damage in Great Britain caused by Northern Ireland terrorists.

I regret that the information requested is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current waiting time for a driving test in the Brighton area; and how this compares with that for Great Britain as a whole.

Twenty four weeks, compared with 23½ weeks for Great Britain as a whole.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to widen and improve the safety of the A23 between the southern end of the M23 and Brighton.

Draft orders for the improvement of the 10 mile length of the A23 from north of Bolney to the A273 junction of Pyecombe, including a bypass of Sayers Common and Albourne, will be published next year. Meanwhile, we are considering interim measures to improve safety and facilitate the traffic flow on the existing road.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department will make additional financial provision available to British Railways in order to allow for the purchase of new rolling stock on rural and local lines; and if he will make a statement.

The Government already pay the British Railways Board over £400 million a year, of which over £50 million is a special allowance for the replacement of the assets. This grant is paid in respect of the whole passenger railway. It is for the Board to decide its priorities within the framework of the Government's policy.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent the full implementation of the Boyle committee report on hon. Members' salaries would increase the cost of living and inflationary sprial.

It is impossible to say.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will compare average wages, prices and pensions in 1974 with those in 1979; and if he will make a statement.

The latest earnings statistics relate to December 1978. In the five-year period December 1973 to December 1978, the seasonally adjusted monthly index of average earnings—older series—rose by 118 per cent. The General Index of Retail Prices rose by 108 per cent. in this period. Comprehensive information for average pensions is not available but the standard weekly rate of retirement pensions increased by 150 per cent. between October 1973 and November 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs in the Peterborough area have received financial support through the various special employment measures introduced by his Department and the Manpower Services Commission.

A total of 1,359 jobs in the Peterborough area have received financial support through the various special employment measures introduced by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission to alleviate the worst effects of unemployment.The detailed breakdown of special measures for Peterborough is as follows:

In addition, 38 applications have been approved under the job release scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he can give an assurance that the schemes he is at present considering to replace the temporary employment subsidy will have a lower displacement effect; and how many jobs his Department estimates have been destroyed through displacement effects since the inception of the temporary employment subsidy scheme.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will review the decisions taken by the Health and Safety Executive regarding the siting of liquefied gas storage close to populated areas at Flixborough, Canvey Island and at Braefoot Bay, in Fife; and if he will seek to ensure that risks which are thought to be unacceptable on one site are not ignored on others.

I am informed by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that decisions regarding the siting of liquefied gas storages are a matter for the appropriate planning authority. Advice is given to planning authorities by the Health and Safety Executive which are satisfied that their advice, which is dependent on the individual circumstances of each case, is consistent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what increases there have been in the number of vacancies per annum advertised in jobcentres since 1974.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the information available relates to the number of vacancies notified to jobcentres. The great majority of such vacancies are displayed in self-service. The table below shows the number of vacancies notified to jobcentres each year since 1975, the increase each year and the number of jobcentres open at the mid-point in each year. Information about 1974 is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he has considered taking to increase the number of vacancies advertised at jobcentres; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that it has been running both national and local press campaigns aimed at increasing the awareness of jobcentres amongst employers. In addition, managers and employment advisers are given special training to enable them to carry out a systematic marketing programme to obtain a greater range and number of vacancies for display in jobcentres.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for extending the job release scheme.

I announced on 20 February that the job release scheme would continue in the year from 1 April 1979. We have decided to expand this scheme by reducing the age at which men become eligible to use it from 64 to 62 and to 60 for disabled men. The age of eligibility for women will remain at 59.It will remain a condition of the scheme that when an employer releases a person under it he must take into employment a person currently registered as unemployed. When an employer releases a disabled person under the scheme he must wherever possible take into employment a disabled person from the unemployment register. The changes in the ages of eligibility for men generally will be made on 1 May, and we aim to make the change for disabled men from the same date.The allowance paid under the scheme will be increased on 1 April to £40 a week for a married person with a dependent spouse with income of £8·50 or less a week, and to £31·50 a week for all other applicants.With the longer period of payment under the expanded scheme the allowance will under existing legislation become taxable. Payments made under the scheme will not be charged to tax during 1979–80. Payments will be charged to tax from April 1980, but when the allowance is taxed it is our intention to increase its value so that on average there will be no loss to recipients.The cost of the expanded scheme will be covered by the provision for the employment and training programme in the Government's White Paper on its public expenditure plans, 1979–80 to 1982–83 (Cmnd. 7439).

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what advice the Health and Safety Executive is currently giving to manufacturers who use ethylene oxide as a sterilising agent; what are the long-term hazards relating to this substance; if the Executive will issue a consultative document regarding the use of ethylene oxide; and which organisation it is the intention of the Executive to consult on these matters.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 6 March 1979; Vol. 963, c. 655], gave the following information:I am advised by the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission that the advice being given by the Health and Safety Executive to manufacturers using ethylene oxide as a sterilising agent is based upon the general provisions of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974, in particular section 2, and is specifically concerned with keeping the exposure of work people as low as is reasonably practicable and in any case within the published threshold limit value of 50 parts per million on an eight-hour time weighted average basis.It has been reported from Sweden that long-term exposure of persons employed in the sterilisation of hospital equipment to mixtures of gases including ethylene oxide may carry an increased risk of developing blood disorders. It is not clear at this stage how far it would be possible to draw valid general conclusions from this study. Other reports suggest the possibility of increased risk of foetal damage and spontaneous abortion in animals. There is no specific evidence of foetal damage to humans and no evidence of carcinogenicity to animals from exposure to ethylene oxide, although a number of long-term studies are in hand to investigate these aspects of the problem.I am also advised that at the present time the Health and Safety Executive has no plans to issue a consultative document on the use of ethylene oxide for sterilisation purposes.The Department of Health and Social Security has set up an inter-departmental working group on which the Health and Safety Executive is represented to review the data relating to the health hazards of ethylene oxide.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the wages councils which have so far failed to lower the terminal age from 20 to 18 years.

The following wages councils provide for payment of the adult rate to "other worker" grade at the ages shown:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the wages councils which have so far failed to comply with the Council of the European Communities' recommendation to member States to award standard four weeks' paid holiday by 31 December 1978.

Only the Pin, Hook and Eye and Snap Fastener Wages Council provided at 31 December 1978 for four weeks of holiday for all workers with a year's service.The remaining wages councils provide for the following entitlements:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the wages councils which did not include the new May Day bank holiday in the list of statutory and customary holidays for 1978, and the councils which do not propose to add it to their statutory and customary holidays in the current year.

In 1978, the Fur; the Rope, Twine and Net; and the Sack and Bag Wages Councils. The last two made orders including the May Day bank holiday later in 1978. It understood that the Fur Wages Council will consider making similar proposals at its next meeting.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

My right hon. Friend the Minister has arranged to meet the president of the National Farmers' Union on 19 March.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pigs in the Holme Valley area of Kirklees district of West Yorkshire have been slaughtered in the current year because of swine vesicular disease; and if he will make a statement.

No outbreaks of swine vesicular disease have occurred in the Kirklees district.Twenty-four outbreaks have occurred to date. All have been in Humberside except one near Selby and one in Leicestershire which has just been confirmed. The controlled area restrictions were removed on 2 March but restrictions remain on premises which present a risk because of direct or indirect contact with the disease. Some 29,000 pigs have been slaughtered at a cost of over £1·5 million in compensation.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the additional revenue that would be produced in a full financial year by increasing the rate of value added tax on goods and services at present charged at 8 per cent. to (a) 10 per cent. (b) 12½ per cent. and (c) 15 per cent.

£800 million, £1,800 million and £2,750 mililon, respectively. If the 12½ per cent. higher rate was raised with the standard rate to 15 per cent. the yield would be £2,850 million.

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates it would cost the Exchequer to raise the value added tax thresholds to (a) £15,000, (b) £20,000 and (c) £25,000.

The loss of revenue would depend upon the number of registered persons who chose to de-register. If the de-registration limit was increased proportionately to the registration limit and the proportion of those eligible to do so which de-registered was similar to the proportions when the limits were raised in October 1977 and April 1978, it is estimated the revenue loss would be:

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria he uses to assess the provision of money for increased wages for workers in the public service; and how these compare with the criteria used to assess the financing of extra pay for workers in nationalised industries supported by subventions of public money, such as miners.

The Government's policy on financing pay settlements in the public services and the nationalised industries was set out in the Chief Secretary's answer on 23 February.—[Vol. 936, c. 334–5.]

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount of central Government debt in each of the past 10 years, and the annual servicing cost of that debt, expressed both in money terms and in real terms.

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

asked the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will list the various State benefits which, although taxable income, he does not seek to assess for income tax and the circumstances in which no assessments are made.