asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is her policy in relation to aid given to developing countries which is used to increase their use of pharmaceutical products.

Pharmaceuticals given in support of our aid programme are for the improvement of the health of the poorest, and are of NHS standards. The question of encouraging the use of pharmaceuticals as such does not therefore arise. We support, in principle, the WHO action programme on essential drugs and we are ready to help developing countries ensure that the drugs they use are appropriate.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development to what extent she takes into account the attitude of the Mozambique Government towards terrorism and the presence in Mozambique of terrorists being trained to destroy life and property in the British Colony of Rhodesia, before deciding on the level of British aid to Mozambique.

I take into account the economic burdens on Mozambique documented by the United Nations and caused precisely by the situation in Rhodesia, and its very low GNP.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development how she accounts for the increase in firm forward aid commitments from £489·4 million in 1977 to an estimated £756·2 million in 1978; and what are the main components of the increase.

It reflects intensive efforts by my Department to ensure that expenditure keeps fully in step with the planned growth of the aid programme, and is attributable mainly to increases in new commitments in nine bilateral programmes in 1978 over those in 1977, as follows:New commitments (grants/loans) which have considerably varying periods of anticipated spending were made in:

£'000
	(a)	(b)
	1977	1978*
Bangladesh	19,456	91,160
Gibraltar	3,750	15,704
Guyana	—	17,000
India	115,650	144,000
Jamaica	—	25,500
Pakistan	16,709	65,000
Solomon Islands	5,663	31,255
Tanzania	2,362	32,500
Zambia	—	29,260
* Provisional estimate.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what are the specific reasons for the cessation of aid to Vietnam; if she will list the areas concerned including human rights considerations; and what remedial action is necessary by the Vietnamese authorities before she will renew British aid to Vietnam.

We have given very careful thought to all the assessments which have come our way about the actual situation in Vietnam as it affects human rights.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development if she will undertake to increase the amount of overseas aid for Tanzania in order to assist in offsetting the cost of the military operations being undertaken by that country in relation to Uganda.

It would be wrong to use development aid either directly or indirectly for military purposes. However as my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary announced in the House on 16 January, an additional £1 million of programme aid is being made available to the Tanzanian Government to be used for civilian rehabilitation purposes in the Kagera district, recently ravaged by war. Our overall aid expenditure on development projects in Tanzania this year is expected to show a sharp increase.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development what is the heads of mission small projects fund; and if she will make a statement.

The fund was set up on a trial basis in December last year to enable heads of mission in certain countries where there is a British aid programme to approve expenditure on small-scale projects of specific developmental benefit, particularly those designed to improve basic economic and social conditions at the local community or village level. A total sum of some £700,000 has been made available for the first full year of operation. The fund will be reviewed at the end of the year and a decision taken on whether it should be continued and possibly expanded.

asked the Minister of Overseas Development why teachers working in Swaziland have had their salary supplementation payment made by Her Majesty's Government reduced by up to 48 per cent.; how much the maximum reduction will be in the payment made to an individual teacher; and whether in making the reductions regard was had to the teachers' financial commitments.

Supplements are reviewed annually as conditions change and vary according to the circumstances of each post. Following the latest review in Swaziland we intend to ensure that no serving officer's take-home pay will be reduced as a result of the changed factors taken account of in the review.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will have talks with the British Broadcasting Corporation about the drastic deterioration of television reception in the New Cheltenham area of the Kingswood constituency which occurred on Wednesday 28 February and Thursday 1 March, and which has not yet been rectified.

The BBC tells us that some interference to BBC-2 reception occurred on the night of Wednesday 28 February to Thursday 1 March, and that this problem was resolved during the Thursday morning.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether in view of the continuing complaints about bad television reception in the Kingswood constituency, he will have urgent talks with the British Broadcasting Corporation about erecting a relay station in the Kingswood area.

No. The BBC tells us that its detailed survey of the Kings-wood area in 1976 indicates that coverage of the area is good except in three small localities where reception difficulties might be experienced, but that in those locations most residents should be able to obtain satisfactory reception by using high gain aerials and aerial amplifiers. The broadcasting authorities have no plans for a relay station to serve the Kingswood area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the amounts spent on civil defence and the number of people engaged on civil defence, full-time and part-time, in the years 1974 to 1978 or the latest convenient date; and if he will make a statement.

Central Government expenditure in Great Britain was:

Year	Net Expenditure Year
	£ million
1974–75	10·8
1975–76	15·6
1976–77	19·8

Final figures for 1977–78 are not yet available. As at 1 March 1979, 368 full-time and 23 part-time staff were employed by Home Departments, and about 250 full time and at least 400 part-time staff were employed by local authorities.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men and women recruited to the Metropolitan Police in 1977 and 1978, respectively, had findings of guilt as juveniles; how many have convictions as adults; whether or not those findings of guilt or convictions are spent under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974; of those, previously convicted as adults, of what offences they were convicted; and what criteria are used in deciding whether or not to recruit an applicant with previous convictions or findings of guilt.

The figures sought could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The Commissioner has informed me that candidates with convictions or findings of guilt recorded against them are rejected unless the offence is of a trivial nature and indicates no general disrespect for the law and no risk that the candidate might not be able to discharge the duties of a constable in an impartial and effective manner.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is approved practice to treat convicted sexual offenders with hormone therapy; what safeguard? are laid down; and what is the claimed success rate.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton, North-East (Mrs. Short) on 23 November.—[Vol. 958, c. 684–5.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce a licensing procedure for air rifles and air pistols.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the White Paper on British nationality will be published.

Comments on the Green Paper (Cmnd. 6795) are still being received, and there is a number of complex matters to be resolved before the terms of a White Paper can be settled. It remains the Government's intention to publish one as soon as practicable.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received the memorandum from the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants commenting on the Government's Green Paper on British nationality; if he has sent a reply; and if he will make a statement.

Yes. The Council has been good enough to set out its views in great detail, and I have written to thank the council. The memorandum is being studied, and its contents will be taken into account, with other contributions sent in response to the Green Paper, when decisions are being reached on what changes in the law should be proposed.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of the recent escape from Her Majesty's prison, Northallerton, if he will review existing arrangements so as to ensure that the local people are informed when prisoners escape from prison in order that they can take necessary precautions; and if he will make a statement.

No. I am satisfied with the existing arrangements both for notifying the public in the interests of their protection and for assisting in the apprehension of escapers. Under these arrangements, the police, who are immediately informed of an escape and of the nature of an escaper, decide whether there is a need to alert the public and what advice to give them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the returns from police forces upon which he based the increases made in the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 1979.

The new scale of fees is based on the 1977 costings, reassessed to take account of increased police pay and other increases in costs.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what charges are made in respect of the time spent by the fire services in inspecting explosive stores, riding establishments, licensed premises, and industrial premises under the health and safety at work provisions or otherwise, and other analogous duties; how the charges are calculated and what arrangements he makes for periodic reviews.

Under the Fire Services Act 1974, fire authorities are precluded from making charges for services rendered for the purposes of the extinction of fires and the protection of life and property in case of fire.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the increases made in fees charged under the following enactments from 1968 to date: the Liquor Licensing Acts, the Burial Acts, the Pedlars Act, the

	Fee in 1968	1.1.77	1.1.79
		£	£
Liquor Licensing Act 1964
Various fees	5s. (£0·25)	1·00	1·25
	10s. (£0·50)	2·00	2·50
	£1	3·00	4·00
	£1 10s. (£1·50)	5·00	6·00
	£2	6·00	7·50

	Fee in 1968	1.5.76	1.4.78
		£	£
Burial Act 1857
Removal of human remains	£2	4·00	5·00

	Fee in 1968	1.4.68
Pedlars Act 1871
Pedlar's certificate	5s. (£0·25)	£1 5s. (£1·25)

	Fee in 1968	1.9.75	1.1.77	1.3.78
		£	£	£
Immigration Act 1971
		0·50	1·00	2·00
Registration of aliens—various fees	5s. (£0·25)	1·00	1·00	2·00
		2·50	5·00	8·00

	Fee in 1968	1.1.69	1.1.71	7.7.75	1.10.76	1.4.78
				£	£	£
Firearms Act 1968
Various fees for possessing firearms and shotguns, and registration of dealers.	2s. 6d. (£0·12½)	7s. 6d. (£0·37½)	10s. (£0·50)	1·50	4·00	5·00
		15s. (£0·75)	£1	1·50	4·00	5·00
		£1 5s. (£1·25)	£2 10s. (£2·50)	4·50	10·00	13·00
		£1 5s. (£1·25)	£2 10s. (£2·50)	4·50	10·00	13·00
		£1 5s. (£1·25)	£2 10s. (£2·50)	5·50	10·00	13·00
	5s. (£0·25)	15s. (£0·75)	£1	2·00	5·00	7·00
		£2 10s. (£2·50)	£3 10s. (£3·50)	7·00	12·00	16·00
	£1	£4	£4	10·00	20·00	25·00
	£5	£20	£20	20·00	25·00	30·00

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the recent fire in the library at Parkhurst prison was caused by a fire bomb with timing mechanism; what is being done to try and prevent a recurrence; and whether he will make a statement.

Arson is a possible cause of the fire in a library at Parkhurst

The information is as follows:prison on 11 March 1979. The remains of what appears to have been an incendiary device were found after the fire, and have been removed by the police for forensic examination. As at other establishments, the staff at Parkhurst seek in their supervision of the activities and movements of inmates to deny them the materials and opportunities for committing arson, although there are obvious difficulties in this, and the fullest possible precautions against fire, made in liaison with the local Fire Brigade, are maintained at the prison. Any further practicable arrangements to attempt to prevent a recurrence of a fire such as that on 11 March will be taken once I have received the results of the examination, and considered that together with the governor's report of the incident.

asked the Secretary of. State for the Home Department if he will list for each prison establishment the current numbers of whole-time equivalent (a) psychiatrists, (b) other physicians, (c) surgeons, (d) trained nursing staff and (e) trained paramedical staff, relating these figures to the total number of prisoners and the proportion known to be in need of psychiatric treatment and nursing.

Information about staff is not readily available in the form requested, and I shall be writing to the hon. Member. Some information about the health of prisoners is contained in chapter 13 (health & medical services) and appendix 3 (population figures) of the Prison Department annual report for 1977. The demand for medical services cannot, however, be related directly to the average population of establishments, which varies according to the role of the establishment and the nature of the population.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the cost to public funds of the book of prison slang produced by his Department for prison visitors;(2) how many copies of the book of prison slang have been printed by his Department; how he intends to distribute it; and if he has plans for further similar books relating to other sections of his Department.

The cost to public funds of producing the glossary of terms and slang common in penal establishments was £177·78. Three thousand copies were printed; the majority have already been distributed to members of boards of visitors, for whom the glossary was devised. I have no plans for any other such glossaries

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards shifting public expenditure on the administration of justice and prisons to more cost effective methods of dealing with crime such as a better paid probation service; and if he will make a statement.

It is my policy to build up the use, as an alternative to imprisonment, of non-custodial measures including those that make a demand on the probation services and its resources; but in present circumstances, given the heavy load on the prison system, I see no prospect of reducing expenditure there as a means of financing non-custodial alternatives.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what date the normal provisions concerning elections expenses apply to the elections authorised by the European Assembly Elections (Day of Election) Order, S.I., 1979, No. 219.

In accordance with decided cases concerning parliamentary elections, election expenses may be incurred at any time. As the regulations for the conduct of the European Assembly elections are based on the provisions relating to parliamentary elections, it may be assumed that the same principles apply.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies have been printed of"Protect and Survive ", the booklet explaining to the public what action to take in the event of a nuclear attack; why copies have not been distributed to all households, as is done in most European countries; and what would be the cost of such distribution.

2,250 copies for training use were printed in 1976. Distribution to the public would be most effective at a time of heightened tension, as part of a comprehensive publicity campaign. The estimated cost of producing and distributing 23 million copies to householders is £1·7 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the report of the working party on probation officers' pay.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rother-ham (Mr. Crowther) on Thursday 8 March. [Vol. 963, c. 761.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action is to be taken on the recommendations of the working party on the criminal injuries compensation scheme which reported in 1978; whether this is affected by the recommendations of the Royal Commission on Civil Liability and Compensation for Personal Injury; and if will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have considered the recommendations of the working party on the criminal injuries compensation scheme, and have decided that, subject to some very minor modifications, they should be accepted. In particular, I am glad to tell the House that, in view of the considerable public concern over"battered"women and children, the Government have decided to extend the scheme to victims of violence within the family, subject to the safeguards recommended by the working party and on an experimental basis in the first instance.The proposed safeguards are that applications should normally be considered by the board in cases of family violence only where the offender has been prosecuted for the relevant assault, that the injuries should be sufficiently serious to justify compensation of at least £500, and that the board should be satisfied that the offender would not benefit from the award.A revised scheme will be brought into effect as soon as the necessary administrative arrangements have been made. The scheme will remain non-statutory until there has been sufficient experience, both of the revised provisions and of the operation of the extension to victims of family violence, to enable a statutory scheme to be drafted without any risk of a need for early amendment. Legislation to put the criminal injuries compensation scheme on a statutory basis will then be introduced when a suitable opportunity occurs.The Pearson Commission recommended that the scheme should be made statutory; that compensation under the scheme should continue to be based on tort damages; and that the application to the scheme of the Commission's recommendations on changes in the assessment of tort damages should be considered. The Government accept these recommendations. There is no intention of changing the present practice whereby the scheme's awards are based on tort damages, and any changes in the assessment of these damages which may be made as a result of the Royal Commission's recommendations will automatically be considered for adoption in the operation of the scheme.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the different kinds of field vegetables which were withdrawn during the course of 1978 in accordance with the common agricultural policy.

Cauliflowers and tomatoes. Of these only cauliflowers were withdrawn from the market in the United Kingdom during 1978.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action the Government propose to take in the light of the spread of enzootic bovine leukosis.

Some 20,000 animals were tested and that number included one-quarter or more of each breed imported since 1968. Nearly 500 reactors were found in 68 dairy herds and one beef herd, and it is clear that the testing of the entire national herd would be necessary to find the extent of the infection.The Government concluded from these results that the most appropriate course, having regard to the nature of the disease and to the availability of resources, was to introduce a scheme for the voluntary establishment of enzootic bovine leukosis-free herds in Great Britain.Following consultations with the farmers' unions, breed societies and other interested organisations, we have decided that before a herd could be registered as EBL-free, two serological tests of the herd should be undertaken with negative results. The first of these will be at the expense of the herd owner.Compensation for slaughter of reactors would be payable up to a maximum of £567 as in the Brucellosis (Accredited Herds) Scheme for cattle reacting to the second (official) test. After entry to the scheme, compensation would not be payable for reactors found at subsequent routine tests. We would expect owners to insure against such losses.The scheme embodying these proposals will now be published as soon as possible and I shall place a copy in the Library of the House. The scheme will operate from 1 August 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the average cost per trainee of secretarial training under the Manpower Services Commission's training opportunities scheme in each of the past four years.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the average cost for training allowances and fees for each trainee completing secretarial training is estimated as follows:

1975	£783
1976	£946
1977	£1,046
1978	£1,081

It is not possible to attribute an overhead cost to these trainees.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what statistics he has relating to the entry or re-entry into secretarial employment of individuals who have taken a secretarial training course under the Manpower Services Commission's training opportunities scheme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that no statistics are readily available on the future employment of those who took specifically secretarial courses. However, figures are available for those who took a TOPS course, in the broader clerical and commercial course group, which includes secretarial courses. These figures are derived from a one in six sample survey of TOPS trainees, three months after the completion of their course.For adults who completed clerical and commercial courses during the 1977–78 fiscal year, 64 per cent. of the sample were in employment three months after completing the course, and 51 per cent. were using the skill they had obtained on the course. For the quarter ended June 1978, 66 per cent. were employed at survey date, and 55 per cent. were using what they had learnt. These are the latest figures available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report those aids for disabled people which are provided by the Post Office and made available under the employment schemes.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that the following telephone aids are available from the Post Office to help handicapped customers overcome their difficulties:

• Amplifying telephone handset
• Extension bells
• Magneto bell
• small Magneto bell 4-inch gong
• Magneto bell cow gong
• Underdome bell
• Card callmaker
• Tape callmaker
• Enlarged numeral dial ring
• Enlarged numerical dial ring self adhesive
• Faint speech amplifier
• Lamp signalling handset—neon lamp in handset
• Low voltage lamps
• Lightweight headset No. 1
• Lightweight headset No. 2
• Loudspeaking telephone No. 1
• Loudspeaking telephone No. 4
• Push-button telephone
• Push-button trimphone
• Sender No. 1
• Servophone
• Trimphone
• Watch receiver

The MSC, through its special aids to employment scheme, has provided some of these aids for use by disabled people at work and is able to arrange for any of them to be supplied to disabled people who, because of their disability, need them for employment purposes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made in the study on compensation to quarrymen and others suffering industrial diseases and disabilities; what proposals he plans to make on this issue; and when these proposals will be put into effect.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement as to the outcome of his meeting with officials in Liverpool on 14 March arising from the 5 March inner city partnership meeting.

On 14 March I met representatives of Liverpool city and Merseyside county councils, together with officials Manpower Services Commission and Government Departments, to discuss proposals put forward locally to develop training and employment in Liverpool, which had previously been discussed by the Liverpool inner city partnership committee on 5 March.As a result of this meeting, it was decided that the Manpower Services Commission would set up a working party, involving both the city and county authorities, to consider, within the context of the Commission's national examination of means of combating long-term unemployment, a programme of action for tackling long-term unemployment in Liverpool. The working party will be set up shortly and it is hoped that it will report by the end of the year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether every school leaver who is not engaged in further education or cannot find paid employment will be offered some work experience or job creation project under the youth opportunities programme; and whether it is his policy that in future no young person will be on the dole with nothing to do.

One of the main priorities in the first year of operation of the youth opportunities programme was to provide every unemployed 1978 Easter or summer school leaver who remained unemployed at Easter 1979 with the offer of a suitable place in the programme. A similar objective will be pursued for the current year's school leavers.The underlying aim of the youth opportunities programme is to provide an alternative to unemployment for all 16–18 year olds who cannot get work or a place in full-time education. The recent expansion of the youth opportunities programme will enable many more young people to participate, and an additional objective of the programme in the next year will be to ensure that by the end of March 1980 all young people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more will have been offered a suitable place in the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action his Department has taken to reduce the impact of unemployment in Liverpool.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15 March 1979; Vol. 964, c. 310], gave the following information:My Department has sought to reduce the high level of unemployment in Liverpool in a number of ways.We have, through the programme of special employment and training measures, so far helped some 35,000 people in Liverpool. Details of those helped under the various measures are given in the table below. Assistance will be continued under the new programme of measures announced by my right hon. Friend on 20 February.On 14 March I chaired a meeting at which the Liverpool city and Merseyside county councils were represented, along with senior officials of the Department of Employment and the Manpower Services Commission. At this meeting it was decided that the MSC would set up a working party to look at measures to tackle the problem of the long-term unemployed. This working party will consider proposals put forward locally to develop employment and training in Liverpool.Many people have also been helped through the training opportunities scheme provided by the Training Services Division of the MSC. During 1977–78 some 5,300 men and women, including 1,302 young people, successfully completed TOPS courses in Merseyside and the target for the current year is over 5,900 including nearly 2,200 young people.We have been particularly concerned to help young people who, since leaving school, have found it difficult to get a job. Under the current youth opportunities programme over 5,300 young people in Liverpool have been helped.Following discussions which I have held with the careers officers and the staff of the Manpower Services Commission's special programmes division on Mersey-side, the staffing of the careers service has been increased. There will also be an increase—from 200 to 450—in the number of community industry places available in Liverpool.Additionally, we have tried to meet the needs of Merseyside by introducing new funding arrangements for training workshops, project based work experience schemes and community service schemes under YOP and for special temporary employment programme schemes. These should encourage more sponsors to come forward.On 17 November 1978 I visited Liverpool and was able to announce an MSC grant of £2·8 million to the city to provide jobs for the long-term unemployed on projects to assist in the rehabilitation of property in the city's ownership and to help improve the amenities and appearances of parks and other public land.My Department remains fully aware of the serious employment problems facing Liverpool and will continue to do all it can to help reduce unemployment in the city.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection when he expects to introduce a voluntary national tyre gauge testing scheme, following the establishment in May 1977 of the departmental working party.

I understand that garage participation in the scheme will be invited in April, but it is not being launched until July, when there is expected to be sufficient coverage to warrant national publicity of the scheme.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection what plans he has to ban misleading bargain offers in shops; and if he will make a statement.

In October, I announced the Government's proposals to ban a wide range of potentially misleading bargain offer claims, in line with recommendations made to my right hon. Friend by the Director General of Fair Trading. Detailed and extensive consultations have since been held on the proposals. I shall shortly be laying an order before Parliament.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria the Government apply for the approval of local authority schemes to provide finance for industrial investment in areas outside the assisted regions or the inner cities; what steps they take to investigate and sanction such schemes; what powers they have in respect of such schemes; and whether he will make a statement.

Local authorities can provide finance for industrial investment under a number of powers. However, all such schemes fall within the locally determined sector and as such are not subject to approval by my right hon. Friend.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the average cost of one acre building plots in South-East England at March 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and at the latest available date.

In the absence of information in the exact form requested the nearest available is given.

Land prices in the South East (inc. GLC)—weighted average price per acre
£
1970	17,520
1971	21,040
1972	35,430
1973	52,100
1974	50,400
1975	32,560
1976	34,490
1977	33,020
1978	42,080

Source: Information provided by the Inland Revenue Valuation Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much

The information requested is set out in the table below:

	Financial year 1977–79
	Total Paid Out	Cost to Local Authority
Rate Rebates
Medina	238,808	23,881
South Wight	216,671	21,667
Rent Rebates
Medina	194,547	48,633
South Wight	189,333	47,333
Rent Allowances
Medina	147,256	—
South Wight	79,612	—

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report, what sources of finance he has made available to the Solon Housing Association; and what finance has been made available by the Housing Corporation.

My right hon. Friend has made both capital and revenue grants to Solon Housing Association under sections 29 and 32 of the Housing Act 1974. The association is also in receipt of annual subsidies payable under the Housing Finance Act 1972. The Housing Corporation has provided loan finance for a number of schemes carried out by the association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to local authorities whose advertising material is being blacked by the Society of Lithographic Artists, Designers, Engravers and Process Workers and the National Graphical Association about the steps they should take in situations where they are under a statutory duty to advertise.

This is a matter for local authorities to consider in the light of their own circumstances.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how much (a) the average weekly rebated council rent would increase and (b) the average unrebated council rent would increase for every £10 million reduction in public housing subsidies.

It is estimated that for England the increase would be 5p a week on the average unrebated rent or 4p a week on the average rebated rent, if there were no increase in rate fund contributions to offset the reduction of subsidy.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the following

£million
	1973–74	1974–75	1975–76	1976–77	1977–78	1978–79
Total current and capital expenditure*:
(a) At 1978 survey prices	14,524	16,175	15,979	15,211	14,343	14,650
(b)At outturn prices	7,671	10,808	12,965	13,812	14,272	..
Current expenditure:
(a) At 1978 survey prices	9,829	10,828	11,278	11,296	11,220	11,561
(b) At outturn prices	4,791	6,847	9,022	10,227	11,164	..
Wages and salaries, etc.†
(a) At 1978 survey prices	7,233	7,856	8,177	8,347	8,355	8,564
(b) At outturn prices	3,690	5,256	6,824	7,752	8,339	..
Capital expenditure:
(a)At 1978 survey prices	4,668	5,347	4,701	3,915	3,127	3,089
(b) At outturn prices	2,881	3,961	3,943	3,585	3,108	..
Loan charges‡
At 1978 survey prices	1,216	1,299	1,203	1,282	1,145	1,232
* Based on the definitions used in the latest Public Expenditure White Paper (Cmnd. 7439).
† Including employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions.
‡ As defined in the rate support grant settlement (see Table 4.6 in Cmnd. 7439).

Details prior to 1973–74 are not readily available on a comparable basis. Details on expenditure on manual employees are not available over time on a fully comparable basis, although for 1978–79 local authority revenue estimates indicated expenditure on all manual employees on rate fund services (i.e. excluding amounts charged to non-rate fund accounts such as capital and trading) of just over £1,800 million (at November 1977 prices which are broadly comparable to 1978 survey prices).

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the criteria for registration in Annex 2 of the Second Report of the Construction Industry Manpower Board.

Copies of the Construction Industry Manpower Board's second report were deposited in the Library in January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those construction industry employers' federations which found the criteria for registration in the Second Report of the Construction Industry Manpower Board generally acceptable.

The Construction Industry Manpower Board, in its second report, said that the criteria were

The available information for local authorities in England and Wales is as follows:

"generally acceptable to the employer members of the Board, although some clearer definition would no doubt be necessary before they are finally agreed by the two sides ".

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date the Construction Industry Manpower Board agreed alternative minimum criteria for registration; and when the Federation of Master Builders was notified by his department of these alternative criteria.

The board agreed minimum criteria for registration at its meeting on 31 October 1978, subject to a reservation by the Federation of Associations of Specialists and Sub-contractors which represent the interests of the Federation of Master Builders on the board. A copy of the criteria was sent direct to the Federation of Master Builders on 12 January 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if the employers and unions establishing registers under the Construction Industry Manpower Board's minimum proposals will be able to extend the minimum criteria.

This is one of the matters still to be considered by the Board and in doing so it will bear in mind the need to maintain consistency throughout the industry. The Board has already made plain that its proposed criteria would not require firms applying for registration to be members of an employers' or trade association.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards nature conservation; what was the effect of the declaration by the Nature Conservancy Council on grant aid made on 2 May 1978 in respect of the Hertfordshire and Middlesex Trust for Nature Conservation Ltd.; how this is changed by any reduction in the Nature Conservancy Council's allocation for 1979–80; and if he will make a statement.

The Government have endorsed the statement of policies announced by the Nature Conservancy

LAND DISPOSED OF IN 1977–78
Proposed use	Acquired in 1976–77 (acres)	Acquired in 1977–78 (acres)	Total (acres)
Housing	44	27	71
Industry	13	15	28
Other (including commerce)	33	0	33
Totals	90	42	132

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will elucidate and give further details of the 14 acres of land described as transfers from land accounts in the reply of the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Barnett) to the hon. Member for Melton, Official Report, 12 March, columns 25–6; in what year or years this land was bought; by what method it was disposed of; and for what proposed use.

This category relates to land not disposed of but transferred out of the land accounts under paragraph 11(2) of the accounts directions as amended—mainly land needed for other statutory functions.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give final figures in respect of the information regarding acreage of land disposed of in 1977–78 under the Community Land Act which was given on a provisional basis to the hon. Member for Melton by the hon. Member for Greenwich (Mr. Barnett) Official Report, 22 November 1978, column 661.

Revised figures of land disposed of in 1977–78 are given in the following table. Further revisions are possible although they are unlikely to be significant.The 14 acres concerned were acquired in 1976–77 and transferred out in 1977–78, 11 acres for housing and three for open space.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the salaries currently paid to senior social workers having two years' post qualification experience.

The remuneration of local authority employees is the responsibility of the local authorities themselves, and the terms and conditions of service of social workers generally are negotiated nationally in the national joint council for local authorities' administrative professional technical and clerical services, between representatives of the local authorities as employers and the unions representing these employees. I am sure that the employers' secretary of the national joint council will be able to provide the information which the hon. Member seeks.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment when a lease was signed for the Northgate House office block in Derby; if the offices were intended for the Inland Revenue to administer a proposed wealth tax; how long the offices have remained unoccupied; and what has been the total cost to public funds.

The property was acquired for the purposes of a wealth tax and the lease was signed on 27 December 1976. The property will be fully occupied by April 1979. The total cost to public funds of the nugatory rent and rates involved in the change of use is £319,000.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment why the Inland Revenue acquired a lease for Northgate House, Derby, for the administration of a wealth tax before such a tax was approved by Parliament; why the offices have remained unoccupied; and if he will set up an inquiry into the circumstances under which public funds have been spent.

	1977–75	1978–79	1979–80
	£	£	£
New house building, including the acquisition of land under part V of the Housing Act 1957 and the acquisition of new dwellings for first- time occupation by council tenants	4,401,000	5,533,000*	5,946,000
Slum clearance; renovation and improvement of council dwellings; and acquisition of existing dwellings for continued housing use	2,366,000
* Excluding £940,000 underspending in 1977–78 brought forward.

The council has discretion how to spend the cash limit on the items listed.In 1977 the council started 273 new dwellings and completed 284; in 1978 it started 202 and completed 274. Final figures for dwellings modernised are not yet to hand, but the council's latest housing

The Government may, exceptionally, need to authorise the Property Services Agency to enter into commitments before legislation is laid or debated so that the necessary accommodation can be provided in time. My right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary announced this in a written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner) on 13 March 1975 and a Supplementary Estimate was subsequently approved; the building remained empty while discussions were taking place within Inland Revenue on the suitability of the accommodation to house four tax districts and while the accommodation was adapted for the purpose; my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary has no plans to get up such an inquiry.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what allocations were made for 1977 and 1978 and are being made for 1979 to Southampton district council for the purpose of building houses for sale or rent, for modernising existing houses and for repairs and improvements, if any; and how many houses or other units of accommodation were built and modernised for each of these years broken down, if possible, with accommodation provided for families, pensioners etc.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 15 March 1979; Vol. 964, c. 324–5] gave the following information:Following are the relevant cash limits:investment programme submission (a copy of which is available in the Library) recorded 223 dwellings improved in 1977–78 and envisaged a similar number in 1978–79. An analysis of these figures by type and size of accommodation is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what con sideration he has given to the request to set up an Inmos production facility in the Yorkshire and Humberside region; and if he will make a statement.

This is a matter for the company and the National Enterprise Board.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what account he is taking in his policy of support for the National Enterprise Board and the Inmos project and the recently announced investment plans of the General Electric Corporation, Fairchild at Neston which involves the construction of new integrated circuit manufacturing plant on Mersey-side and elsewhere.

The Government's policy towards the NEB and Inmos remains unchanged. The GEC/Fairchild and the Inmos projects are both aimed at creating a United Kingdom high volume micro-electronics manufacturing capability, and are in line with the Government's industrial strategy for this industry. They will also create jobs and have significant export growth potential.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what loans he authorised for the Post Office in 1978; what loans were repaid by the Post Office Corporation in 1978; and what loans he has authorised for the Post Office Corporation in 1979.

In 1978 the Secretary of State authorised two new loans from the NLF totalling £116 million (£112 million to offset premature repayment of foreign loans and £4 million to aid the financial reconstruction of Girobank).In the calendar year 1978, the Post Office repaid loans totalling £286·4 million as follows:

Loan capital repaid	£m
NLF
on maturity 38·6	prematurely 50·00
Foreign
on maturity 44·3	prematurely 15·35

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will make a statement setting out progress with the programme of workshops to improve awareness of the need to accelerate the application of microtechnology in British industry; and what proposals his Department has to follow up and assess the results of this programme.

The awareness workshop programme will be started in May and will run throughout the country until July. We aim to provide relevant briefing to 3,000 of the key decision-makers in the top 1,000 companies. My Department will monitor and assess the results of the programme on a continuous basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether the European Commission has approved the Government aid to be given to launch the British Aerospace 146 feeder airliner.

Since no Government aid is being given to the launch of the BAe 146, the question of Commission approval does not arise.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimates he has made of prospective losses on the BAeC 146 and A310 programmes.

My Department made many estimates based on a range of assumptions as to the number of sales, prices, costs, exchange rates and other relevant factors.The Government took these estimates into account, together with all relevant wider considerations when backing British Aerospace's commercial judgment on the two projects.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set out the conditions whereby the £40 million development aid paid to International Computers Ltd. between 1972 and 1976 is to be paid back to the Exchequer; and if, and when, he expects replayment to start.

The agreement under which the aid was given provides for the company to make repayments to the Government if, in any of the seven company years ending 30 September 1984, the pre-tax profit, after certain adjustments exceeds 7½ per cent. of turnover. In the first of the seven years ending 30 September 1978 the pre-tax profit did not reach this level and so no repayment was due.With a formula of this kind, it is not possible to forecast accurately what repayment will be made under the agreement in any given year, but the company's financial plans and their implications for repayment are kept under review by my Department.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what proposals have been submitted by the Government to the European Commission for an extension of the shipbuilding intervention fund.

Preliminary contacts with the Commission are in progress.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, in the light of the recent Cabinet Office paper detailing the weakness in exploiting innovation in Great Britain, whether he is satisfied that his Department is supporting sufficient innovative research in the universities and in industry.

The Government's views on this and other aspects of the ACARD report on industrial innovation will be made known shortly.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will adopt the recommendation made by the TUC in its latest economic review and establish a national body of employers and trade unionists to co-ordinate Great Britain's research and development and direct it to meet industry's needs.

The Government will study all parts of the TUC economic review. However, research and development is already discussed in NEDC and forms part of the work of the tripartite sector working parties. We have pursued a policy of appointing more trade unionists and industrialists to sit on the research requirements boards.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set up the technology centre recommended by the consumer electronics working party of the National Economic Development Council as soon as possible.

The consumer electronics sector working party did not recommend a technological centre as such. The Government will, however, examine together with the industry the feasibility of common research facilities suggested by the sector working party.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will implement the recommendations of the consumer electronics working party on the television industry as quickly as possible.

My Department is already talking to all television companies about their future plans and is ready to assist the implementation of concrete proposals in line with the sector working party recommendations as soon as the companies themselves are ready.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry why Great Britain has no independent microelectronics testing house; and if he will endeavour to establish one before foreign testing significantly adds to the import bill.

One major United Kingdom microelectronics company has already established an independent test house service for microelectronic components, approved by the British Standards Institute. The national supervisory inspectorate (EQD) is studying the purchase of a comprehensive automatic test facility also aimed at this objective. In addition, the Department is considering other proposals for the establishment of independent test houses under the microelectronics industry support programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, if he is satisfied with the small number of trade union officials invited to the recent microprocessors and jobs conference; and if he will ensure that as many representatives of the people whose jobs are most likely to be affected by microprocessors, namely, the shop floor workers, as industrialists are in future invited to such conferences.

The Government are currently discussing with the TUC how best trade unionists and shop floor workers can participate in the national awareness campaign. The Government fully accept the importance of targeting the campaign to employees as much as employers.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will set up an investment review agency to monitor the foreign investment programmes of British companies so that the Government will know before the announcement of plant closures what the employment and economic consequences of particular foreign investment proposals are likely to be for the United Kingdom.

The Government keep international investment under review, including its impact on the economy and employment in the United Kingdom. Machinery already exists for considering inward and outward investment proposals.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will ascertain from the National Enterprise Board the conditions under which it approves overseas investment in plant by publicly owned companies.

NEB investment, whether in the United Kingdom or overseas, is a matter for the NEB's commercial judgment, subject to the requirements of the Industry Act 1975, and the directions issued under the Act.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what are the latest figures available for the number of inquiries dealt with by the small firms service; if he will give a detailed breakdown in the Official Report under appropriate headings; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement of the financial target he expects to be achieved by British Shipbuilders in the year 1979–80.

The financial target for British Shipbuilders in 1979–80 is being considered in the course of the review of its corporate plan. A statement will be made as soon as possible.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if the Government will take steps to prohibit deep sea mining by British companies, until such time as an international regime for the exploitation of the sea bed outside national jurisdiction has been agreed by the United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea.

No.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what estimate has been made of the quantity of (a) manganese, (b) nickel, (c) copper and (d) cobalt, which is available for recovery by deep sea bed mining techniques.

Any attempt to estimate the quantities of metals available for recovery by deep sea bed mining techniques must be based at present on inadequate and incomplete survey data, and on assumptions about the efficiency of mining and processing techniques not yet developed on a commercial scale. However, the quantities of minerals which may be available for recovery by the sea bed mining techniques currently being developed could be very approximately as follows:

Manganese	800m tonnes
Nickel	40m tonnes
Copper	30m tonnes
Cobalt	5m tonnes

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government in regard to British firms, such as British Petroleum, being engaged in deep sea bed mining enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

The Government regard it as important that British companies should have every opportunity to participate in the profitable exploitation of the mineral resources of the sea bed, which offer a useful additional source of supply of cobalt, copper, manganese and nickel, United Kingdom requirements of which are at present totally imported.We are seeking at the 3rd United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea to negotiate an acceptable convention which will include the establishment of an international system for the exploitation of deep sea bed minerals, providing assured access for States, public corporations and private companies as well as the proposed International Enterprise.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he expects the National Enterprise Board to pay a dividend on its public dividend capital during 1978–79 or 1979–80; and if he will make a statement.

So far as 1978 is concerned, my right hon. Friend expects to receive proposals shortly from the NEB in accordance with paragraph 5(3) of schedule 2 to the Industry Act 1975.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will now answer the question of 5 March from the hon. Member for St. Marylebone, relating to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations for which he has responsibility.

This question was answered on 16 March.—[Vol. 964, c. 363–366.]

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what information he has received from the National Enterprise Board concerning the decision of Rolls-Royce Ltd. to launch a product support factory in the United States of America; and on what date the National Enterprise Board was informed of this.

The NEB has informed the Department that it received a proposal from Rolls-Royce on 15 March relating to a product support facility in the United States which I understand the board is now considering.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry (1) whether the Government have agreed to waive or defer interest payments of £1,255,911 due to be paid by the Meriden Co-operative on 30 June; and whether he will make a statement;(2) whether any new arrangements proposed for the waiver or deferral of interest payments due from the Meriden Co-operative would be referred to the industrial development advisory board and would require parliamentary approval;(3) what action the Government propose to take in the light of the statement of the managing director of the Meriden Co-operative that the company will not be able to pay its debts to the Government in June.

This company has asked my right hon. Friend to waive the payment of the interest due on 30 June 1979, and he is considering its request. My right hon. Friend will take account of the advice of the industrial development advisory board. I am advised that neither a waiver nor a deferment of the payment of this interest would require authorisation of the House under section 8(8) of the Industry Act 1972, but my right hon. Friend will, of course, inform the House of his decision on the company's request.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if, following his reply to the hon. Member for Richmond dated 12 March, he will now agree to the installation of sleeping policemen in Elm Grove Road, Barnes, in view of his statement that humps reduce both traffic speed and the number of persons injured.

Under present legislation the Secretary of State has powers to install humps only temporarily and as an experiment. All the experimental sites that are needed have now been chosen and it is not therefore proposed to install humps in any more roads.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of registered vehicles in the United Kingdom in each of the past 10 years.

The number of vehicles licensed was:

	(millions)
1969	15·1
1970	15·3
1971	15·9
1972	16·5
1973	17·4
1974	17·6
1975	17·9(1)
1976	18·2(1)
1977	—(2)
1978	18·1(1)

(1)—These figures are not comparable to the earlier ones because it became practicable to change the basis of the annual vehicle census—and to improve its accuracy—as licensing records were transferred from local authorities to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre.(2)—A figure is not available for 1977 because a full census was not carried out.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether the Port of Preston Authority has made an application for grant from the European regional development fund during the past two years;(2) whether the port of Preston is entitled to a grant from the European regional development fund.

The port of Preston is entitled to apply for grant from the ERDF but no application has been made by the port in the past two years. However, I understand the port management is now considering making an application.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive and consider the report on Preston dock following the two-year viability study.

The two-year test period will end on 30 September next. My agreement with Preston borough council, the owners of the port, requires it to ensure that the general manager prepares, well before the end of the test period, an evaluation of the progress achieved and of the future prospects of the port. I shall receive a copy of that report.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the average length of stay in British ports by ships of each Warsaw Pact country; and if he will list the total number of calls by ships from the Warsaw Pact countries which lasted for (a) zero to five days, (b) six to ten days, (c) 11 to 15 days, and (d) over 15 days;(2) how many British ports were called at in 1978 by ships from Warsaw Pact countries; and if he will list the total number of calls by such ships at each port;(3) if he will list in the

The information is not readily available.

asked the Secretary of State for Transport if he will institute an inquiry into the degree of severity of damage caused by concrete, tubular and sheet steel lighting columns, respectively.

It is known from past research that the severity of damage to a vehicle colliding with a column is likely to be highest if the column is made of concrete and lowest if the column is made of sheet metal. Before an inquiry could consider the problem it would be necessary to mount a large and costly survey to find out if the severity of any secondary accidents would outweigh the savings in vehicle damage if lightweight columns are used. Because of the varying conditions, such as differing heights, location and traffic conditions, there is no certainty that anything of value would be achieved from such a survey. However we are prepared to consider an inquiry, on safety grounds, if the weight of evidence is sufficiently strong; I am not yet convinced that it is.

asked the Secretary of State for Education and Science, in the light of the recent Cabinet Office paper detailing the weakness in exploiting innovation in Great Britain, what action she is taking to improve the relationship between the universities and industry, particularly in the field of product development.

The Government, the University Grants Committee, the research councils and other bodies concerned are, and will continue to be,

	First Degrees		Higher Degrees
	Permanent employment	Temporary employment	Permanent employment	Temporary employment
Universities* (in Great Britain):
1968	193	89	133	20
1969	216	79	152	28
1970	199	125	172	29
1971	218	75	155	16
1972	165	81	108	23
1973	164	63	116	22
1974	242	70	132	17
1975	237	52	128	17
1976	169	41	133	7
1977	190	48	120	33
Polytechnics† (in England and Wales):
1975	37	7	Not available
1976	42	14	Not available
1977	39	19	Not available
* Excluding graduates from the Open University and Cranfield institute of technology.
† Council for National Academic Awards first degrees.