asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will now announce his proposals to control bargain offer claims.

My right hon. Friend today laid before the House an order under section 4 of the Prices Act 1974 prohibiting a range of bargain offer claims which are misleading or uninformative. When the order becomes effective, it will be illegal for a claim to be made which compares a price charged for goods with a value ascribed to the goods, or with various unspecified claims as to the price of the goods. These prohibitions will apply to both goods and services, and will affect all forms of price indication at the retail level, whether initiated by manufacturer, retailer or advertiser. In addition, in particular sectors, the order will prohibit comparisons with recommended or suggested prices. The first sector to be subject to this prohibition will be beds, but the Government intend to act similarly against other sectors where the use made of comparisons with recommended retail prices is likely to mislead. Consultations are to start immediately with a view to prohibiting comparisons with recommended retail prices in four such sectors: domestic electrical appliances and similar goods using other fuels, electronic consumer goods, carpets and furniture. To ensure that comparisons with recommended retail prices are not the subject of abuse in other sectors, the Price Commission is to be asked to monitor, as a standing reference, the use of recommended retail prices. In addition, sectors where pricing practices, including comparisons with recommended prices, are suspect will be referred to the Price Commission for examination.In choosing to restrict those sectors where comparisons with recommended prices are to be prohibited, the Government have taken account of agreements voluntarily entered into by manufacturers in the soap, detergent and toiletries industries. Under these agreements, the manufacturers have undertaken to limit the proportion of their product accounted for by "bargain packs" to not more than 50 per cent. of the total deliveries of any brand size in any year. This represents a significant advance on the present position, by which commonly 80 per cent. and in some instances 99 per cent. of a product is claimed to be on special promotion. In view of these agreements, the Government have not taken action to prohibit comparisons with recommended retail prices for the products covered by the agreements. These include toothpaste, where the Price Commission suggested in its recent report that recommended retail prices should be prohibited. The Government have, however, commended to the trade the Commission's observations on discounts and rebates and have told the trade of their wish that these should be seen to operate fairly.The order will take effect from 2 July, subject to transitional arrangements to cover a range of products and promotions where that date would cause disruption or expense. Later dates are therefore specified for certain prepacked goods, and for various forms of advertisement.

asked the Secretary of State for Prices and Consumer Protection whether he will list those companies that have been subjected to an investigation by the Price Commission together with the maximum return on capital employed that was considered acceptable in the activity under investigation of the Commission at that time.

The Price Commission has completed the following investigations under sections 4 or 5 of the Price Commission Act 1977:

• Fuel Cost Adjustment for the Supply of Electricity.
• Barclays Bank Ltd.—charges for Money Transmission Services to the Post Office, the British Gas Corporation and the Electricity Council.
• Metal Box Ltd.—Open Top Food and Beverage Cans and Aerosol Cans.
• Fisons Ltd. Agrochemical Division—Agrochemical and Horticultural Products.
• UG Glass Containers Ltd.—Prices of Glass Containers.
• Tate & Lyle Refineries Ltd.—Sugar and Syrup Products.
• British Railways Board—Increases in Passenger Fares.
• Margins of Coal Merchants in West Wales.
• The Ever Ready Company (Great Britain) Limited—Dry (Primary) Batteries.
• Cadbury Schweppes Foods Ltd.—Grocery Products.
• Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd.—Sodium Carbonate.
• Weetabix Ltd.—Cereal and Muesli Products.
• Allied Breweries (UK) Ltd.—Brewing and Wholesaling of Beer and Sales in Managed Houses.
• Southalls (Birmingham) Ltd. Sanitary Protection and Other Hygiene Products.
• IPC Magazines Ltd.—Increases in Cover Prices.
• Thames Water Authority—Water, Sewerage and Environmental Services.
• The Associated Portland Cement Manufacturers Ltd.—Increases in Cement Prices.
• South of Scotland Electricity Board—Price Increases for the Supply of Electricity.
• London Transport Executive—Increases in Passenger Fares.
• CPC (United Kingdom) Ltd.—Increases in the Price of Maize Starch, Glucose Syrups, Starch-derived and Glucose-derived Products.
• British Gypsum Ltd.—Increases in the Prices of Gypsum-related Products.
• Trust House Forte Hotels Ltd.—Charges for Hotel Services in the United Kingdom.
• Lever Brothers Ltd.—Soaps Detergents and Related Products.
• Royal Doulton Tableware Ltd.—China and Earthenware Tableware and Ornamental Items.
• Procter and Gamble Ltd.—Soaps and Detergents.
• Imperial Tobacco Ltd.—Cigarettes and Cigarillos.
• General Paper and Box Manufacturing Company Ltd. and Rizla Ltd.—Cigarette Paper Booklets, Filter Tips and Accessories.
• Air Products Ltd.—Merchant Industrial Gases.
• Dollond and Aitchison Group—Prices, Charges and Margins for Optical Products.
• Thermos Ltd.—Vacuum Ware.
• Butlins Ltd.—Tariffs of the Main Holiday Centres in the United Kingdom.
• BOC Limited—Compressed Permanent Gases and Dissolved Acetylene sold in Cylinders. Cylinder Rentals and Fixed Charges.
• The Daily Telegraph—Cover Price of The Daily Telegraph.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes have been made in the operation of the closed shop as a result of the joint statement issued by the Trades Union Congress and the Government on 14 February.

We expect unions and their members to act responsibly on

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures; and how they compare with the same period in the previous year.

At 8 March, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,339,806, compared with 1,398,980 at March 1978, a drop of 59,174 on the figure for last year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those people in employment in February of each year since 1974.

Estimates of employees in employment for all industries and services in Great Britain are made quarterly in March, June, September and December.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further measures he plans to announce which will help to alleviate unemployment on Merseyside.

The Government intend to introduce a scheme of wage-related support to help a firm restructure its activities with the aim of safeguarding employment which would otherwise disappear. In addition, a special working party has been set up to look at measures to tackle the problem of long-term unemployed people in Liverpool.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of (a) men, (b) women and (c) juveniles unemployed, respectively, on Merseyside, in Kirkby and in Ormskirk at the latest available date.

Following is the information at 11 January, the latest date for which an age analysis of the unemployed is available:The seasonally adjusted figures for March of each year are 22,214,000 in 1974, 22,238,000 in 1975, 22,042,000 in 1976, 22,139,000 in 1977 and 22,189,000 in 1978. The seasonally adjusted figure for September 1978, the latest date for which information is available, is 22,240,000. The figures from March 1977 are provisional.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest underlying trend in unemployment and in the level of vacancies.

It is too early to state whether the downward trend in unemployment and the upward trend in notified vacancies experienced during 1978 and the latter part of 1977 have been reversed. Recent unemployment and vacancy statistics have been affected by the unusually severe weather and industrial disputes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the present level of unemployment; and by what percentage it has increased since March 1974.

At 8 March, the provisional number of people registered as unemployed in Great Britain was 1,339,806, an increase of 127 per cent. since March 1974.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what are his latest estimates for the number of jobs currently supported by the various job creation and support schemes.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many persons are currently in employment as a result of Government-financed schemes.

The number of people currently assisted by the special employment and training measures for which I am responsible is estimated to be 253,000.Details of the numbers of people assisted under the various schemes are as follows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further employment measures he intends to introduce to reduce unemployment.

My right hon. Friend announced on 20 February and 8 March the special employment measures operated by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission which will be available for the year commencing 1 April 1979. Discussions are still proceeding on a labour subsidy scheme to help firms to restructure their activities with the aim of putting jobs that are at risk on a secure and viable basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further initiatives he intends to take in order to reduce the level of unemployment.

My right hon. Friend announced on 20 February and 8 March the special employment measures operated by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission which will be available for the year commencing 1 April 1979. Discussions are still proceeding on a labour subsidy scheme to help firms to restructure their activities with the aim of putting jobs that are at risk on a secure and viable basis.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will commission a study on the employment effects of all Government expenditure on job preservation and job creation schemes, and on the average cost to the taxpayer per job created and per job preserved.

No. The employment effects and costs of special employment measures for which my Department and the Manpower Services Commission are responsible are already under constant evaluation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what he estimates to be the annual cost to public funds per job, of job creation schemes, and job saving schemes, respectively.

The annual gross costs to public funds per job is currently £1,650 on average under job creation schemes, and £1,040 under job saving schemes run by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the subject of the occupational risks to which hospital operating theatre workers are subject; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received a summary of a report by Dr. P. J. Tomlin of Birmingham university on health hazards to hospital operating theatre workers, which was sent to him by my hon. Friend. We have received no other representations. I have asked the chairman of the Health and Safety Commission to give consideration to Dr. Tomlin's report.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will review the operation of parts II and III of schedule 1 to the Trade Union and Labour Relations Act 1974.

No. I am satisfied that the legislation is operating satisfactorily.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated annual cost of the job release proposals for men aged 62 years or over; how many jobs it is expected to create; and how the cost figures and jobs created compare with the effect of reducing the pensionable age of men to 62 years.

Our recent expansion of the job release scheme has resulted in a very welcome increase in applications and we estimate that some 70,000 men aged 62, 63 and 64 will enter the expanded job release scheme in the next financial year at a gross annual cost of £115 million.A reduction of the statutory pensionable age for men to 62 would affect 730,000 men at an annual cost of £1,330 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what further proposals he has to deal with the unemployment amongst young people in the United Kingdom.

The Government will continue to ensure that advantage is taken of the expansion of the youth opportunities programme from 80,000 to 100,000–120,000 filled places, the community industry scheme for unemployed young people from 5,500 to 7,000 filled places, and of the change of rules governing the youth opportunities programme. They have also asked the Manpower Services Commission to aim to offer by 31 March 1980 a suitable place in the programme to every young person unemployed for a year or more.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the expected increase in the size of the working population in the United Kingdom by 1990 in absolute terms and as a proportion of the total population.

Current projections indicate that the labour force in Great Britain may increase from just under 26½ million in 1979 to 28¼ million in 1990, an increase of 1¾ million or about 7 per cent. As a proportion of the total population it would rise from 49 to 51 per cent.No similar projections are prepared for the United Kingdom.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of 1977 and 1978 school leavers have been found places in the youth opportunities programme.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that since the youth opportunities programme started on 1 April 1978 10,128 young people, who had left school in 1977 and had remained unemployed ever since, entered the programme. This represents 1½ per cent. of the original total of 673,000 young people who left school in the academic year 1976–77 and were available for employment. Of the 687,000 1977–78 school leavers 9 per cent. have so far found places in the programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what forward plans he has to improve employment prospects for school leavers in Central and West Lancashire.

The future employment prospects of school leavers everywhere are dependent upon national and local economic factors and upon the willingness of adults to give young people a fair chance.Central and West Lancashire at present has over 1,000 opportunities for young people in the youth opportunities programme. I expect the area to benefit from the expansion of the youth opportunities programme in 1979 from 80,000 to 100,000–120,000 filled places and of the change of rules governing the youth opportunities programme.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the average wage increase so far agreed in the private sector of industry in respect of wage negotiations so far completed.

As I have made clear previously my Department maintains comprehensive monitoring only of certain major settlements which cover almost half the total labour force. Between the beginning of the present pay round and mid-March the weighted average total increase in earnings in major, monitored settlements in the private sector, including the cost of self-financing productivity and other permitted exceptions to the pay guidelines, was around 11 per cent. Because this figure is based on incomplete and often approximate information, it should be taken as an indication only of the size of settlements.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what contribution has been made to the work experience programme for young people over the past two years by (a) local government and (b) other public services.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that between March 1977 and March 1979, a total of 116,200 places have been made available to young people under the youth opportunities programme and the former work experience programme, of which local government and other public bodies have provided 11,400–9·8 per cent.—and 6,100 places—5·2 per cent.—respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received in the last three months on the allegedly wasteful expenditure of public money on job subsidy schemes; what is the total cost of such subsidisation; and what reply he has given to those representations.

My right hon. Friend has received no representations about wasteful expenditure but has received a complaint about an individual award of temporary employment subsidy. He replied to the effect that the payments had been correctly made. The gross cost, since their inception, of current job subsidy schemes is approximately £407 million.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the working of the Government's regional policy so far as employment is concerned; and if he will make a statement.

I am satisfied that the Government's regional policy has been of substantial value in maintaining and creating employment in those parts of the country most in need and in moderating the effects of the world recession. We would, however, welcome further advantage being taken of measures such as the small firms employment subsidy for non-manufacturing firms and the special temporary employment programme which has a regional bias.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in order of importance the reasons that he estimates to be the cause of the skill shortages in manufacturing.

The many inter-related factors contributing to skill shortages do not easily lend themselves to listing in order of priority. A survey of skilled engineering workers by the National Economic Development Office and the Manpower Services Commission found that the main reason for giving up skilled work was redundancy followed by poor prospects for advancement, low pay and bad working conditions. Other factors contributing to skill shortages include insufficient training by industry in the past, differences between the locations and trades where the needs for skilled people are declining and those where they are expanding, reluctance of skilled workers to move to other districts, insufficient acceptance of adult trainees and often the employment of skilled workers on tasks not requiring their skills.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to meet the Health and Safety Commission.

My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans for a meeting with the Commission but he is of course, in regular touch with the chairman and meets him and the members as necessary to discuss matters of mutual concern.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current percentage rate of unemployment in the North-West.

At 8 March, the provisional unemployment rate in the North-West region was 7·1 per cent.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects next to meet his EEC colleagues; and if he will make a statement.

I hope to meet my EEC colleagues at the Standing Committee for Employment on 24 April and at the Council of Ministers (Labour and Social Affairs) currently scheduled for 15 May.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what action he is taking to improve disabled employment opportunities in local government.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that local authorities have been asked, through their associations, to do all that they can to increase their employment of disabled people. In particular they have been reminded of the importance of keeping the MSC's local disablement resettlement officers informed of all vacancies.As with employers generally, local authorities are being reminded by DROs of the importance of a positive attitude towards the employment of disabled people. A major publicity campaign is planned for this autumn to give a boost to these efforts. Measures such as the capital grants, job introduction and revised fares-to-work schemes should also help to improve employment opportunities for disabled people in local government as elsewhere.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what monitoring is undertaken by his Department regarding the employment of handicapped persons.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that important trends are monitored, including levels and duration of unemployment, the number of disabled people registering for work and the number placed into work. In addition, statistical information is gathered about compliance with the requirements of the quota scheme which indicates the numbers of registered disabled people employed by firms with 20 or more workers.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what changes he is contemplating in the provisions of the Employment Protection Act; and if he will make a statement.

I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to the hon. Member for Kidderminster (Mr. Bulmer) on 28 November 1978 and to the hon. Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) on 20 February 1979.—[Vol. 959, c. 203–4; Vol. 963, c. 240–3.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to amend the Employment Protection Act in order to require a deposit to be lodged in respect of all claims against unfair dismissal, such deposit to be repaid only if the claim is successful.

No. I believe this would deter genuine applicants.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has given consideration to the memorandum of agreement dated January 1979 between the Transport and General Workers' Union and Waltham Roadways Ltd., a copy of which has been sent to him by the right hon. and learned Member for Hertfordshire, East; and what action he proposes to take.

I wrote to the right hon. and learned Member about this matter on 15 March. As I said, it is common practice for the terms of an agreement to be recorded in writing; and it is for the parties to decide whether they wish to sign the agreement.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will bring up to date the information which he gave to the hon. Member for Putney in columns 95 and 96 on 31 January 1978.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment to what extent an introduction of a general three-day working week would save money on travel and fuel costs; and whether he will cause a study to be made of such arrangements.

Estimates of savings on travel and fuel costs under a three-day working week would depend on the assumption to be made about output, technology and overtime. A number of possibilities for worksharing are under study in an EEC context. The Commission will be reporting to the next

I refer my hon. Friend to my reply given to his question on 23 March.—[Vol. 964, c. 765–6.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of persons registered unemployed in each employment and travel-to-work area in the county of South Yorkshire at the latest available date and in 1972, with the percentage increase in each case and in the national average position.

The following table gives the numbers registered as unemployed in the areas specified at March 1972 and March 1979 and the percentage changes between these dates:meeting of the Council of Ministers (Labour and Social Affairs). At this point further consideration could be given to the study of proposals for changing the pattern of the working week.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment with which organisations he has had discussions concerning the operation of the work permits scheme.

I have had no recent discussions about the work permit scheme in general. Last December I discussed with the football authorities particular problems arising on the issue of work permits for professional footballers in Scotland. Consultations with organisations of workers and other bodies with a specific interest in the work permit scheme have been conducted by officials who have reported to me where appropriate.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits were granted in each year since the scheme's inception.

The numbers of work permits issued—including permissions to take employment for those already here— in each year since 1973 were as folows:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether, without incurring disproportionate costs, he will give, for the longest and most convenient period of time, the total number of persons in those quasi-autonomous nongovernmental organisations for which he is responsible who have claimed expenses and subsistence and travel allowances, and the totals of all such allowances claimed.

The information requested could not be made available except at disproportionate cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the progress made by his Department's working groups on compensation for men afflicted by industrial silicosis.

I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) and the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) on 22 March.—[Vol. 964, c. 741–42.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will seek to ensure that potters are included in any new Government compensation scheme for people suffering from silicosis or any other lung disease caused by dust.

I refer my hon. Friend to the replies given to my right hon. Friend the Member for Anglesey (Mr. Hughes) and the hon. Member for Caernarvon (Mr. Wigley) on 22 March. The scheme will embrace workers in the pottery industry.—[Vol. 964, c. 741–42.]

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list each of the grants made out of the social fund since 1973, and their value, to assist projects in the constituency of Hereford and Worcester as designated for the European Assembly elections.

Since 1973 no application has been submitted for assistance from the European social fund for any eligible operation being carried out exclusively in the constituency of Hereford and Worcester, as designated for the European elections.Allocations from the fund have, however, been received in respect of operations run by public authorities covering Great Britain as a whole. A proportion of these would relate to operations in Hereford and Worcester, but I regret it is not possible to calculate this proportion.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state for January the unemployment figures expressed as a percentage, and the actual number registered as unemployed for the United Kingdom, South-West region, the South-West assisted area and the following employment exchange districts: Bodmin, Liskeard-Looe, the Saltash and Torpoint sections of the Plymouth travel-to-work area and the Gunnislake section of the Tavistock exchange area.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has made of the sum being paid out weekly in Wales to assist disabled persons with fares to and from work; and if he will make a statement.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission, which administers the fares-to-work scheme, that the information is not available in the form requested. However, the hon. Gentleman may wish to know that there are 15 currently authorised cases for assistance under the fares-to-work scheme in Wales. The average weekly grant is £7·65.I am very pleased to be able to advise that nationally the number of severely disabled people who have benefited under the revised scheme which began on 5 July 1978 has increased almost three times—2·7—which is in line with the increase estimated by the MSC. A full review of the revised scheme will be carried out after 12 months operation.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether the services of the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service have been requested to assist in bringing about a settlement of the unofficial strike of stage staff at the National Theatre.

No, but both sides are aware that ACAS's services are available.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the report made to his Department's race relations advisory group about progress with the initiative he has taken in requesting the nationalised industries and other public bodies to review their policies for ensuring racial equality in employment.

On 15 March I informed my Department's race relations advisory group, which meets under my chairmanship, that about 30 public sector bodies have been approached in this exercise. All have expressed a firm commitment to an active policy of non-discrimination. 20 bodies either already have or soon will have reinforced their commitment through a clear written statement of policy, and in the case of other bodies where racial equality policies are less advanced, personal approaches are being made to the chairmen concerned either by myself or by the responsible departmental Minister, asking them to take similar action.The advisory group welcomed this report as a most encouraging indication of the lead which the public sector is giving to employers generally in this important area. The group noted, however, that there is still considerable progress to be made in the public sector and that the next stage of the exercise will be to ensure that these racial equality policies are backed by procedures which made them fully effective. My Department's race relations advisory service will be visiting the public sector bodies concerned in the months to come to discuss with them the further development and implementation of their racial equality policies. Progress will continue to be reported to the advisory group.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received the Equal Opportunities Commission's report on its review of discriminatory provisions in health and safety legislation; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend has now received the Commission's report and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the library. His views on the report are set out in a foreword to the document which reads as follows:

"The Equal Opportunities Commission's report, published at my request, provides a sound basis for considering what should be done to eliminate, where appropriate, different treatment of men and women in our protective legislation. I am grateful for the effort the Equal Opportunities Commission and the Health and Safety Commission have given to producing this comprehensive and detailed assessment of the present law and its effects, and for the recommendations the Equal Opportunities Commission has made. I hope that the recommendations in the report can be quickly followed up, although I appreciate that while some are not generally controversial others have considerable implications which all concerned will wish to weigh carefully.

As the report itself makes clear, the review has been concerned mainly with requirements which are found in legislation now associated with the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. It is the Health and Safety Commission which has the duty of proposing changes in these statutory requirements. Its proposals for regulations are published in a consultative document to enable all those concerned to put forward comments before proposals are made to Ministers. The Health and Safety Commission is already engaged in consultation on a number of matters which are the subject of recommendations in the report, and I am asking it to take into account the recommendations in the report in its current and future work. It would therefore be of considerable assistance if those who have comments on the recommendations or the ideas put forward in the report could send them to the Health and Safety Commission as well as to the Equal Opportunities Commission. The EOC when reporting on progress generally in the removal of discrimination will be indicating where things stand in the area of protective legislation."

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the informal meeting of EEC Employment Ministers on 9 and 10 March, at which Her Majesty's Government were represented.

I represented the United Kingdom Government at this meeting. The two main subjects for discussion were the role of worksharing in the Community's fight against unemployment and ways of developing the consultative relationship with the social partners in future tripartite conferences. We also discussed briefly the arrangements for worker participation in industry in member States. As the meeting was an informal one there were no formal papers or decisions, but a useful exchange of views took place.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he has received the report from the Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service on whether a wages council should be established for the contract cleaning industry.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 18], gave the following answer:No. I understand from the Service that its investigations have not yet been concluded and that its report is expected to be made towards the end of this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in respect of how many firms and how many employees (a) temporary employment subsidy and supplement, (b) the small firms employment subsidy and (c) the job release scheme has been paid in the Blackburn area; and at what cost.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 18], gave the following answer:The information requested is as follows:(

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the reasons why it is not yet possible to indicate the groups which possess the necessary pre-conditions for reference to the Standing Commission on Pay Comparability.

pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 26 March 1979; Vol. 965, c. 17–18], gave the following information:Because, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made clear in his statement on 7 March, the Government will make references to the Standing Commission only with the agreement of the employers and unions. I am not in a position to say for which groups this precondition will be met.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment, in view of the fact that the introduction of the compulsory use of tachographs will involve a capital outlay of £100 million to the road haulage industry and £40 million for maintenance, the latter being an additional annual operating cost of 16 per Cent. to the industry, to what extent he estimates road transport costs and charges will have to rise if all of these costs are passed on and eventually paid for by the end user of the goods transported; and what will be the rise in the cost of living to the general public.

I have been asked to reply.As I said to my hon. Friend in my written reply on 13 March 1979—[Vol. 964, c.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has concluded his consideration of the applications by British Railways for planning permission and listed building consent for redevelopment of Liverpool Street and Broad Street stations: and if he will make a statement.

Yes. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport and I have now jointly granted outline planning permission to British Rail for redevelopment of Liverpool Street and Broad Street stations, to include an improved transport interchange between British Rail services and the many London Transport bus and Underground routes which serve the station, together with new offices and shops. In granting this permission we recognise that the stations are in urgent need of modernisation and reorganisation and have accepted the main recommendations of the inspector who took the inquiry into these proposals by British Rail, which was concluded in February 1977. I have also accepted the inspector's view that, in order to achieve these improvements, certain grade II listed buildings will need to be demolished. But the main part of Liverpool Street station's western train shed, the proposed demolition of which gave rise to a large proportion of the objections made at the inquiry and which many regard as a masterpiece of Victorian architecture and engineering, will be preserved. I have therefore granted the necessary consents in accordance, for the most part, with the inspector's recommendations.To help meet the cost of the much needed transport improvements, British Rail's scheme includes about 1 million sq. ft. of offices and 30,000 square feet of shops. We consider that the new offices, conveniently situated at a major public transport interchange, should help ease the strain on local transport services. Other public benefits will also be derived, such as community facilities and open space.The Railway Board's scheme involves the proposed closure of Broad Street station, but this would be subject to the separate statutory procedures for the closure of rail passenger services and stations laid down in the Transport Acts 1962 and 1968. This procedure provides a full opportunity for users of Broad Street station, and their representatives, to voice any objections they may have to the proposed closure to the Transport Users Consultative Committee for London, which is empowered, if necessary, to hold a public hearing into any objections and which would report to my right hon. Friend on any possible hardship which the proposed closure could cause to users of the station, and any proposals to mitigate such hardships.The planning permission now granted enables British Rail to go ahead and draw up a detailed scheme for the approval of the local planning authority—the Greater London Council—but conditions have been imposed requiring that work must start within 10 years and be phased according to a programme to be drawn up between British Rail and the local planning authority.The listed building consent covers the demolition of most of the Liverpool Street station offices and a small section of the southern aisle of its western train shed over the existing taxi-cab road. These demolitions will enable British Rail to provide a much needed unified concourse. As I have already mentioned, the main part of the western train shed will be preserved. The Great Eastern hotel and the Abercorn rooms which are both unlisted are to be retained and improved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will give for the longest and most convenient stated period of time the number of visits which he personally has made to stated areas in Great Britain which are known to have large immigrant populations for the specific purpose of dealing with racial matters connected with environmental and housing matters; what engagements he has already arranged for

I have no present plans to visit the London borough of Newham during the next six months. I visited the borough last July, on the occasion of the inauguration of the sewage treatment works at Beckton.I visit many parts of the country in the course of my official business, and discuss a wide range of issues with local authorities, other organisations and individuals. Although none of my visits has been exclusively about matters concerning ethnic minorities, such matters figure in these discussions, where appropriate. It would, however, involve disproportionate effort and expense to list such occasions individually. As my hon. Friend is aware, this Government are committed to ensuring that resources are allocated according to need and that the needs of ethnic minorities, as well as the contribution they can make, are taken fully and properly into account.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings have been acquired for rehabilitation in the Greater London area by local authorities and by registered housing associations, respectively, in each of the years since 1971.

The following information is available:confirm this. Of the 2,100 dwellings purchased by local authorities in the last nine months of 1978, all but 200 were for rehabilitation. No such breakdown is available for earlier years.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment, in respect of each local authority, what has been, in each of the past two years (a) the level of bids for financial sanction under the Community Land Act, (b) the amounts actually spent, (c) the areas of land purchased, (d) the areas disposed of, (e) the amount of disposal receipts, (f) the level of staffing and administrative costs, and (g) other landholding costs.

Information in this detail is not readily available. However,

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what provisions have been made in the last five years to encourage the growth of allotments.

The provision of allotments is the responsibility of the appropriate local authority. Under section 23 of the Small Holdings and Allotments Act 1908 they are required to provide a sufficient number of allotments if they are of opinion that there is a demand.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many operatives and how many other staff were employed by (a) all public authorities and (b) local authorities in Great Britain during 1978.

In October 1978, the public sector employed an estimated 224,000 construction operatives, and 111,000 administrative, professional, technical and clerical staff engaged on design, management and control of construction work which may be carried out either by direct labour or by contractors. Of these, local authorities employed 164,000 and 87,000 respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the stock of council houses, maisonettes and flats in the county of Bedfordshire and the number of housing units sold in each of the past five years.

Following is the available information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many operatives were employed by local authorities in Great Britain in 1978 on (a) new housing construction, (b) other new construction, (c) housing repairs and maintenance and (d) other repairs and maintenance.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the value of the work done in 1978 by direct labour building organisations in Great Britain employed by (a) all public authorities and (b) local authorities only.

The value of work done by public sector direct labour in Great Britain in 1978 is provisionally estimated to have been £1,870 million, of which local authorities were responsible for £1,405 million.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities in Great Britain employed direct labour organisations in 1978 for new construction and for repairs and maintenance, respectively.

In October 1978, operatives were directly employed on new construction work and on repair and maintenance by 527 and 536 local authorities, respectively.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment whether it is his policy for local authorities to make use of section 65 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1971 on land owned by statutory undertakers.

We consider that local authorities are the best judges of the exercise of this power in their own areas.

asked the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Official Report the five conditions set out in the letter of the Minister of State to the Central Council of Physical Recreation which could lead Her Majesty's Government to support the resumption of sporting links with South Africa.