asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his policy on blood sports.

We have no plans for Government action in this area.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for increasing the number of local police stations and for the establishment of local police call points in shopping and residential areas.

I know that the police are anxious to be readily available to meet the policing needs of the community. The deployment of his manpower is the responsibility of the chief officer of police of each area. It is, therefore, for him to decide whether his officers can serve the community better by being deployed in police stations or, as will often be the case, on patrol duties. Police "offices", not calling for the full resources of a police station, may also provide a valuable and economic point of contact with the community.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present cost per week for keeping a man or woman in prison.

The actual present cost per week of keeping a man or woman in prison is not readily available. It is estimated that during financial year 1978–79 the average cost per week of keeping a person in custody was about £112.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many men are at present sleeping three to a cell in each prison in the United Kingdom.

On 13 May, the latest date for which the information is available, the Prison Department establishments in England and Wales and the number of men involved were as follows:—

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking or proposes to take to ensure that mentally abnormal offenders in prison awaiting transfer to National Health Service hospitals are actually transferred.

I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a similar question by him on 12 June.—[Vol.968, c.169.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he still intends to continue with the review of the financing of television and its licensing as initiated by the previous Administration.

The study by the Working Party on the Administration of the Broadcast Receiving Licensing System of possibilities for improving methods of payment under the existing licensing systerm is well advanced and we hope to have its report next month. Discussions between Home Office officials and the BBC on the need to find a basis for the Corporation to be enabled to carry forward its longer-term planning have also made considerable progress.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reason for the provision in the European Assembly (Salaries and Pensions) Bill which stipulates that an hon. Member elected to the European Assembly on the basis of a dual mandate shall not be entitled to a salary in respect of his duties in the Assembly.

In deciding on this provision the Government took account of the fact that none of the other Community countries except the Republic of Ireland will be paying two full salaries to dual mandate Members of the European Assembly.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many policemen who are engaged on Special Patrol Group duties come from ethnic minority groups;(2) what is the average length of service of those policemen who are engaged on Special Patrol Group duties;(3) how long the Special Patrol Group has been in existence; why it was decided to form the Special Patrol Group; what duties are undertaken by the Special Patrol Group; and under what immediate authority the Special Patrol Group operates;(4) how many in the police force in total are engaged on Special Patrol Group duties; on what basis policemen are recruited for the Special Patrol Group; and if he will make a statement.

I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the Special Patrol Group was set up in 1965 by the then commissioner against the background of a worrying increase in housebreaking, hooliganism and other crime in the Metropolitan area, The prime aim was to make best use of the force's available manpower by providing a mobile reserve which would supplement the strength of local police and help to provide assistance in areas with a high rate of crime or vandalism. These remain the main functions of the Special Patrol Group. The group also provides a reserve of manpower for demonstrations and disturbances, major incidents and large-scale searches and inquiries. The group operates under the authority of the commissioner and comes under the over all command of a commander based at New Scotland Yard.The Special Patrol Group currently comprises 202 officers. All officers in the group are volunteers from the uniform branch, chosen for their practical experience and ability. The average length of total service in the force of those members of the group of the rank of chief superintendent and below is approximately 12 years. One serving member of the group is of West Indian extraction.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of complaints received about the Special Patrol Group since its formation; what is the number of complaints which have been investigated; and what were the results of those complaints.

I regret that this information is not presently available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act since the Act's inception in the Merseyside region; and how many of these people were subsequently charged and with what offence;(2) how many people have been detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (

The information available relates to police force areas in the period 29 November 1974 to 31 March 1979; the numbers of persons detained under the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Acts 1974 and 1976 by police force area were published in Table 2 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 3/79 copies of which are available in the Library of the House. Fifty-eight of the persons detained in Merseyside police force area were subsequently charged with the offences shown in the following table:

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the new ward boundaries for South Tyneside district council will be announced.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has not yet submitted to me its report proposing new electoral arrangements for South Tyneside. It is therefore not possible to say when the order implementing these new arrangements is likely to be made and announced.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take further to encourage police authorities to increase the number of policemen on the beat.

I attach importance to supporting chief officers of police in making most effective use of their manpower. The full implementation of the pay award recommended by the Edmund Davies Committee will, I am confident, maintain the improvement in police strengths which are essential.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will announce the name of the new chairman of the Governors of the BBC.

An announcement is expected to be made later this month from the Prime Minister's Office.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will consider taking steps to enable people away on holiday at the time of an election to exercise their democratic right by providing postal or proxy voting.

I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. Pawsey) on 11 June.—[Vol.968, c. 9.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department, in the light of he number of holidays cancelled by Sectors who feel bound to remain at home to vote, and the disenfranchisement of those who miss voting because of long standing and expensive holiday arrangements, if he will introduce legislation to treat absence on holiday in the same way as absence on business in qualifying for a postal vote.

I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply my right hon. Friend gave to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby (Mr. Pawsey), on 11 June.—[Vol.968, c. 9.]

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department who are the present members of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England.

The members of the Commission are Mr. Speaker (Chairman ex officio), the Hon. Mr. Justice Walton (Deputy Chairman), Mr. J. M. Drinkwater QC, and Mr. W. W. Ruff, OBE. The Registrar General for England and Wales and the Director General of the Ordnance Survey are assessors to the Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to amend the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876.

Yes, but not in the present Session. In carrying out our commitment to bring up to date the legislation concerning painful experiments on live animals, it will be sensible to have regard to the progress of the current discussions in the Council of Europe towards a European convention on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to review the working of the present prison parole system.

I have noted the recommendation of the Fifteenth Report from the Expenditure Committee and, whilst I accept that the time would seem to be ripe for a public debate on parole, I am considering how best this might be achieved.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the inquiry into matters covering the Southall riots will deal with the fact that the police stopped electors from attending a public General Election meeting, contrary to the Representation of the People Act 1948.

It would not in my view be useful to deal with particular points raised by hon. Members in advance of the statement I intend to make to the House, when I have received and considered the commissioner's report on the disturbances at Southall and the police handling of them.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if be will make a statement on the escape from High Point prison, Suffolk of the two prisoners on 25 May.

On 25 May two Category D prisoners absconded from an outside working party at High Point prison. I am satisfied that the level of supervision on this occasion was appropriate to Category D prisoners (i.e. those who can reasonably be trusted to serve their sentences in open conditions), and that the abscond does not reveal any serious security weakness. Both prisoners have since been recaptured.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of the numbers of prisoners who have escaped from High Point Prison since it was opened, indicating the names of each escapee, the crime and the length of sentence he was serving, whether he was recaptured, and what further punishment, was imposed as a result of his escaping.

Three Category C prisoners escaped from within High Point prison in July 1977, shortly before it was formally opened. Three Category D prisoners have absconded from working parties outside the prison since then. I shall write to my hon. Friend about the personal details requested.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many more houses he estimates will be required to house prison staff employed at High Point prison in each of the next five years, commencing 1980; and how and where he is planning to provide them and at what cost to public funds at current prices.

The whole question of additonal staff housing for the High Point and North Ridge establishments is now being reviewed. I shall write to my hon. Friend when a conclusion has been reached.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals sentenced to a community service order have continued in a voluntary capacity once their sentence was completed.

This information is not available.

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of those given a suspended prison sentence for breaking the terms of a community service order were eventually imprisoned.

This information is not available.

asked the Prime Minister if she will advise Her Majesty The Queen not to travel to Zambia for the forthtcoming Commonwealth Prime Ministers' Conference in view of possible fears for her safety; and if she will make a statement.

The Government hope that Her Majesty will be present at the Commonwealth Heads of Goverment meeting. The Queen's safety is of course of paramount importance, and, in consultation with all concerned, I shall be watching closely any developments in the situation.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her engagements for Thursday 14 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her public engagements for 14 June.

asked the Prime Minister whether she will list her engagements for Thursday 14 June.

asked the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for 14 June.

I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the reply which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Thomas).

asked the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether, in view of the Government's commitment to support and foster the use of the Welsh language, he will use his influence to ensure that Parliamentary stationery, appropriately headed in the Welsh language, is made available through the usual sources to all Members for Welsh constituencies who require it.

A proposal on these lines was considered and rejected last year by the Services Committee. I understand that it is possible for Members to have the House of Commons stationery overprinted and that the House authorities will assist in making the necessary arrangements.

asked the Prime Minister when she plans next to meet the Trades Union Congress.

I shall be seeing the economic committee of the TUC fairly soon and a date is now being arranged.

asked the Prime Minister when she plans next to meet the Trades Union Congress and the Confederation of British Industry.

No dates have yet been arranged.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland whether a working party has been appointed to examine the long-term needs of the national museum and galleries in Scotland; and whether he will specify the constitution and terms of reference of any such working party, including an approximate forecast of when he expects to receive their conclusions.

A committee to consider the future development of the national museums and galleries in Scotland has been set up under the chairmanship of Dr. Alwyn Williams, principal of Glasgow University. I hope to receive the committee's report towards the end of next year.The remit of the committee is:

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will give up control of individual local authority housing projects.

I have decided to dispense immediately with the need for local authorities to submit their proposals to my Department for subsidy approval, and my Department will be in touch with them about the details. I have also instructed my officials to prepare, in consultation with local authority representatives, an incentive to economy in the housing support grant system, for introduction as soon as possible, with the object of ensuring that local authorities reap the benefit of economy in building costs but bear the consequences of excessive costs.

asked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will request the Policy Studies Institute to include the operations of the South of Scotland Electricity Board, the North of Scotland Hydro-Electric Board and Scottish Gas within the scope of its in-depth study of the fuel industries code of practice on hardship.

The steering panel for the review of the code of practice has already been asked to consider the possibility of arrangements being made for the Policy Studies Institute's in-depth studies to be extended to Scotland.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake a study into the effects of population sparsity on the provision of ambulance services, home nurses and health visitors for rural areas in Wales.

Discussions are taking place with a department of the University of Wales on the possibility of a study on the effects of population sparsity on the costs of providing such services.

asked the Secretary of State for Wales what is the acreage of each of the 36 Welsh parliamentary constituencies.

This information will be found on page 13 of the publication "Electoral Statistics—England and Wales" Series EL No.5 published in 1978 by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on behalf of the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys. Copies are in the Library.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will now impose as a matter of urgency further national conservation measures in fishing increasing mesh sizes and enforcing the one net rule.

My right hon. Friend announced in the House on 18 May—[Vol. 967, c. 656]—that the national conservation measures on mesh sizes for fish nets and related matters, first announced on 22 March—[Vol. 964, c. 683]—will now be introduced from 1 July 1979. The Government stand ready to take any further conservation measures that may prove necessary.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with EEC Ministers of Agriculture regarding the financing of agricultural surpluses.

At next week's Council of EEC Ministers of Agriculture, I will be discussing the level of farm support prices. The cost of disposing of surpluses is particularly relevant to this.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest estimated cost of the common agricultural policy to the United Kingdom.

The budgetary provision for the common agricultural policy in 1979 is 9,978 million European units of account which, converted at 1·5 EUA to the £, is equivalent to about £6,650 million. The United Kingdom will contribute about 17½ per cent. of 1979 budgetary expenditure.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what attempt is to be made to change the common agricultural policy of the EEC.

The reform of the CAP is an aim which I shall be pursuing in forthcoming negotiations, including those on the level of farm prices for 1979–80.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to meet the president of the National Farmers' Union.

I shall be meeting him later today.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to begin the renegotiation of the common fisheries policy.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the renegotiations of the common fisheries policy.

The Government are determined to secure a fair and lasting settlement of the common fisheries policy, but I do not anticipate consideration of all the outstanding issues in the Council of Ministers until further preparatory work by the Commission and others had been done.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what difference a 5 per cent. devaluation in the green pound will make to the retail price of butter, cheese and sugar.

A 5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound might eventually raise the retail price of butter by some 3·p per lb; of cheese by about 3p per lb; and of sugar by about 1·p per kg. The overall effect of a 5 per cent. devaluation of the green pound would be to raise the retail price index by about ¼ per cent.

asked the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consideration he has given to the licensing of British fishing vessels; and if he will make a statement.

Representative organisations in the catching industry have been invited to submit their views on this subject.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what financial assistance he will give to the 250 workers at Middlebrook Mushrooms, Cromer, Norfolk, who will be made redundant in November this year.

My Department can give financial assistance under the temporary short-time working compensation scheme when there are potential redundancies. Under this scheme, employers who are willing to put their workers on short-time working as an alternative to redundancy and pay them 75 per cent. of their normal pay for each day's work lost, may be compensated for those payments, and for the employers' related national insurance contributions.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement as to the purpose of his visit on Friday 25 May to Liverpool; whom he met; and what was discussed.

The purpose of my right hon. Friend's visit to Liverpool on 25 May was to hear at first hand about the problems of the area from those who live and work there. During the visit he met representatives of local authorities, the North-West TUC and senior management, and he visited two firms in the area. Discussions were about the action which the Government could take to reduce unemployment on Merseyside, including encouraging industry to the area to provide permanent employment, and the programme of special measures administered by my Department and the Manpower Services Commission.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement as to the steps he is proposing to take to improve employment prospects in Liverpool, in the light of his visit on 25 May.

The Government are determined to do all they can to improve employment prospects in areas of high unemployment such as Liverpool. We are currently considering how best we can achieve this aim. I am myself proposing to visit Liverpool tomorrow.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what conclusions he has reached on the recommendations of the Health and Safety Executive's report on Canvey Island, Thurrock.

My right hon. Friend has not yet completed consideration of the HSE report but hopes to do so at an early date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of firms, and the number of jobs, in West Yorkshire being supported by employment subsidies; and if he will give a breakdown of the figures on an industrial classification.

I regret that information is not available in the precise form requested.As at 31 May 1979, a cumulative total of 116 applications for TES had been approved in West Yorkshire covering a total of 6,007 jobs. An analysis of these figures by industry could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.An industrial breakdown of the support currently provided by the other subsidy schemes in West Yorkshire is given in the schedule below:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what is his policy relating to first renewal of special temporary employment programme grants to projects successfully reaching the half-way stage towards viability.

I am informed by the Manpower Services Commission that there is a small number of schemes funded under the special temporary employment programme which are aiming to become financially viable within the period of MSC funding and thereby create permanent jobs. These schemes, which have an income from sales or the provision of services, are funded initially for one year. Towards the end of this period an assessment is made of their progress towards viability, and funding may be renewed for up to one further year where the assessment indicates that a scheme has a reasonable prospect of becoming fully self-financing within that period.Schemes currently running may be renewed if this criterion is satisfied, but following the announcement of reductions in public expenditure, new schemes under the special temporary employment programme will be approved only in special development areas, development areas and inner city areas after 12 June 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of firms in the Bishop Auckland area and the number of jobs involved at each firm currently being supported by employment subsidies.

I regret that the information is not available in the precise form requested.The numbers of current applications for employment subsidies and jobs involved in Bishop Auckland are:

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of jobs supported by temporary employment subsidy at February 1978 in the textiles, clothing and footwear sector and other sectors, respectively; and what is the number of jobs supported currently in these sectors, respectively, according to the latest available information, under the new rules for short-time working announced on 15 March 1978.

I regret that an industrial analysis of jobs being supported by TES at February 1978 is not available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. However at 31 March 1978, 95,963 jobs in the textiles, clothing and footwear sectors, and 77,104 jobs in other sectors were being supported by the scheme.At 31 May 1979, the short-time working compensation scheme, which was introduced for employers in the textiles, clothing and footwear sectors, was supporting 10,270 jobs in those sectors.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the official forms and regular returns hitherto issued by his Department, for completition by business men, that have been abolished since 7 May.

The Annual Census of Employment inquiry has been suspended during 1979 and this will result in more than · million fewer forms being issued this year.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment how many school leavers in South Tyneside have been employed over the last 12 months on manpower service schemes; at what cost; and how much would have been paid in benefits if they had registered unemployed.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment why there have been delays in accepting applicants for early retirement under the Government's job release scheme when employers have been co-operating in its operation, as instanced in the case of Greater Glasgow passenger transport executive and Mr. Thomas Sinclair, who is due to retire on 30 June under the terms of his superannuation scheme.

Under the expanded job release scheme which opened for applications on 1 May, the eligible age for men has been reduced from 64 to 62—or to 60 if they are disabled. The number of applications received in the first four weeks of the expanded scheme was unexpectedly high and the number of staff engaged on this work has therefore been increased.The leaflet issued by my Department already warns applicants, because of the time needed to process applications, that they must apply at least four weeks before they wish to join the scheme and that they should not complete their arrangements to leave their jobs until they they have been told that their application has been approved. The co-operation of employers and applicants in fulfilling these provisions is still needed.The staff are dealing as quickly as possible with all applications received, including that from Mr. Sinclair, about which I am writing to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment when he will announce the details of the fund for the payment of compensation under the Pneumoconiosis Compensation Act; when and how claims may be submitted under the Act; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. Friend hopes to lay the draft regulations prescribing the amounts which will be payable by the time the Act comes into force on 4 July. Regulations as to the manner in which claims should be submitted will be made shortly to come into force on that date.

asked the Secretary of State for Employment if he is satisfied with the standards of safety at Littlebrook D power station in view of the fact that nine people have been killed since work on the site commenced, and 310 reportable accidents have occurred; and if he will make a statement.

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

asked the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take to deal with the problem of long-term unemployment.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 11 June 1979; Vol.968 c. 78], gave the following information:We believe that the best way the Government can help the long-term unemployed is by creating a climate for faster growth. We intend to restore incentives and encourage efficiency. In this way we should be able to create genuine permanent jobs. The Manpower Services Commission's special temporary employment programme will continue to provide temporary jobs in the areas where unemployment is most serious i.e. the special development areas, the development areas and designated inner city areas. In addition the criteria for entry to schemes will be tightened to ensure that a higher proportion of entrants are drawn from the long-term unemployed. The MSC will also continue the undertakings to ensure that every unemployed young person who left school in the school year 1978–79 who remains unemployed at Easter 1980 will have been offered a suitable opportunity in the programme, and by 31 March 1980, to offer a suitable opportunity to all young people who have been unemployed for 12 months or more. The long-term unemployed can, of course, benefit from the full range of specialist advisory and placement services available through the public employment service and from a number of other special employment and training measures.

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if the latest quarterly security statistics are now available.

Following is the information:

asked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will recommend the reintroduction of capital punishment for terrorist crimes in Northern Ireland in view of the rising campaign of Irish Republican Army activity in Northern Ireland.

The Government are committed to a free vote in this House on the issue of capital punishment for murder. This will relate to the United Kingdom as a whole, and not only to Northern Ireland.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will publish in the Official Report a detailed list giving Department by Department, the number of civil and public servants who are in receipt of salaries in excess of the Ministers in charge of the Departments or organisations for which these public servants work.

The table below shows the number of civil servants in central Government Departments at 1 April 1979 whose basic salary was in excess of that of the Ministers in charge of those Departments:

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to receive the report from the committee which has been considering pay parity between the civil police and non-Home Office police forces; and if he will make a statement.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord President of the Council expects to receive the report by the end of this week. It will receive urgent consideration.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service when he expects to receive the report of the Wright committee on rates of pay for police in the public sector; when he expects to publish it; and whether he will undertake to implement its proposals in full as was the case with the recommendations of the Edmund-Davies committee.

My right hon. and noble Friend the Lord President of the Council expects to receive the report by the end of this week and it will be given urgent consideration. At this stage it is too early to say when the report will be published but there will be no unnecessary delay.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service, as recipients of index-linked pensions will benefit from any cuts in direct taxation, if he will make an adjustment in the indexing arrangements so that they do not also benefit a second time through the effects of increased indirect taxation on the retail price index.

It would be difficult to alter the arrangements for index-linked pensions with each change in the rates of income tax. Moreover, such changes will affect pensioners in very different ways depending on their individual financial circumstances. There are, for example, many receiving small pensions who pay no income tax and they would suffer a decline in living standards if such a change was made. Under the circumstances I do not think it would be practical to make the change my hon. Friend has in mind. Such a course would in any case require legislation.

asked the Minister for the Civil Service whether he will list the total cost of the quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations' salaries bill for 1978, 1979 and 1980.

There is no generally accepted definition of the terms "quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation". Details of the total cost of the wages and salaries bill for the official bodies to which Ministers make appointments are not held centrally.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence how many clerical officer posts have been filled during the previous 12 months within central London locations by the Ministry of Defence.

197 posts in central London were filled by new recruits and another 215 by promotions from lower grades.

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he is satisfied with the quality of food made available to Service men stationed in South Armagh.

I am not aware of any complaints concerning the quality of the food supplied to our Service men in South Armagh which is of the same high standard as that supplied throughout Northern Ireland.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry what steps he is taking to encourage research into commercially viable substitutes for sperm whale oil; and what results have been achieved to date.

Through the garment and allied industries requirements board the Department has funded a study of sperm oil substitutes which the British Leather Manufacturers' Research Association issued as a report in December 1978. The report concluded that considerable work needed to be done before substitutes for all applications of sperm oil would become available in commercial quantities. The Department will continue to encourage the use of substitutes, and projects to develop alternatives may qualify for financial assistance.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry which industries are the principal users of sperm whale oil.

The principal user of sperm whale oil is the leather tanning industry. Consumption of sperm oil has declined as substitutes for specific applications have become commercially available.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state his policy towards encouraging new and extended industrial development in the West Midlands and the Black Country area of the region; and if he will make a statement.

The Government are reviewing the assistance at present available to industry. Our policies will be designed to create a proper climate in which commerce and industry can flourish and this will encourage industrial development in the Black Country and the West Midlands, as in the rest of the country.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the number of advance factories approved for the Bishop Auckland constituency over the past five years, with the total area of factory space and the total cost.

Since 1974 a 900m² standard factory and a 900m² terraced block of four units have been approved. As the former is still under construction and land has to be acquired for the latter, it is not possible at this stage to give the total cost.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will list the number of firms which have received regional development grants in the Bishop Auckland constituency since 1974, the total amounts involved, and the number of jobs created.

The information is not available in the form requested and could not be provided without disproportionate cost. The payment of regional development grant is intended to assist the modernisation and regeneration of industry but is not directly related to the creation of employment. I am writing further to the hon. Member.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will establish a national body of employers and trade unionists to co-ordinate research and development and direct it towards meeting industry's needs.

My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to establish a body of the kind described.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry, in the light of the official figures indicating a closure rate of 50 per cent. higher than the national average for companies moving to Scotland, what account his Department is taking of these results in formulating policy for the movement of industry from areas such as the West Midlands to Scotland and other development areas.

In our review of regional industrial policy we will take take account of the factors to which my hon. Friend has called attention.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the shipbuilding industry in Great Britain, specifying whether he plans to bring forward an order to renew the shipbuilding redundancy payments scheme.

A statement will be made when the Government have concluded their review of the industry. My hon. Friend announced on 4 June that the shipbuilding redundancy payments scheme for Great Britain would be extended for a further two years from 1 July 1979.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry whether he will give details of the arrangements for the deferment of payment of regional development grants.

The four months deferment of payment of approved regional development grants will apply to all applications made after 12 June 1979. The Department will accept as in time applications posted to the regional development grant offices on or before 12 June 1979. The applications will be examined in the usual way. When the office is satisfied about the amount of grant payable, the applicant will be notified and told that, provided no material change occurs in his eligibility for grant, payment will be made in four months' time. No requests for priority treatment will be entertained, as this would operate unfairly against other applicants.

asked the Secretary of State for Industry if he will state the level of United Kingdom manufacturing investment, in gross and net terms respectively, for each year since 1960; what was the ratio in each of these years to the gross national product at current prices; and what is the comparable data for France, West Germany, the United States of America, Japan and Sweden.

, pursuant to his reply [Official Report, 13 June 1979; Vol.968, c. 242], gave the following information:The United Kingdom investment figures are given in the tables below. No figures are available for France and the Federal Republic of Germany and only gross manufacturing investment is readily available for the other countries. Comparable